Gregg Drilling & Testing, Inc.

Site Investigation Experts

Cone Penetration Test (CPT)

Quality control (QC)
Peter K. Robertson
DFI-CSCE
Spring Workshop 2014

Robertson, 2014

CPT Quality Control

Two basic components:
How to get good CPT (CPTu) data?
Consultants - Specifications (Standards)
Contractors - Equipment & procedures

How to evaluate the data you have?

What to do with what you have?
Evaluate, correct and process data

Robertson, 2013

CPT Quality Control

How to get good CPT (CPTu) data?
In general, CPT is very reliable, since its essentially operator
independent. However, there are some things to ensure excellent
data

Consultants - Specifications (Standards)

Contractors - Equipment & procedures

Robertson, 2013

Standards
There are many Standards for CPT (& CPTu):
ISSMGE - (IRTP) 1999/2001
USA - ASTM D: 5778-12
European - CEN TC341 CPT and CPTu
(CEN/ISO 22476-1:2012)
Other National standards and codes
Offshore

Robertson, 2013

Standards - key elements

Equipment
cone design, dimensional tolerances

Calibration
accuracy (capacity FSO)

Procedures
zero load readings, saturation, push rate,
temperature

Corrections
unequal area effects - qc to qt

Checks
Robertson, 2013

Equipment
Cone apex angle : 60 deg.
Diameter : 35.7 mm for 10 cm2
(43.7mm for 15 cm2)
CEN/ISO: from 5 to 20 cm2

Friction sleeve area: 150 cm2 for

10 cm2 (225 cm2 for 15 cm2)
Prefered filter location for CPTu:
behind cone (u2)
Limits on dimensional tolerances

Robertson, 2013

Range in measurements
Dimensionless SBT Chart
fs/pa = 1.0

Dimensionless

SAND

Challenge to measure accurate

values in soft soils but
penetrate dense soils that are
>100x stronger!
In most soft fine-grained soils:

fs/pa = 0.1

qc < 1 MPa (10 tsf)

fs/pa = 0.01

CLAY

1 kPa < fs < 50 kPa

Soft fine-grained soils

Modified from Robertson, 2010
pa = atmospheric pressure = 0.1 MPa ~ 1 tsf

Robertson, 2013

Example CPT in mixed soils

Large
range in
values!
qc > 60 MPa

fs > 800 kPa

u2 ~ -100 kPa

qc < 1 MPa

fs < 5 kPa

u2 > 2,000 kPa

3 orders of
magnitude
for qc & fs
6 -7 orders
of
magnitude
for u2

Robertson, 2013

Example CPT in soft sediments

In upper 5m:
qc < 200 kPa
fs < 5 kPa
qc < 0.5 MPa
< 500 kPa

fs < 10 kPa

In very soft
soils cones
often work at
the very low
end of the
measurement
range
(< 10% FSO)
Robertson, 2013

Unequal end area effects on qc

qt = qc + u2(1-a)
a = 0.60 to 0.85
a = tip net area ratio
~ An/Ac
In sands: qt = qc
In very soft clays:
correction to qt is important
Cones should have high net area ratio
a > 0.75
Robertson, 2013

Unequal end area effects on fs

ft = fs (u2Asb u3Ast)/As
10 cm2 cones As = 150 cm2
15 cm2 cones As = 225 cm2

Equal end area cone, Asb = Ast (ideally small)

Pore pressure ratio, a = u3/u2
Typically: 0.50 < a < 0.80
In very soft clays:
Important to have (small) equal end areas
Robertson, 2013

Error in fs due to end areas

Company

cone size Asb

(cm2)

(mm2)

Ast

Asb/Ast

(mm2)

(Lunne, 2006)

Fugro
Fugro
AP Berg
Pagani
Envi
Gregg

10
15
10
10
10
15

326
388
263
437
305
150

259
343
263
214
170
150

fs
(kPa)
u2 = 300 kPa
u3 = 210 kPa
(u2/v =3)

1.26
1.13
1.00
2.04
1.79
1.00

3.02
1.97
1.58
5.74
3.72
0.60

%Error
(fs = 10 kPa)
(fs/v= 0.1)
Soft soil

30%
20%
16%
57%
37%
6%

In very soft fine-grained soils important to have equal end area

sleeve with small area
*ASTM requires equal end area sleeves
Robertson, 2013

Robertson, 2013

Calibration
Most modern cones have
strain gauge load cells that
are temperature
compensated, with
excellent repeatability and
little non linearity and
hysteresis.
Cones come in different
capacities (FSO):
Zero load drift critical in very soft soils

Common high capacity cones Tip FSO ~ 100 MPa

(i.e 1,000 tsf)
10 cm2 10 ton
15 cm2 15 ton

Robertson, 2013

Load cell design

Q+F
F

Separate load cells

Subtraction

(better accuracy for fs)

(slightly more robust)

Robertson, 2013

Application Classes

ISO 22476-1
CEN TC341

CPTu

Very soft soils

CPTu
CPT

Mixed soils

CPTu
CPT

Dense-stiff soils

Application Classes
Application class 1: soft to very soft soil. Not for mixed soil
profiles with soft to dense layers. Tests can only be performed with CPTu.

Application class 2: For mixed soil profiles with soft to dense

layers, in terms of profiling, material identification and engineering
properties, with limitations/restrictions in the soft layers. Penetrometer type
(CPT or CPTu) depends on project requirements.

Application class 3: For stiff and dense soils, in terms of profiling,

material identification and engineering properties. Penetrometer type (CPT
or CPTu) depends on project requirements.

Robertson, 2013

Accuracy
Most strain gauge load cells have an accuracy
of about 0.1% to 0.5% FSO
100 MPa (1,000 tsf) FSO capacity on tip (qc) ~
accuracy of 0.1 to 0.5 MPa (i.e. 1 to 5 tsf)
Dense sand/stiff clay (with qc > 10 MPa; >100tsf) excellent
accuracy (> 1 to 5%)
Soft clay (qc < 1 MPa; < 10 tsf) need lower capacity (FSO)

Key factor is zero load drift

Zero load drift must not exceed expected
accuracy (i.e. very small for soft soils)

Robertson, 2013

Accuracy - Repeatability
In general:
Tip (qt) is more accurate & repeatable than sleeve
(fs)
Prefer separate load cells to improve accuracy of fs
Equal end area sleeves to minimize water effects on fs
Check dimensional tolerance on sleeve

Tip (qt) is more accurate & repeatable than u2

Except in very soft fine-grained soils (where qc can be
very small and u2 can be very large)
Potential loss of saturation in stiff dilative soils
(negative values for u2)
Robertson, 2013

Repeatability - example

Loss of saturation can produce sluggish pore pressure response

Robertson, 2013

Repeatability of pore pressures data?

Why is pore pressure data so complex and often
lacks repeatability?
complex stress and strain field around cone
strongly dilative soils can produce negative pore pressures
at u2 location

Pore pressure data can be very good in soft finegrained soils with high GWL
high positive pore pressures throughout
short depth to saturated soils

10

Complex distribution of pore pressures

Modified from Campanella et al. 1985

Robertson, 2013

Repeatability of fs?
Sleeve friction measurements often considered
unreliable?
use separate load cell design
use equal end area sleeves (with small areas)
check dimensional tolerance (avoid over sized
sleeve)

Robertson, 2013

11

Robertson, 2013

Repeatability
qt within
20 kPa

fs within
2 kPa

u2 within
20 kPa

Very soft, NC
Clay

Excellent accuracy & repeatability is possible with good equipment & procedures

Robertson, 2013

Influence of oversized sleeve

Excellent
repeatability
in qt

5 kPa

Excellent
repeatability
in u2

New
Oversized sleeve
Very soft, NC
Clay

Oversized sleeve can produce more variable fs measurements due to variable wear

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Check List (Contractors)

equipment & procedures

Robertson, 2013

Zero load readings

Ideally 3 zero load readings (with cone vertical):
1. immediately before test (clean cone)
2. immediately after test
3. after test with cone cleaned

Zero load drift immediately before and after test, i.e.

readings 1 & 2):

used for interpretation of test results (captures impact of test

on data zero load correction)

Zero load stability from before and after cleaning of

cone (i.e. readings 1 and 3):

measure of correct functioning of equipment

Robertson, 2013

13

Causes of zero load drift?

Most common cause:
Although most cones are temperature
compensated, large temperature changes can cause
small zero load drift
hot day (~250C) to cool groundwater (~50C)
dense sand over soft clay

Ensure cone is powered for > 15 mins before test

Take zero load reading before test at ground temp
e.g. bucket of water to keep cone cool

Consultants/clients
Specify required standard (e.g. ASTM)
check for compliance

Specify Application Class, if possible

Supervise and ask for field check list
educate field supervisors

Evaluate results in the field, if possible

Check zero load drift and stability, if testing
soft soils
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Client/consultant Check List

Robertson, 2013

CPT Quality Control

How to evaluate the data you have?
Evaluate, correct and process data
CPeT-IT very useful software
http://www.geologismiki.gr/

What to do with what you have?

what to do if data is not ideal?
examples

Robertson, 2013

15

Evaluate data
Check for:
Data spikes (e.g. rod breaks, etc.) that should be
removed
Zero or negative readings (very soft soil with
larger zero load drift)
Overlay comparison to check consistency at site
Loss of saturation in pore pressure
Dissipation test(s) to estimate piezometric level
(GWL)
Robertson, 2013

Example data spikes

Data spike in qc

Data spike removed

Occasional (single data) spike in one channel

can be due to electrical noise or depth triggering system
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Example data spikes

Raw data

Corrected data
Add hand auger

Data spikes in qc

Data spikes removed

Missing data in fs

No missing data

Robertson, 2013

Example negative values

Raw data

Negative fs values
in very soft soils

Data spikes in qc

Corrected data

Small values added to fs

(1 or 2 kPa)

Data spikes removed

Zero drift can cause some fs values to go negative in very soft soil
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Impact on interpretation
Negative values makes SBT
identification (soil type)
difficult, resulting in gaps in
interpretation.
Gaps in interpretation

Robertson, 2013

Impact on interpretation

Missing gaps completed

Adjust fs values to get

correct SBT to fill
missing gaps often + 1 or 2 kPa
Check interpretation
values

Robertson, 2013

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Worked
Examples
CPeT-IT
(see petit)
http://www.geologismiki.gr/
John Th. Ioannides

Robertson, 2013

Summary
In most cases CPT data is reliable and
representative of ground conditions
e.g. much more reliable than SPT!

Reduce chances of poor data by:

sound specification of standards
evaluate data in the field (train field staff)
use good data processing software (e.g. CPeT-IT)

Robertson, 2013

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Questions?

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