Pocket Penetrometers are for use for cohesive soils (Clays or Silty Clay). They are not for use for granular soils (sand or rock). The tool for granular is a Housel Penetrometer. I use these everyday as a geotech. Love having clay as bearing soil as i dont have to lug a 50lb housel around with me.
Thanks for the video. It sheds light to the soil bearing capacity. I need a simple opinion to design a foundation against the weight of the house building materials.
What if the spot where you are pressing down happens to have a rock underneath? Wouldn't that distort the reading quite a bit? Would you have to have several spot checks to be sure?
word-forthat amount , I could throw a foot of gravel under the entire footer to stabilize Qould spend it on compacted gravel under the footer Q-not that bad in metro DC, but NOT in insignificant cost at al.
