EP0083141A2 - A soil investigation device - Google Patents
A soil investigation device Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP0083141A2 EP0083141A2 EP82201654A EP82201654A EP0083141A2 EP 0083141 A2 EP0083141 A2 EP 0083141A2 EP 82201654 A EP82201654 A EP 82201654A EP 82201654 A EP82201654 A EP 82201654A EP 0083141 A2 EP0083141 A2 EP 0083141A2
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- tube
- soil
- driving
- sounding
- head
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
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Classifications
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E02—HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING; FOUNDATIONS; SOIL SHIFTING
- E02D—FOUNDATIONS; EXCAVATIONS; EMBANKMENTS; UNDERGROUND OR UNDERWATER STRUCTURES
- E02D1/00—Investigation of foundation soil in situ
- E02D1/02—Investigation of foundation soil in situ before construction work
- E02D1/022—Investigation of foundation soil in situ before construction work by investigating mechanical properties of the soil
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E02—HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING; FOUNDATIONS; SOIL SHIFTING
- E02D—FOUNDATIONS; EXCAVATIONS; EMBANKMENTS; UNDERGROUND OR UNDERWATER STRUCTURES
- E02D11/00—Methods or apparatus specially adapted for both placing and removing sheet pile bulkheads, piles, or mould-pipes
Definitions
- a tube is driven substantially vertically into the soil, which tube, at or near its lower extremity, is constructed either as a sounding tube, in which case it is provided with means for determining the resistance against displacement, e.g. in the form of a so-called sounding cone and/or sounding sleeve, or as a sampling tool by means of which a sample of the soil can be taken in order to be investigated in a laboratory.
- a device which is generally arranged in a vehicle, comprising a yoke which is to be brought into engagement with the upper extremity of the tube, which yoke is coupled with the pistons of the two pressure medium cylinders which are arranged at both sides of the tube.
- the yoke is moved upwards again, and another tube is connected to the former tube by means of a screw-thread connection, and then the tube is pressed further downwards.
- the force required therefor can be derived from the pressure of the pressure medium (generally oil).
- this force is generally determined by means of a transducer provided between the sounding tube and the yoke, and, on the other hand, force sensors are often arranged in the lower end part, which are adapted to produce an electrical signal which is a measure for the resistance met with, and which can be processed further at the surface.
- a pulling head is mounted on the yoke, which is adapted to engage the tube in such a manner that, by means of said yoke, a pulling force can be exerted on the tube.
- a pulling head can, for instance, comprise a conical inner wall and a plurality of balls arranged in several layers within a cage, the diameter of said balls in the different layers being such that, if a tube is inserted through said cage with balls, the conical wall surface uniformly presses said balls against the tube surface, so that the pulling force will be transferred onto the tube.
- the device according to the invention is characterised in that the driving means for the tube grip around said tube substantially coaxially.
- said driving means comprise a single cylinder having a piston and associated piston rod which are made hollow, and this in such a manner that the tube can be led through the interior thereof, said piston rod being connected to a head by means of which the pressing and pulling forces .can be transferred on the tube.
- This unitary construction without a yoke provides a substantial simplification in respect of the known constructions with two cylinders, and,furthermore, leadsto substantially smaller dimensions, and, moreover, a pressure acting on the tube in an accurately axial direction is ensured.
- the driving means comprise at least one unit consisting of a pair of mutually oppositely arranged driving wheels with a concave rim profile adapted to the shape of the tube to be driven, at least one of said wheels of such a unit being connected to a driving motor, in particular a hydraulic motor, and,in particular, several units can be superposed-along the tube, means being provided in each unit for driving the wheels towards one another so as to increase the clamping force.
- the tube can be driven continuously itself, hnt it is also possible to drive thereby an auxiliary tube which is provided with means adapted to be brought into engagement with the tube to be driven into the soil, and corresponding to the means used in the first embodiment.
- a special coupling element is used which is arranged in a horizontal sliding guide connected to the driving means, so as to allow this element to be slid away laterally for clearing the passage for a tube, and this element can be constructed as a pressing or pulling head respectively, said guide being adapted to allow the replacement of a pressing head by a pulling head and vice versa.
- the pressure head can be provided with a rotatable fitting with two bores of a different diameter, the narrower one forming an abutment shoulder for the upper extremity of the upper tube section but allowing the inner rod to pass so as to bring said inner rod into engagement with a superposed force meter, whereas the wider bore also passes the sounding tube so that the latter itself will, then, engage said force meter.
- the lateral friction in the soil along the sounding tube can be measured.
- a special pulling head comprising a sleeve surrounding the tube in which a plurality of slightly upwardly inclined strips of metal or the like are arranged having,.at their free extremity, a concave rounding adapted to the tube periphery.
- the extension tube sections are preferably provided with inner rods which are secured against falling out, this in contrast to the known constructions.
- a pressing or pulling head resp. is to be used which is provided with recesses for passing a measuring cord. Furthermore it can be advisable to arrange the current source for.the measuring circuit in the lower part, and then, in particular, the inner rods of the sounding tubes sections can be used as a conductor for signal circuits, said inner rods being provided with coupling means adapted to interconnect adjacent rods electrically; the contact resistance between the various inner rod sections will, then, have no influence on the signal available at the transducers. The time-consuming and troublesome stringing of the sounding tubes on an electric cable is, then, superfluous.
- modulated radiation can be used, and then, in the lower portion of the sounding tube, a radiation source, in particular a laser diode, and in the upper end portion of this tube a photo-diode or the like will be arranged.
- the inner tube diameter is, preferably, chosen as large as is compatible with the strength of the tube so as to keep free a direct radiation path even in the case of bending of the tube. It is also possible to polish the inner wall so as to allow, if necessary, radiation transmission by reflection, but then care should be taken to avoid disturbing signal broadening by transit time differences, e.g. by a suitable choise of the modulation shape or by screening off undesired radiation directions near the photo-diode.
- a memory in which the measurement results can be stored, which can be read out later after retraction of the sounding tubes, and a timing signal should, then,, be recorded, allowing to correlate the measurements with the insertion depths recorded at the surface.
- a memory besides a usual electronic memory, also a small tape recorder with micro-cassettes can be used.
- Such a tube can also be constructed as a soil sample cutter, an improvement being obtained by accommodating the usual hose,used for reducing the friction between the soil sample and the tube wall, in a chamber surrounding the sample space of the tube, said chamber being situated between the cutting mouth at the lower extremity of the tube and the exit slot between said chamber and the sample space, so that the hose provided in this chamber can be pulled straightly upwards through the slot, intrusion of soil particles into said chamber being hampered, and damaging the hose in the slot being avoided then, so that the use of a supporting liquid,as is required in the current soil sample cutters in which the hose is deflected by 180 0 in the slot,will be superfluous.
- Such a device for driving a tube into the soil should be directed vertically as well as possible.
- hydraulically actuated jacks can be used by means of which the carrier of the device, in particular a vehicle, can be supported.
- an inclination sensor is used then, consisting of a housing filled with oil in which an electrically conductive body is resiliently supported, which body will contact electrical contacts provided around the circumference as soon as the housing is not directed exactly vertically, which body and contacts are included in a control circuit for the pressure medium supply.
- Inclination meters to be provided in sounding tubes adapted to measure the inclination of the tube,so as to correlate the inclination with the depth measurement are known per se.
- inclination meters have not yet been used.
- the sensor according to the invention allows to direct the device in a fast and precise manner.
- Fig. 1 a first embodiment of the device according to the invention is diagrammatically shown, which device is intended for pressing a tube 1 into the soil and, respectively,pulling it therefrom again, which tube is, in particular, a sounding tube.
- This device comprises an annular cylinder space 2 defined between an outer wall 3 and a coaxial inner wall 4, the inner wall 4 defining a space 5 in which the tube 1 fits with some play.
- annular piston 6 sealingly contracting the walls 3 and 4 by means of sealing rings ? is slidable.
- This piston 6 is connected to a tubular piston rod 8 guided by means of seals 9 in a cap 10 closing the space 2.
- a flange 11 is mounted on which a horizontal sliding guide 12 is provided in which a rim 13 of a pressing head 14 to be described below is horizontally slidable, so that, when sliding away this head, the inner space 5 of the inner wall 4 becomes accessible from above so as to insert a tube 1 into it, which tube can be an extension tube which can be screwed on another tube section 1 already pressed downwards.
- the piston 6 is shown in its lowest position, and can be moved upwards by supplying a pressure medium, e.g. oil, the stroke length corresponding to the length of the tube sections from which the tube 1 is to be assembled.
- a pressure medium e.g. oil
- another tube section can be introduced into the space 5 and screwed on the preceding tube section, after which the head 14 can be slid back so that it can be brought into engagement with the upper extremity of the tube.
- the pressure medium will be supplied to the upper side of the piston 6 so as to press the tube 1 further into the soil.
- the cylinder wall 3 is mounted in a foot 15 which is immobilised in respect of the soil in a manner not shown.
- This foot is, for instance, mounted on a sufficiently heavy vehicle, but can also be fixed by means of ground anchors or the like. The latter will be the case if the device is constructed as a portable one which is adapted for being used in inaccessible places (e.g. in a basement or the like).
- Such a device requires little space, since only one cylinder without a bridge piece is used. Only the guide 12 is laterally protruding, but can be relatively short.
- the pressure medium source can be mounted separately from the device, and can be coupled thereto by means of pressure hoses.
- a pulling head 17 In order to retract a tube 1 pressed into the soil, the rim 16 of a pulling head 17 according to Fig. 2 can be slid into the guide 12.
- a plurality of lips 13 made of hard steel or the like which are fixed at a slight upward inclination in the wall of the head 17, and are provided, at their free extremity, with a recess with a rounded boundary edge having a curvature which corresponds to that of the external surface of a tube 1.
- the number of lips 18 depends on the width thereof, the depth of the recess, and the required force.
- Fig. 3 a cross-section of a special embodiment of the pressure head 14 is shown, which serves, at the same time, as a force meter.
- the tube 1 comprises an inner rod 20 which is guided slidably in the tube 1, and is, at the lower end, connected to a measuring cone or the like for determining the soil resistance.
- Each extension tube section is provided with such a rod 20, and the end faces of adjacent rods 20 can contact each other.
- each rod is provided with one or more rings 21 which can abut against a corresponding shoulder 22 in the tube section 1 in question so as to prevent falling out.
- a piston 23 is situated, against which the rod 20 of the uppermost tube section will bear when the head is pressed on the tube section.
- the space 24 above the piston 23 communicates, by means of a fitting 25, with a pressure meter or force transducer,not shown,for measuring the force acting on the rod 20.
- the end face of the tube 1 bears on a shoulder 26 which is in a fixed position in respect of the head.
- This shoulder forms a part of a rotatable insert 27, and is defined by a through bore 28 in said insert through which the rod 20 extends upwards.
- a second wider bore 29 is formed in the insert. If the insert 27 is turned 90 0 by means of a handle 30, the wider bore 29 is positioned in alignment with the tube 1. This bore is wider than the tube 1 so that, then, the end face of the tube 1 will bear against the piston 23. This position will be used if, for instance, the adhesion force exerted on the tube 1 by the soil is to be measured.
- Fig. 4 shows an other embodiment of the device of the invention for pressing a tube into the soil.
- This device comprises at least one unit 31, but, if required, a plurality thereof can be superposed.
- Each unit comprises a pair of wheels 32 and 33 with an outer rim of substantially semicircular cross-section, which wheels thus define a substantially circular cavity 34 in which a tube to be driven will fit.
- the wheel rims can be roughened or can be provided with a friction covering in order to increase the grip on such a tube.
- the wheel 33 is contained in a yoke 35 coupled to a pressure medium cylinder 36 by means of which this yoke can be pressed against the other wheel 32 so as to improve the grip on the interposed tube still more.
- the shaft 37 of the wheel 32 is coupled to a hydraulic motor 38 adapted to drive the wheel 38. If a larger driving force is desired, also the shaft 39 of the wheel 33 can be coupled to a motor 40. The driving force can be increased still further by increasing the number of units 31.
- Such a unit can, for instance, be used to drive a tube 1 directly so as to obtain a substantially continuous drive. Coupling extension tube sections can take place during driving. It is, however, also possible to use such a unit for driving a tube corresponding to the piston rod 6 of Fig. 1, adapted to connect thereto a pressing head 14 and/or a pulling head 17.
- a pressure head 14 with a force meter instead of a pressure head 14 with a force meter according to Fig. 3, other force measuring apparatuses can be used, in particular measuring cones or the like with electrical force transducers.
- a simple pressing head without measuring bodies can be used, but, then, said head should be provided with a recess for passing the measuring cord.
- the measuring cord is to be stringed through all the tube sections to be used since the use of extension cords with contact plugs and sockets would lead to too high contact resistances.
- pressing heads constructed in a different manner can be used instead which, if desired, can be constructed as a pulling head too.
- Such measuring cords are, by their nature, troublesome.
- the invention provides a number of possibilities allowing to work without such measuring cords.
- a central rod 20 can be used instead of a measuring cord, which rod needs not to be slidable, and can be provided, at an extremity, with a fitting 41 in which the extremity of the rod 20' of an adjoining tube section will fit more or less tightly so as-to obtain an electrical connection, and the tube sections 1 themselves serve as a return conductor. It can, then, be advisable to arrange the current source 22 for the measuring circuit near the transducer 43 in the lower part of the tube 1, so as to ensure a sufficient voltage near the transducer 43 independent of the contact resistance in the couplings between the rods 20'.
- the transducer 43 can be provided with a circuit which is adapted to transform the measurement results into suitable measurement signals, e.g. in digital form.
- the transducer 43 can be connected to a radiation source 44, e.g. a laser diode, which can send directed radiation through the interior of the tube, and at the upper extremity of the tube 1 a radiation receiver, e.g. a photo-diode, will be arranged.
- a radiation source 44 e.g. a laser diode
- a radiation receiver e.g. a photo-diode
- the tube 1 is, preferably, made as wide as is compatible with the strength of the tube, so as to maintain an unimpeded passage for the radiation even in the case of bending of the tube.
- Fig. 5C shows still another solution in which the transducer 43 is coupled to a memory 45 in which the measurement results can be stored. After the tube is retracted again, the measurement results can be read out from said memory. Timing signals should be recorded then at the same time so as to allow to relate the measurements to the-insertion depth which is continuously recorded above ground, this also with the associated timing signals.
- a memory can, for instance, be formed by a small tape recorder with micro-cassettes.
- Such a tube 1 can also be constructed as a sample cutter for taking soil samples. It is usual to counteract disturbation of the soil samples by wall friction by enclosing the sample by a hose.
- This hose is provided, in the known samplers, in an annular chamber surrounding the tube cavity into which the sample is inserted, and then the hose can enter the central bore at the lower end of this chamber through an annular slot, and the hose is closed there so that a penetrating sample pulls the hose along. Bending the hose around the edge of this slot, however, can lead to damage, and also soil particles can penetrate into this chamber. Therefore sometimes a so-called supporting liquid will be used which is supplied to the hose chamber and facilitates pulling the hose through the slot and, moreover, keeps soil particles out of this chamber. Furthermore this liquid acts as a lubricant for the hose.
- such a cutting tube can be made in a simple manner as shown in Fig. 6, in which the hose chamber 46 is situated between the cutting mouth 4? at the extremity of the tube 1 and an exit slot 48 for the hose 49, so that the hose can be pulled substantially linearly from the chamber 46. Damaging the hose in the slot 48 is prevented then, and, moreover, penetration of soil particles is prevented. A supporting liquid can, then, be omitted, which considerably simplifies the construction of the over-all device.
- the device In order to drive the tube 1 correctly vertically into the soil, the device should be directed vertically as well as possible.
- a device mounted on a vehicle generally jack cylinders will be used having piston rods provided with foot plates which can be driven outwards by a pressure medium such as oil for relieving the springs of the vehicle, and,, by a separate pressure medium supply towards the different cylinders,the floor of the vehicle can be horizontally adjusted.
- a special sensor shown in Fig. 7 is preferably used.
- This sensor comprises a substantially cylindrical housing 50 filled with oil, in which a float 51 of insulating material is provided which, by means of a spring 52, is kept in the centre when the housing 50 is directed vertically.
- electrical contacts 53 are provided adapted to contact the float 51 as soon as the housing 50 has been removed somewhat from the vertical orientation.
- the spring 52 is, with these electrical contacts, included in a control circuit by means of which, in correspondence with the orientation of the float, the pressure medium supply towards the different jacks can be regulated. A fast, automatic and accurate orientation of the device can be obtained thereby.
- the device according to the invention can also be used for driving a drainage tape into the ground by means of a protecting tube which is finally retracted again, leaving a a wedge-shaped driving end piece to which the tape is attached in the soil.
- the embodiments allowing a continuous driving force to be exerted are particularly suitable for sounding purposes, as an interrupted movement of a sounding tube may influence the measurement results.
- the driving motors 38 and 40 can, of course also be electric motors,
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Abstract
Description
- For executing soil investigation, a tube is driven substantially vertically into the soil, which tube, at or near its lower extremity, is constructed either as a sounding tube, in which case it is provided with means for determining the resistance against displacement, e.g. in the form of a so-called sounding cone and/or sounding sleeve, or as a sampling tool by means of which a sample of the soil can be taken in order to be investigated in a laboratory.
- In order to press such a tube into the soil, use is made of a device, which is generally arranged in a vehicle, comprising a yoke which is to be brought into engagement with the upper extremity of the tube, which yoke is coupled with the pistons of the two pressure medium cylinders which are arranged at both sides of the tube. As soon as the tube has been pressed downwards by means of said yoke over the piston stroke, the yoke is moved upwards again, and another tube is connected to the former tube by means of a screw-thread connection, and then the tube is pressed further downwards. The force required therefor can be derived from the pressure of the pressure medium (generally oil). In the case of a sounding tube this force is generally determined by means of a transducer provided between the sounding tube and the yoke, and, on the other hand, force sensors are often arranged in the lower end part, which are adapted to produce an electrical signal which is a measure for the resistance met with, and which can be processed further at the surface.
- As soon as the tube has reached the desired or maximum possible depth, a pulling head is mounted on the yoke, which is adapted to engage the tube in such a manner that, by means of said yoke, a pulling force can be exerted on the tube. Such a pulling head can, for instance, comprise a conical inner wall and a plurality of balls arranged in several layers within a cage, the diameter of said balls in the different layers being such that, if a tube is inserted through said cage with balls, the conical wall surface uniformly presses said balls against the tube surface, so that the pulling force will be transferred onto the tube.
- An objection of such devices is that they are rather bulky and heavy, and must, therefore, be arranged in or on a vehicle. For measurements in difficultly accessible locations, in particular in existing buildings, e.g. for determining the bearing capacity of the foundation in view of reconstruction works, or in difficultly accessible fields, these known devices are not suitable.
- It is an object of the invention to provide a device for the latter purposes which does not show these objections and is, in particular but not exclusively, suitable for being constructed in a transportable and, if required, portable manner.
- To that end, the device according to the invention is characterised in that the driving means for the tube grip around said tube substantially coaxially.
- In a first embodiment, said driving means comprise a single cylinder having a piston and associated piston rod which are made hollow, and this in such a manner that the tube can be led through the interior thereof, said piston rod being connected to a head by means of which the pressing and pulling forces .can be transferred on the tube. This unitary construction without a yoke provides a substantial simplification in respect of the known constructions with two cylinders, and,furthermore, leadsto substantially smaller dimensions, and, moreover, a pressure acting on the tube in an accurately axial direction is ensured.
- In a second embodiment of the invention, the driving means comprise at least one unit consisting of a pair of mutually oppositely arranged driving wheels with a concave rim profile adapted to the shape of the tube to be driven, at least one of said wheels of such a unit being connected to a driving motor, in particular a hydraulic motor, and,in particular, several units can be superposed-along the tube, means being provided in each unit for driving the wheels towards one another so as to increase the clamping force.
- With such a device the tube can be driven continuously itself, hnt it is also possible to drive thereby an auxiliary tube which is provided with means adapted to be brought into engagement with the tube to be driven into the soil, and corresponding to the means used in the first embodiment.
- If the driving means operate in a discontinuous manner and are to be reset when providing or taking away an extension tube section, preferably a special coupling element is used which is arranged in a horizontal sliding guide connected to the driving means, so as to allow this element to be slid away laterally for clearing the passage for a tube, and this element can be constructed as a pressing or pulling head respectively, said guide being adapted to allow the replacement of a pressing head by a pulling head and vice versa.
- For application in the case of a sounding tube with an inner rod which is connected to a measuring element, the pressure head can be provided with a rotatable fitting with two bores of a different diameter, the narrower one forming an abutment shoulder for the upper extremity of the upper tube section but allowing the inner rod to pass so as to bring said inner rod into engagement with a superposed force meter, whereas the wider bore also passes the sounding tube so that the latter itself will, then, engage said force meter. In the latter case, for instance, the lateral friction in the soil along the sounding tube can be measured.
- For retracting the tube, preferably a special pulling head is used comprising a sleeve surrounding the tube in which a plurality of slightly upwardly inclined strips of metal or the like are arranged having,.at their free extremity, a concave rounding adapted to the tube periphery. By means of such a head the friction force required for the pulling force can be distributed more evenly over the tube surface, so that the latter will not be damaged, this in contrast to the above-mentioned pulling heads with balls which, in a rather small number, are being brought into engagement with the tube wall.
- When using a sounding tube with an inner rod, the extension tube sections are preferably provided with inner rods which are secured against falling out, this in contrast to the known constructions.
- If electrical force transducers or the.like are provided in the lower portion of the sounding tube, a pressing or pulling head resp. is to be used which is provided with recesses for passing a measuring cord. Furthermore it can be advisable to arrange the current source for.the measuring circuit in the lower part, and then, in particular, the inner rods of the sounding tubes sections can be used as a conductor for signal circuits, said inner rods being provided with coupling means adapted to interconnect adjacent rods electrically; the contact resistance between the various inner rod sections will, then, have no influence on the signal available at the transducers. The time-consuming and troublesome stringing of the sounding tubes on an electric cable is, then, superfluous.
- Instead of electrical signal transfer, also modulated radiation can be used, and then, in the lower portion of the sounding tube, a radiation source, in particular a laser diode, and in the upper end portion of this tube a photo-diode or the like will be arranged. The inner tube diameter is, preferably, chosen as large as is compatible with the strength of the tube so as to keep free a direct radiation path even in the case of bending of the tube. It is also possible to polish the inner wall so as to allow, if necessary, radiation transmission by reflection, but then care should be taken to avoid disturbing signal broadening by transit time differences, e.g. by a suitable choise of the modulation shape or by screening off undesired radiation directions near the photo-diode.
- It can sometimes be favourable to include in the lower portion of the sounding tube a memory in which the measurement results can be stored, which can be read out later after retraction of the sounding tubes, and a timing signal should, then,, be recorded, allowing to correlate the measurements with the insertion depths recorded at the surface. As a memory, besides a usual electronic memory, also a small tape recorder with micro-cassettes can be used.
- Such a tube can also be constructed as a soil sample cutter, an improvement being obtained by accommodating the usual hose,used for reducing the friction between the soil sample and the tube wall, in a chamber surrounding the sample space of the tube, said chamber being situated between the cutting mouth at the lower extremity of the tube and the exit slot between said chamber and the sample space, so that the hose provided in this chamber can be pulled straightly upwards through the slot, intrusion of soil particles into said chamber being hampered, and damaging the hose in the slot being avoided then, so that the use of a supporting liquid,as is required in the current soil sample cutters in which the hose is deflected by 1800 in the slot,will be superfluous.
- Such a device for driving a tube into the soil should be directed vertically as well as possible. To that end, as usual, hydraulically actuated jacks can be used by means of which the carrier of the device, in particular a vehicle, can be supported. According to the invention, preferably an inclination sensor is used then, consisting of a housing filled with oil in which an electrically conductive body is resiliently supported, which body will contact electrical contacts provided around the circumference as soon as the housing is not directed exactly vertically, which body and contacts are included in a control circuit for the pressure medium supply. Inclination meters to be provided in sounding tubes adapted to measure the inclination of the tube,so as to correlate the inclination with the depth measurement,are known per se. For directing a device of the present kind, however, inclination meters have not yet been used. The sensor according to the invention allows to direct the device in a fast and precise manner.
- The invention will be elucidated in more detail below by reference to a drawing, showing in:
- Fig. 1 a lateral view, partly in section, of a first embodiment of the invention;
- Figs. 2A and B a lateral view, partly in section, of a special pulling head for such a device, and a top view of an element of this pulling head resp.;
- Fig. 3 a section of a special pressing head with a measuring body for such a device;
- Fig. 4 a diagrammatic top view of an other embodiment of a device according to the invention;
- Figs. 5A, B and C highly simplified representations of different means for transmitting signals in such a device;
- Fig. 6 a simplified representation, partly in section, of a cutting tube to be used in such a device; and
- Fig. 7 a diagrammatic cross-section of a simple inclination sensor for such a device.
- In Fig. 1 a first embodiment of the device according to the invention is diagrammatically shown, which device is intended for pressing a
tube 1 into the soil and, respectively,pulling it therefrom again, which tube is, in particular, a sounding tube. - This device comprises an
annular cylinder space 2 defined between an outer wall 3 and a coaxial inner wall 4, the inner wall 4 defining aspace 5 in which thetube 1 fits with some play. - In the
cylinder space 2 an annular piston 6 sealingly contracting the walls 3 and 4 by means of sealing rings ? is slidable. This piston 6 is connected to atubular piston rod 8 guided by means ofseals 9 in acap 10 closing thespace 2. At the upper end of the piston rod 8 aflange 11 is mounted on which a horizontalsliding guide 12 is provided in which arim 13 of apressing head 14 to be described below is horizontally slidable, so that, when sliding away this head, theinner space 5 of the inner wall 4 becomes accessible from above so as to insert atube 1 into it, which tube can be an extension tube which can be screwed on anothertube section 1 already pressed downwards. - The piston 6 is shown in its lowest position, and can be moved upwards by supplying a pressure medium, e.g. oil, the stroke length corresponding to the length of the tube sections from which the
tube 1 is to be assembled. After having slid away thehead 14 in the highest position, another tube section can be introduced into thespace 5 and screwed on the preceding tube section, after which thehead 14 can be slid back so that it can be brought into engagement with the upper extremity of the tube. Thereafter the pressure medium will be supplied to the upper side of the piston 6 so as to press thetube 1 further into the soil. - The cylinder wall 3 is mounted in a
foot 15 which is immobilised in respect of the soil in a manner not shown. This foot is, for instance, mounted on a sufficiently heavy vehicle, but can also be fixed by means of ground anchors or the like. The latter will be the case if the device is constructed as a portable one which is adapted for being used in inaccessible places (e.g. in a basement or the like). - Such a device requires little space, since only one cylinder without a bridge piece is used. Only the
guide 12 is laterally protruding, but can be relatively short. The pressure medium source can be mounted separately from the device, and can be coupled thereto by means of pressure hoses. - In order to retract a
tube 1 pressed into the soil, the rim 16 of a pullinghead 17 according to Fig. 2 can be slid into theguide 12. Instead of the usual pulling heads with balls bearing on a wedge-shaped surface and adapted to contact the outer side of thetube 1, which may locally indent the tubes, use has now been made of a plurality oflips 13 made of hard steel or the like which are fixed at a slight upward inclination in the wall of thehead 17, and are provided, at their free extremity, with a recess with a rounded boundary edge having a curvature which corresponds to that of the external surface of atube 1. The number oflips 18 depends on the width thereof, the depth of the recess, and the required force. - As soon as a
tube 1 arrives into the space between thelips 18 from below, the rims of the recesses 19 come into contact with the tube wall. When retracting the head 16, thetube 1 is gripped firmly between thelips 18. Since the clamping force has, now, been distributed over a much larger surface portion of the tube wall than in the case of clamping balls, the tube wall will not be damaged. On pressing downwards thehead 17, thelips 18 will be released automatically, and the head can be removed from the tube. - In Fig. 3 a cross-section of a special embodiment of the
pressure head 14 is shown, which serves, at the same time, as a force meter. In this case thetube 1 comprises aninner rod 20 which is guided slidably in thetube 1, and is, at the lower end, connected to a measuring cone or the like for determining the soil resistance. Each extension tube section is provided with such arod 20, and the end faces ofadjacent rods 20 can contact each other. In order to avoid that therods 20 fall out of the corresponding tube sections, each rod is provided with one ormore rings 21 which can abut against acorresponding shoulder 22 in thetube section 1 in question so as to prevent falling out. - In the head 14 a
piston 23 is situated, against which therod 20 of the uppermost tube section will bear when the head is pressed on the tube section. Thespace 24 above thepiston 23 communicates, by means of a fitting 25, with a pressure meter or force transducer,not shown,for measuring the force acting on therod 20. - The end face of the
tube 1 bears on ashoulder 26 which is in a fixed position in respect of the head. This shoulder forms a part of arotatable insert 27, and is defined by a throughbore 28 in said insert through which therod 20 extends upwards. Transversely to the bore 28 a second wider bore 29 is formed in the insert. If theinsert 27 is turned 900 by means of a handle 30, thewider bore 29 is positioned in alignment with thetube 1. This bore is wider than thetube 1 so that, then, the end face of thetube 1 will bear against thepiston 23. This position will be used if, for instance, the adhesion force exerted on thetube 1 by the soil is to be measured. - Fig. 4 shows an other embodiment of the device of the invention for pressing a tube into the soil. This device comprises at least one
unit 31, but, if required, a plurality thereof can be superposed. Each unit comprises a pair ofwheels circular cavity 34 in which a tube to be driven will fit. The wheel rims can be roughened or can be provided with a friction covering in order to increase the grip on such a tube. Thewheel 33 is contained in ayoke 35 coupled to a pressure medium cylinder 36 by means of which this yoke can be pressed against theother wheel 32 so as to improve the grip on the interposed tube still more. - The
shaft 37 of thewheel 32 is coupled to ahydraulic motor 38 adapted to drive thewheel 38. If a larger driving force is desired, also theshaft 39 of thewheel 33 can be coupled to amotor 40. The driving force can be increased still further by increasing the number ofunits 31. - Such a unit can, for instance, be used to drive a
tube 1 directly so as to obtain a substantially continuous drive. Coupling extension tube sections can take place during driving. It is, however, also possible to use such a unit for driving a tube corresponding to the piston rod 6 of Fig. 1, adapted to connect thereto apressing head 14 and/or a pullinghead 17. - Instead of a
pressure head 14 with a force meter according to Fig. 3, other force measuring apparatuses can be used, in particular measuring cones or the like with electrical force transducers. In that case a simple pressing head without measuring bodies can be used, but, then, said head should be provided with a recess for passing the measuring cord. For the measuring cord is to be stringed through all the tube sections to be used since the use of extension cords with contact plugs and sockets would lead to too high contact resistances. Of course pressing heads constructed in a different manner can be used instead which, if desired, can be constructed as a pulling head too. Such measuring cords are, by their nature, troublesome. The invention provides a number of possibilities allowing to work without such measuring cords. - As shown in Fig. 5A, a
central rod 20 can be used instead of a measuring cord, which rod needs not to be slidable, and can be provided, at an extremity, with a fitting 41 in which the extremity of the rod 20' of an adjoining tube section will fit more or less tightly so as-to obtain an electrical connection, and thetube sections 1 themselves serve as a return conductor. It can, then, be advisable to arrange thecurrent source 22 for the measuring circuit near the transducer 43 in the lower part of thetube 1, so as to ensure a sufficient voltage near the transducer 43 independent of the contact resistance in the couplings between the rods 20'. The transducer 43 can be provided with a circuit which is adapted to transform the measurement results into suitable measurement signals, e.g. in digital form. - Instead thereof it is also possible to use, for the signal transfer, modulated radiation, and then, as shown in Fig. 5B, the transducer 43 can be connected to a
radiation source 44, e.g. a laser diode, which can send directed radiation through the interior of the tube, and at the upper extremity of the tube 1 a radiation receiver, e.g. a photo-diode, will be arranged. Thetube 1 is, preferably, made as wide as is compatible with the strength of the tube, so as to maintain an unimpeded passage for the radiation even in the case of bending of the tube. It is also possible to polish the inner wall of thetube 1 in such a manner that the radiation will be transferred by successive reflections, and, then, care should be taken that only radiation with a given path length can reach the receiver, and radiation with a different path length is screened there so as to avoid unsharpness in the signal transmission caused by path length differences. - Fig. 5C shows still another solution in which the transducer 43 is coupled to a memory 45 in which the measurement results can be stored. After the tube is retracted again, the measurement results can be read out from said memory. Timing signals should be recorded then at the same time so as to allow to relate the measurements to the-insertion depth which is continuously recorded above ground, this also with the associated timing signals. Such a memory can, for instance, be formed by a small tape recorder with micro-cassettes.
- Such a
tube 1 can also be constructed as a sample cutter for taking soil samples. It is usual to counteract disturbation of the soil samples by wall friction by enclosing the sample by a hose. This hose is provided, in the known samplers, in an annular chamber surrounding the tube cavity into which the sample is inserted, and then the hose can enter the central bore at the lower end of this chamber through an annular slot, and the hose is closed there so that a penetrating sample pulls the hose along. Bending the hose around the edge of this slot, however, can lead to damage, and also soil particles can penetrate into this chamber. Therefore sometimes a so-called supporting liquid will be used which is supplied to the hose chamber and facilitates pulling the hose through the slot and, moreover, keeps soil particles out of this chamber. Furthermore this liquid acts as a lubricant for the hose. - According to the invention such a cutting tube can be made in a simple manner as shown in Fig. 6, in which the hose chamber 46 is situated between the cutting mouth 4? at the extremity of the
tube 1 and an exit slot 48 for the hose 49, so that the hose can be pulled substantially linearly from the chamber 46. Damaging the hose in the slot 48 is prevented then, and, moreover, penetration of soil particles is prevented. A supporting liquid can, then, be omitted, which considerably simplifies the construction of the over-all device. - In order to drive the
tube 1 correctly vertically into the soil, the device should be directed vertically as well as possible. In the case of a device mounted on a vehicle, generally jack cylinders will be used having piston rods provided with foot plates which can be driven outwards by a pressure medium such as oil for relieving the springs of the vehicle, and,, by a separate pressure medium supply towards the different cylinders,the floor of the vehicle can be horizontally adjusted. - The invention provides means for considerably accelerating these operations and making them independent of human intervention and, thus, of errors. To that end a special sensor shown in Fig. 7 is preferably used. This sensor comprises a substantially
cylindrical housing 50 filled with oil, in which afloat 51 of insulating material is provided which, by means of aspring 52, is kept in the centre when thehousing 50 is directed vertically. In the inner wall of the housingelectrical contacts 53 are provided adapted to contact thefloat 51 as soon as thehousing 50 has been removed somewhat from the vertical orientation. Thespring 52 is, with these electrical contacts, included in a control circuit by means of which, in correspondence with the orientation of the float, the pressure medium supply towards the different jacks can be regulated. A fast, automatic and accurate orientation of the device can be obtained thereby. - The device according to the invention can also be used for driving a drainage tape into the ground by means of a protecting tube which is finally retracted again, leaving a a wedge-shaped driving end piece to which the tape is attached in the soil.
- The embodiments allowing a continuous driving force to be exerted are particularly suitable for sounding purposes, as an interrupted movement of a sounding tube may influence the measurement results.
- In the embodiment of Fig. 4 the driving
motors - Many other modifications are possible within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended calims.
Claims (12)
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
AT82201654T ATE45778T1 (en) | 1981-12-26 | 1982-12-23 | DEVICE FOR SOIL INVESTIGATION. |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
NL8105859 | 1981-12-26 | ||
NL8105859A NL8105859A (en) | 1981-12-26 | 1981-12-26 | DEVICE FOR SOIL EXAMINATION. |
Publications (3)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP0083141A2 true EP0083141A2 (en) | 1983-07-06 |
EP0083141A3 EP0083141A3 (en) | 1985-01-09 |
EP0083141B1 EP0083141B1 (en) | 1989-08-23 |
Family
ID=19838618
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP82201654A Expired EP0083141B1 (en) | 1981-12-26 | 1982-12-23 | A soil investigation device |
Country Status (10)
Country | Link |
---|---|
EP (1) | EP0083141B1 (en) |
JP (1) | JPS58135935A (en) |
AT (1) | ATE45778T1 (en) |
CA (1) | CA1200118A (en) |
DE (1) | DE3279902D1 (en) |
FI (1) | FI824391L (en) |
HK (1) | HK87792A (en) |
IN (1) | IN161018B (en) |
NL (1) | NL8105859A (en) |
NO (1) | NO161229C (en) |
Cited By (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
GB2243173A (en) * | 1990-03-27 | 1991-10-23 | Seafloors Eng Inc | Self-contained apparatus and method for determining the static and dynamic loading characteristics of a soil bed |
US5127261A (en) * | 1990-03-27 | 1992-07-07 | Fugro-Mcclelland Leasing, Inc. | Self-contained apparatus and method for determining the static and dynamic loading characteristics of a soil bed |
CN101813576A (en) * | 2010-05-04 | 2010-08-25 | 张龙云 | Interval type soil sampler |
CN113358402A (en) * | 2021-06-04 | 2021-09-07 | 中国煤炭地质总局第一勘探局科教中心 | Be used for engineering geological exploration soil sampling tube of being convenient for expand |
Families Citing this family (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
CN115615741B (en) * | 2022-12-01 | 2023-03-10 | 江苏龙环环境科技有限公司 | Adjustable soil sampling device for environmental protection detection and use method thereof |
Citations (7)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US2774240A (en) * | 1951-04-09 | 1956-12-18 | Fur Grundwasserbauten Ag | Soil testing apparatus |
US3331240A (en) * | 1965-02-19 | 1967-07-18 | Ingenjors Yonelloch Nilsson Fa | Apparatus for driving a rod into the ground for determining soil qualities at different depths |
US3379052A (en) * | 1965-09-20 | 1968-04-23 | Earle A. Howard | Soil penetrometer |
FR2018186A1 (en) * | 1968-09-16 | 1970-05-29 | Shell Int Research | Measuring subsurface soil resistance |
US3960448A (en) * | 1975-06-09 | 1976-06-01 | Trw Inc. | Holographic instrument for measuring stress in a borehole wall |
DE2545692A1 (en) * | 1975-10-11 | 1977-04-14 | Dornier System Gmbh | Oil well drill with hollow rod string - has electrical plug and contacts joined when rods join giving axial or radial play on rod ends |
US4033186A (en) * | 1976-08-06 | 1977-07-05 | Don Bresie | Method and apparatus for down hole pressure and temperature measurement |
-
1981
- 1981-12-26 NL NL8105859A patent/NL8105859A/en not_active Application Discontinuation
-
1982
- 1982-12-21 FI FI824391A patent/FI824391L/en not_active Application Discontinuation
- 1982-12-22 NO NO824323A patent/NO161229C/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 1982-12-23 EP EP82201654A patent/EP0083141B1/en not_active Expired
- 1982-12-23 AT AT82201654T patent/ATE45778T1/en active
- 1982-12-23 CA CA000418450A patent/CA1200118A/en not_active Expired
- 1982-12-23 DE DE8282201654T patent/DE3279902D1/en not_active Expired
- 1982-12-24 IN IN1490/CAL/82A patent/IN161018B/en unknown
- 1982-12-24 JP JP57226429A patent/JPS58135935A/en active Pending
-
1992
- 1992-11-12 HK HK877/92A patent/HK87792A/en not_active IP Right Cessation
Patent Citations (7)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US2774240A (en) * | 1951-04-09 | 1956-12-18 | Fur Grundwasserbauten Ag | Soil testing apparatus |
US3331240A (en) * | 1965-02-19 | 1967-07-18 | Ingenjors Yonelloch Nilsson Fa | Apparatus for driving a rod into the ground for determining soil qualities at different depths |
US3379052A (en) * | 1965-09-20 | 1968-04-23 | Earle A. Howard | Soil penetrometer |
FR2018186A1 (en) * | 1968-09-16 | 1970-05-29 | Shell Int Research | Measuring subsurface soil resistance |
US3960448A (en) * | 1975-06-09 | 1976-06-01 | Trw Inc. | Holographic instrument for measuring stress in a borehole wall |
DE2545692A1 (en) * | 1975-10-11 | 1977-04-14 | Dornier System Gmbh | Oil well drill with hollow rod string - has electrical plug and contacts joined when rods join giving axial or radial play on rod ends |
US4033186A (en) * | 1976-08-06 | 1977-07-05 | Don Bresie | Method and apparatus for down hole pressure and temperature measurement |
Cited By (8)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
GB2243173A (en) * | 1990-03-27 | 1991-10-23 | Seafloors Eng Inc | Self-contained apparatus and method for determining the static and dynamic loading characteristics of a soil bed |
US5125266A (en) * | 1990-03-27 | 1992-06-30 | Fugro-Mcclelland Leasing, Inc. | Self-contained apparatus and method for determining the static and dynamic loading characteristics of a soil bed |
US5127261A (en) * | 1990-03-27 | 1992-07-07 | Fugro-Mcclelland Leasing, Inc. | Self-contained apparatus and method for determining the static and dynamic loading characteristics of a soil bed |
GB2243173B (en) * | 1990-03-27 | 1994-06-29 | Seafloors Eng Inc | Self-contained apparatus and method for determining the static and dynamic loading characteristics of a soil bed |
US5339679A (en) * | 1990-03-27 | 1994-08-23 | Fugro-Mcclelland Leasing, Inc. | Self-contained apparatus and method for determining the static and dynamic loading characteristics of a soil bed |
CN101813576A (en) * | 2010-05-04 | 2010-08-25 | 张龙云 | Interval type soil sampler |
CN101813576B (en) * | 2010-05-04 | 2011-12-28 | 张龙云 | Interval type soil sampler |
CN113358402A (en) * | 2021-06-04 | 2021-09-07 | 中国煤炭地质总局第一勘探局科教中心 | Be used for engineering geological exploration soil sampling tube of being convenient for expand |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
EP0083141B1 (en) | 1989-08-23 |
NO824323L (en) | 1983-06-28 |
CA1200118A (en) | 1986-02-04 |
JPS58135935A (en) | 1983-08-12 |
ATE45778T1 (en) | 1989-09-15 |
NL8105859A (en) | 1983-07-18 |
FI824391A0 (en) | 1982-12-21 |
DE3279902D1 (en) | 1989-09-28 |
NO161229C (en) | 1989-07-19 |
NO161229B (en) | 1989-04-10 |
HK87792A (en) | 1992-11-20 |
EP0083141A3 (en) | 1985-01-09 |
FI824391L (en) | 1983-06-27 |
IN161018B (en) | 1987-09-12 |
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