The humble DCP – stay humble

The Dynamic Cone Penetrometer (DCP) was developed in Australia in the mid-1950s. At this time, pavement design procedures were created, based on correlations between DCP and California Bearing Ratio (CBR). Fast forward 60 years, and you will see designers and contractors blindly specifying and undertaking testing, then using DCP values to assess CBR, bearing capacity, pile capacity and soil strength.

This paper discusses the limitations of this tool, which will assist designers in selecting when and where DCP testing may be appropriate. A recent case study is presented which demonstrates the limitations and also encourages effective use of the DCP alongside other site investigation techniques. With an appropriate understanding of its place, the humble DCP can remain a time and cost effective option within the suite of tools available to engineers.