ABSTRACT
Geotechnical investigations provide a base for any construction work, large or small. Such subsurface investigations may be of two types-preliminary or detailed. Starting with earth filling for roads and preliminary investigations, hectic activities in the design section provided details one after another. Experience has shown that a static cone penetration test up to depths of 15 to 20 m can be completed in a day with manually operated equipment. In advanced countries the penetrometer is invariably used in the exploratory stage of investigations, when both time and money are at a premium. In areas where some information regarding the foundation strata is already available, the use of test piles and load tests can be avoided by conducting static code penetration tests only. Preliminary borings by augers, either power or manually driven, are quick and economical up to a depth of about 10 m in alluvial deposits.
