NAME NUR SYAHIRA BINTI MOHD SALIHIN

NO MATRIX 06DKA20F2012
LECTURERS NAME UMI HANI

GEOTECHNICAL LABORATORY
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
POLITEKNIK PORT DICKSON

MACKINTOSH PROBE TEST

OBJECTIVE
Mackintosh Probe test is carried out to determine the bearing capacity of soil. The result
obtained from the test provides a rough estimation of the strength of the soil layer at a point.

APPARATUS
1) 1.2 m long and 12.5 mm diameter steel rods
2) 25 mm diameter steel cone
3) Connectors/coupling
4) Hammer set
5) Measuring tape
6) Rode extractor
7) Chalk
8) Lubricant oil
9) Adjustable spanar

3. Chalk
1. Hammer
2. Measuring tape
 1.Steel cone 6. Hammer

5.Adjustable
spanar

4.Coupling
2.Rod extractor

3.Steel Rod
WORKING METHOD
1. Connect steel cone to the bottom of a steel rod and hammer set to the top.
2. Straighten the steel rod perpendicular to the ground surface on the point to be tested.
3. Measure every 0.3 m length of the steel rod and mark it with a chalk.
4. Lift the hammer to the maximum position and then release.
5. Count the number of blows that causes the rod to penetrate 0.3 m.
6. Record the data for the number of blows for every 0.3 m penetration into the Mackintosh
Probe test form.
7. Remove the hammer set, and connect a new steel rod on top of the original rod in the
final 0.3 m.
8. Mark again the rod for every 0.3 m interval. Continue with the hammer blows and repeat
the same work process.
9. The blows should be stopped when:
 Number of blows reaches 400 times for a 0.3 m penetration because the soil has
high bearing capacity, or the depth of penetration reaches 15 m. Detailed site
investigation is required by using boring test.
10. Clean the steel rods, steel cone and connectors after they have been used.
RESULT

NO. OF BLOWS PER CUMULATIVE NO. OF

DEPTH (m)
0.3 m BLOWS
0 – 0.3 73 73
0.3 – 0.6 80 153
0.6 – 0.9 68 221
0.9 – 1.2 69 290
1.2 – 1.5 36 326
1.5 – 1.8 21 347
1.8 – 2.1 29 376
2.1 – 2.4 40 416
2.4 – 2.7 80 496
2.7 – 3.0 148 644

The procedure to obtain the value of the bearing capacity of soil:

a. Based on the data in the table, calculate the cumulative number of blows.
b. Plot the graph of depth (m) versus cumulative number of blows.
c. Draw gradients based on the plot and label the points where the gradients change.
d. Draw the cross section of the soil layers.
e. Determine the number of blows per 0.3 m for each soil layer.
f. Obtain the bearing capacity of the soil for each soil layer with reference to the
standard graph of bearing capacity versus number of blows per 0.3 m.

DISCUSSION
The mackintosh probe test we had done until 3.0 meter depth of the soil. The first 0.3meter
depth we penetrate the steel cone which took 73 number of blows to reach 0.3meter. It
shows that the soil consistency is stiff. The penetration steel cone when to 0.9m with 68
number blows which is less than the second depth of penetration which is 0.6m, it took 80
number of blows. The layers at 0.6m is thicker when compare with the layer at 0.9m. The
number of blows is got lower at 1.8 m depth of soil which is 21. It shows the layers at 1.8m
are lesstif when compare with 0.3m depth of soil which is took 73 of blows. The relative
dense is dense at 3.0m. The numbers of blows which is determine the consistency of the soil.
The larger number of blows the consistency of the soil is high. Less number of the blows the
consistency of the soil will be less. The number of blows from 0.3m to 3.0m are reducing from
148 to 73 times. The hardness of the layers reduced and the consistency of the soil from
stiff to firm (medium)
CONCLUSION
As a conclusion we have learned to determine the bearing capacity of soil layer profile. We
have also learned to plot of the cumulative blows against depth graph by using the data
which recorded from the mackintosh probe test. The mackintosh probe test we learned to
identify the tools names and the function of the tools.