What is DCP testing, and how does it

compare to CPT?
February 9, 2015 - Posted by VertekCPT
149

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 to automatically count blows and
measure, record and plot depth. From the
smartphone, this data can be easily graphed in the field
and transferred to a computer or client for reporting and analysis. Automatic
data collection saves time, increases accuracy, and means that the test can
be efficiently completed by one person.

To further increase the repeatability and

efficiency of DCP testing, fully automated (ADCP)
systems are available.ADCP rigs can be mounted
on lightweight trailers, commercially available trucks,
or ATVs. Automated tests are both faster and more
consistent than their manual counterparts, and also
decrease physical labor for the operator.

DCP and ADCP testing and data analysis is a broad

subject, so we’ll return to it in another blog. In the
meantime, be sure to check out the DCP testing
information and video demonstrations on our site!
You can also download our catalog to see the full
specifications and capabilities of Vertek’s DCP and
ADCP equipment.

Topics: Cone Penetration, Introductory, DCP

Data Analysis With DCP
April 11, 2016 - Posted by VertekCPT
21

DCP (Dynamic Cone Penetration)

Testing is a simple, reliable and cost-effective method to evaluate the in-
situ stiffness profile of soil to a depth of about three feet. Its extreme
portability, minimal disturbance of the subgrade, and ability to produce a
continuous depth profile make it an ideal system for testing the mechanical
properties of a pavement system during any stage of construction.

The following simple equation is traditionally used to express the stiffness of a

material from DCP test values:

PR = Depth of Penetration / Number of Blows

If you are new to DCP testing, you may be wondering whether the PR value
can be used to calculate to other, more familiar geotechnical parameters, and
whether DCP test results correlate well with those from other testing systems.
Much has been researched and written on this subject, and the short answer
is yes—DCP testing can easily and repeatably measure the same
parameters as other in-situ and lab-based soil testing methods.
 For example, the California Bearing Ratio (CBR) test
is another penetration test commonly used to measure the load bearing
capacity of road beds. Perhaps you want to know the CBR values for a test
site, but you have opted for a DCP system instead, due to its simplicity and
lower cost. No problem! PR values can be converted to CBR values by
applying a simple equation. This widely used conversion was developed by
the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and is used by many state DOTs and
federal agencies:

Log (CBR) = 2.465 - 1.12 Log (PR)

This calculation and many others can be performed automatically by a

state-of-the-art DCP setup. The Vertek SmartDCP kit can be operated and
transported by a single user by hand, and provides instantaneous data
collection and graphing capabilities via smartphone app. Data can be plotted
in the field or emailed to your computer for further analysis. We also offer fully
automated, trailer-mounted DCP systems with built-in drilling capability: these
are ideal for testing subgrades beneath pavement and concrete.

In short, DCP is a highly versatile testing tool that can be scaled and
customized for your application, allowing you to achieve the same
functionality as other testing systems for a fraction of cost and labor. To
learn more about DCP and the other geotechnical services we offer,
check out our website and our catalog.
ASTM Standard Cone Penetrometer Sizes:
Which is Best for Your Application?
March 31, 2015 - Posted by VertekCPT
38

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 the
data. Since the
proportions of all
penetrometer sizes are
held to an exact standard,
it is important to measure
them daily to ensure that
they remain within the
ASTM standard
tolerances. An excessively blunted or asymmetrically worn cone tip or sleeve
should be replaced.

It’s imperative to field check with calipers and document the diameter of the
peizocone tip and sleeve before each sounding to validate that the diameter of
the tip is smaller than the sleeve. Vertek can provide electronic
documentation to help track your daily readings that can be stored on
your field PC as well as easy-to-use field gauges, calipers and load cells
for more stringent field verifications.

Minimum and Maximum Cone Measurements

Cone Size (Cross-Sectional Area) 10 cm2 15 cm2

Measurement Min Ideal Max Min Ideal Max
35.3 35.7 43.7
Cone Diameter (dc) 36.0 mm 35.3 mm 44.0 mm
mm mm mm
24.0 31.2 38.2
Cone Tip Height (hc) 31.2 mm 29.4 mm 38.2 mm
mm mm mm
Cone Tip Angle 55° 60° 65° 55° 60° 65°
Lip Thickness Before Porous Filter
3 mm N/A 7 mm 3 mm N/A 7 mm
(he)
35.7 35.7 36.05 43.7 44.05
Friction Sleeve Diameter 43.7 mm
mm mm mm mm mm
 220.5 229.5
Friction Sleeve Surface Area 147 cm2 150 cm2 153 cm2 225 cm2
cm2 cm2

Topics: Introductory

CPT Dictionary: Soil Liquefaction

June 29, 2015 - Posted by VertekCPT
32

In our last blog, we

discussed using the CPT to
estimate the shear
strength of soil, which
helps gauge how soil will
behave during changes in
stress. One important
application of this capability
is the estimation of soil
liquefaction potential,
meaning the potential of
soil to dramatically lose
strength when subjected to
changes in stress.

Liquefaction is of particular
concern in sandy, saturated
soils. Shaking due to an earthquake or other sudden force causes the grains
of loosely packed, sandy soils to settle into a denser configuration. If the soil
is saturated and the loading is rapid, pore water does not have time to
move out of the way of settling soil: pore water pressure rises,
effectively pushing the soil grains apart and allowing them to move
more freely relative to each other. At this point, the soil can shift and
flow like a liquid—hence the name liquefaction.
This dramatic reduction of soil
stiffness and strength causes soil
to shift under pre-existing
forces—say, the pressure of a
building’s foundation or the pull of
gravity on a slope. The increased
pore pressure also increases the
force of the soil on in-ground
structures such as retaining walls, dams, and bridge abutments.

How can the potential for these effects be evaluated using the CPT? The
subject is complex, as the wealth of research on the subject over several
decades shows! Many approaches for determining cyclic liquefaction potential
rely on the cyclic stress ratio (CSR), which requires a seismic analysis of
the site. It expresses the ratio of the average cyclic shear stress in an
earthquake of a given magnitude and the effective vertical overburden
stress at the test site.

CSR = 0.65(MWF)(amax/g)(σvo/σ′vo)rd

Where:

MWF = Magnitude Weighting Factor = (Magnitude)2.56/173

amax = maximum ground surface acceleration
g = acceleration of gravity, 9.81m/s2
σvo = total vertical overburden stress
σ′vo = effective vertical overburden stress
rd = stress reduction factor, normally given rd = 1 – 0.015z, where z = soil
depth in meters
Hang in there, we’re not done! In clean
sand, the next step is to calculate
the clean sand-corrected tip
resistance, qc1:

qc1 = (qc/pa)(pa/ σ′vo)0.5

Where:

qc = tip resistance
pa = atmospheric pressure
σ′vo = effective vertical overburden
stress

With these calculations in hand, we turn

to historical data. We plot our values with CSR on the y-axis and qc1 on the x
axis, along with historical data from sites where liquefaction effects were or
were not observed following earthquakes with similar strength and soil
conditions. The curves separating instances where liquefaction did and didn’t
occur are known as CRR (cyclic resistance ratio) curves. In the example
data shown above, a data point that falls on the CRR curve represents soil
conditions with a 20% or smaller chance of liquefaction. Note that this
approach assumes clean sand (i.e. a low fines content or low percentage of
fine-grained particles), level ground, and low overburden stress: if conditions
are otherwise, additional corrections are needed.

Though the calculations seem complicated, CPT testing is a comparatively

straightforward method for estimating liquefaction potential. It benefits from a
large volume of historical data, good repeatability, and great ease of
data collection, and it allows soil conditions to be evaluated at
continuous depths. Unlike laboratory soil tests, CPT testing results in
minimal soil disturbance, so results are a good approximation of how
the soil will behave in real-world conditions.
 This is both a complex topic and an
evolving field of study, one that certainly
extends beyond the scope of this blog!
Check out these sources if you’d like to
learn more.

Southern California Earthquake

Center, Guidelines for Analyzing and
Mitigating Liquefaction in California

University of Washington Civil

Engineering, Soil Liquefaction
Website

Topics: Experienced, Cone

Penetration, Soil Testing, CPT
Dictionary

Dynamic cone penetration test (DCPT) is widely used for field quality assessment of soils. Its
application to predict the engineering properties of soil is globally promoted by the fact that it is
difficult to obtain undisturbed soil samples, especially when loose or submerged sandy soil is
encountered. In this review, detailed discussion is presented on the current development of
DCPT correlations with resilient modulus, relative density, California Bearing Ratio (CBR),
unconfined compressive strength, and shear strength that have been developed for different
materials in both the laboratory and the field, as well as on the usage of DCPT in quality control
of compaction of earth fills and performance evaluation of pavement layers. In addition, the
relationship of the DCPT with other instruments such as falling weight deflectometer, nuclear
gauge, soil stiffens gauge, and plate load test, is reported. Lastly, the application of DCPT in
Saudi Arabia in recent years has been addressed in this manuscript.
THE DYNAMIC CONE PENETRATION TEST: A REVIEW OF ITS CORRELATIONS AND
APPLICATIONS (PDF Download Available). Available from:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/279482103_THE_DYNAMIC_CONE_PENETRATIO
N_TEST_A_REVIEW_OF_ITS_CORRELATIONS_AND_APPLICATIONS [accessed Mar 01
2018].