The purpose of this guide is to provide a concise resource for the application of the CPT to geotechnical engineering practice. This guide is a supplement and update to the book ‘CPT in Geotechnical Practice’ by Lunne, Robertson and Powell (1997). This guide is applicable primarily to data obtained using a standard electronic cone with a 60-degree apex angle and either a diameter of 35.7 mm or 43.7 mm (10 or 15 cm2 cross-sectional area).

The SP is a passive measurement of very small electrical voltages resulting from electrical currents in the borehole caused by the differences in the salinities (resistivities) of the formation connate water (Rw) and the drilling mud filtrate (Rmf), and by the presence of ion selective shale beds. The voltage changes are measured by a downhole electrode relative to a surface ground. Unlike other logging tools which are displayed on a specific scale with a specified reference value, the SP has no specified origin and values used for computation are referenced to deflection from the nearby shale baseline established by the interpreter. <...>

In recent years there has been a steady increase in geo-environmental projects where geotechnical/geological engineering has been combined with environmental concerns. Many of these projects involve some form of ground contaminant which can take the form of vapors, liquids and solids. Hence, there has been a change in site characterization techniques to accommodate these environmental issues related to contaminants.

Rivers are the arteries of the landscape, integrating the impacts of change in atmospheric and terrestrial systems and delivering these to the coast. En route, geomorphological processes create dynamic and diverse habitats, both in-stream and in riparian and floodplain environments (Petts and Amoros, 1996a). The dynamics of channel change have led to conflict with human resource development with the outcome that many river and riparian environments have been significantly modified and damaged (Brookes and Shields, 1996; Sear et al., 2000). Responses to change in driving variables (runoff regime and sediment loads) have become dampened or prevented through river maintenance (Sear et al., 1995), while in other circumstances, land-use and land management changes, coupled to more efficient drainage networks, may have increased system sensitivity to environmental change (Newson and Leeks, 1987; Robinson, 1990). <...>