Chapter 2: Soils Investigation

Soil Deposits Soils moved from origin by: Gravity- Landslides Wind- carries fine grains Water- alluvial deposits are soils formed by oceans,lakes, rivers, and bays Glaciers- advancement and retreat of glaciers leaves soils called tills

Field Research First step is research the area. Use what free resources from the internet you can find. Look for: Maps - soils maps / geological maps Aerial pictures Visit site - look for ground water problems

Methods of determining subsurface conditions include: Seismic - used mainly for oil exploration Water Jetting - not reliable/used to locate utilities Test Pits Drill Test Holes

Drill Rig The most common method is to use a drill rig. The rig drills a 4” hole allowing sampling at various depths. Sample types: Augar samples - disturbed sample Split Spoon - disturbed sample Shelby Tube - undisturbed sample

Field Research Example While driving the Shelby Tube for an undisturbed sample a Standard Penetration Test is taken. The hammer blows are counted to penetrate 12” indicating density of the soil.

Brought to you by: This work for “Mapping New Careers in Geospatial Technologies” is a derivative of "AEC 212-Soils Mechanics" by Aims Community College used under CC BY 4.0 and is licensed by Mapping New Careers in Geospatial Technology under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.   This workforce solution was funded by a grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration. The solution was created by the grantee and does not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Labor. The Department of Labor makes no guarantees, warranties, or assurances of any kind, express or implied, with respect to such information, including any information on linked sites and including, but not limited to, accuracy of the information or its completeness, timeliness, usefulness, adequacy, continued availability, or ownership.