A system for performing a standard penetration test, including a hammer assembly with a hammer and a hammer lifting device, an elevator assembly for raising and lowering the hammer assembly, a hammer sensor for sensing a position of the hammer within the hammer assembly, and an elevator sensor for sensing a position of the hammer assembly relative to the elevator assembly. A method for performing a standard penetration test, including positioning a hammer assembly at a hammer assembly ready position, sensing with an elevator sensor a reference position of a hammer assembly relative to the elevator assembly, sensing with a hammer sensor a zero position of a hammer, lifting the hammer with a hammer lifting device from the zero position to a drop position of the hammer, sensing with the hammer sensor the drop position, and dropping the hammer onto an anvil.

Apparatus for generating shear waves usable in determining shear waves usable in determining distribution and orientation of geologic features in the subsurface among other uses, having a hammer bar with a rod connected to a center position of the hammer bar and having a coil spring therewith and two magnets on each side of the rod to hold the hammer bar in a position to strike the anvil bar.

A sound source for geophysical studies of the earth for oil, gas and other natural resource exploration and more specifically a streamlined design of a hydraulically controlled impulsive sound source that may be inserted into oil wells and bore holes and a system and method for obtaining high quality seismic records from the impulsive sound source by adjusting and maintaining pressures within the well or bore hole.

A sound source for geophysical studies of the earth for oil, gas and other natural resource exploration and more specifically a streamlined design of a hydraulically controlled impulsive sound source that may be inserted into oil wells and bore holes and a system and method for obtaining high quality seismic records from the impulsive sound source by adjusting and maintaining pressures within the well or bore hole.

A vibration hammer and a seismic wave excitation device are provided. The vibration hammer comprises a housing, a striking head, a heavy hammer body, an elastic trigger structure, a ball clamping mechanism, and a telescopic power cylinder. An accommodating inner cavity within the housing is sealed. The striking head moves linearly relative to the housing in a striking direction. The telescopic power cylinder is fixed in the housing and its piston rod extends into the accommodating inner cavity in the striking direction. The elastic trigger structure and the heavy hammer body are mounted in the accommodating inner cavity, the heavy hammer body moves in the striking direction, and when the heavy hammer body moves away from the striking head, the heavy hammer body places the elastic trigger structure in an elastic energy storage state, at which time the elastic trigger structure applies an elastic force to the heavy hammer body.

A vibration hammer and a seismic wave excitation device are provided. The vibration hammer comprises a housing, a striking head, a heavy hammer body, an elastic trigger structure, a ball clamping mechanism, and a telescopic power cylinder. An accommodating inner cavity within the housing is sealed. The striking head moves linearly relative to the housing in a striking direction. The telescopic power cylinder is fixed in the housing and its piston rod extends into the accommodating inner cavity in the striking direction. The elastic trigger structure and the heavy hammer body are mounted in the accommodating inner cavity, the heavy hammer body moves in the striking direction, and when the heavy hammer body moves away from the striking head, the heavy hammer body places the elastic trigger structure in an elastic energy storage state, at which time the elastic trigger structure applies an elastic force to the heavy hammer body.

A system for providing seismic excitation for subsurface monitoring, the system can include a vertical shaft extending into the ground, an unassisted weight-drop mechanism disposed within the shaft and configured to release a weight from a drop height, where an unassisted weight-drop mechanism disposed within the shaft and configured to release a weight from a drop height, where the unassisted weight-drop mechanism is operably configured to retrieve the weight from the base of the shaft, and raise the weight to the drop height; an engineered impact plate assembly located at the bottom of the vertical shaft to receive the weight; a control box housing control and communications equipment; an energy source coupled to the control box to supply power; and at least one accelerometer positioned to record seismic source characteristics upon the weight's impact. In some embodiments, the seismic source system may be configured to operate autonomously and may be configured to communicate with a monitoring network for performance assessment.

A system for providing seismic excitation for subsurface monitoring, the system can include a vertical shaft extending into the ground, an unassisted weight-drop mechanism disposed within the shaft and configured to release a weight from a drop height, where an unassisted weight-drop mechanism disposed within the shaft and configured to release a weight from a drop height, where the unassisted weight-drop mechanism is operably configured to retrieve the weight from the base of the shaft, and raise the weight to the drop height; an engineered impact plate assembly located at the bottom of the vertical shaft to receive the weight; a control box housing control and communications equipment; an energy source coupled to the control box to supply power; and at least one accelerometer positioned to record seismic source characteristics upon the weight's impact. In some embodiments, the seismic source system may be configured to operate autonomously and may be configured to communicate with a monitoring network for performance assessment.