DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION AND EVALUATION OF A DUAL TIP PENETROMETER

This final report discusses the testing of the Dual Tip Penetrometer (DTP) device that was developed at the University of Florida. A calibration chamber was set up for testing the Dual Tip Penetrometer in clean fine sand and artificially cemented sand. In addition to the calibration chamber tests, field tests were performed and compared with standard cone penetration tests performed at the same locations. The Dual Tip Penetrometer and Cone Penetrometer were then used at the West Bay Bridge in West Bay, Florida where driven pile data was available. The DTP results were then used in an attempt to predict pile capacities for the dynamically loaded test piles. These comparisons were then compared with the capacities determined from Pile Driving Analysis data. Data reduction software developed for the Dual Tip Penetrometer is also discussed. In the near future, the University of Florida along with the Florida Department of Transportation will perform additional Dual Tip Penetrometer soundings and analysis.