CPT system for marine renewables work

After a series of acceptance tests, the system was delivered on time to Scotland and has immediately commenced work on a cable route survey in the North Sea for the marine renewables sector.

The DATEM 5000 unit is a coiled rod design offering the latest technology and increased push capability compared to similar CPT designs available. The C-PEN³⁵ system is designed for performing insitu soil testing from nearshore to water depths up to 3,000m. The unit is compact enough for deployment from smaller vessels of 20-25m length, making it a versatile and adaptable system for most client applications and soil types and, importantly, reducing overall vessel spread costs to clients.

The Cone Penetration Test concept is based on pushing a calibrated steel cone into the ground at a constant speed of 2cm/sec, with continuous measurement of the cone end resistance, sleeve friction along the cone, and the pore water pressure. These measurements make it possible to accurately determine insitu ground condition strengths and infer stratigraphy over the penetrated depth and is often used in conjunction with vibrocoring and geophysical surveys also undertaken in house. This system has been purchased to support the strategic expansion of Coastline Surveys Ltd geotechnical capabilities for the routes studies for offshore renewables cables, pipelines, port and coastal engineering and dredging studies.

Coastline MD David Hitchcock said “The Datem 5000 system fits well with deployment from our coastal survey vessel MV FlatHolm in the infield and export cable route markets of renewables and wider cable route surveys. “