Measuring device and system for the geomechanical characterization of a soil, and corresponding measuring method

A measuring system for geomechanical characterization of a soil, comprising:

• a dynamic penetrometer, which includes a train of rods configured to be driven into the soil, and an anvil configured to receive successive impacts and transmit said successive impacts to the train of rods;
• and
• a measuring device, secured to the dynamic penetrometer, where said measuring device comprises
• a housing, adapted to be secured to a dynamic penetrometer,
• a power supply battery, which is accommodated in the housing, and
• an electronic system, which is accommodated in the housing, and is connected to the power supply battery, said electronic system comprising
• an accelerometer adapted to measure an acceleration of the measuring device,
• a distance sensor, which is oriented towards a soil when the housing is secured to the dynamic penetrometer and which is adapted to determine a distance between the measuring device and a surface of the soil by measuring a time required for a wave emitted by the distance sensor to travel back and forth between the distance sensor and the surface of the soil, and
• a processing unit, which is connected to the accelerometer and the distance sensor and which, when the electronic system is in an operating state in which the power supply battery powers entirely the electronic system, is adapted to apply a first processing to measuring signals coming from the accelerometer and the distance sensor.

A measuring method for the geomechanical characterization of a soil, comprising:

• providing a dynamic penetrometer, comprising a train of rods, designed to be driven into the soil, and an anvil, designed to receive successive impacts and transmit said successive impacts to the train of rods;
• providing a measuring device, secured to the dynamic penetrometer, the measuring device comprising
• a housing, adapted to be secured to a dynamic penetrometer,
• a power supply battery, which is accommodated in the housing, and
• an electronic system, which is accommodated in the housing, and is connected to the power supply battery, said electronic system comprising
• an accelerometer adapted to measure an acceleration of the measuring device,
• a distance sensor, which is oriented towards a soil when the housing is secured to the dynamic penetrometer and which is adapted to determine a distance between the measuring device and a surface of the soil by measuring a time required for a wave emitted by the distance sensor to travel back and forth between the distance sensor and the surface of the soil, and
• a processing unit, which is connected to the accelerometer and the distance sensor and which, when the electronic system is in an operating state in which the power supply battery powers entirely the electronic system, is adapted to apply a first processing to measuring signals coming from the accelerometer and the distance sensor;
• measuring an acceleration of the measuring device upon each impact, using the accelerometer;
• detecting individually the successive impacts from the measured accelerations, by processing the successive impacts by the processing unit;
• measuring a distance between the measuring device and the soil after each impact, using the distance sensor;
• and
• determining boring of the train of rods into the soil after each impact from the measured distances, by processing each impact with the processing unit.