Method and Apparatus For a Cone Penetration Test With Whipstock-Enabled Soil Sampling

A method of taking samples from subsurface soil, comprising:

• providing an apparatus for taking soil samples, comprising:
• an elongated tubular whipstock cell having a proximal end and a distal end;
• a through-opening along a portion of the whipstock cell comprising a pre-formed window;
• a whipstock residing within the whipstock cell, the whipstock having a face angled towards the pre-formed window;
• at least one push rod connected to the proximal end of the whipstock cell, the push rod representing a tubular body;
• and
• a cone penetrometer residing at or below a distal end of the whipstock cell, the cone penetrometer comprising a conical tip and a friction sleeve;
• applying a downward force to the at least one push rod and connected whipstock cell and cone penetrometer;
• continuing to apply the downward force to the at least one push rod and connected whipstock cell and cone penetrometer in order to drive the apparatus for taking soil samples into a subsurface zone of study at a first location;
• running an elongated sampling rod into an inner diameter of the at least one push rod en route to the whipstock cell, wherein a bent sub is connected to a distal end of the at least one sampling rod, and a soil sampler is connected to a distal end of the bent sub;
• continuing to run the sampling rod and connected bent sub into the at least one push rod until the mechanical soil sampler extends at least partially through the pre-formed window at the first location;
• capturing a first soil sample from the soil within the zone of study;
• and
• removing the sampling rod and connected bent sub and soil sampler from within the at least one push rod.