Hydrostatically compensated deep sea probe with shear strain gauges

• US 7,810,381 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2008
• Issued: 10/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gregg Drilling & Testing, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Gregg Drilling & Testing, Inc.
• Inventors: Boggess, Ronald
• Primary Examiner(s): Rogers; David A.
• Application Number:
  US12/137,376
• Publication Number:
  US 20090308143A1
• Time in Patent Office: 853 Days
• Field of Search: 73/84, 73/85, 731/520.2, 731/520.5, 734/31, 738/624.1, 738/624.5, 738/665
• US Class Current: 73/84
• CPC Class Codes: E02D 1/04 Sampling of soil E02D1/025 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2203/0012 Constant speed test
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2203/0025 Shearing
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2203/0082 Indentation characteristics measured during load
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 3/42 by performing impressions under a steady load by indentors, e.g. sphere, pyramid G01N3/54 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/38 specially adapted for water-covered areas G01V1/28 takes precedence

Abstract

A hydrostatically compensated soil resistance probe includes a cylindrical body having a distal tip for insertion into a material, a plurality of load gates for transitioning an axial load on said cylindrical body to a shear load, and a plurality of shear load sensors to measure a transverse loading on said probe due to an axial loading. The axial loading can be the result of the resistance on the probe tip to the insertion of the probe in the soil, or the frictional forces acting on a friction sleeve as the probe passes through the soil.

Claims

1. A hydrostatically compensated soil resistance probe comprising:

an elongated tubular body having a distal tip for insertion into a material;

a first load gate laterally arrayed around the tubular body at a first axial position, and a second load gate angularly offset from said first load gate at a second axial position, said first and second load gates configured to, upon application of an axial force to said tubular body, redirect said axial force to a shear force;

a shear sensor on said tubular body between said first and second load gates to measure said shear force; and

a sleeve member enclosing the shear sensor and the first and second load gates.

2. The hydrostatically compensated soil resistance probe of claim 1 wherein said body includes a conical tip.

3. The hydrostatically compensated soil resistance probe of claim 1 wherein said tubular body is formed with circumferential, spaced apart openings cooperating to define therebetween the respective load gates.

4. The hydrostatically compensated soil resistance probe of claim 3 wherein said holes of the respective said first and second load gates are spaced and configured so as to form therebetween laterally overlapping stress sections.

5. The hydrostatically compensated soil resistance probe of claim 1 comprising three load gates at said first axial position and three load gates at said second axial position.

6. The hydrostatically compensated soil resistance probe of claim 1 that includes two shear sensors for each load gate.

7. The hydrostatically compensated soil resistance probe of claim 1 wherein the shear sensors are selected independent of an applied hydrostatic pressure.

8. The hydrostatically compensated soil resistance probe of claim 1 wherein the tubular body is cylindrical.

9. The hydrostatically compensated soil resistance probe of claim 1 for use in deep sea explorations and includes a push rods connected to said tubular body.

10. The hydrostatically compensated soil resistance probe of claim 1 for use with a sea going vessel having an on-board computer and that includes means responsive to said shear force to generate corresponding electrical signals and means for communicating said electrical signals to said computer.

11. A hydrostatically compensated soil resistance probe for testing soil and comprising:

an elongated probe body portion having an upper end and a lower end;

a conical probe tip attached to the lower end of the probe body to be driven into said soil by an axial force;

means for redirecting said axial force on said probe body portion to a shear loading;

a sensor for measuring said shear loading; and

a sleeve member enclosing said redirecting means and said sensor.

12. A method for measuring the axial load on a hydrostatically compensated soil probe comprising:

providing a probe having a tubular body and tapered tip;

filling the probe with a non-conducting fluid at a pressure to match an external pressure on said probe;

providing a load cell within said tubular body and immersed in said fluid, said load cell coupled to said conical tip to transfer a resistance of said soil to said load cell, said load cell configured with load gates at first and second axial positions, said load gates at said first axial position angularly offset from said load gates at said second axial position;

configuring the load cell with shear sensors to measure a shear force on said load cell due to the resistance of said soil;

providing a sleeve member enclosing the shear sensors and the load gates;

driving the probe into the soil at a substantially constant rate;

communicating signals from said shear sensors on said load cell to a computer; and

converting the signals from said load cell to an axial load resulting from said resistance of the probe to said soil.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the said tubular body is cylindrical.

14. The method for measuring the axial load on a hydrostatically compensated soil probe of claim 12 further comprising:

providing a second load cell within said tubular body and immersed in said fluid, said second load cell coupled to a frictional sleeve on said conical body to transfer a resistance of said soil to said second load cell, said second load cell configured with load gates at first and second axial positions, said load gates at said first axial position angularly offset from said load gates at said second axial position;

configuring the second load cell with shear sensors to measure a shear force on said load cell due to the resistance of said soil;

communicating signals from said shear sensors on said second load cell to a computer; and

converting the signals from said second load cell to a frictional load resulting from said resistance of the probe to said soil.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein said shear sensors are selected independent of an external pressure on said probe.