When Cone Penetration Testing (CPT) was invented in the 1930's the system was based on a conical tip with a system of inner rods and casing tubes.

Although improved in many ways the mechanical CPT as we know it since is still widely used.

Two mechanical cone types are available:
The simple Mechanical Jacket Cone, also named Dutch Cone, for measuring the point resistance qc and total resistance Qt when conducting a continuous or discontinuous CPT.

The Friction Jacket Cone, known as Begemann Cone, for measuring fs in addition, when conducting a discontinuous CPT.

Recording of the CPT values can be done the basic way when pushing with a hydraulic measuring head and reading the actual values from dial gauges (visual recording). As such, visually recorded mechanical CPT not only form a robust but also affordable system in terms of investment and spare part costs.

However, the more sophisticated automatic mechanical CPT is equally robust. Here, pushing with an electric load cell in combination with automatic depth registration allows for processing the signals with the Geomil GME 500 for computerized data recording.

It also provides the direct upgrade link to fully electrical CPT(U). The latter is also based on the same GME 500 data acquisition system, and recording software CPTest and allows for the measurement of additional parameters and higher accuracies.

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