Plate bearing test

The in-situ plate bearing test or plate loading test is used to easily determine the strength of the soil, sand, and foundation materials (elastic modulus and bedding constant). A plate bearing test is a test during which bearing pressure is applied to a plate with a jack and the pressure and the displacement on the plate are measured.

The test is conducted with a probe truck, a probing rod with a bulb shaped head is pressed onto a plate (Ø 300 mm or Ø 762 mm). The applied pressure and penetration of the plate in the ground is measured. For the execution of this test, a steel frame is made with a digital displacement sensor attached to it (measurement accuracy 0.01 mm). The pressure is measured with an accurate pressure box, which is placed between the jack and the plate.