InnovoGeo completed five in-situ cone penetration test (CPTu) soundings at a historic dredged sediment disposal site adjacent to a high-hazard dam in the northern Piedmont of Virginia, as part of a geotechnical engineering report.

The project aimed to determine whether previously deposited dredged sediments had been fully removed - as assumed - or still remained below the surface. We also evaluated the suitability of onsite soils for future embankment construction, and investigated depth to weathered rock and groundwater across the site. Considerable presence of rock fragments near the surface made rig anchoring challenging and CPTu pushes difficult, but InnovoGeo’s Pagani rig and Vertek CPTu cones proved more than capable of overcoming the conditions. 

The high-resolution CPTu data provided continuous insight into subsurface conditions and soil behavior - particularly valuable in identifying soft clay layers with low shear strength and uncertain stress histories. Traditional methods like SPT could not have delivered the same level of clarity.  Advanced correlations from raw CPTu data to key state parameters allow for more confident interpretation and better-informed design decisions.