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Should you Use a Sand Cone Test in Construction?

It may seem at times that there are almost too many soil testing methods, but many are developed to fit certain scenarios or address issues with other testing methods. This is the case with the sand cone test, which is used to determine soil compaction and is an alternative to using a nuclear density gauge. But does this mean the sand cone test is worth using when working on construction sites? The Pros and Cons of the Sand Cone Test There are many benefits to performing a sand cone test, especially for those relying on a nuclear density gauge. With a sand cone test, you can get similar results at a much lower cost, without the need for radioactive material. The cost of the sand cone test apparatus is also fairly low, making sand cone testing relatively inexpensive. The apparatus consists of a plastic container, a metal cone with a valve and a high density base plate. Its also relatively small and portable, making testing possible pretty much anywhere. The sand cone test has its fair share of negatives as well, including: Easy to compromise samples during testing. Soil samples are sensitive to vibrations, shifting of particles, and any errors in set up of the test site Samples that contain mixed particles can be less accurate Samples that contain too much moisture content can be less accurate Long result time: 20 minutes (vs. nuclear gauge which only takes 1 minute for results) Technicians, of course, should be aware of the limitations of the sand cone test as many factors can skew its results. In other words, the sand cone test may not be worth using when working on construction sites, except to confirm observations and inform opinions about soil moisture and density. This is especially true when you consider that [...]

By smadi66|December 3rd, 2019|Geotechnical Delaware, Geotechnical Indiana, Geotechnical Idaho, Geotechnical Illinois, Geotechnical Georgia, Geotechnical Connecticut, Geotechnical Florida, Geotechnical Iowa, Introductory, Soil Testing, Geotechnical California, Geotechnical Colorado|0 Comments

CPT Mini Track Rig – Our Most Compact Self-Powered Rig

New – The Mini-Track Rig provides all-terrain performance at an affordable capital cost! The latest addition to Vertek's robust line of self-propelled CPT rigs harnesses the popular 20-ton S4 Push System in a small but versatile package. This rubber-tracked rig is easy to maneuver, ideal for limited access areas, and maintains a low ground pressure of 4.5 psi. The S4 Mini-Track Rig provides a powerful carrier at an affordable price when compared to the cost of new construction equipment. Is the Mini-Track Rig right for your application? The Mini-Track Rig is ideal for situations where agility and low ground pressure are important At only 10.5 feet long, it can be transported to job sites with a pick-up and trailer The S4 CPT system's tilt mount increases stability on uneven terrain and provides a low profile during transport The S4 can be removed and attached to construction equipment or custom trailers, allowing for any number of configurations The Mini-Track Rig is available with many options to meet all your testing needs. Though small and light, the Mini-Track Rig provides convenience and functionality similar to Vertek's larger purpose-built CPT rigs. Optional features include: Mechanical or Hydraulic Clamp Diesel or Gas Engine 300,350,400, or 500 mm Anchor Decontamination System Remote Operation 120V AC Inverter Rod Rack For a full list of features, specifications and technical data, visit vertekcpt.com or download our full catalog of Geotechnical and Environmental products.

By smadi66|December 2nd, 2019|Geotechnical Idaho, Geotechnical Indiana, Geotechnical Kentucky, Geotechnical Illinois, Geotechnical Georgia, Geotechnical Connecticut, Geotechnical Florida, Geotechnical Iowa, Geotechnical Kansas, S4 Push System, Geotechnical Delaware|0 Comments

What is DCP testing, and how does it compare to CPT?

Dynamic Cone Penetration (DCP) testing is used to measure the strength of in-situ soil and the thickness and location of subsurface soil layers. It is similar to CPT in that a metal cone is advanced into the ground to continuously characterize soil behavior. However, unlike in CPT, where the cone is driven into the ground at a constant rate by varying amounts of force, in DCP, the cone is driven by a standard amount of force from a hammer, and how far the cone moves with each blow is used to determine the soil density and properties at that level. In DCP testing, the pushing force is applied by manually dropping a single or dual mass weight (called the hammer) from a fixed height onto the push cone unit. The resulting downward movement is then measured. Unlike CPT systems, basic DCP equipment is hand-portable and may be limited to test depths of 3-4 feet: this makes it a good choice for shallow testing applications such as road bed construction and maintenance. Since DCP is essentially hand-powered, it is cheaper and more portable than CPT equipment, but the possibility of human error makes it trickier to obtain consistent and accurate data. Historically, one of the largest difficulties associated with DCP has been obtaining accurate depth difference measurements with a hand rule after each blow of the hammer. As you can imagine, taking these measurements by sight and recording them by hand can be slow, finicky work. Plus, to measure the total depth, the sum of these measurements is calculated, so it is easy to accumulate a troublesome amount of error if each measurement is even slightly off. Fortunately, handheld electronics technology has alleviated these issues to a great extent. Vertek’s Handheld DCP System uses a smartphone app and a laser rangefinder [...]

By smadi66|December 2nd, 2019|Geotechnical Connecticut, Geotechnical West Virginia, DCP, Introductory, Cone Penetration, Geotechnical Arizona, Geotechnical Arkansas, Geotechnical California, Geotechnical Colorado, Geotechnical Wisconsin, Geotechnical Delaware, Geotechnical Alabama, Geotechnical Wyoming|0 Comments

ASTM Standard Cone Penetrometer Sizes: Which is Best for Your Application?

CPT cones are available in multiple sizes, but the 10 cm2 cone is the industry standard. Other sizes, the most common of which is the 15 cm2 cone, are essentially scale models of the 10 cm2 cone, having the same proportions as specified by the ASTM Standard for CPT testing. What factors determine what cone size you should use? Most CPT cones range from 5 cm2 to 15 cm2 in cross-sectional area, though smaller cones (down to 1 cm2) are used in specialized lab or research applications. Different cone sizes have different advantages depending on the testing situation: The larger 15 cm2 size is more robust and gives more accurate cone resistance values in very soft soils. Additionally, it has more room inside for additional sensors. Smaller piezocones have faster pore pressure sensor response and thus are better suited for characterizing very thin layers of soil. The 10 cm2 cone is suitable for most applications. It is the industry standard and considered the reference penetrometer for field testing. Cones in the 5 cm2 to 15 cm2 range have been shown to produce consistent data in most soils, so corrections for different sizes are generally not needed. When using a cone outside this size range, corrections may be necessary to ensure that results are consistent with the body of CPT data: for example, very small cones tend to produce higher cone resistances than standard-size cones. If there are questions as to the effect of scaling the penetrometer to either larger or smaller size, a 10 cm2 penetrometer should be used in the same soils so that the results can be compared. Penetrometers are made of high strength steel and designed to resist abrasion by soil, but over time, normal wear and tear may blunt the cone and effect the accuracy of [...]

By smadi66|December 1st, 2019|Geotechnical Connecticut, Geotechnical Florida, Introductory, Geotechnical Arizona, Geotechnical Arkansas, Geotechnical California, Geotechnical Colorado, Geotechnical Delaware, Geotechnical Wyoming, Geotechnical Wisconsin, Geotechnical Alabama|0 Comments

Smart DCP – Get the app for instant data logging and laser accuracy!

DCP (Dynamic Cone Penetrometer) testing is a highly portable, lightweight soil testing method. It is ideal for shallow tests and can be carried by hand from one location to the next, making it a good choice for applications such as road bed construction and maintenance. However, traditional DCP testing has drawbacks: though the equipment is lightweight, the test requires two people—one to operate the hammer and the other to measure the displacement with each blow. This manual process makes the test quite labor-intensive, and human errors in measurement and recording can make it difficult to obtain consistent results The Vertek Smart DCP system takes this portable, low-cost testing method into the 21st century with laser measurement and real-time data acquisition. Rather than relying on by-hand measurement to track the displacement of the cone, our laser measurement system makes this process both instantaneous and accurate, eliminating the need for a two-person test. Displacement data is transmitted wirelessly and collected via our convenient smartphone app. Where a traditional DCP system would require two people, Smart DCP requires only one person and a phone--yet it allows the test to be completed much faster. Time and labor savings don't stop when the in-situ test is completed: rather than having to manually enter and plot your data on your laptop or computer, our smartphone app lets you log data in real time and gives you access to powerful presentation and analysis capabilities in the field. The raw and processed data can be transmitted by text or email in multiple formats. Like any other app, it can simply be downloaded from the app store on your phone and is available for iOS and Android operating systems. See the Smart DCP system in action in the video below, and check out our website for more information about [...]

By smadi66|November 29th, 2019|Geotechnical Florida, DCP, Geotechnical Arizona, Geotechnical Arkansas, Geotechnical California, Geotechnical Colorado, Geotechnical Delaware, Geotechnical Idaho, Geotechnical Georgia, Geotechnical Alabama, Geotechnical Connecticut|0 Comments