A.P. van den Berg products

The versatile high-performance CPT unit was invented by A.P. van den Berg and has a track record of more than 25 years. With its tracks retracted, the Track-Truck can run on the highway as an ordinary truck. After lowering the tracks, the Track-Truck is in its element in soft and hilly terrain where other heavy vehicles get stuck. Even ditches are easily conquered. The track system reduces the wheel load by 60 to 70%.

The A.P. van den Berg CPT Truck is a vehicle suitable for soil investigations in pushing capacities from 140 to 200 kN or even more.  A.P. van den Berg has more than 40 years’ experience in manufacturing CPT Trucks based on many diff erent trucks and models. The all-wheel drive 6x6 model has proven most popular among customers. The frame of the truck is reinforced with a sub frame to take the forces occurring during the Cone Penetration Tests. The truck’s total weight is sufficient to provide the maximum pushing force. The well-proven twin cylinder HYSON 200 kN penetrometer is installed in the CPT Truck. The hydraulic upper clamp is an effi cient addition to the functionality of the HYSON 200 kN. The penetrometer is operated via the touch screen (HMI).

The CPT Crawler provides the same high production rates and reliability as the CPT Truck, with the advantage of tracks for better manoeuvrability in rough or soft terrain. The crawler is the only option at sites where the maximum allowed height is limited. Of course a separate carriage is required for transport of the crawler. The twin-cylinder HYSON 200 kN can be built on a 15 tons crawler which is suitable for pushing forces up to 150 kN or on a 20 tons crawler that provides counterforce up to 200 kN. The penetrometer is operated via the touch screen (HMI). The A.P. van den Berg CPT Crawler design can be based on customer specific requirements and/or existing crawler vehicles/chassis.

A CPT Crawler that is based on an existing crawler vehicle is the CPT Morooka Crawler, a relatively fast CPT Crawler for very soft soil. The unit is built on a low ground pressure 15-ton crawler chassis. The rig is fast (with speeds of over 12 km per hour) and can travel long distances on asphalt or concrete surfaces without causing surface damage. The crawler tracks are made of rubber. The renowned CPT penetrometer, the HYSON 200 kN, is mounted in the CPT Morooka Crawler. The pusher is limited by means of safety valves, so it will not exceed the 15 tons maximum payload of the Morooka. The penetrometer is operated via the touch screen (HMI).

The Midi CPT Crawler is a compact and manoeuvrable CPT system, with a maximum power of 20 tons. The Midi CPT Crawler consists of the renowned CPT penetrometer (HYSON 200 kN) mounted on an undercarriage with rubber tracks. With a weight of about 3,500 kg and a width of only 1200 mm the Midi CPT Crawler fits trough small passages and can be transported in a small truck. To provide the required reaction force for testing, soil anchors are fitted.

The most compact & lightest self-propelled unit is the Mini CPT Crawler. The Mini CPT Crawler consists of the well-proven single cylinder HYSON 100 kN-LW with 10 ton pushing force. With a weight well under 1,600 kg and a width of only 780 mm the Mini CPT Crawler fits trough a doorway and can be transported in a mini van. The pusher is dismountable, so it can also be used as a stand-alone unit next to the crawler. To provide the required reaction force for testing, soil anchors are fitted.

For water depths between 30 and 300 m the near-shore ROSON is a suitable solution. This ROSON is available with 50 kN, 100 kN or 200 kN pushing force. To avoid the investment in a self-tensioning winch, data communication runs over a free hanging cable to the Icontrol data logger. At water depths up to 30 m a jack-up barge or pontoon is often used. As long as the influence of currents and the tide is small, an onshore application with a HYSON top pusher on the operators platform is suitable. Casing tubes between the platform and the river- or seabed are required to support and protect the CPT string.

The various ROSON systems come with an electric driven winch with self-tensioning for heave compensation. A CPT depth up to 50 m is feasible. Data communication from the ROSON to deck level is achieved by a powerline connection through the umbilical. This is realized by a transducer at both ends of the umbilical. These transducers, called Icone Powerline Adapters, convert the Icone signal to a powerline signal and vice versa.

The DW (Deep Water) ROSON, with its proven wheel drive CPT system, is provided with technology to perform CPT’s and samples in harsh offshore conditions at ultra-deep waters. The DW ROSON is unrivalled in the industry.

By incorporating the patented ST-Rods in the ROSON seabed system, a compact and easy to handle ROSON-ST is created. It is suitable for 50 m penetration of 40 mm rods, works with all Icone sizes and click-on modules and does not require any exterior CPT string support, assuring fast deployment and high productivity. The use of standard 40 mm rods with a sturdy threaded coupling ensures the straight push that customers may expect from a CPT system.