Systems and methods for plotting soil profile density with handheld penetrometers

A method for performing a soil compaction survey for a geographical area to determine a level of compaction in at least one predetermined depth at a plurality of points within the geographical area, wherein the method comprises the steps of:

• a) inserting a handheld penetrometer to a predetermined depth at a point within the geographical area, wherein the handheld penetrometer is hand operated without the use of tools, and wherein the handheld penetrometer comprises:
• a downwardly extending central support pole having a top portion with a top end, and a ground engaging end that is opposite from the top end on the downwardly extending support pole;
• an outwardly extending right side handle engaged to the downwardly extending support pole;
• an outwardly extending left side handle engaged to the downwardly extending support pole;
• a pressure gauge having a perimeter defining a gauge perimeter shape wherein the pressure gauge has a pressure sensor system that detects a pressure exerted on the downwardly extending support pole and wherein the pressure exerted on the downwardly extending support pole is displayed on a top, user facing surface of the pressure gauge;
• and wherein the pressure gauge presents a level of compaction at the predetermined depth at a point within the geographical area as a pressure reading;
• b) manually or automatically recording a pressure reading displayed by the pressure gauge of a first predetermined depth at the point within the geographical area into a soil compaction mapping and tracking system wherein the soil compaction mapping and tracking system displays a map of the geographical area and a location of a user of the handheld penetrometer on the map of the geographical area in real time, and wherein the pressure reading corresponds to a point on the map of the geographical area and can be viewed by one or more users of the soil compaction mapping and tracking system in real time by selection of the point on the map of the geographical area, and wherein the soil compaction mapping and tracking system is held on a computing device;
• c) optionally inserting the handheld penetrometer to an optional additional predetermined depth at the point within the geographical area;
• d) optionally manually or automatically recording a pressure reading displayed by the pressure gauge of the optional additional predetermined depth at a point within the geographical area into the soil compaction mapping and tracking system, and wherein the pressure reading corresponds to the point on the map of the geographical area and can be viewed by the one or more users of the soil compaction mapping and tracking system in real time by selection of the point on the map of the geographical area;
• e) optionally repeating steps c-d for any number of additional optional predetermined depths at the point within the geographical area;
• f) moving the handheld penetrometer to a subsequent point within the geographical area;
• and
• g) repeating steps a-f for any number of subsequent points within the geographical area.

A method for performing a soil compaction survey for a geographical area to determine a level of compaction in at least one depth at a plurality of points within the geographical area, wherein the method comprises the steps of:

• a) inserting a handheld penetrometer at a constant rate into a point within the geographical area, wherein the handheld penetrometer is hand operated without the use of tools, and wherein the handheld penetrometer comprises:
• a downwardly extending support pole having a top portion with a top end, and a ground engaging end that is opposite from the top end on the downwardly extending support pole;
• an outwardly extending right side handle engaged to the downwardly extending support pole;
• an outwardly extending left side handle engaged to the downwardly extending support pole;
• a pressure gauge having a perimeter defining a gauge perimeter shape wherein the pressure gauge has a pressure sensor system that detects a pressure exerted on the downwardly extending support pole and wherein the pressure exerted on the downwardly extending support pole is displayed on a top, user facing surface of the pressure gauge;
• and wherein the pressure gauge presents a level of compaction at a predetermined depth at a point within the geographical area as a pressure reading;
• b) automatically, without data entry by a user of the handheld penetrometer, recording a pressure reading displayed by the pressure gauge of a first predetermined depth at the point within the geographical area into a soil compaction mapping and tracking system using a user operated mobile computing device wherein the soil compaction mapping and tracking system displays a map of the geographical area and a location of a user of the handheld penetrometer on the map of the geographical area in real time, and wherein the pressure reading corresponds to a point on the map of the geographical area and can be viewed by one or more users of the soil compaction mapping and tracking system in real time by selection of the point on the map of the geographical area, and wherein the soil compaction mapping and tracking system is held on the user operated mobile computing device;
• c) optionally inserting the handheld penetrometer to any number of additional optional depths at a constant rate;
• d) automatically, without data entry by a user of the handheld penetrometer, recording a pressure reading displayed by the pressure gauge of the any number of optional additional predetermined depth at a point within the geographical area into the soil compaction mapping and tracking system, and wherein the pressure reading corresponds to the point on the map of the geographical area and can be viewed by the one or more users of the soil compaction mapping and tracking system in real time by selection of the point on the map of the geographical area;
• e) moving the handheld penetrometer to a subsequent point within the geographical area;
• and
• f) repeating steps a-e for any number of subsequent points within the geographical area.