SOIL EXPLORATION

PENETROMETER TESTS
AVINASH KUMAR GUPTA
TRAINING INSTITUTE
CCW AIR NEW DELHI
 In-situ tests
• Laboratory Tests
• Laboratory tests, make use of small size samples
obtained from boreholes through samplers and
therefore the reliability of these depends on the
quality of the ‘undisturbed' samples.
• Further, obtaining undisturbed samples from non-
cohesive, granular soils is not easy, if not impossible.
• Therefore, it is common practice to rely more on
laboratory tests where cohesive soils are concerned.
• Further, in such soils, the field tests being short
duration tests, fail to yield meaningful consolidation
settlement data in any case.
 General
• Field Tests
• The in situ tests in the field have the advantage
of testing the soils in their natural, undisturbed
condition
• Where the subsoil strata are essentially non-
cohesive in character, the bias is most definitely
towards field tests.
• The data from field tests is used in empirical, but
time-tested correlations to predict settlement of
foundations.
 Field Tests
• The field tests commonly used in subsurface
investigation are
Penetrometer test
Pressuremeter test
Vane shear test
Plate load test
Geophysical methods n are
 PENETROMETER TESTS

 Standard penetration test

 Static cone penetration test
 Dynamic cone penetration test (DCPT)

• The standard penetration test is carried out in a borehole,

while the DCPT and SCPT are carried out without a
borehole.
• All the three tests measure the resistance of the soil strata
to penetration by a penetrometer.
• Useful empirical correlations between penetration
resistance and soil properties are available for use in
foundation design.
 Standard penetration test
• The borehole is advanced to the required depth and the
bottom cleaned.
• The split-spoon sampler, attached to standard drill rods of
required length is lowered into the borehole and rested at the
bottom.
• The split-spoon sampler is driven into the soil for a distance of
450mm by blows of a drop hammer (monkey)of 65 kg falling
vertically and freely from a height of 750 mm.
• The number of blows required to penetrate every 150 mm is
recorded while driving the sampler.
• The number of blows required for the last 300 mm of
penetration is added together and recorded as the N value at
that particular depth of the borehole.
• The number of blows required to effect the first 150mm of
penetration, called the seating drive, is disregarded.
Standard Penetration test
 Standard penetration test, Contd
• The split-spoon sampler is then withdrawn and is
detached from the drill rods.
• The split-barrel is disconnected from the cutting shoe
and the coupling.
• The soil sample collected inside the split barrel is
carefully collected so as to preserve the natural
moisture content and transported to the laboratory for
tests.
• Sometimes, a thin liner is inserted within the split-
barrel so that at the end of the SPT, the liner
containing the soil sample is sealed with molten wax at
both its ends before it is taken away to the laboratory.
 Standard penetration test, Contd
• The SPT is carried out at every 0.75 m vertical intervals in a
borehole.
• This can be increased to 1.50 m if the depth of borehole is
large.
• Due to the presence of boulders or rocks, it may not be
possible to drive the sampler to a distance of 450 mm. In
such a case, the N value can be recorded for the first 300
mm penetration.
• The boring log shows refusal and the test is halted if
 50 blows are required for any 150mm penetration
 100 blows are required for 300m penetration
 10 successive blows produce no advance.
 Correction in N values
• SPT values obtained in the field for sand
have to be corrected before they are used in
empirical correlations and design charts.
• IS: 2131-1981 recommends that the field
value of N be corrected for two effects,
namely,
• (a) effect of overburden pressure,
• (b) effect of dilatancy.
 Corrections in N value
(a) Correction for overburden pressure
• Since the confining pressure (which is directly
proportional to the overburden pressure)
increases with depth,
• the N values at shallow depths are
underestimated and the N values at larger
depths are overestimated.
• To allow for this, N values recorded from field
tests at different effective overburden pressures
are corrected to a standard effective
overburden pressure.
 Corrections in N value
• The corrected N values given by
• N’=C’N N
• in which N’ corrected value of observed N; C’N
= correction factor for overburden pressure
 Correction for dilatancy
• Dilatancy correction is to be applied when N’ obtained after
overburden correction, exceeds 15 in saturated fine sands and
silts.
• IS: 2131-1981 incorporates the Terzaghi and Peck recommended
dilatancy correction (whenN’ > 15) using the equation
• N”=15+0.5 (N — 15)
• where N”= final corrected value to be used in design charts.
• If = N’<15, N”=N
• N’>15 is an indication of a dense sand. In such a soil, the fast rate
of application of shear through the blows of a drop hammer, is
likely to induce negative pore water pressure in a saturated fine
sand under undrained condition of loading.
• Consequently, a transient increase in shear resistance will occur,
leading to a SPT value higher than the actual one.
 Static cone penetration test
• Procedure
• By this test basically by pushing the standard cone at
the rate of 10 to 20 mm/sec in to the soil and noting
the friction, the strength is determined.
• After installing the equipment as per IS-4968, part III
the sounding rod is pushed in to the soil and the
driving is operated at the steady rate of 10 mm/sec
approximately so as to advance the cone only by
external loading to the depth which a cone assembly
available.
• For finding combine cone friction resistance, the
shearing strength of the soil qs , and tip resistance qc
is noted in gauge & added to get the total strength.
 SCPT, Continued
• This method is also used to skin friction values
which is used to determine the length of the piles
• The cone is pushed only by thrust and not by
driving
• In order to find out the cone resistance , the cone
alone is pushed
• Later the cone and sleeve is pushed together to
find out the combined frictional and point
resistance of the cone.
• Hydraulic gauges are used for measuring
pressure developed
 SCPT , Continued
• Frictional resistance = Combined resistance –
Cone resistance
• Modified Cone penetrometer is known as Refined
Dutch Cone
• Cone penetration resistance is denoted as qc in
kN/m2
• Unlike SPT, this method is also suitable for clayey
deposits
• Unsuitable for gravels and dense sand. For such
soil dynamic Cone penetration is used
σ
Static cone penetration test
 Static cone penetration test
• Limitations
• This test is unsuitable for gravelly soil & soil
for having SPT N value greater than 50.
• Also in dense sand anchorage becomes too
cumbersome & expensive & for such cases
Dynamic SPT can be used.
• This test is also unsuitable for field operation
since erroneous value obtained due to
presence of brick bats, loose stones etc.
 Dynamic cone penetration test
(DCPT)
• The aim is to determine the effort required to
force a point through the soil and so obtain
resistance value.
• This value corresponds to the mechanical
properties of the soil.
• The preliminary use is in cohesionless soils
when static penetration test is difficult to
perform or dynamic properties of the soil are
of special interest.
 DCPT PROCEDURE
• The standard cone is connected to the drilling rod. The driving head with the guide
rod is connected and properly fixed on the top of the drilled rods.

• This complete assembly is kept in position with the cone resting vertically on the
ground where the test is to be carried out. For the circulation of the bentonite
slurry the pumping unit of the bentonite slurry is properly connected to the guide
rod through flexible tube.

• The cone is driven into the soil by blows of 65 Kg hammer falling from a height of
750mm. The blow count for every 30cm penetration is made to get a continuous
record of the variation of the soil consistency with depth.

• The sufficient circulation of the bentonite slurry is necessary for elimination of the
friction on the rods. Sometimes the bentonite slurry is not used when the
investigation is required up to a depth of 6m only.
 Advantages : DCPT
• The test does not need a borehole.
• It can be done quickly to cover a large area
economically.
• The test helps to identify variability of subsoil
profile and to locate soft pockets such as filled up
ponds.
• When DCPT is carried out close to a few
boreholes, suitable corrections may be obtained
for a particular site and the number of bore holes
can be reduced.
 Disadvantages : DCPT
• The test is normally not suitable for cohesive
soils or very loose cohesionless soils.
• It is normally not possible to evaluate the
mechanical properties of the soil at great
depths when the friction along the extension
rod is significant
The END