SECTION 3.0 : LABORATORY WORKS 3.1 General
3.11 Testing Standards and Additional Testing Requirements
All the laboratory tests specified shall be carried out in accordable to the relevant standards with additional testing requirements as described in Table 3.1 .
Table 3.1 Testing Standards and Additional Testing Requirements
ITEM Test (with Standards and Additional Testing Requirement)
Additional information to be submitted
1 GENERAL
- to be submitted for all tests. - testing standard and method used.
- the definitions and all requirements in BS 1377 : Part 1 : 1990 where appropriate shall apply together with the following tests.
- note on any unavoidable variation from standard procedure with reasons.
- contract title and reference number.
- Exploratory Hole Number and Sample Number
- date of testing.
- depth of sample.
- description of sample including fabric and structures
- comment on any unusual test results.
CLASSIFICATION TESTS
2 Moisture content
- BS 1377 : Part 2 : 1990 clause 3.2 - natural moisture content of the sample.
3 Liquid limit, plastic limit and plastic index - BS 1377 : Part 2 : 1990 clause 4.3, 4.5, 5.3 and 5.4.
- to indicate on natural state or wet sieving and method of testing (clause) used.
- Liquid limit to be carried out in natural state or of a sample of soil from which material retained on a 425 um has been removed by manual selection or by wet sieving as specified in clause 4.2.4 of BS 1377 : Part 2 : 1990.
4 Linear shrinkage
- BS 1377 : Part 2 : 1990 clause 6.5 - natural moisture content of sample.
5 Bulk Density
- BS 1377 : Part 2 : 1990 clause 7.2 - in kN/m3 to nearest one decimal place
Table 3.1 (Cont’d) Testing Standards and Additional Testing Requirements
ITEM Test (with Standards and Additional Testing Requirement)
- for highly organic soils and soils containing soluble salts, kerosene or white spirit may replace water.
7 Participle size distribution
- for cohesionless and coarse grain soils, BS 1377 : Part 2 : 1990 clause 9.2.
- result shall be clearly plotted as measured data points, joined by fine straight lines.
- for coarse sand to clay size (about 2 m), BS 1377 : Part 2 : 1990 clause 9.4 or 9.5.
- method of testing (clause) used.
CHEMICAL TEST
8 Determination of organic matter content.
- BS 13777 : Part 3 : 1990 clause 3.
- where applicable the organic matter shall be identified and the degree of humification based on von Post scale to be indicated.
9 Mass loss on ignition - as in item 8.
- BS 1377 : Part 3 : 1990 clause 4.
10 Total Sulphate Content of Soil - BS 1377 : Part 3 : 1990 clause 5.5
- when total sulphate content exceeds 0.3 % of the dry weight of soil, a 2 : 1 water, soil extract must be prepared and the sulphate content redetermined in accordance to item 11.
- preparation of 2 : 1 water : soil extract shall follow BS 1377 : Part 3 : 1990 clause 5.3 or
Table 3.1 (Cont’d) Testing Standards and Additional Testing Requirements
ITEM Test (with Standards and Additional Testing Requirement)
Additional information to be submitted
14 Chloride Content of groundwater
-“Manual of Soil Laboratory Testing” K.H. Head, Vol 1 : 1980.
15 Carbonate Content
-- BS 1377 : Part 3 : 1990 clause 6.3 or 6.4 where relevant.
COMPACTION-RELATED TESTS
16 Dry Density/Moisture Content Relationship (2.5 kg rammer)
- BS 1377 : Part 4 : 1990 clause 3.3 for sample passing a 20 mm test sieve or
- BS 1377 : Part 4 : 1990 clause 3.4 for soil with some coarse gravel size particle or
- zero, three and five air voids line based on measured particle density.
- sample description.
- natural moisture content and Atterberg limit.
- BS 1377 : Part 4 : 1990 clause 3.7.
- at least 2 measured points either side of optimum
- tabulation of moisture content, wet density and dry density.
- fresh sample to be used for each moisture content
17 Dry Density/Moisture Content Relationship (4.5 kg rammer)
- As in Item 16.
- BS 1377 : Part 4 : 1990 clause 3.5 for sample passing a 20 mm test sieve or
- BS 1377 : Part 4 : 1990 clause 3.6 soil with some
18 Determination of maximum density of sands
-- BS 1377 : Part 4 : 1990 clause 4.2.
19 Determination of maximum density of gravely soils
-- BS 1377 : Part 4 : 1990 clause 4.3
20 Determination of minimum density of sand
-- BS 1377 : Part 4 : 1990 clause 4.4
21 Determination of minimum density of gravely soils
-- BS 1377 : Part 4 : 1990 clause 4.5
Table 3.1 (Cont’d) Testing Standards and Additional Testing Requirements
ITEM Test (with Standards and Additional Testing Requirement)
- A graph showing the change in
penetration of the rammer, plotted against log. of the number of blows for each specimen.
23 MCV/moisture content relationship - BS 1377 : Part 4 : 1990 clause 5.5
- MCV determined from the graph reported to the nearest 0.1 units.
- moisture content of each specimen.
- plot of MCV against moisture content.
24 California Bearing Ratio (CBR) - BS 1377 : Part 4 : 1990 clause 7
- CBR value to nearest whole number-top and bottom.
- mass of surcharge used
- moisture content for top, centre and bottom of sample after soaking.
- if soak, time of soaking and swelling recorded.
- dry density after compaction.
- undrained shear strength of sample after CBR testing in accordance with clause 8 or
9 of BS 1377 : part 7 : 1990 when specified.
25 CBR/dry/density/moisture content relationship - as in item 16 and item 24.
- BS 1377 : part 4 : 1990 clause 7 with BS 1377 : Part 4 : 1990 clause 3.3 or 3.4 or 3.5 or 3.6 or 3.7 whichever is specified or appropriate.
- compaction will be in CBR mould.
- at least 2 measured points either side of optimum.
- fresh sample to be used for each moisture content.
26 COMPRESSIBILITY, PERMEABILITY AND DURABILITY TESTS
One dimensional consolidation (standard) - initial and final moisture content, void and degree of saturation.
- BS 13777 : Part 5 : 1990 clause 3 - initial dimension.
- 7 loading and 2 unloading stages 24 hours per loading stage.
- graph of settlement against both square-root time and logarithm time to assess consolidation characteristic.
- measured particle density.
- tabulation of void ratio (e) compression index (Cc ) and reconsolidation pressure (Pc) in kN/m2 , coefficient of consolidation (Cv) in m2/yr, and coefficient of volume compressibility (Mv) in m2/MN for each
Table 3.1 (Cont’d) Testing Standards and Additional Testing Requirements
ITEM Test (with Standards and Additional Testing Requirement)
Additional information to be submitted
- coefficient of secondary compression for each load increment.
- plastic and liquid limit of specimen as described in clause 4.3 and 5.3 of BS 1377 : Part 2 : 1990.
27 One-dimensional consolidation (rapid loading) - as in item 26 where applicable.
- Head, Vo. 2 : 1982
- loading stages to be specified.
- graph of settlement against both square-root time and logarithm time shall be used to assess consolidation characteristic.
28 One-dimensional consolidation (single increment) - initial and final moisture content, void ratio and degree of saturation.
- Head, Vol 2 : 1982. - initial dimensions.
- loading pressure to be specified. - measured particle density.
- liquid and plastic limit of specimen.
- graph of settlement and swelling against logarithm of time.
- coefficient of secondary compression.
29 Swelling and collapse characteristic - as in item 26 where appropriate.
- BS 1377 : Part 5 : 1990 clause 4. - indicate change in void ratio or height due to
31 Laboratory vane test - calibration data and graph of vane.
- for soft to firm cohensive soil - size of vane used.
BS 1377 : Part 7 : 1990 clause 3 - shear strength in kN/m2
32 Standard drained shear box test - dimension of test specimen.
- on a set of 3 specimens of cohesionless soil. - condition of specimen undisturbed or recompacted and method of preparation.
- BS 1377 : Part 7 : 1990 clause 4 (clauses 4.5.5 and 4.6.4 expected).
- initial bulk density, moisture content, dry density.
- angle of shear resistance. - rate of displacement.
- plot of vertical measurement and shear stress
Table 3.1 (Cont’d) Testing Standards and Additional Testing Requirements
ITEM Test (with Standards and Additional Testing Requirement)
Additional information to be submitted
33 Drained strength and Residual strength Shear box test.
- as in item 32 where appropriate.
- on a set of 3 specimens of cohesive soil.
- peak and residual strength.
- BS 1377 : part 7 : 1990 clause 4 (clause 4.5.4 and 4.6.3 expected).
ii) Compression Test (Total Stress)
34 Unconfined compression test
-- BS 1377 : part 7 : 1990 clause 7
35 Undrained Triaxial compression without the measurement of pore water pressure or 70 mm diameter test specimens, whichever is specified.
- stress-strain curves of each specimen.
- type of failure of each specimen (plastic, brittle or compound).
- rate of strain, percent per minute (based on the rate of drive of the machine ignoring the stiffness of the measuring system).
- moisture of specimens.
36 Undrained Triaxial compression without the measurement of pore water pressure (Multistage test on a single specimen)
- as in item 35.
- BS 1377 : Part 7 : 1990 clause 9.
iii) Compression Test (Effective Stress)
37 Consolidated Undrained Triaxial Compression with Pore Water Pressure Measurement
- stress and excess pore water pressure against strain (%) plot.
- BS 1377 : Part 8 : 1990 clause 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7. - cell pressure against pore water pressure plot.
- volume change against square root time plot.
- carried out on either a set of 3 x 38 mm, 50 mm or 70 mm diameter test specimens whichever is specified.
- Mohr circle of effective stressand total stress on a single plot.
- consolidation stage to be continued until 98% is reached.
- stress path for effective stress S’/t’ on a single plot with same vertical and horizontal scale.
- rate of shearing to be calculated base on t100 from pore water pressure dissipation.
- value of total and effective shear strength and angle of internal friction.
38 Consolidated Drained Triaxial compression with measurement of volume change.
- as in time 37.
- BS 1377 : Part 8 : 1990 clause 3, 4, 5, 6 and 8.
- carried out on either a set of 3 x 38 mm, 50 mm or 70 mm diameter test specimens whichever is specified.
- consolidation stage to be continued until 98% is reached.
Table 3.1 (Cont’d) Testing Standards and Additional Testing Requirements
ITEM Test (with Standards and Additional Testing Requirement)
Additional information to be submitted
- rate of shearing to be calculated base on t100 from pore water pressure dissipation.
39 Pore Water Extraction and Salinity Test - sample description - ASTM : Designation D4542-85 - salinity in g/litre
40 Clay Mineralogy by X-ray Diffraction - sample description.
- Zussman, J., Chpt. 6 in Physical Methods in determination Mineralogy, 1967.
- Percentage of mineral type Kaolinite Montmorillonite, Illite, Vermiculite and intrastratified Montmorillonite Illite.
- X-ray diffactograms.
ROCK AND AGGREGATE TESTING
41 Natural Water Content of rock core specimens - method of testing.
- Rock characterization Testing and Monitoring , Editor : ET Brown, Part 2, International Society for Rock Mechanics Suggested Methods, 1981.
42 Dry Density of Rock Core Specimens - methods of testing.
- same as in item 41.
43 Point Load of Rock Core Specimens - methods of testing.
- “Suggested Method for Determining Point Load Strength “ , International Journal of Rock Mechanics, Mining Sciemce and Geomechanics Abstract Vol. 22, No. 2, page 51-60 (1985).
44 Uniaxial Compressive Strength with or without deformation modulus of rock core specimens.
- specimen dimension.
- specimen density.
- rate of loading (KN/min).
- same as in item 41. Compressive strength KN/m2 or NN/mm2 -value of Young’s Modulus and Poisson’s
Ratio is specified.
- stress and poisson’s ratio against strain plot.
45 Direct Tensile Strength of Rock Core Specimens
-- ASTM : Designation : D 2936--84.
46 Splitting Tensile Strength of Rock Core Specimens
-- ASTM : Designation : D3967 -- 86.
47 Minimum Index Density and Calculation of Relative Density
-- ASTM : Designation : D 4254--83
Table 3.1 (Cont’d) Testing Standards and Additional Testing Requirements
ITEM Test (with Standards and Additional Testing Requirement)
Additional information to be submitted
48 Petrographical Examination ISRM.
-49 Slake Durability
-- ASTM : Designation D 4644--87
50 Determination of Participle - method of testing.
Densities and Water Absorption of Aggregate - BS 812 : Part 107 : 1990.
51 Determination of Bulk Densities, Voids and Bulking of Aggregates
- method of testing.
- BS 812 : Part 109 : 1990.
52 Determination of Moisture Content of Aggregates - method of testing.
- BS 812 : Part 103 : 1990.
53 Determination of Aggregate grading - method of testing.
- BS 812 : Part 103 : 1990
54 Determination of Particle Shape - method of testing.
(Flakiness index)
- BS 812 : Part 105 : 1990
55 Determination of Aggregate - method of testing.
Crushing Value (ACV) - BS 812 : Part 110 : 1990
56 Ten Percent fines value - method of testing.
- BS 812 : Part 111 : 1990
57 Los Angeles abrasion value - method of testing.
- ASTM : Designation : C131
58 Determination of polished stone value - method of testing.
- BS 812 : Part 114 : 1990
59 Determination of Soundness - method of testing.
- BS 812 : Part 121 : 1990