39

oversize drive point or washer. The partial skin friction thereby established makes
it very difficult to evaluate the results properly. These difficulties are frequently
encountered when soundings are extended to considerable depths. The influence of
skinfriction in determining point resistance maybe eliminated by encasing the sound
ing rod proper in a sleeve pipe. Encased sounding rods were first developed by
Terzaghi (968) and Barentsen (601). They may be designed and operated for: (1) de
termination of point resistance alone; (2) additional determination of total skin fric
tion on the sleeve pipe; or (3) determination of the specific skin friction exerted by
the individual strata.

Point resistance.- When point resistance alone is to be determined, the skin

friction on the sleeve pipe is usually decreased by means of jetting or use of an
oversize cone point, thereby facilitating both the driving and withdrawal of the sound
ing assembly. Jetting is used in the method developed by Terzaghi (246, 353, 968),
which also is called the Wash Point Method since the encased sounding rod is hollow
and provided with a vented cone point to permit washing or jetting, Fig. 14. The
method is intended for exploration of sand deposits and determination of variations
in density or compaction within the deposit. A cycle of operations is as follows.

The cone is jacked 10 in. into the soil and the penetration or point resistance
is measured by means of the manometer connected to the oil pump. Water is then
pumped through the rod and the vents in the cone point, flowing upward both inside
and outside the sleeve pipe. The upward flow of water causes temporary liquefaction
of the sand immediately above the cone and removes some of this material through
the sleeve pipe. The water flowing from the pipe is collected in a bucket and sam
ples are taken later from the settled material. These samples are similar in char
acter and value to the wash samples described under wash boring, Section 2.13. The
sleeve pipe is then forced down until it touches the cone; the flow of water is stopped,
and the entire operation is repeated. The sand above the zone of temporary lique
faction will by arch and wedge action relieve the pressure on the sand below the
cone. The penetration resistance determined during the advance of the cone will
therefore be more or less independent of depth below the ground surface and thereby
indicative of the actual density of the soil.

A light simple, encased sounding rod, developed by Barentsen (601 ), is

and
shown in Fig. 15. It has been used extensively for exploration of soft surface de
posits in Holland. The penetration resistance is determined by pushing the cone into
the soil at a speed of about 1 cm per sec and measuring the corresponding pressure
by means of a hydraulic dynamometer. The cross-sectional area of the piston in
the dynamometer is equal to the base area of the cone, 10 cm^, and the Bourdon
gage therefore directly indicates the unit load on an area equal to that of the base
of the cone. After a 10- to 15-cm advance of the cone, the sleeve is pushed down
until it touches the cone, and the entire assembly is then advanced until a new de
termination of the penetration resistance is to be made. Such determinations are
generally made for each 50-cm advance in depth. The sounding rod is operated by
one or two men, and the maximum pressure is limited to 10 kg/cm^ or a total