Cone Penetration Testing (CPT) Services in Australia
Legion Drilling provides high-accuracy Cone Penetration Testing (CPT), CPTu and Seismic CPT (SCPTu) services for geotechnical, environmental and infrastructure projects across Brisbane, Sydney, Townsville and regional Australia.
Cone Penetration Testing is a rapid and reliable in-situ testing method that delivers continuous subsurface data without the need for traditional drilling and sampling. This allows engineers to make faster and more confident decisions during site investigations and design.
What is Cone Penetration Testing?
Cone Penetration Testing (CPT) involves pushing an instrumented cone into the ground at a constant rate while continuously measuring:
Tip resistance (qc)
Sleeve friction (fs)
Pore water pressure (u2) in CPTu testing
This data provides a detailed soil profile, allowing accurate identification of soil behaviour, strength and stratigraphy. Compared with conventional borehole investigations, CPT offers:
Continuous data rather than discrete samples
Faster production rates on site
Reduced disturbance to the ground
CPTu Testing – Piezocone for Advanced Soil Behaviour Analysis
CPTu testing incorporates pore pressure measurement, which is critical for:
Soft clay and tailings investigations
Groundwater pressure analysis
Settlement and consolidation assessments
This method is widely used in major infrastructure and mining projects where detailed soil behaviour modelling is required.
Webinar with Geomil on CPTu fundamentals covering best practices in Cone Penetration Testing.
Geoprobe tracked CPT rig completing Cone Penetration Tests (CPT) in QLD Australia. Our tracked all purpose rigs allow for in-situ testing (CPT, Seismic CPT, DMT, VST) as well as soil sampling and instrument installation in a single package.
Seismic CPT (SCPTu) – Shear Wave Velocity & Liquefaction Assessment
Legion Drilling also provides Seismic CPT (SCPTu) testing, which measures shear wave velocity (Vs) to support:
Earthquake and liquefaction analysis
Site classification for structural design
Dynamic soil property assessment
SCPTu data is commonly required for high-risk or high-value infrastructure projects where seismic performance must be evaluated.
Applications of Cone Penetration Testing
Our CPT services are used across a wide range of sectors, including:
Transport and infrastructure projects
Mining and tailings storage facilities
Ports, marine structures and nearshore investigations
Contaminated land and environmental site characterisation
Foundation and piling design
Advantages of CPT Compared to Traditional Drilling
Cone Penetration Testing provides several key benefits:
Continuous, high-resolution soil data
Faster mobilisation and testing rates
Reduced spoil generation and environmental impact
Repeatable and highly consistent measurements
For many geotechnical investigations, CPT is now the preferred method for initial ground profiling before targeted sampling and laboratory testing.
CPT Equipment & Capabilities
Legion Drilling operates modern, track-mounted CPT rigs capable of working in:
Restricted access sites
Soft ground and tailings environments
Urban and industrial locations
Our equipment allows for:
CPT, CPTu and SCPTu testing
Direct push sampling
Installation of groundwater monitoring instruments
CPT Services in Brisbane and Across Australia
From our bases in Brisbane, Sydney and Townsville and regional Australia, Legion Drilling supports projects throughout Queensland and interstate. Our experienced operators work closely with geotechnical engineers, environmental consultants and contractors to deliver accurate and reliable subsurface data.
Speak to Our Team About CPT Testing
If you require cone penetration testing for an upcoming project, our team can assist with planning, mobilisation and data acquisition to meet your investigation objectives and project timelines. Contact Legion Drilling to discuss your site conditions and testing requirements.
