Implantation of Louisiana Electric Cone Penetrometer System (LECOPS) for design of transportation facilities

PDFTech ReportFHWA/LA-94/280-BLA. HPR STUDY NO. 88-2GTCone penetrometersSoil penetration testLaboratory testsData collectionLouisianaLouisiana State University, Baton RougeTumay, M. T.Louisiana State University (Baton Rouge, La.). Dept. of Civil and Environmental EngineeringLouisiana Transportation Research CenterUS Transportation CollectionFor several decades, the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (LDOTD) has been able to rely on an ample supply of labor with appropriate equipment to provide soil design data. Budget cutbacks have forced reduction in personnel and equipment to the point that the Department forces are no longer able to keep up with the demand for their work. Conventional boring to obtain soil samples for laboratory testing and final design data is an expensive, time consuming process. Some laboratory tests, particularly involved in strength and compressibility, are intrinsically long duration tests. Delays in starting critical projects are often the result of the time duration in testing. In this research, the Louisiana electric cone Penetrometer System (LECOPS) and the accompanying data acquisition and reduction codes (TRUCK, CONEDATA & CONEXP) were developed, field tested and implemented to enable the LDOTD to maintain and even advance its soil design expertise. The results of this project will further provide a research vehicle and a desperately needed soils information data base