NAME NURUL IZZATI BINTI M RAZALI

NO MATRIC 08DKA20F2030
PROGRAMME DIPLOMA OF CIVIL ENGINEERING
COURSE DCC30112 : GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING LAB
TITLE MACKINTOSH PROBE TEST
LECTURER PUAN RABEAH ADAWIYAH BINTI HASHIM
INTRODUCTION

Mackintosh Probe is used for early site investigation to obtain the bearing capacity of soil for
shallow foundation. Mackintosh Probe formerly known as Light Dynamic Penetrometer. The
advantages of this tool are small size, easy to handle and also can speed up the site
investigation process. Mackintosh Probe consists of a neighboring row of steel bars (guide
rods) connected to the coupler. This is a light dynamic test and the cone is driven directly into
the soil by driving a hammer 5 kg. The relationship between the numbers of bump (each
0.3m) against the bearing capacity (KN/m) can be found in attachment Graph.

OBJECTIVES

1. To obtain the bearing capacity of soil for shallow foundation.

2. To estimate geotechnical parameters.

APPARATUS

1. Mackintosh Probe Tools (including drop hammer, guide rods, rod couplings, cone
penetration and lifting tools).

2. Pipe Wrench.

3. Measuring Tape

4. Marking Tools
PROCEDURE

1. Using a marker, mark a rod at each 0.3 m.

2. Connect the guide rod, cone penetration and hammer. Grease the joint before connect.

3. Place the Mackintosh Probe tools vertically .

4. Lifting up the hammer of height approximately 0.28m. As the hammer drop, start counting
the number of blows for each penetration 0.3m.

5. Record the number of blows for each penetration 0.3m.

6. Continue the experiments again until reaching a depth of 4 meters or discontinue if the
number of bumps reaches 400 to depths of 0.3m.
From the data, plot the graph of depth versus cumulative no. of blows

Depth-Cumulative No. Of Blow

2000 1840
1800
1600 1440
CUMULATIVE NO. OF BLOW

1400
1149
1200
988
1000 852
722
800 601
600 496
424
330
400 252
197
130
200 60
0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16
DEPTH (M)
CONCLUSION

From this experiment, we learnt that mackintosh probe test is usually use to determine the
thickness of unsuitable kind of material which need to be removed. However, the
disadvantage of using mackintosh probe test is that the inability to penetrate into medium
since we are using our human energy.