DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY TECHNICAL BULLETIN
AIRFIELD PENETROMETER
FSN 6635-900-8563
Headquarters, Department of the Army, Washington, D.C.
29 November 1966
Paragraph
Page
INTRODUCTION
Purpose - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1
Scope - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - --2
Terminology - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -3
References - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 4
DESCRIPTION, USE AND MAINTENANCE
Description - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -5
Use - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - --6
Maintenance - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -7
SOIL-STRENGTH EVALUATION
General - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 8
Range of readings - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 9
Number of measurements - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 10
Penetrometer readings - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 11
Precautions for sands - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 12
General application - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 13
Illustrative problem - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 14
APPENDIX A. Penetrometer parts list - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
SECTION I
INTRODUCTION
1. Purpose. This bulletin contains inforrna-
2. Scope. This bulletin includes information
tion on soils trafficability; the capacity of soils
which will assist in solving specific trafficabil-
to support aircraft on forward landing strips,
ity problems. Procedures are presented for
military vehicles on ground supply routes, and
using the airfield penetrometer to measure soil
also aid in maintaining field control during
strength and for correlating soil strength with
constructions operations.
the number of passes that can be made by air-
1
