Practical experience with cone penetration in frozen soils

Abstract: This paper summarizes recent practical experience with CPT investigations at several perma­frost sites in Russia. Some of the investigations were performed in unconventional conditions such as with ice cover, in a crawl space, or from a jack-up platform. All CPT measurements used a cone equipped with a temperature sensor to confirm the subzero temperature of frozen soil. Stress relaxation tests were performed in ice-rich permafrost soils to investigate long-term soil strength in both compression and shear. Sampling of frozen soil using direct push techniques was achieved at two sites.