Dynamic penetrameters or tests or dynamic penetration tests are a type of penetration tests, used in determining the geotechnical characteristics of a terrain, as part of the recognition techniques of a geotechnical survey.

They consist of the introduction into the ground of a penetration element, generally of a conical shape "Cone (geometry)"), jointly attached to a rod. Driving is done by hitting a hammer with a defined weight on a saddle or head placed on the upper part of the linkage.

Said club is raised to a fixed height, and is allowed to fall freely. The result of the test is the number of blows necessary for the penetrometer to enter a certain depth.

Except for the standard penetration test or SPT, which is a type of penetrometer that is carried out exclusively inside a borehole and during its execution, the rest, (DPSH, DPH and Borros), are considered continuous penetrometers, since they provide a continuous measurement of the resistance to penetration, from the surface to the maximum depth that is to be reached with the test, or until rejection of driving is obtained.

• - Standard Penetration Test, or SPT.

• - Dynamic penetration tests with continuous recording:

*Dynamic Penetration Super Heavy Duty, or DPSH

• Heavy dynamic penetration testing, or DPH

• Borros Penetrometer.

(The kilopond (symbol kp), also called kilogram force, is a unit of force that imparts a normal/standard gravitational acceleration (9.80665 m/s2 or 32.184 ft/s2) to the mass of one kilogram. kp = kg × 9.81 m/s2 or kp = 9.81 kg × m/s2 or kp = 9.81 N).

The most common correlations that provide both a geotechnical characterization of the terrain and structural definitions are those that use the results of the SPT test. Therefore, it is interesting to establish a relationship between the test hits with a continuous penetrometer and those that would have been obtained if SPT tests had been carried out.