Ground testing products offer an easy to use and cost-effective solution, that help to improve overall operational safety.
Safer, quicker and more accurate than traditional plate load testing systems, PLATEMAN provides dynamic intelligence in real-time, allowing you to act on data immediately and with confidence.
The wireless remote logging feature ensures the safety of site operatives, whilst the robust protective casing enables testing to be conducted in all weathers.
The rugged Android PDA’s graphical user interface makes the real-time presentation of results easy to read on site with test calculations available immediately. All of the data can be downloaded remotely using the built-in cellular feature. Further analysis and reporting is carried out using the PLATEMAN PC software.
The PDA includes a GPS feature and can be used to record other site information if required. It also includes a lightweight, adjustable reference beam with attached transducers that can be easily transported between test locations and adjusted to suit most site situations.
“PLATEMAN has improved the way we work; it reduces risk on-site and removes human influence in reading individual gauges. This gives a greater confidence in the testing to ourselves, the client and UKAS.”
Graham Booker, materials technical manager, Balfour Beatty Major Projects.
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PLATEMAN load tester: Frequently asked questions
A: The plate load test is an in-situ method of determining the vertical deformation and strength characteristics of soil, my measuring the penetration caused by a force on a rigid plate over time.
A: The plate load test can be used to find the ultimate bearing capacity and characteristics, without the effect of disturbing the ground.
A: A circular loading plate is placed on the test area and a reaction load – usually large mechanical plant – positioned above. The test load is applied in pre-determined increments with a hydraulic cylinder and measured using a calibrated load cell. The resulting deformation is measured using 3-4 calibrated displacement transducers. The test load at each increment being held until a set rate of settlement is achieved. The PLATEMAN system takes measurement and calculates bearing pressure, average penetration and rate of settlement automatically.
A: This is dependent on the soil characteristics and the time take to achieve a low rate of settlement. The more compacted the soil, the quicker the test, but typically 30 mins for a single cycle test.
A: The load applied is measured in KN and the surface area of the plate is used to calculate the applied bearing pressure in KN.m2 (KPa). Larger plates requiring a larger load to achieve the same bearing pressure.
A: The largest plate possible should be used, taking into account the reaction available and soil characteristics. For granular soil, the diameter should be at least 5 times the nominal size of the coarsest material and for clays, 5 times the spacing between fissures. 300mm, 450, and 600mm are common plate diameters used.
The PLATEMAN system can carry out testing and present results in the format required by DIN 18134. Strain modulus Ev is calculated from load-settlement fitting curves for first and second cycles.
A: The K value is the modulus of subgrade reaction (KN/m3). It is a measure of the material stiffness and is calculated by dividing the maximum bearing pressure by the maximum penetration for each cycle.
A: The CBR (California Bearing Ratio) test is commonly used to assess the strength of sub-grade. The value can be estimated fairly accurately from the plate load test, with the added advantage that it can be used for testing larger surface areas than a traditional CBR plunger and on more varied material types. The CBR value is determined from the modulus of subgrade at an actual or predicted settlement of 1.25mm, and is calculated automatically by the PLATEMAN system.
| All of our equipment is supplied fully calibrated to UK national standards. | |
|---|---|
| Rugged PDA unit | |
| Features | Highly sensitive u-bloxGPS receiver Digital compass Altimeter / barometer 8m pixel auto focus camera Built in WiFi, Bluetooth and cellular WWAN |
| Memory | 1GB RAM &MicroSD/MicroSDHC slot |
| Storage | 4GB iNAND flash |
| Display | 4.7 in FWVGA IPScapacitive multi-touch colour |
| Keypad | Numeric with 3programmable function keys |
| Battery type | 3.7V 5200 mAh Li-on warmswappable |
| Battery life | Up to 8 hours |
| Connection | USB A host, USB micro,RS232, 3.5mm headset |
| Communication | Bluetooth, cellular(WWAN) and wireless LAN |
| Dimensions | L 191mm x W 80mm x D35mm |
| Weight | 490Kg |
| Operating temperature | -20oC to +60oC |
| Environmental sealing | IP67 |
| Bluetooth PLATEMAN | |
| Battery type | Li-on rechargeable |
| Battery life | 8 hours + |
| Charge time | Approx 8 hours |
| Power | External wall plug-inadapter for 110-240VAC inputs External cigar plug-in charger for 12-32VDC inputs |
| Displacementtransducer | |
| Type | Linear potentiometer |
| Stroke | 50mm |
| Resolution | Infinate |
| Operating temperature | -30oC to +60oC |
| Load transducer | |
| Rated load | 250KN |
| Non-linearity | <0.25% of rated load |
| Operating temperature | -20oC to +70oC |
| Environmental sealing | IP67 |
Lightweight modular reference beam:
- Manufactured from aluminium with zinc plated steel legs
- 3m in length – 0.5m short extension available
- Beam height adjustable to 3 positions
- Support bar for up to 4 displacement transducers
- Supplied in a rugged case
Data is downloaded to a PC using the PLATEMAN PC software, which analyses data and produces detailed test reports that can be printed out or transmitted electronically to the client.
The plate load test is a field based assessment to help determine the ultimate bearing capacity and likely settlement of the soil of flexible pavement under a given load.
Load is placed on a steel plate at foundation level and its settlement is measured at increasing load increments. The corresponding settlement (deflection) of the plate is recorded for each loading/unloading step.
The PLATEMAN system enables the operator to simply enter the load cycle template and press ‘go’. The PDA then prompts when to increase the load and when to hold and release it, removing the need for the operator to ever enter the potentially dangerous area below the reaction load in order to take readings.
