Dynamic Cone PenetrometerIntroduction

The Dynamic Cone Penetrometers (DCP) test is an in-situ test completed where an indicative California Bearing Ratio (CBR) is required to be known. The DCP is a test that is completed in accordance with the method stated in 6.3.2 of AS1289 and is specifically for use with fine-grained soils only due to the possible of larger aggregate influencing the overall result and as such producing a CBR that is not truly indicative of the region tested

The testing was completed at the end section of the existing Washpool Road, Gracemere as indicated in the image below.

Information regarding the exact location of each test location is provided within the obtained test data shown below.

The testing was completed on the 28th April 2015 approximately between the hours 9:30am through to 12:30pm.Equipment

For equipment utilised within this laboratory please refer to Laboratory instructions provided by CQUProcedure

For procedure utilised within this laboratory please refer to Laboratory instructions provided by CQU.

From the data obtained, which includes a minimum of four tests completed in four different regions within the one road reserve (Washpool Road, Gracemere), each test will exam the mm/blow achieved with each blow then average them out for each site so as to obtain an indicative mm/blow for that region of testing.

Once this value is obtained an indicative CBR will be determined from the graph below.

Figure 1: Correlation between Dynamic Cone Penetration and CBR for fine-grained cohesive soilsSoil Description/Site Specific Information

To ensure uniformity between the results obtained the apparatus was place with only the tip of the rod to be below the surface prior to the commencement of penetration.The soil that was within the region tested by our group (Flex Team A) was a very moist clay soil. This description is supported by the obtained data which showed the soil within the region Flex Team A was testing had an extremely low CBR.The level of the water table was unknown.Test Data/ Data Analysis (Calculations, Graphs)

The Raw data recorded from all the test sites from this practical is listed in Appendix AResult

Figure 2: Penetration Resistance, Np, and equivalent CBR readingFor the cumulative number of blows and penetration please refer to Appendix A of this report

Figure 3: Number of Blows/100mm graduation and penetrationLocation of TestsSpecific location and elevation for each test can be found within the raw data and below is an indication of the location of each teams test area

Figure 4: Location of testing for each group

Discussion

As can be seen from the results obtained there appeared to be a large variation in results obtained which affected CBR greatly. This resulted in discussion in regards to how to handle these results in the calculations of average mm/blow. The results were left in as it was unclear how large a section that this results referred to (i.e. an extremely large result, say 705mm/blow could be a very tiny soft section) or it may be a large soft section, for example this may be part of the ground water table within this region and as such should be left as it indicates that these region has an extremely low CBR and will require greater work to increase the stability of the Subbase to allow for the road pavement to support the designed traffic loadings.

As multiple groups received a CBR values of less than 3 and the other remaining groups only received CBR values of 6.0 part of the pavement design for this road may include the placement of a stabilised sub base as the existing Subbase will struggle to adequately handle the load due to the low CBR values obtained.

Appendix A Raw Data and Cumulative tablesTeam A

POINTBLOW NUMBERREADING (mm)mm/BlowLATITUDELONGITUDE

#101000-23.46557617150.4668732

196040

292535

387550

479085

585705

Average183

#201000-23.46549225150.4667664

1460540

2350110

326585

420560

515055

69060

Average151.6666667

#301000-23.46518439150.4611969

193565

2805130

3510295

4255255

5125130

65075

Average158.3333333

#401000-23.46557045150.4669647

197030

294525

388065

483050

578545

673550

768550

861075

9510100

1043575

11335100

1225580

1319560

1410095

150100

Average66.66666667

#501000-23.46539879150.4668884

194555

292520

386065

4750110

569060

6330360

7220110

816060

97090

Average103.3333333

#601000-23.46555519150.4669037

1900100

286535

379570

475045

570545

666540

762342

858043

954535

1051530

1148035

1244535

1340045

1436535

1532045

1626060

1721050

1816050

1911050

207040

Average46.5

Team B

POINTBLOW NUMBERREADING (mm)mm/BlowLATITUDELONGITUDE

101000UTM 7402659

196238

293527

391520

490015

588812

687711

786710

885710

984512

1083114

1181615

1279719

1377027

1469773

1560295

1657230

1755814

1854612

1953214

2051220

2149517

22363132

2328182

2421368

2514865

2611038

Average34.23076923

201000UTM 7402660

194951

293118

391516

490114

588813

687810

786414

884915

983712

108316

1181813

1280117

1377625

1475125

1573417

1671717

1769522

1865639

1960254

20500102

2144753

2239948

2335049

2431238

2529319

2626825

2724919

2822821

2921315

3019815

3118216

321775

331689

341626

351575

361516

Average23.58333333

301000UTM 7402661

196238

295111

393516

492312

591112

69029

789210

888210

98739

1086310

1185112

1283714

1382116

1480615

1579016

1676723

1775710

187489

197408

2073010

2171713

2269522

2366431

2461747

2553681

2646967

2740663

2836343

2932439

3030024

3127921

3226415

332559

3424510

352369

362306

372246

382204

392146

402104

412037

Average19.43902439

401000UTM 7402663

197030

295020

393812

492612

591313

689914

787920

886415

985212

1083814

1181721

1279423

1377618

1475818

1573919

1672811

1770028

1868614

1967214

2065715

2163621

2261521

2360114

245929

255857

265796

275727

285657

295578

305507

3154010

325319

3352011

3450911

3549712

3648116

3746516

3844421

3938163

4029388

4123855

4218751

4314641

4410937

457633

Average20.53333333

Team C

POINTBLOW NUMBERREADING (mm)mm/BlowLATITUDELONGITUDE

11945-23.46527150.46611

2815130

3625190

4485140

540877

634068

728555

823055

918050

1013842

Average89.66666667

2183056K 0241174UTM 7402677

276862

368286

458894

551969

647940

745326

843815

942711

1041710

114098

124009

133937

143867

153806

163737

173676

183616

193556

203496

213436

223385

233326

243266

253206

263146

273086

283035

292976

302907

312846

322786

332717

342656

352596

362545

372486

382426

392366

402306

412255

422205

432155

442105

452055

462005

Average14

3193456K 0241158UTM 7402680

2717217

364572

461827

558632

654145

751130

848229

945626

1043224

1140725

1238324

1335231

1432131

1529724

1627621

1726511

1825213

1924012

2022713

2121512

2220510

2319510

Average33.59090909

4189056K 0241146UTM 7402681

281080

372189

4581140

552655

649828

747226

845517

943421

1041519

1140114

1238615

1337511

1436510

1535114

1633714

1731720

1829621

1927323

2024825

2121929

2218039

Average33.80952381

5199756K 0241116UTM 7402687

294057

389743

481285

5688124

659494

751381

845360

939756

1035047

1130842

1226642

1322739

1419334

Average61.84615385

6191856K 0241090UTM 7402690

2617301

352592

447649

543541

639243

735834

832236

928735

1025631

1122729

1219730

Average65.54545455

Team C

POINTBLOW NUMBERREADING (mm)mm/BlowLATITUDELONGITUDE

101000-23.46513150.464668

198515

29841

396519

493728

590235

685448

780549

875847

968672

1062264

1154775

1251235

1347933

1439980

15269130

1687182

1787

Average58.82352941

201000-23.46512150.46442

197327

294132

391625

489323

587518

685817

784018

881624

979125

1076031

1172436

1269034

1367614

1466511

156569

1664313

1762617

1861016

1959515

2057817

2155721

2253423

2350826

2447434

2543341

2639439

2736331

2833033

2929337

3024845

3119850

3216830

3313731

3410631

Average26.29411765

311000-23.46512150.464468

298020

395921

493821

592018

690515

789312

888112

986912

1085415

1183816

1282117

1380318

1478122

1575427

1672331

1768637

1864343

1959251

2054844

2151830

2249028

2346525

2444223

2541725

2639522

2737421

2835420

2933420

3031816

3130018

3228416

3326420

3424717

3522918

3619138

3717021

3815119

3913318

4011815

4110117

Average22.475

401000-23.46507150.4644

198614

297412

396311

494815

593018

690822

788721

886720

985116

1083516

1182114

1280912

1379811

1478711

1577512

1676114

1774615

1873214

1971616

2070016

2168416

2266717

2365017

2462723

2559235

2655042

2752129

2849526

2946431

3043529

3141223

3239517

3337916

3436217

3534517

3632718

3730522

3828124

3926021

4024119

4122417

4220915

4319910

4418910

4516524

4615015

4713614

4812016

4910515

508916

Average18.22

Team A

POINTBLOW NUMBERREADING (mm)mm/BlowLATITUDELONGITUDE

#1900-6003100-23.4655762150.466873

600-3001300

300-01300

Average233

#2900-6001300-23.4654922150.466766

600-3002150

300-0560

Average170

#3900-6002150-23.4651844150.461197

600-3001300

300-03100

Average183

#4900-600742.8571429-23.4655704150.466965

600-3003100

300-0560

Average68

#5900-600560-23.4653988150.466888

600-3001300

300-03100

Average153

#6900-600742.8571429-23.4655552150.466904

600-300837.5

300-0560

Average47

Team B

POINTBLOW NUMBERREADING (mm)mm/BlowLATITUDELONGITUDE

#1900-6001520

600-300742.8571429

300-0475

Average46

#2900-6001915.7894737

600-300650

300-01115.4545455

Average27

#3900-6002412.5

600-300650

300-0119.09090909

Average24

#4900-6002313.0434783

600-3001717.6470588

300-0560

Average30

Team C

POINTBLOW NUMBERREADING (mm)mm/BlowLATITUDELONGITUDE

#1900-6003100

600-3003100

300-03100

Average100

#2900-600475

600-3002512

300-01717.6470588

Average35

#3900-600475

600-3001030

300-0812.5

Average39

#4900-600475

600-3001421.4285714

300-0475

Average57

#5900-600650-23.4653988150.466888

600-300650

300-0475

Average58

#6900-6002150-23.4655552150.466904

600-300742.8571429

300-0475

Average89

Team D

POINTBLOW NUMBERREADING (mm)mm/BlowLATITUDELONGITUDE

#1900-6001030

600-300560

300-03100

Average63

#2900-6001225

600-3001421.4285714

300-01816.6666667

Average21

#3900-6001618.75

600-300933.3333333

300-0166.25

Average19

#4900-6002015

600-3001225

300-01816.6666667

Average19

Appendix A CQU Laboratory Sheet