The 2nd DemoDay on pressure sounding took place at the GeoTechnikum of HTWK Leipzig - knowledge transfer between industry, science and students
Around 20 representatives from 15 companies and authorities from all over Germany as well as students from various universities came together on 26 November 2025 for the 2nd DemoDay Compression Probing at the GeoTechnikum of HTWK Leipzig. The participants were given practical insights into the technology, possible applications, implementation and interpretation of pressure sounding in specialist presentations and live demonstrations.
Pressure sounding, also known as the Cone Penetration Test (CPT), is one of the most important geotechnical investigation methods worldwide for obtaining detailed information about the subsoil down to great depths. A reliable subsoil analysis is essential wherever structures such as buildings, roads, bridges or wind turbines have to be built.
"The renewed high level of interest shows us that the topic of pressure sounding is becoming increasingly important in many areas," says Benedict Löwe from the Institute of Geotechnical Engineering (IGL) at HTWK Leipzig. "It is particularly valuable for people who have mainly been familiar with evaluation to experience the large equipment technology live here at the GeoTechnikum. As there are also a large number of different CPT modules for very different parameters, we have decided this time to focus on these additional modules."
From theory to practice
The event was once again organised by the IGL of HTWK Leipzig and the Dutch company Eijkelkamp, which has been developing equipment for soil testing for over 110 years. Both companies work together in research at the GeoTechnikum to develop new measuring methods for pressure sounding, among other things. This time, the programme was complemented by GMB GmbH, a long-standing service provider with extensive practical experience in pressure sounding, which provided equipment and expertise for the DemoDay.
After a compact theoretical introduction to the possibilities and opportunities of pressure sounding, Gerald Verbeek from Eijkelkamp showed which additional modules also provide important information about the subsoil. He focussed in particular on seismic pressure sounding (S-CPT): It can be used to determine dynamic soil parameters, for example, which are important for earthquake analyses and the design of wind turbines, among other things.
The technical highlight of the day was the demonstration of the "Boxed Truck BT 200" from GMB GmbH in the afternoon. The fully ballasted CPT vehicle is based on a powerful 6x6 truck platform, which can be used to safely drive over even difficult terrain or soft ground thanks to its all-wheel drive. The 200 kilonewtons of compressive force of the BT 200 also made it possible to penetrate the gravel sand in the test pit at the HTWK Leipzig's GeoTechnical Centre without any problems. During the demonstration, two of the additional modules previously explained in theory were used and presented live to the participants. A magnetometer module was used to detect metallic objects in the immediate vicinity of the probe tip during the penetration process, which offers considerable advantages for explosive ordnance detection, among other things, and allows efficient exploration of the subsoil.
The so-called Vis-Cone, an optical module with an integrated camera that provides high-resolution colour images of the soil directly at the tip of the probe, also offered a special visual experience. The images were projected onto the outside of the BT 200 in real time using a projector, allowing visitors to follow the layered structure of the soil virtually live from the probe's perspective.
In addition to the demonstration of the pressure sounding technology, guests were given exclusive insights into the university's soil mechanics and environmental technology laboratories. Test rigs and measuring systems used in research at the IGL were also presented.
Next DemoDay planned for March 2026
Further demonstration days are already planned. "The great interest encourages us to continue the series and expand it to include other key topics in the future," says HTWK Professor Ralf Thiele, Head of the IGL. The next event is therefore set to take place in March 2026. Once again focussing on pressure sounding, but with a new focus in terms of content.
