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Wireline Cone Penetrometer System for Multiple Tool Usage

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AR #1605

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Tech ID: 2222
Project Overview
Cone Penetrometer Technology is becoming more common for site characterization activities as its advantages (e.g. increased speed, lower cost, reduced drilling waste) over conventional drilling technologies has been demonstrated. Although CPT offers many benefits, it can be improved to offer increased utility and cost savings with the development of an innovative wireline system. The proposed wireline cone penetrometer system consists of an assortment of tools that can be pushed using standard CPT rigs and equipment. The novel aspect of this approach is that various tools can be placed at the tip of the rod string depending on the type of information or sample desired. Tools can be swapped at any depth and different tools can be used for penetration or retraction. Wireline CPT allows nearly all work to be accomplished in a single penetration, as opposed to the multiple penetrations currently conducted if more than one kind of data is required. This approach will reduce both the time required for job completion and the costs. Also, since the number of penetrations is reduced, the risk associated with sealing confining layers will be minimized.

Technology Description
 Currently, each time a new tool (e.g. a sensor or a sampler) is deployed using a cone penetrometer, all of the rods must be extracted from the hole, the new tool attached, and either the rods advanced back into the hole or a new push is started at an adjacent location. The multiple retrievals and redeployments of the rod string slow the characterization effort and increase the cost. Under this project a novel Cone Penetrometer Technology (CPT) tool exchange system will be developed that will allow the use of a wide variety of tools during a single penetration. The initial system will consist of the following three tools. The first tool is a standard piezo-cone for determining soil type, stratigraphy, and soil strength characteristics. It is expected that the piezo-cone will be the standard size (1.44-inch or 1.75-inch diameter) used commercially, but fitted with locking and release mechanisms. The second tool will consist of an attachment to permit grouting of the penetration hole during retraction. This tool will lock into position at the end of the rod string and grout will be pumped out through a high pressure hose connected to the tool. The third tool, which will be developed under Option 1 of the contract, consist of a cutting shoe and wireline soil sampler to cut through and remove hard-to-penetrate materials, such as dense cemented soils, without withdrawing the rod string to change tips and remove samples. The tool will be designed to operate with the sonic CPT system that ARA is developing under joint DOE and DOD funding. The cutting shoe and wireline sampler can also be used in normally penetrable material wherever a physical sample is desired either with or without the sonic system.

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