Class / Patent application number | Description | Number of patent applications / Date published |
073084000 | Soil bearing capacity | 13 |
20080307863 | PENETROMETER INCLUDING A HAMMER AND AN AUTOMATED ACTUATOR WEIGHT-SUPPORTED BY AN ANVIL THROUGH THE HAMMER - A penetrometer that includes a hammer, an anvil, a penetrating rod, and an automated actuator. The penetrating rod extends from the anvil with the anvil between the hammer and the penetrating rod. The automated actuator is engaged with the hammer and configured to reciprocally impact the hammer against the anvil. The automated actuator is weight-supported by the anvil through the hammer with the penetrometer positioned with the automated actuator above the anvil and upon impact of the hammer against the anvil. | 12-18-2008 |
20090173147 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SOIL STRENGTH MEASUREMENT - A system and method for characterizing soil shear strength from a vehicle, comprises a plurality of sensors mounted on a vehicle and configured to measure distances from the sensors to the soil surface. The sensors comprise a first sensor disposed on the vehicle and configured to measure a first distance between the first sensor and the soil and a second sensor disposed on the vehicle and configure to measure a second distance between a the sensor and a track made in the soil by the vehicle, wherein the first sensor measures the distance at a location before the vehicle wheel travels over that location and the second sensor measures the distance to the bottom of the track made by the wheel. A processing module is communicatively coupled to the sensors and is configured to calculate track depth as a function of the first and second distance measurements; and to derive soil shear strength as a function of the calculated track depth and the vehicle parameters. | 07-09-2009 |
20090308143 | HYDROSTATICALLY COMPENSATED DEEP SEA PROBE WITH SHEAR STRAIN GAUGES - A hydrostatically compensated soil resistance probe includes a cylindrical body having a distal tip for insertion into a material, a plurality of load gates for transitioning an axial load on said cylindrical body to a shear load, and a plurality of shear load sensors to measure a transverse loading on said probe due to an axial loading. The axial loading can be the result of the resistance on the probe tip to the insertion of the probe in the soil, or the frictional forces acting on a friction sleeve as the probe passes through the soil. | 12-17-2009 |
20100018296 | PENETROMETER WITH LIGHT-WEIGHT, ELECTRONICALLY-CONTROLLED HAMMERING MODULE - A light-weight electronically-controlled hammering module is used to apply a repetitive hammering force under electronic control to the top end of a dynamic cone penetrometer rod. In a preferred embodiment, the hammering module has a battery-powered percussive hammer that applies an electrically-generated impulse hammering force to the top of the rod. The depth of penetration is measured with a range-finder and used to compute the rate of penetration of the rod into the ground and correlated to the strength of the soil. The rate of hammering is controlled to cause the rod to penetrate into the soil at a controlled rate correlated with the strength of the soil. | 01-28-2010 |
20100018297 | Device and Methods for Use of a Dynamic Cone Penetrometer for Evaluating Soil Compaction - The present invention includes a device and method for more particularly evaluating the compaction of soil by automating the use of a prior art dynamic cone penetrometer such that user error and error caused by field conditions are eliminated. Recordation of penetrometer data previously not recorded is made more precise by the present invention such that standardized measurement results. The device further includes means for facilitating the determination of compaction of soils through keyhole openings and a means for automating the collection and processing of the generated compaction data. | 01-28-2010 |
20100024535 | Searching Method for Acquiring Ground Information - Provided is a searching method for acquiring ground information by mounting a resistor on the leading end of a rod and by piercing the ground with the same. The searching method acquires the ground information on the strength and deformation of the ground, by piercing the ground with the resistor including a frustum of circular cone or an arcuate member containing a deficient sectional shape, in which the angle made between the side face of the resistor having blades in the same direction as the piercing direction and the piercing direction is 5 degrees or less upward and outward from the leading end of the resistor thereby to measure a plurality of transverse ground reactions, and by rotating the resistor having the blades at that depth thereby to measure a plurality of ground shearing forces. The main information such as CøE can be determined in the ground search by inserting an apparatus of one kind into the search depth without moving it up and down. Thus, an original position ground search can be performed speedily and lightly and applied to various grounds. | 02-04-2010 |
20100199751 | FULL BODY PROBE - A geotechnical or geophysical probe ( | 08-12-2010 |
20100257920 | CONE PENETROMETERS FOR MEASURING IMPEDANCE OF GROUND - Provided are cone penetrometers for measuring the impedance of the ground. In an embodiment, the cone penetrometer comprises an inner electrode, an outer electrode, an insulator layer and a penetrating rod. The inner electrode includes a cone, a first contact portion to which terminal cables of an impedance meter are connected, and a metal rod. The metal rod has a diameter smaller than that of the cone. The metal rod has a front end connected to the bottom of the cone and a rear end connected to the first contact portion. The outer electrode has an inner diameter smaller than the diameter of the cone and is in the form of a hollow tube accommodating the metal rod. The insulator layer is formed between the inner electrode and the outer electrode to prevent short circuits between the two electrodes. The penetrating rod is in the form of a hollow tube accommodating the outer electrode. The use of the cone penetrometers improves the accuracy and reliability of the measured results. Further, the cone penetrometers can be miniaturized while maintaining high stiffness against buckling. | 10-14-2010 |
20110203356 | MOBILE TURF INSTRUMENT APPARATUS HAVING DROPPABLE HAMMER TYPE ACCELEROMETER CARRIED ON ROTATING ARM - A mobile turf instrument apparatus has a wheeled frame that may be propelled over the ground by a motive device, such as by a separate vehicle or by its own engine and drive train. A driven arm is carried on the frame and revolves in circles to periodically insert the probe(s) of a probe assembly into the ground during motion of the frame. The drive to the arm is momentarily disengaged when the probe(s) of the probe assembly are inserted into the ground. The probe assembly comprises two parts that rock relative to one another. Two soil measurement devices are connected to the probe assembly. A soil moisture sensor is coupled to the probe assembly for measuring soil moisture when the probe(s) are inserted into the ground. A load cell is responsive to the amount of rocking of the two parts of the probe assembly to measure soil compaction. | 08-25-2011 |
20120174659 | IMPACT PENETROMETER SYSTEMS FOR CHARACTERIZING SOIL PROPERTIES - A dual aerial-drop penetrometer system includes a high-velocity (>30 m/s) penetrometer aerial unit combined with a low-velocity (<10 m/s) penetrometer aerial unit. The primary penetrometer is formed as an outer shell having the secondary penetrometer received in telescoping fashion within, which is ejected by a spring ejection mechanism upon impact of the outer shell. Both penetrometers provide deceleration information as they penetrate the soil of interest. The data from the two penetrometers, after analysis, can be used to assess soil strength as well as trafficability for the deployment of remotely-controlled vehicles, for example. | 07-12-2012 |
20140216144 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR ASSESSING THE LEVEL OF MICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF SOIL - A method and a device for assessing the level of microbial activity of a substrate ( | 08-07-2014 |
20150040649 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING OPTIMAL DESIGN CONDITIONS FOR STRUCTURES INCORPORATING GEOSYTHETICALLY CONFINED SOILS - A system and method are provided for determining optimal design conditions for structures incorporating geosynthetically confined soils. A testing apparatus referred to as a load frame simulates a particular geostructural construction without having to construct a full-scale or near full-scale model. The load frame includes an enclosure made from materials such as concrete block or rigid panels that enclose a plurality of layers of geosynthetic materials and lifts of representative soil and aggregate obtained from the jobsite of the geostructural construction. An upper load plate and lower load plate confine the lifts and geosynthetic materials. A load is applied to the upper load plate in order to compact the contents within the load frame. Both static and vibratory energy can be applied for the loading, thereby closely replicating actual compaction efforts at the job site. Once the contents have been compacted, compaction testing can be conducted to confirm design parameters. | 02-12-2015 |
20160003724 | HEAVY DYNAMIC PENETROMETER AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING THE FALL HEIGHT OF A HAMMER BELONGING TO SUCH A PENETROMETER - The penetrometer includes a chassis, a mast mounted thereon and positioned substantially vertically during a test, a rod string, including a tip penetrating the ground that is positioned at one end of the rod string, an anvil that bears against the rod string at an end opposite the tip, a hammer striking the anvil, elements for raising the hammer along the mast up to a fall height, at which the hammer is released, and elements for measuring the sinking of the tip into the ground. The penetrometer further includes an electronic control unit for controlling the fall height, and configured to select the fall height adopted for the test based on the sinking of the tip measured by the measuring elements during one or more earlier tests, and mechanical elements controlled by the control unit for triggering the fall of the hammer at the height selected by the control unit. | 01-07-2016 |