ASTM D420-98 - 10.3.1998
 
1. Scope

1.1 This guide refers to ASTM methods by which soil, rock, and ground water conditions may be determined. The objective of the investigation should be to identify and locate, both horizontally and vertically, significant soil and rock types and ground water conditions present within a given site area and to establish the characteristics of the subsurface materials by sampling or in situ testing, or both.

1.2 Laboratory testing of soil, rock, and ground water samples is specified by other ASTM standards not listed herein. Subsurface exploration for environmental purposes will be the subject of a separate ASTM document.

1.3 Prior to commencement of any intrusive exploration the site should be checked for underground utilities. Should evidence of potentially hazardous or otherwise contaminated materials or conditions be encountered in the course of the investigation, work should be interrupted until the circumstances have been evaluated and revised instructions issued before resumption.

1.4 The values stated in (SI) inch-pound units are to be regarded as the standard.

1.5 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety problems, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

 
2. Referenced Documents

D4719-20

Standard Test Methods for Prebored Pressuremeter Testing in Soils

D4428

Test Methods for Crosshole Seismic Testing

D4750-87(2001)

Standard Test Method for Determining Subsurface Liquid Levels in a Borehole or Monitoring Well (Observation Well) (Withdrawn 2010)

D4879-08

Standard Guide for Geotechnical Mapping of Large Underground Openings in Rock (Withdrawn 2017)

D4971-16

Standard Test Method for Determining In Situ Modulus of Deformation of Rock Using Diametrically Loaded 76-mm (3-in.) Borehole Jack

D5079-08

Standard Practices for Preserving and Transporting Rock Core Samples (Withdrawn 2017)

D5088-20

Standard Practice for Decontamination of Field Equipment Used at Waste Sites

D5092-04

Standard Practice for Design and Installation of Ground Water Monitoring Wells in Aquifers

D5093-15

Standard Test Method for Field Measurement of Infiltration Rate Using Double-Ring Infiltrometer with Sealed-Inner Ring

D5126-16e1

Standard Guide for Comparison of Field Methods for Determining Hydraulic Conductivity in Vadose Zone (Includes all amendments and changes 12/27/2016).

D5195-21

Standard Test Method for Density of Soil and Rock In-Place at Depths Below Surface by Nuclear Methods

E177-20

Standard Practice for Use of the Terms Precision and Bias in ASTM Test Methods

E380-93

Standard Practice for Use of the Internation System of Units (SI) (the Modernized Metric System) (Withdrawn 1997)

G51-23

Standard Test Method for Measuring pH of Soil for Use in Corrosion Evaluations

G57-20

Standard Test Method for Measurement of Soil Resistivity Using the Wenner Four-Electrode Method

D4429-09

Standard Test Method for CBR (California Bearing Ratio) of Soils in Place

D4452-14

Standard Practice for X-Ray Radiography of Soil Samples

D4506-21

Standard Test Method for Determining In Situ Modulus of Deformation of a Rock Mass Using the Radial Jacking Test

D4544-20

Standard Practice for Estimating Peat Deposit Thickness

D4553-18

Standard Test Method for Determining In Situ Creep Characteristics of Rock

D4554-12

Standard Test Method for In Situ Determination of Direct Shear Strength of Rock Discontinuities (Withdrawn 2021)

D4555-10

Standard Test Method for Determining Deformability and Strength of Weak Rock by an In Situ Uniaxial Compressive Test (Withdrawn 2019)

D4622-86(1993)

Standard Test Method for Rock Mass Monitoring Using Inclinometers (Withdrawn 2000)

D4623-16

Standard Test Method for Determination of In Situ Stress in Rock Mass by Overcoring Method´Three Component Borehole Deformation Gauge

D4630-19

Standard Test Method for Determining Transmissivity and Storage Coefficient of Low-Permeability Rocks by In Situ Measurements Using the Constant Head Injection Test

D4631-18

Standard Test Method for Determining Transmissivity and Storativity of Low Permeability Rocks by In Situ Measurements Using Pressure Pulse Technique

D4633-16

Standard Test Method for Energy Measurement for Dynamic Penetrometers

D4645-08

Standard Test Method for Determination of In-Situ Stress in Rock Using Hydraulic Fracturing Method (Withdrawn 2017)

D4700-15

Standard Guide for Soil Sampling from the Vadose Zone (Withdrawn 2024)

D4729-19

Standard Test Method for In Situ Stress and Modulus of Deformation Using the Flat Jack Method

D4403-20

Standard Practice for Extensometers Used in Rock

C119-23

Standard Terminology Relating to Dimension Stone

C294-19

Standard Descriptive Nomenclature for Constituents of Concrete Aggregates

C851-76

Recommended Practice for Estimating Scratch Hardness of Coarse Aggregate Particles (Withdrawn 1984)

D75-03

Standard Practice for Sampling Aggregates

D653-22

Standard Terminology Relating to Soil, Rock, and Contained Fluids

D1194-94

Standard Test Method for Bearing Capacity of Soil for Static Load and Spread Footings (Withdrawn 2003)

D1195-93(1997)

Standard Test Method for Repetitive Static Plate Load Tests of Soils and Flexible Pavement Components, for Use in Evaluation and Design of Airport and Highway Pavements

D1196-93(1997)

Standard Test Method for Nonrepetitive Static Plate Load Tests of Soils and Flexible Pavement Components, for Use in Evaluation and Design of Airport and Highway Pavements

D1452-09

Standard Practice for Soil Exploration and Sampling by Auger Borings

D1586-11

Standard Test Method for Standard Penetration Test (SPT) and Split-Barrel Sampling of Soils

D1587-08

Standard Practice for Thin-Walled Tube Sampling of Soils for Geotechnical Purposes

D2113-14

Standard Practice for Rock Core Drilling and Sampling of Rock for Site Exploration (Withdrawn 2023)

D2487-17e1

Standard Practice for Classification of Soils for Engineering Purposes (Unified Soil Classification System) (Includes all amendments and changes 4/2/2020).

D2488-17e1

Standard Practice for Description and Identification of Soils (Visual-Manual Procedures) (Includes all amendments and changes 4/4/2018).

D2573-08

Standard Test Method for Field Vane Shear Test in Cohesive Soil

D2607-69

Classification of Peats, Mosses, Humus, and Related Products (Withdrawn 1990)

D3017-05

Standard Test Method for Water Content of Soil and Rock in Place by Nuclear Methods (Shallow Depth) (Witthdrawn 2007)

D3213-19

Standard Practices for Handling, Storing, and Preparing Soft Intact Marine Soil

D3282-15

Standard Practice for Classification of Soils and Soil-Aggregate Mixtures for Highway Construction Purposes

D3385-18

Standard Test Method for Infiltration Rate of Soils in Field Using Double-Ring Infiltrometer

D3404-15

Standard Guide for Measuring Matric Potential in Vadose Zone Using Tensiometers (Withdrawn 2024)

D3441-16

Standard Test Method for Mechanical Cone Penetration Testing of Soils

D3550-01

Standard Practice for Thick Wall, Ring-Lined, Split Barrel, Drive Sampling of Soils

D3584-83(1988)

Practice for Indexing Papers and Reports on Soil and Rock for Engineering Purposes (Withdrawn 1996)

D4083-89(2016)

Standard Practice for Description of Frozen Soils (Visual-Manual Procedure)

D4220-95(2000)

Standard Practices for Preserving and Transporting Soil Samples

D4394-17

Standard Test Method for Determining In Situ Modulus of Deformation of Rock Mass Using Rigid Plate Loading Method

D4395-17

Standard Test Method for Determining In Situ Modulus of Deformation of Rock Mass Using Flexible Plate Loading Method