What is the purpose of a cohesiometer in soil testing?

The primary purpose of a cohesiometer is to measure the cohesiveness of soil, which is directly related to the parameter that defines the soil's shear strength. Shear strength is crucial in understanding how soils behave under various loads and stress conditions, especially in geotechnical engineering applications such as slope stability, foundation design, and earthworks. The cohesiometer provides a quantifiable measure of how well the particles within the soil stick together, giving important insights into the soil's stability and load-bearing capacity.

In geotechnical engineering, knowing the shear strength is pivotal for predicting how the soil will perform when subjected to forces. This assessment aids engineers in designing safe structures and ensuring the integrity of earth structures. The cohesiometer's ability to provide this specific measure makes it an essential tool for evaluating soil behavior under different conditions.