If you inquire a gardener , an architect or railroad engineer , and an environmental advisor what a " ground investigating " is all about , you ’ll get three very dissimilar answers . Different types of soil investigations can be used to serve a number of very different , very authoritative question , such as : "
If you ask a gardener , an architect or engineer , and an environmental consultant what a " soil probe " is all about , you ’ll get three very unlike answers . Different type of soil probe can be used to answer a number of very different , very important questions , such as : " Is this soil suited to the eccentric of crop I desire to grow ? Is this territory suitable for supporting the foundation of a bodily structure of the type and size I want to build ? Is the soil or groundwater here foul with hazardous wastefulness or petroleum products ? "
Geophysical Soil Investigations
Geophysical soil investigations concentrate on the physical characteristics of the soil chromatography column , such as the depth to groundwater , each level ’s ground compartmentalization ( harmonise to the Unified Soil Classification System ) , moisture content and other forcible property such as particle size , wet contentedness and grunge density .
A geophysical ground investigating ’s report of finding and recommendations should be found on the examination of soil sample obtained from preplanned , on - site dirt boring location . It should let in , at lower limit , data point on the posture capability of the soil , foundation design recommendations , paving design recommendations , compaction of soil , lateral strength ( active , passive , and coefficient of friction ) , permeableness ( as measure by percolation testing ) and frost depth .
Agricultural Soil Investigations
Agricultural soil investigations reduce on the viability of surficial ground ( the topmost 2 to 3 substructure of the grunge column ) to support food crop . These investigations may be stock out on existing or proposed cropland . Field work lie in of collecting composite dirt sampling from a minimum of 10 locations per 40 acres of exchangeable estate . Areas that differ in soil type , appearance , craw increase or in preceding treatment should be taste separately . Sampling placement should be limited to expanse at least 50 feet from barns , roads , lane , or fence rows .
Soil analyses useful in an farming soil investigation include analyses for constitutional matter , available phosphoric , exchangeable atomic number 19 , Mg , calcium , soil pH , buffer pH , cation rally capacity , percent Qaeda intensity of cation elements , soluble salts and atomic number 11 , sulfur , zinc , manganese , branding iron , atomic number 29 and atomic number 5 . If groundwater beneath the internet site is to be used for irrigation , a client may wish to examine groundwater samples for many of these same argument .
Environmental Soil Investigations
Environmental soil investigating are typically undertaken as a follow - up to any one of a number of former investigations of the prop . Among these are : ( 1 ) a Phase I environmental website assessment that has revealed a " recognized environmental concern " as defined by the American Society for Testing and Materials Standard E1527 - 05 ; ( 2 ) a antecedently documented spillage or other get laid or suspected release of a hazardous substance or crude production for which assessment and cleanup is want by law . ( Reference 4 )
In these land investigations , dirt samples are accumulate at locations destine in the previous judgement , or at locations likely to have been the reservoir areas for the mistrust releases . Proper decontamination of soil sampling equipment is essential before and after each sample is roll up in ordination to keep cross - contaminant of soil sample .
The types of lab analyses performed on each sample bet on the chemical substance of concern . Samples can not be tested for every chemical compound know to man due to the prohibitive costs involve . Rather , each sample is essay for the presence of chemicals known or suspected to have been discharged in the area where that sample was collected .
