In 1997 the Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT)
began operating fully automated computer controlled geotechnical testing
equipment, replacing many existing systems. Existing systems required active
technician oversight particularly for consolidation and triaxial testing. An
increase in the number of projects requiring testing, shorter project
time-lines, rapid advances in computer technologies, a decrease in the number
of skilled technicians, and a desire to reduce project costs, made automated
systems especially attractive. As a result of the effectiveness of the
automated systems, today, the geotechnical section routinely conducts
specialized tests previously available only to academic institutions and
research labs. Automated laboratory testing combined with automated in-situ
cone penetration testing (CPT) has dramatically improved overall site
characterization quality while reducing both cost and time associated with
geotechnical investigation. Test reliability, repeatability, accuracy, and
confidence in the test results has improved, while decreasing subjectivity and
operator error. Measurable cost savings, both in field costs and lab costs, and
increases in efficiency have been realized, even after the relatively large
investment cost of the new equipment.
