CPT Blog Archives - Page 2 of 9 - GEOTILL provides geotechnical, construction testing and Environmental services Indianapolis Indiana

Crews wrap up yearslong landslide project on Columbia Parkway in Cincinnati, Ohio

Source: Columbia Parkway Hillside Stabilization - Transportation & Engineering Source: Crews wrap up yearslong landslide project on Columbia Parkway Crews have wrapped up construction on a years long project to stabilize a large swath of hillside along Columbia Parkway in Cincinnati, Ohio — a stretch that has long been a landslide risk. Contractor crews officially wrapped up the $17.6 million project this week, city officials announced. The project’s footprint extends over two miles on the uphill side of the parkway from Bains Street near downtown to just east of the William Howard Taft Road-Torrence Parkway intersection in East Walnut Hills. Cincinnati’s Department of Transportation & Engineering began developing a long-term stabilization plan for the parkway in the spring of 2019 following a series of landslides in multiple locations along the uphill side. Landslides in the area began increasing in frequency and significance in recent years, peaking in the winter and early spring of 2019. The threat to public safety also was increasing with mud and debris frequently spilling over existing retaining walls onto the roadway, prompting emergency closures along the five-lane thoroughfare that carries approximately 30,000 vehicles a day from the city’s east side into downtown. The parkway was built in the late 1930s as a Depression-era public works project situated along a bluff overlooking the Ohio River. The Ohio River traces a path along Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. Mitigation efforts in the 1990s helped reduce the impact of landslides on the downhill side of the parkway but didn’t address the uphill side. City council approved funding for an emergency mitigation project in late spring 2019 and it started to take shape that summer once Canton-based Beaver Excavating was selected as the prime contractor. The proposed dual solution including soil nailing for the steepest sections, and [...]

By kk42|September 28th, 2021|Landslides, Geotechnical Ohio, Cincinnati, Geotechnical Services|0 Comments

UNF first in Florida to conduct large-scale lab testing on sinkholes

Source: UNF first in Florida to conduct large-scale l | EurekAlert! Jacksonville, Fla. – University of North Florida researchers will be the first in Florida to conduct large-scale laboratory testing of sinkhole mechanics. Dr. Ryan Shamet, civil engineering assistant professor, was recently awarded a Florida Department of Transportation project grant for “Validation and Update of the Sinkhole Index,” a project that will aim to better understand the potential of sinkhole formation prior to any collapse at the surface. This joint project between UNF and University of Central Florida includes $90,259 for UNF and new equipment coming to UNF labs. The new equipment consists of a large-scale soil box that will allow UNF researchers to recreate and monitor the geotechnical and hydraulic mechanics of sinkholes forming in north and central Florida. The researchers at UNF and UCF will collect data from active sinkhole sites throughout the state and then refine and update analysis techniques for varying geologic conditions or regions based on their data. This analysis technique will allow engineers to quantify a location’s relative vulnerability of conditions favorable to sinkhole collapse when raveling conditions are encountered using an investigation test called the Cone Penetration Test (CPT). CPTs are a common subsurface investigation tool used by geotechnical engineers to identify soil layers and measure the strength of the soil within a project location. Through quantifying the raveling phenomenon, local engineers can better discern which mitigation techniques, such as compaction grouting or road closure, should be performed to lower the associated risk of sinkhole collapse.

By kk42|September 24th, 2021|CPT Blog, Cone Penetration, Geotechnical South Carolina, Sinkholes, Geotechnical Georgia, Geotechnical Alabama, Geotechnical Florida, Geotechnical Mississippi|0 Comments

Using Torque Testing for Better Designs

Source: Using Torque Testing for Better Designs All Engineers can relate to an experience we’ve had where what we designed was not how it turned out in “the real world”. Rarely does a project end up being exactly as what we put down on paper. Soil testing for foundation supports is no exception and unfortunately these differences almost never end on the positive side of a cost estimate. One way to mitigate those differences is to use a testing process which directly relates with the type of foundation being used. For helical piles, while there are well-established trends between ASTM D1586 N60 blow count N values and potential pile length, even the slightest variations in testing methods and/or soil description can create significant differences in the “design” versus “reality”. The more accurate method for a helical pile foundation design would be to do actual torque tests (a.k.a. helical probe tests) at the site. While most designs initially begin with a Geotechnical Report including boring logs, for helical piles using an actual torque test prior to start of work instead will provide a much more accurate picture of soil capacity and allow for a finite design. Even with boring logs and N60 blow counts being used for preliminary designs, a torque test can be used to “fine-tune” the foundation design. Many owners might think that the additional cost associated with a site torque test, albeit nominal, is not needed. However, time and time again, the small additional cost has proven to save substantial money on the foundation project by allowing the engineer to confirm and enhance their foundation design. In addition, site torque tests can be incorporated directly into a design created in the HeliCAP® v3.0 Helical Capacity Design software to provide real time updates to designs giving better solutions with more confidence. Adding actual [...]

By kk42|September 22nd, 2021|Drilling, Drilling Indiana, Drilling Illinois, Drilling Ohio, Drilling Kentucky, Drilling Michigan, Drilling Missouri, Soil Testing, Geotechnical Services|0 Comments

Ohio Geotechnical engineering faculty to develop course with Japanese colleagues

Source: Geotechnical engineering faculty to develop course with Japanese colleagues | Civil, Environmental and Geodetic Engineering Geotechnical engineering faculty to develop course with Japanese colleagues Posted: July 20, 2020 Thanks to an award granted by a partnership of The American Council on Education (ACE) and the Institute for Innovative Global Education, Ohio State faculty and students will have soon have the opportunity to collaborate with their colleagues and peers at the University of Tsukuba in Japan. The two universities were selected by ACE to participate in the U.S.-Japan Rapid Response Virtual Exchange / Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) Transformation Lab. The COIL program fosters U.S.-Japan higher education ties through the development of new and innovative courses. Daniel Pradel Daniel Pradel, professor of practice in geotechnical engineering, will collaborate with Takashi Matsushima, professor of engineering information and systems at the University of Tsukuba, to adapt a current Ohio State course called, “Learning from disasters: Extreme events and their impact on infrastructure, engineering, and society.” Professor Pradel previously participated in several post-disaster, engineering reconnaissance teams, including the 2015 Ghorka Earthquake in Nepal, the 2011 Tohuku Earthquake and Tsunami in Japan and 2017 Hurricanes Irma and Maria in Puerto Rico. He said that studying the response to these and other extreme events will reinforce, to students, the importance of resilience in designing and developing infrastructure. "Historical decisions in planning, engineering and/or urban development play important roles that often magnify the destructive effects of extreme events," Pradel said in a statement. He went on to emphasize the other challenges these events present. "In developing countries, where resources tend to be limited, extreme events such as earthquakes and typhoons often result in medical threats from infectious diseases due to the limited availability of clean water and emergency medical services." Daniel Pradel surveys landslide damage caused by Hurricane Maria, Puerto Rico, 2017. While international travel is not possible during [...]

By smadi66|September 20th, 2021|Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Toledo, Akron, Dayton, Parma, Canton, Youngstown, Geotechnical Ohio, Lorain, Geotechnical Services|Comments Off

Geotechnical Instrumentation and Monitoring Consumption Market Size to Witness Huge Growth by 2027 | By Top Leading Vendors – Keller, Fugro, Nova Metrix, Geokon, Geocomp, Sisgeo, Cowi – The Daily Chronicle

Source: Geotechnical Instrumentation and Monitoring Consumption Market Size to Witness Huge Growth by 2027 | By Top Leading Vendors – Keller, Fugro, Nova Metrix, Geokon, Geocomp, Sisgeo, Cowi – The Daily Chronicle

By smadi66|September 22nd, 2020|Arlington Heights, Geotechnical Rhode Island, Geotechnical North Carolina, Geotechnical Massachusetts, Geotechnical Georgia, Geotechnical South Carolina, Geotechnical West Virginia, Geotechnical Montana, Geotechnical Maryland, Geotechnical South Dakota, Geotechnical Services, Geotechnical Nevada, Geotechnical Pennsylvania, Geotechnical Texas, Geotechnical Arizona, Geotechnical New Hampshire, Geotechnical Wisconsin, Geotechnical Utah, Geotechnical Arkansas, Geotechnical Indiana, Geotechnical New Jersey, Geotechnical Minnesota, Geotechnical Vermont, Geotechnical California, Geotechnical Kentucky, Geotechnical New Mexico, Geotechnical Alabama, Geotechnical Virginia, Geotechnical Colorado, Geotechnical Tennessee, Geotechnical New York, Geotechnical Connecticut, Geotechnical Washington, Geotechnical Delaware, Geotechnical Illinois, Geotechnical North Dakota, Geotechnical Florida, Geotechnical Wyoming, Geotechnical Idaho, Geotechnical Michigan, Geotechnical Oklahoma, Geotechnical Mississippi, Geotechnical Louisiana, Geotechnical Missouri, Geotechnical Oregon, Geotechnical Nebraska, Geotechnical Maine|0 Comments

Adding a Soil Testing Service to Your Drilling Business

Are you a driller looking at adding a soil testing service to your business? If you’ve been in the drilling business for any length of time, or if you’ve been involved in drilling around sites that are being prepped for construction or development - you may have crossed paths with a Cone Penetration Test (CPT) operation. If you have been curious about this service, you probably noticed that the operating conditions of CPT are pretty comfortable. You may have also heard that the daily rates or rates charged per foot of depth for CPT are usually quite a bit better than what you can get for drilling. Adding soil testing services to your business can be a good way to diversify your workload and ensure a steady income for your business and your family. What you may not know, is that the skills you’ve acquired to drill are a good basis for entering the CPT business. What do you need to get started? A good place to start is to start comprehending the reasons why customers need a soil testing service and the basics of how this type of soil testing works. This will help you to start thinking about the needs in your area and the types of things you’ll need to learn in order to be successful in the business. Why a Soil Testing Service? When engineers are in the early stages of designing infrastructure, such as roads, bridges, or foundations for buildings, they need to know the characteristics of the ground that is going to be built on. Depending upon the type of construction, they may need to understand how soil, clay and rock are layered below the surface. This can help them to decide what the construction process will look like. For instance, will blasting or [...]

By smadi66|December 5th, 2019|Geotechnical California, Geotechnical Colorado, Geotechnical Delaware, Geotechnical Idaho, Geotechnical Georgia, Geotechnical Alabama, Geotechnical Connecticut, Geotechnical Florida, Introductory, Geotechnical Arizona, Geotechnical Arkansas|0 Comments

Screening for Soil Contamination Levels with CPT

Expanding from geotechnical Cone Penetration Test (CPT) into other services is a great way to grow your business. Evaluating subsurface soil contamination provides many business opportunities and a way to differentiate yourself from other CPT service providers – allowing you to protect your business, while expanding into new regions and adding clients. In many instances, the existence of environmental contaminations in an area is known, but the question that needs to be answered is, “where is it”? In other posts, we explain how CPT works, and how it can be used to characterize the strata underground hundreds of feet deep, depending upon the actual subsurface conditions, the equipment being used etc., In addition to identifying soil types by layer and depth, geo-technical CPT testing also helps to establish groundwater levels and potential migration pathways. This makes it useful for identifying where contamination may migrate or be confined. Establishing a depth profile of the contamination underground and how the ‘plume’ is located and migrated, or where it is likely to expand in the future is vital to establishing a cleanup or remediation plan. Once contamination has been shown to be likely, our discrete soil and ground water sampling equipment delivers physical samples for confirmation. Once CPT became well-established and proven as a geo-technical evaluation tool, it was natural to try and see what other types of testing could be accomplished using the same tools. In addition to mapping groundwater conditions with in-situ pore pressure transducers, CPT tools that sense the direct presence of various types of hydrocarbons and other volatile organic compounds at depth are now available. A variety of cone sensors can be used to test for specific types of contamination. Multiple CPT equipment modules can be configured with multiple sensors, including soil moisture resistivity, video, radiation and sensing for [...]

By smadi66|December 5th, 2019|Experienced, Geotechnical Louisiana, Geotechnical Maine, Geotechnical Massachusetts, Geotechnical Indiana, Geotechnical Kentucky, Geotechnical Illinois, Geotechnical Michigan, Geotechnical Maryland, Geotechnical Iowa, Geotechnical Kansas|0 Comments

MUD ROTARY DRILLING VS. CPT

Mud Rotary Drilling and Cone Penetration Testing (CPT) both provide reliable options for gaining subsurface information. In fact, the two are even compatible – many organizations that order drilling services, such as mud rotary drilling are also using CPT for their operations. Mud Rotary Drilling Mud rotary drilling is a versatile and dependable method for geological drilling operations. It is most commonly used to create a hole that will then be used for water well, seismic testing and commercial drilling operations. The mud rotary drilling functions with a drill-bit that is attached to a drill-rod that rotates into a borehole. This is done while pumping a drill mud that contains bentonite or polymer slurry into the borehole. Once this operation is complete, the drilling mud will circulate into a mud pit where the remaining residue in the borehole caused by drilling will then come out and be reused. This process is done without any effort from the drilling operators, and speeds up the drilling by removing any potential obstacles. Cone Penetration Testing (CPT) Cone Penetration Testing (CPT) is the use of a hardened cone shape that is pushed into the ground to substantial depths. The cone is pushed using steel rods that are able to be connected to each other as the depth increases. A dominant hydraulic ram is used to produce a considerable amount of downward force to facilitate the cone to penetrate soft soils, sand and clay. Though both provide suitable options for obtaining subsurface information, there are many benefits to using CPT over drilling. First off, CPT is a faster, less expensive option that also provides immediate results on site. CPT can also point to where rotary mud drilling will be required which is typically because of subsurface conditions or where more sampling should be done. CPT [...]

By smadi66|December 5th, 2019|Geotechnical New Hampshire, Geotechnical New Jersey, Geotechnical New Mexico, Geotechnical New York, Geotechnical Missouri, Geotechnical Minnesota, Geotechnical Mississippi, Geotechnical Nebraska, Introductory, Geotechnical Montana, Geotechnical Nevada|0 Comments

What is a Cone Test? If you want to know the basics, start here

A Cone Penetration Test (CPT) also referred to more informally as a Cone Test, is a way to get at subsurface information without having to directly sample the subsurface. Many organizations that order drilling services are also using CPT within their operations. CPT testing services is a good support option to well drilling services, since many of the potential customers and skills overlap. What is Cone Penetration Testing? Cone Penetration Testing (CPT) is the practice of using an ASTM standard hardened cone shape that is directly pushed into the ground to substantial depths. The cone is pushed using steel rods that are able to be connected to each other in 1 meter lengths as the depth increases. A powerful hydraulic ram is used to generate a substantial amount of downward force to enable the cone to penetrate soils, sand, clay and sometimes even soft rock. In order to keep the surface equipment (truck) in place and not simply be lifted up by the ram force, the vehicles that the CPT equipment is mounted on or in are typically quite heavy. Also, the use of anchor systems to the ground will increase the ability of any vehicle mounted CPT system to push harder and therefore deeper. There are a couple of different imperative goals to any subsurface investigation. The first one is the nature and sequence of strata or soil,sediments and other geological subsurface features. Using CPT for this is called geo-technical testing. In addition, the groundwater conditions can be established during a sounding. CPT can be used to determine: the composition, strength and distribution of subsurface soils. These can range from clay, sand, bedrock, groundwater table, hydrocarbons, contaminants and more. Advantages of CPT There are many different advantages to Cone Penetration Testing (CPT), including, prompt collection and interpretation of field [...]

By smadi66|December 5th, 2019|Geotechnical Rhode Island, Geotechnical South Carolina, Geotechnical South Dakota, Geotechnical Tennessee, Geotechnical Ohio, Geotechnical Pennsylvania, Geotechnical North Carolina, Introductory, Geotechnical North Dakota, Geotechnical Oklahoma, Geotechnical Oregon|0 Comments

Why Would You Need a Track CPT Rig?

Vertek CPT wants to ensure that you have the right equipment to grow your business. As you are going through the CPT rig purchase process, we’ll have extensive conversations to ensure that we are both on the same page when it comes to where you will be testing, what types of tests you can most easily sell, and which rig or rigs will help you to make the most money. Track Rig Features As you look around our site, you’ll see that some rigs are built on tracks, as opposed to truck beds with wheels. As per with construction equipment, you might expect the tracked equipment to be larger, with CPT rigs the tracked units tend to be smaller. This is because tracked rig CPT platforms are designed to not only traverse and work in difficult terrains, but also to be highly maneuverable around obstacles such as trees, rocks and gulleys. Remember, CPT testing may be specified by your customer for pre-construction activities, meaning that it takes place on a site with little preparation. Having a highly maneuverable platform with low ground pressure can make the difference between you being able to win certain jobs and not. Track rigs are usually designed in order to distribute the weight of the rig over more square inches of contact area. This helps to minimize damage to sensitive areas as well as help the rig not get stuck in less than optimum ground conditions. The overall rig footprints are designed so that the units can be effectively trucked to sites within your service area. Track rigs are designed for deep pushes in tough geologies and the Vertek CPT tracked rigs push from about 10 tons up to 25 tons. With the right combination of weight, ease of maneuverability and set-up features, a tracked [...]

By smadi66|December 5th, 2019|Geotechnical Virginia, Geotechnical Washington, Geotechnical Wyoming, Geotechnical Wisconsin, Geotechnical Alabama, Geotechnical West Virginia, Introductory, Geotechnical Arizona, Geotechnical Texas, Geotechnical Utah, Geotechnical Vermont|0 Comments