(Atterberg Limits)

Description:

• Liquid and plastic limits of soil – 4 point cone penetrometer method

(BS EN ISO 17892-12: Clauses 5:3 and 5:5 : 2018)

• Liquid and plastic limits of soil – 1 point cone penetrometer method

(BS EN ISO 17892-12: Clauses 5:3 and 5:5: 2018)

Results given:

• Liquid limit
• Plastic limit
• Plasticity index
• % retained on 425μm sieve

You provide:

Specify which method is required –

• 1 point
• 4 point

Typical uses(s):

• Basic classification of material according to its behaviour

Material required:

• Enough sample to provide 300g of material passing a 425μm sieve

Description:

• Consolidation properties in oedometer – Incremental loading oedometer test on undisturbed soil specimens (includes mandatory reporting) (BS EN ISO 17892-5: 2017)
• Consolidation properties in oedometer (includes mandatory and optional reporting requirements) (BS EN ISO 17892-5: 2017)
• Addition of swelling pressure determination
• Extra over 5 days in excess of initial 5 days
• Remoulding specimen at as-received
• Water content

Results given:

• Swelling pressure (if performed)
• Voids ratio v log of pressure plot
• Coefficient of consolidation
• Coefficient of volume compressibility

You provide:

• Specify if swelling pressure is to be determined
• Specify pressure sequence to be applied

Typical use(s):

• Behaviour of ground to changes of loading

Material required:

• Ideally, an undisturbed length of sample at least half as long as the diameter, and at least 10mm greater in diameter than the required specimen (typical specimen 76mm dia.)
• If remoulded, 200g

(state of desiccation)

Description:

• Filter paper suction (BRE Digest IP 4/93 Feb 1993)
• Remoulding specimen – at as-received moisture content

Results given:

• Suction pressure of sampled specimen (measured in kPa)
• Moisture content
• Plots of moisture content and suction against depth, and assumed equilibrium profiles for different lateral pressures

You provide:

• Specify whether specimens are to be undisturbed (recommended) or remoulded (remoulded samples are not recommended, but they may give an indication of the suction profile with depth. An undisturbed specimen will give a more accurate value of the suction)
• If remoulded, the remoulding density/criteria
• Depth at which water encountered (if any)

Typical use(s):

• Determining depth and profile of influence on soil suction of trees, change in groundwater levels etc

Material required:

• Undisturbed core/liner sample at least 100mm in length
• The larger diameter (eg. 100mm compared with 38mm) will typically have less disturbance and give a more accurate result

Description:

• Bulk and dry density by Linear Measurement Method (BS EN ISO 178-92: 2014 Clause 5:1)
• Bulk and dry density by Immersion in Fluid Method (BS EN ISO 17892-2: 2014 Clause 5:2)
• Bulk and dry density by Fluid Displacement Method (BS EN ISO 17892-2: 2014 Clause 5:3)

Results given:

• Bulk density
• Dry density (if water content known)
• Water content

You provide:

Which method is to be used –

• Linear Measurement Method (by direct measurement – calipers and weighing)
• Immersion in Fluid Method (weighing above and below a specified fluid)
• Fluid Displacement Method (measuring the displacement of a specified fluid by a test specimen)

Typical use(s):

• Basic material properties

Material required:

• A cylindrical sample or a minimum of 1kg of intact lumps of at least 50mm diameter is preferred

(sieve & mechanical analysis)

Description:

• Particle Size Distribution by Wet sieve analysis (BS EN ISO 17892-4:2016, clause 5.2)
• Particle Size Distribution by Dry sieve analysis (BS EN ISO 17892-4:2016, clause 5.2)
• Mechanical analysis by Hydrometer method (BS EN ISO 17892-4:2016, clause 5.3)
• Mechanical analysis by Pipette method (BS EN ISO 17892-4:2016, clause 5.4)

Results given:

• Grading of material (% of each particle size)
• Percentages of clay and silt fractions (if pipette or hydrometer analysis performed)

You provide:

• Specify if pipette analysis is required to individually determine clay and silt content
• If pipette or hydrometer analysis is specified, what quantities of fine material (passing 63μm sieve, clay and silt) needs to be present to require the pipette or hydrometer analysis to be performed (eg. Only if >10% fines present)

Typical use(s):

• Basic classification of material according to its particle size

Material required:

Depends on particle size. For not more than 10% of the following sizes, uses the corresponding sample mass –

Size                                    Sample Mass

63mm                                40kg

50mm                                35kg

37.5mm                            14kg

28mm                                6kg

20mm                                2kg

14mm                                1kg

10mm                                500g

6.3mm                               300g

3.35mm                            200g

<2mm                                100g

Description:

• Water content of soil (BS EN ISO 17892-1: 2014)
• Moisture content of soil (BS1377: Part 2: Clause 3:2 : 1990)

Results given:

• Water or moisture content (as % of water to dry mass)

You provide:

• No information required

Typical use(s):

• Basic material property

Material required:

• Fine grained – 50g
• Medium grained – 300g
• Coarse grained – 3kg

• Electrical Resistivity/Conductivity on undisturbed specimen
• Electrical Resistivity/Conductivity on remoulded specimen
• Thermal Conductivity of undisturbed specimen
• Thermal Conductivity of remoulded specimen and soft rock
• Thermal Conductivity of hard rock core
• pH
• Sulphate – Total
• Sulphate – Water Soluble
• Sulphate – Groundwater
• Organic Content
• Loss on Ignition
• Carbonate
• Chloride – Water Soluble
• Chloride – Acid Soluble
• BRE Digest SD1 : 2005 Concrete Aggressivity Suite – (Suite A)

All sites suite (not ‘Brownfield’ or pyritic sites)
(Tests performed are Water Soluble Sulphate, and pH determination)

• BRE Digest SD1 : 2005 Concrete Aggressivity Suite – (Suite B)

All sites suite (not ‘Brownfield’ but may contain pyrites sites)
(Tests include Total Sulphate, Water Soluble Sulphate, Total Sulphur, pH determination)

• BRE Digest SD1 : 2005 Concrete Aggressivity Suite – (Suite C)

Brownfield sites (but not containing pyrites)
(Tests include Total Sulphate, Water Soluble Sulphate, Total Sulphur, Water Soluble Nitrate, Water Soluble Chloride and pH determination)

• BRE Digest SD1 : 2005 Concrete Aggressivity Suite – (Suite D)

Brownfield sites containing pyrites
(Tests include Total Sulphate, Water Soluble Sulphate, Total Sulphur, Water Soluble Nitrate, Water Soluble Chloride and pH determination)

• Extra over all BRE SD1 Suites for determination of Magnesium as per BRE Digest 279 : 1995
  Determination of Magnesium content in 2:1 soil / water extract by atomic absorption spectrometry (If required)