Career Opportunities
ATLAS™ Secure Cloud Services
A New Way to Manage Projects
Newsletter 112
Read Now
How To Videos
A new technology for quantitative, real-time assessment of the cleanliness and competency of the bottom surface of bored pile or drilled shaft foundations.
Have a technical question? Ask our team of engineers.
Request a quote FAQsThe Shaft Quantitative Inspection Device (SQUID™) system is a new technology for quantitatively assessing the quality of the bottom surface of a bored pile or drilled shaft. It measures both the thickness of soft material or debris that may be covering the bearing strata, providing a force and displacement in numerical and graphical form.
An important part of bored pile construction is the cleaning and inspection of the bottom of the hole prior to the placement of reinforcement and concrete. To achieve cleaning once drilling is complete, a cleanout bucket is typically used to remove any material unsuitable for end bearing support. Bottom inspection is then performed, often by lowering a camera down the bore hole, a procedure that gives a rough idea of the thickness of any debris left at the bottom. To improve the inspection method, SQUID™ takes accurate displacement and penetrometer measurements, providing an objective, quantitative assessment.
The system includes: the SQUID™ Body, with a drill stem adaptor, typically three contact plates, instrumented cone penetrometers and displacement transducers; a cable reel; a wireless transmitter; and the SQUID™ main unit. The penetrometers have standard 10 cm2 tip area.
SQUID testing can be performed remotely with SiteLink® Connect Technology. Learn more about remote testing.
*Patent Pending
SQUID Sensor Unit
Size (height x largest diagonal): 629 x 647 mm (24.75 x 25.5 in)
Weight (including penetrometers and contact plates): 188 kg (415 lbs.)
Material: Stainless Steel and Aluminum
Standard Kelly bar connection sizes: 101.6 mm (4 in), 152.4 mm (6 in), 203.2 mm (8 in)
Cable Length: Standard 61 m (200 ft) standard; Optional Cable Length 152m (500 ft)
Temperature Range: Operating -20° to 55° C (-4° to 131° F); Standard -40° to 85° C (-40° to 185° F)
Applied force limit: 135 kN (30 kips)
SQUID Penetrometers
Material: Stainless Steel
Number of penetrometers: 3-standard
Penetrometer tip: area 10 cm2 (1.55 in2) standard, larger tips optional; replaceable
Maximum penetrometer pressure: 100 MPa (14 ksi/2000 ksf)
Penetrometer pressure measurement resolution: 0.01 MPa/1N (1 psi/0.01 ksf)
Maximum depth of penetration: 150 mm (6 in)
SQUID Contact Plates
Size: OD 152 mm (6 in); ID 46 mm (1.8 inch); thickness 25.4 mm (1 in)
Weight per Contact Plate assembly: in air 6.75 kg (14.9 lbs.); in water: 5.85 kg (12.9 lbs.)
Contact Plate pressure (free to move): in air 4 kPa (0.58 psi/0.083 ksf); in water 3.5 kPa (0.50 psi/0.072 ksf)
Contact Plate displacement measurement resolution: 0.005 mm (0.0002 in)
Maximum Contact Plate movement: 150 mmm (6 in)
Wireless Transmitter
Transmission Range: 100 m
Frequency: 2.4 GHz
Output power: 18 dBm
Mounting: On cable reel
Temperature Range: Operating -10° to 55°C (14° to 131° F); Storage -20° to 70°C (-4° to 158° F)
SQUID Main Unit
Size: 320 x 250 x 68 mm (12.6 x 9.8 x 2.7 in)
Weight: 5 Kg (11 lbs.)
Temperature range: Operating 0° to 40°C (0° to 104° F); Storage -20° to 65°C (-4° to 149° F)
Display: 26.4cm (10.4 in), sunlight readable, resolution 1024 x 768; capacitive touch screen
Video Outputs: HDMI, VGA
Battery Power: 4-hour continuous data collection 12 V battery + back-up battery standard
Charging time: 4.5-hour maximum; 120/240 charger input voltage
Operating System: Microsoft Windows® 10
Other
Data storage and ports: A minimum of 128 GB SSD internal drive; Ethernet port; 4 USB ports
Optional external accessories: USB keyboard and mouse
Remote Operation: SQUID Main Unit is equipped for high-speed internet access and remote
operation
Technical support: SQUID Main Unit is equipped for remote error checking and updating
Units of operation: Traditional US or SI
Full one-year warranty on parts and labor
Technical manual provided in PDF form on a USB drive
The SQUID™ includes a full warranty and technical support. PDI offers expert training in the use of the SQUID.
PDI Family Brochure 
SQUID™ in the News