New rugged penetrometers for field-testing concrete
Pocket penetrometers have been manufactured by ELE International for decades, but two new rugged versions are now available. „The most important feature of the new penetrometers is that they are made from ground and polished stainless steel with a special wear-resistant coating to prevent rust,“ reports Engineering Manager, Richard Windsor. Heavier and more robust than their predecessors, the new penetrometers also feature a calibrated spring, a new low wear indicator ring to avoid scratching, and they are supplied with a convenient carrying case.
Visual classification of soils
As their name implies, pocket penetrometers are compact devices, used for indicative measurements in the field. The soil pocket penetrometer evaluates consistency and approximate unconfined compressive strength of soils.It was developed for use by field personnel to check the visual classification of soils for construction purposes. The pocket penetrometer‘s scale was originally developed after the compilation of several thousand unconfined compressive strength tests of various soil types.
The concrete penetrometer helps measure setting time and the ‘initial set‘ of a concrete mix, which is the semi-hardened, partially hydrated condition after which workability is not possible. The test can be used to assess the effects of admixtures, water content or cementitious materials on the time of setting of concrete, and may also be applied to prepared mortars and grouts. The applicable Standard Methods are ASTM C403 and AASHTO T197.
Summarising, Richard says: „Field instruments need to be extremely rugged and we believe that customers with be impressed with the quality and feel of these new penetrometers.“
