BHP Laboratories is the largest independent materials testing laboratory in Ireland providing a wide range of engineering & scientific measuring, testing and analysing services to numerous industries throughout Ireland and the UK. We provide a comprehensive range of testing and analysing solutions for the assessment of compacted materials. We complete this with two main pieces of equipment:

• PANDA – Lightweight dynamic cone penetrometer with variable energy
• GRIZZLY – Heavy dynamic cone penetrometer with constant or variable energy

The PANDA equipment is easily transportable and allows access to any location: urban or rural environment, wasteland, cellar, trench coating area, inside buildings, etc. It is composed of:

• A striking head, equipped with a sensor to measure the energy at each impact
• A central acquisition unit, equipped with a sensor to measure the depression
• A dialogue terminal recording all the data, equipped with a GPS for the geolocation of the surveys and a screen for an instantaneous reading of the data
• A calibrated driving hammer

Data acquisition is automatic and at each impact we can determine the threshing energy, sinking depth, and soil resistance.

The GRIZZLY is a rig mounted on tracks and suitable for all terrain. It can be set up quickly and the verticality of the mast is easily adjusted by the hydraulics. The hammering is automatic and its stop is programmed for rod addition, the reaching of the targeted depth and the refusal. The on-board data acquisition system allows data to be recorded, via the penetration sensor and the blow counter. The instantaneous visualisation of the soundings can be done in cone resistance (MPa), in penetration per blow, or in N10/20/30.

The variable energy automatically adapts the hammering energy according to the level of indentation measured at the last hammering stroke. Ground resistance is calculated automatically, taking into account energy changes. This function enables more accurate measurement of soil resistance in soft soils, and greater beating power in hard soils. The GRIZZLY variable-energy penetrometer is the only heavy-duty penetrometer in the world to feature this automated technology for adapting energy to the soil encountered.

All testing is carried out by experienced technicians on site with results delivered to agreed turnaround times. We can service any location on the island of Ireland with our fleet of fully equipped vehicles and field operatives.