What is the Purpose of Geotechnical Testing in Construction Projects?
Geotechnical testing is undertaken to study subsurface conditions and materials of the soil. It helps identifies the physical and chemical characteristics of earth materials, and assess the stability of slopes and soil deposits. It also checks site conditions and building foundations.
Who makes use of Geotechnical Testing?
Geotechnical engineers, geotechnical technicians, and engineering geologists perform geotechnical testing to better understand the features, such as physical qualities, that exist underneath a construction site.
They assess the amount of skin and end bearing resistance available in the subsurface using methods such as the cone penetration test (CPT). There are several foundation types, such as piles, caissons, piers, drilled shafts, and earth-stabilized columns.
Why is Geotechnical Testing Important?
Geotechnical testing is done by geotechnical engineers, geotechnical technicians, or engineering geologists to better understand the physical features that exist underneath a construction site.
Knowledge of subsurface conditions is a crucial component of planning and designing construction and infrastructure projects (which include many types of structures such as foundations, roads, bridges, excavation pits, land reclamation, beach replenishment, and so on).
The geotechnical investigation and its associated services must be carried out. Their nature and scope are determined by the structure’s kind, size, and predicted ground conditions.
Site characterization, laboratory testing, and expert interpretation of data acquired to complete the design and implementation of the site improvement are all part of geotechnical testing.
What are the 4 Types of Tests used in Geotechnical Testing?
- Testing Pits
Test pits are exactly what they sound like: a pit is manually excavated or an excavator dislodges the subsurface to the required depth. In general, this method locates shallow foundations.
- Trenching
Trenching is like test pits, except that the pit extends across some distance to determine how the subsurface conditions vary over the job site. This technique enables the detection of various sedimentary changes over a greater distance.
To get test samples from these test pits for lab analysis and visual identification, a variety of soil samples can be used.
- Boring
Borings can vary in diameter and helps to measure density using standard penetration testing (SPT) to extract soil or rock samples for evaluation and testing. Borings are deployed by a drill rig and drill crew.
Borings have the benefit of allowing you to measure field density and view the actual materials removed. Soil samples from the removed tests are often sent to a lab for analysis. Borings allow you to install piezometers to check seasonal changes in the groundwater table.
- In situ soil testing
In situ soil testing is crucial for obtaining soil property information, measuring groundwater pressure, collecting moisture content data, and gathering other critical data points, all of which can be life-threatening in a variety of situations.
On-site Soil testing can be done in a variety of methods. Cone Penetration Testing is the most accurate and complete in situ soil testing for assessing a wide range of technical characteristics (CPT).
Understanding the pros and drawbacks of each prospective option, in this example, an in situ soil testing solution is essential for determining what is best for your organization.
Kinds of in-situ soil testing procedures:
- Standard Penetration Testing (SPT) and in situ soil testing:
This alternative is dynamic, inexpensive, and regarded as a simple solution that offers important information.
While it is consistent with its fine-grained sands findings, it is not as consistent with coarse sands or clays, which can make reliable data collection and analysis of soil conditions challenging.
- Cone Penetration Testing (CPT):
For over 40 years, geotechnical engineers have used Cone Penetration Testing (CPT). CPT helps in the design and construction of foundations, embankments, and other structures.
The information gathered from this testing is used for analyzing the subsurface stratigraphy associated with soft materials, discontinuous lenses, organic materials, liquefied materials (such as sand, silt, and granule gravel), and forecasting landslides or ground settling.
This sort of testing is not only accurate, but it can also collect data quickly and test it on the spot, giving you a competitive advantage as an engineer.
Fortunately, advances in portable electronics technology and testing equipment have addressed many of these concerns. And CMT is at the forefront of such innovations.
CMT is a US-registered business based in Houston, Texas, named one of the finest engineering firms. CMT’s office location does not prevent it from servicing or functioning in other large areas. CMT has offices across the Southeast of the United States, including South and North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Florida, Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. In addition to the headquarters office in Houston being named one of the top environmental engineering businesses in the United States, as well as the best civil engineering firms, geotechnical firms, and building material testing firms,
CMT has over 60 years of experience determining the ground parameters for your potential project location. CMT can discover the optimum answer for your engineering challenges by applying soil mechanics and rock mechanics concepts, as well as decades of expertise.
CMT offers CPT testing equipment to improve the repeatability and efficiency of testing. Automated testing is faster and more consistent than manual tests, and they require less physical work from the operator.
Whether you choose a CMT Cone Penetration Testing CPT truck rig, CMT drilling rig, CMT CPT conversion kit, or CMT CPT cones, you will be able to work reliably in even the most difficult situations.
