The penetrometer includes a chassis, a mast mounted thereon and positioned substantially vertically during a test, a rod string, including a tip penetrating the ground that is positioned at one end of the rod string, an anvil that bears against the rod string at an end opposite the tip, a hammer striking the anvil, elements for raising the hammer along the mast up to a fall height, at which the hammer is released, and elements for measuring the sinking of the tip into the ground. The penetrometer further includes an electronic control unit for controlling the fall height, and configured to select the fall height adopted for the test based on the sinking of the tip measured by the measuring elements during one or more earlier tests, and mechanical elements controlled by the control unit for triggering the fall of the hammer at the height selected by the control unit.

The method for evaluating the compactness of a layer of railroad ballast near a railroad tie includes at least one step of taking at least two measurements (11,11a,11b) of the penetration resistance (Qd) of the ballast (13) near one and the same railroad tie (10), and a step of calculating the mean value (Qd.sub.mean) of these measurements (11,11a,11b) of penetration resistance (Qd). Also provided are a device for implementing such a method and a method for predicting the settlement of the ballast of a railroad track including a step of evaluating the compactness of a ballast near a railroad tie.

This method makes it possible to characterize the seat of a railroad track through penetrometric and geo-endoscopic tests. It includes steps consisting of striking ram head of a light dynamic penetrometer to drive the tip of a train of rods into the seat, measuring the strength of the seat as a function of the pushing in depth of the train of rods, removing the train of rods from the seat, pushing a tube into a hole left by the train of rods, and sliding an image-recording camera inside the tube. The method includes additional automated steps consisting of measuring the position of the camera while it slides inside the tube, i.e., the dep that which the images are recorded, and couplingan analysis of the recorded images as a function of the depth with the strength measurements of the seat to characterize the different layers of the seat.

Proper soil compaction is critical to providing structural support in any geo-construction project, particularly road construction. Described herein are devices, methods, and systems for intelligent soil compaction. In some embodiments, these disclosed systems, methods, and devices can provide up to 100% coverage with mechanistic measurements through machine integrated devices. These novel in-situ material characterization devices and methodologies enable continuous, mechanistic monitoring of soil compaction for use with a variety of geo-construction devices, including static pad foot soil compactors. In one embodiment, a strain gage instrumented pad is integrated into a pad foot soil compactor, and contact force is measured instrumented pad that is sensitive to soil compaction. In other embodiments, the disclosed device may allow for mechanistic measurements that may use a simplified geometry, and numerical and analytical modeling. In some embodiments, an inverse model, based on finite element modeling, may be used to extract constitutive parameters from plate strains.

Proper soil compaction is critical to providing structural support in any geo-construction project, particularly road construction. Described herein are devices, methods, and systems for intelligent soil compaction. In some embodiments, these disclosed systems, methods, and devices can provide up to 100% coverage with mechanistic measurements through machine integrated devices. These novel in-situ material characterization devices and methodologies enable continuous, mechanistic monitoring of soil compaction for use with a variety of geo-construction devices, including static pad foot soil compactors. In one embodiment, a strain gage instrumented pad is integrated into a pad foot soil compactor, and contact force is measured instrumented pad that is sensitive to soil compaction. In other embodiments, the disclosed device may allow for mechanistic measurements that may use a simplified geometry, and numerical and analytical modeling. In some embodiments, an inverse model, based on finite element modeling, may be used to extract constitutive parameters from plate strains.

The present invention is an apparatus which executes a photogrammetry method for calculating soil density. After a user excavates soil, measures the mass of the excavated soil and takes multiple images of the excavation site in combination with a calibration object, a data processor uses the various values obtained from the collected images to create a point cloud data object. The processor used this point cloud data object to create a visual representation of the hole. The processor rotates and scales the visual representation. The processor also uses the point cloud data object in volumetric calculations to determine the volume of the hole. Together with the soil mass, the volume allows calculation of soil density.

Disclosed is detection apparatus for flow deformation of foundation layer in horizontal direction including: housing, rotation assembly rotatably disposed within accommodation cavity of the housing, and measurement assembly including first optical fiber lead wire, first optical fiber sensor disposed on first optical fiber lead wire, second optical fiber lead wire, and second optical fiber sensor disposed on second optical fiber lead wire, and disposed within the accommodation cavity. First optical fiber sensor is configured to measure tensile strain of first optical fiber lead wire and first optical fiber sensor before and after the rotation assembly rotates; second optical fiber sensor is configured to measure tensile strain of second optical fiber lead wire and second optical fiber sensor before and after the rotation assembly rotates, to obtain strain amount and displacement change amount, and further to obtain flow deformation degree and flow deformation direction of soil mass of the foundation layer.

A borescope may include a housing including a transparent viewing window, a bumper surrounding at least a portion of a periphery of the transparent viewing window, wherein the bumper is configured to be pressurized by a fluid, and at least one imaging assembly configured to visualize a field of view exterior of the housing through the transparent viewing window.

A borescope may include a housing including a transparent viewing window, a bumper surrounding at least a portion of a periphery of the transparent viewing window, wherein the bumper is configured to be pressurized by a fluid, and at least one imaging assembly configured to visualize a field of view exterior of the housing through the transparent viewing window.

A venue transformation and construction method is disclosed that creates a tropical style swimming lagoon at an infield site of a race or activity circuit facility, the infield site being contained within a race or activity circuit perimeter. The transformation includes demolishing at least part of the infield site; excavating material from an area within the infield site; and forming a basin for a large water body having a surface area of at least 3,000 m2. Water containment walls are constructed on a first section and a sloped access area is formed on a second section of the basin for a beach. A barrier is included to control access to the beach. At least one additional recreational facility is constructed around the basin and a connection is provided that connects the outfield of the race or activity circuit with the infield site to allow transit of vehicles and/or people.