CPTu

CPT Book
Comprehensive book
on CPT
1997
312 pages

Robertson
& Cabal (Robertson)

CPT Guide
6th Edition
2015
(132 pages)

Download FREE copy from:

www.greggdrilling.com

Robertson, 2015

Cone Penetrometers

Electronic Steel Probes with 60 Apex Tip

ASTM D 5778 Procedures

Hydraulic Push at 20 mm/s

No Boring, No Samples, No Cuttings, No Spoil

Continuous readings of stress, friction, pressure

Parameter dasar konus

Sleeve Friction
fs = load/2rh

Pore Pressure, u2
Tip Resistance
qc = load/ r 2
Robertson, 2015

Cone Penetration Test (CPT)

ADVANTAGES:

Fast and continuous profiling

Repeatable data
Economical and productive
Strong theoretical basis for interpretation
More than one measurement (qc, fs, u)
Additional sensors (e.g. seismic Vs & Vp)

LIMITATIONS:

Somewhat high capital investment

Somewhat skilled operators
No soil sample (during CPT)*
Penetration restricted in gravels/cemented
layers (same as SPT)

fs
u2
qc

qt (MPa)

Depth (meters)

fs
ub
qt

20

40

u b (kPa)

fs (kPa)
60

500

1000

-200

12

12

12

16

16

16

20

20

20

24

24

24

28

28

28

200 400 600 800

Typical approach using CPT

CPT first

Reliable and fast (~180m/day)

Continuous profile (vert. & horiz. variability)
Preliminary interpretation (stratigraphy and parameters)
Small number of disturbed samples using CPT (classification
purposes)

Small number of boreholes to obtain good quality

samples
Small number of good quality samples in layers that are
critical to project

Example CPT Soil Sampling

CPT (Piston-Type) Sampler
Simple single-tube system

30cm (12) long by 25mm (1 ) diameter

Similar size as SPT sampler
Good for classification purposes

How deep can you push the CPT?

Depends on:
Reaction/push force
Rod friction
Density of ground
With 15 cm2 cone (&
10cm2 push rods) and 20 tons
reaction can penetrate
soil with SPT (N)60 > 100
(i.e. soft rock)

How accurate is the CPT?

Most commercial cones are designed to measure
max. full-scale output (FSO) tip stress, qc =
1,000tsf (100 MPa)
Most strain gauge load cells have accuracy of
0.1% FSO, i.e. accuracy ~ 1tsf (0.1 MPa)
Sands (qc > 100tsf ) - accuracy better than 1% of measured value
Soft clays (qc < 10tsf ) - accuracy maybe less than 10% of
measured value

Need low capacity cones for soft clays

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, 2015

Repeatability - example
Rf = fs/qt

High level of repeatability

Robertson, 2015

Repeatability - example
Rf = fs/qt

Loss of saturation can produce sluggish pore pressure response

Robertson, 2015

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

Complex distribution of pore pressures

Modified from Campanella et al. 1985

Robertson, 2015

Dissipation test
Provides information on:
Equilibrium pore pressure, u0 (at that location and
time)

piezometric profile (is it hydrostatic?)

piezometric surface (i.e. GWL)

Rate of dissipation
Controlled primarily by coefficient of consolidation (ch) and
permeability (hydraulic conductivity, kh)
Varies by orders of magnitude (very fast to very slow)

Robertson, 2015

Dissipation Test
Test depth = 20m

700

Initial pore pressure, ui (t = 0)

Initial excess pore pressure (u = ui - uo)

Equilibrium pore pressure, u0

Pore Presssure
Presssure, kPa

(ui = 590 kPa)

350

(u0 =186 kPa)

0

Depth to piezometric surface (GWL) = 20 (186/9.81) = 1.04m

CPTu Interpretation
CONSOLIDATION
PERMEABILITY

STATE

SOIL PROFILE

STRENGTH & STIFFNESS

OCR
COMPRESSIBILITY

CPTu Interpretation
CONSOLIDATION
PERMEABILITY

STATE

SOIL PROFILE

STRENGTH & STIFFNESS

OCR
COMPRESSIBILITY

CPT - Soil Behavior Type (SBT)

Non-Normalized Classification Chart
1000

10

12
11

9
SANDS
8

Cone Resistance (bar) qt

100

7
6
5

MIXED SOILS

10

3
CLAYS
1
2

1
0

Friction Ratio (%), Rf

After Robertson & Campanella, 1986

CPT SBT based on in-situ

mechanical behavior
characteristics (i.e.
strength, stiffness &
compressibility) - not the
same as traditional
classification based on
physical characteristics
(i.e. Atterberg Limits and
grain size distribution)
carried out on disturbed
samples

Example CPT Data Presentation

Example CPTu Plot

CPT Normalization
CPT:
Qt = (qt v) / 'vo
F = fs / 'vo
Fr = [fs / (qt v)]100 (%)
CPTu:
Bq = (u2 u0) / (qt v)
U = (u2 u0) / 'vo

CPT Normalized SBT

CPT SBT based on
in-situ mechanical
behavior

After Robertson 1990

Qt

SANDS

(strength, stiffness,

Drained

compressibility)
MIXED SOILS
Partially drained

CLAYS
Undrained

Not same as
traditional
classification based
physical
characteristics
(Atterberg limits, grain

size) on disturbed

samples

CPT Soil Behavior Type SBT

fs/v =10

Qt

Normalized CPT
sleeve resistance

fs/v =1
fs/v =0.1

fs/v =0.01

F = fs / 'vo
also a measure of
stress history
(similar to KD)
Varies by 3 orders of
magnitude!

CPT SBT Index, Ic

Soil Behavior Type Index, Ic
Qt

(first proposed by Jefferies & Davies,

1993)

SANDS

Ic = [(3.47 log Q)2 + (log F+1.22)2]0.5

Increasing compressibility

CLAYS

Function primarily of
Soil Compressibility
Note:
Qt plays larger role than Fr

Generalized CPT Soil Behaviour Type

CPT Soil Behaviour
CD: Coarse-grain-Dilative
(mostly drained)

CC: Coarse-grain-Contractive
(mostly drained)

FD: Fine-grain-Dilative
(mostly undrained)

FC: Fine-grain-Contractive
(mostly undrained)

Modified from Robertson, 2012

Example CPT - UBC Fraser River

Fraser River Delta, Vancouver, BC (UBC)
Campanella & Robertson, 1983
Organic SILT

Clean Sand
silty sand

NC Clay

Holocene-age deltaic deposit

Example CPT - UBC Fraser River

Fraser River Delta, Vancouver, BC (UBC)
Campanella & Robertson, 1983
Organic SILT

Clean Sand
silty sand

NC Clay

Normalized CPT Parameters

Example 100m CPT Tailings

Deep Mine Tailings
Southwest, USA

Interbedded sand/silt tailings

Very young, hydraulically placed tailings

Example CPT Soft Rock

Very stiff soil soft rock
Newport Beach, CA, USA

Stiff Silt

Weak Sandstone/Siltstone
SPT (N)60 ~100

Normalized CPT Parameters

Requirements for a Good Insitu Test

Reliable, operator independent measurements
Examples: CPT, CPTu, SCPTu, DMT

Repeatable disturbance of surrounding soil

Examples: CPT, CPTu, SCPTu, DMT

Measurement of more than one independent variable

Example: CPTu, SCPTu, SDMT

Real soil behavior complex need to measure more than one

in-situ response

Factors affecting CPT interpretation

Geology & geologic history

In-situ stresses (importance of horizontal stresses)

Soil compressibility (mineralogy)
Cementation
Particle size (e.g. gravel size)
Stratigraphy/layering

CPT should be interpreted within a

geologic context

Seismic CPT (SCPT)

>30 years experience (1983)
Simple, reliable, and inexpensive
Direct measure of soil stiffness
Small strain value, Go = Vs2

Typically 1m (~3ft) intervals

Combines qc and Vs profile in same soil

Basic SCPT Configuration

Seismic CPT
CPT truck/drill-rig with
(build-in) seismic
beam
Seismic beam

Polarized shear wave traces

Left-hit

Right-hit
D = 1m

Vs = (L2 L1)
(T2 T1)
L = calculated straight path
distance from source to receiver
(use horizontal offset X & vertical
depth D)
(T2 T1) = time difference
X
D

After Butcher et al 2005 (ISSMGE TC 10)

SCPT polarized wave traces

Compilation of 2 hits in each direction
(red left & green right)
(beam source, offset = 1.5ft, 1 geophone)

30m

5ft (1.5m) intervals

55m

Example Seismic CPT

0

30m

5ft intervals

54m
0

m/s

600

SCPTu - Advantages
SCPTu
7 measurements!

qt
fs
u2
Vs (Vp)
t50
uo
i
After Mayne, 2014

diss

Downhole Shear Waves

Left Strike

0.08
0.06
Amplitude

0.04
0.02

Right Strike

0
-0.02 0

50

100

150

CROSSOVER Method

200
Time (ms)

-0.04
-0.06
-0.08

0.08
0.06

Shear Wave at 8.15 m

Amplitude

0.04
0.02

Shear Wave at 9.20 m

0
-0.02 0

50

100

150

200
Time (ms)

-0.04

CROSSCORRELATION

-0.06
-0.08
500
500
400
400
300
300
200
200
100
100
0
0
-100 -5
-100-200
-200
-200
-300
-300
-400
-400

Maximum crosscorrelation at t = 6.75 ms

Shear wave velocity = 155 m/s
-150

0
-100

-50

10
50

100

15
150

200

20

Time shift
(ms)

Sod Farm, Charleston, SC

qt (MPa)

Depth (m)

10

U2, U0 (kPa)

fs (kPa)
20

100

200

300

-100

400

900

Vs (m/s)
0

1400

12

12

12

12

16

16

16

16

20

20

20

20

24

24

24

24

28

28

28

28

32

32

32

32

36

36

36

36

400

800

Summary
CPT is a fast, reliable, cost effective means to
evaluate soil profile, geotechnical parameters,
groundwater conditions and preliminary
geotechnical design.
Suitable for a wide range of soils, except for
dense gravels and hard rock.
SCPTu should be used for higher risk projects

UTS

Zone

Soil Behavior Type

1
Sensitive fine grained
2
Organic material
3
Clay
4
Silty Clay to clay
5
Clayey silt to silty clay
6
Sandy silt to clayey silt
7
Silty sand to sandy silt
8
Sand to silty sand
9
Sand
10
Gravelly sand to sand
11
Very stiff fine grained*
12
Sand to clayey sand*
* Overconsolidated or cemented

Zon
e
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

Soil Behavior Type

Ic

Sensitive, fine grained

N/A
Organic soils peats
> 3.6
Clays silty clay to clay
2.95 3.6
2.60 2.95
Silt mixtures clayey silt
to silty clay
Sand mixtures silty sand 2.05 2.6
to sandy silt
Sands clean sand to silty 1.31 2.05
sand
Gravelly sand to dense
< 1.31
sand
Very stiff sand to clayey
N/A
sand*
Very stiff, fine grained*
N/A

Ic = ((3.47 - log Qt)2 + (log Fr + 1.22)2)0.5

SBT

Approximate Unit
Weight
(lb/ft)

(kN/m
)

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

111.4
79.6
111.4
114.6
114.6
114.6
117.8
120.9
124.1
127.3

17.5
12.5
17.5
18.0
18.0
18.0
18.5
19.0
19.5
20.0

SBTn
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

Permeability (ft/sec)
3 x 10-8
3 x 10-7
1 x 10-9
3 x 10-8
3 x 10-6
3 x 10-4
3 x 10-2
3 x 10-6
1 x 10-8

(m/sec)
1 x 10-8
1 x 10-7
3 x 10-10
1 x 10-8
1 x 10-6
1 x 10-4
1 x 10-2
1 x 10-6
3 x 10-9

Parameters

Formula

Undrained strength, Su(kPa)

Note
Mayne&Kemper

(1988);

NK=10-20
Nu=4-8
Sensitivity

fs=sleeve friction

Overconsolidaton ratio

k=0.2-0.5

Insitu stress ratio

Friction angle,(deg)

= 17.6 + 11 log (Qt)

Kulhawy and Mayne (1990)

Young modulus

Es=E(qt-vo)

E =0.015x10(0.55Ic+1.68)
Ic<2.6

Constrained modulus

M=M(qt-vo)

If Ic>2.2
M =qt ; qt<14
M =14; qt>2.2
If Ic<2.2
M =0.0188x10(0.55Ic+1.68)

Small strain modulus

G = (q - )

=0.0188x10(0.55Ic+1.68)

Dissipation test

Dissipation test