Soil penetration testers – State of the art – Part 1 – The penetrometer approach
Dariusz Janik, Piotr Dudziński
Abstract
Reliable assessment of soil mechanical parameters causes many problems due to its random nature, and therefore the literature on the subject provides many techniques in this area. The article presents an analysis of the state of the art in the field of process analogues (testers) for identifying soil compaction under external loads that are generated, for example, by the running gear components of off-road machinery and vehicles. A classification of these testers into three main groups is proposed: small-size (penetrometers), medium-size (plate testers), and large-size (chassis components). The cone index approach for small-scale testers is described in detail in the paper. Consequently, the bevameter approach, which is used for medium- and large-scale testers, is described in Part 2 of this pair of articles. The main application of penetrometers in terramechanics, which is to determine the mobility of off-road vehicles, mostly qualitatively, is highlighted, with a description of the most important mobility metrics, also in the context of the NATO Reference Mobility Model, also being presented. An overview of the devices is presented, with the tester area, applied pressure levels, types of soil tested, and field of use also being discussed. The analyses include static and dynamic testers. The pair of articles also presents the main issues with penetrometer testing, and the reasons for which bevameters are the most commonly used tester for determining quantitative soil parameters for the purpose of terramechanics.