Technical Resources

Laboratory tests, field observations and theories of mechanics provided the cornerstones for the development of modern geotechnical practice.

There has been considerable interest in automation of geotechnical laboratory testing over the past 20 years, particularly since the introduction of the personal computer.

Laboratory measurements are used to obtain mechanical and physical properties of geotechnical materials for analysis and design.

Automated geotechnical testing has been available in some form for about 30 years.

This paper presents the application of the latest technologies in electronics, software, automated controls to geotechnical testing.

In 1997 the Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT) began operating fully automated computer controlled geotechnical testing equipment, replacing many existing systems.