Patent ID: 6062090
Filing Date: 2000-05-16
Classification: E02D,G01N

Abstract:
An apparatus for determining the strength and type of soil, comprising:a conically-shaped boring portion;a substantially cylindrical housing portion connected to said boring portion;a first load cell within said housing portion and adapted to generate a first signal corresponding to only vertical force on said boring portion as a function of time, said first load cell including a pair of strain gauges oriented such one gauge of the pair measures vertical forces and the other gauge of the pair measures resulting horizontal force generated by the vertical forces, whereby only the vertical forces are included in said first signal;a friction sleeve slidably mounted within said housing portion;a second load cell connected to said housing and adapted to generate a second signal corresponding to a vertical force on said friction sleeve as a result of friction as a function of time, said second load cell including a pair of strain gauges oriented such that one gauge of the pair measures the vertical frictional force on the friction sleeve and the other gauge of the pair measures resulting horizontal force on the friction sleeve, whereby only the vertical friction force is included in said second signal;computing means for receiving said first signal and calculating the average vertical force on said boring portion and for receiving said second signal and calculating the average vertical force on said friction sleeve; andrecording means for receiving and storing data from said computing means.