ASTM soil test 1

[yrevdoog]

I live in Texas and planning to do my own soil test for requirement of belled piers as base of my slab on grade house. what tests are needed to determine this and does it require a certified quality assurance person to make it legal for use in construction.

 

[dicksewerrat]

Did the local bldg. authority bless this process?

 

[fndn]

It depends on if your municipality requires a soil report to ok concrete pour. But for the long term stability of your house, you need a geotechnical investigation, say no more than 2 borings to eliminate any low bearing or settlement prone soils not being in situ. If however, the inspector does not require a soils report, and you are comfortable with geotechnics, then you can purchase a static cone that tests both granular and cohesive soils, and it will give you the available bearing capacity of the soil. That cone runs around $850 and you can buy it from a company called "testmark industries" in the east coast. If you know you have cohesive soils, then purchase a hand penetrometer also from the above company or others and it runs around $60. Finally you could pay a soil testing firm under $300 and get a soils report and they are insured and will assume liability.

 

[gmcnair]

Do pentrometers work on top soil with some organic material?

Will the cone test tell the load bearing capacity and how does it work?


gmcnair

 

[Ron]

Penetrometers will give inordinately low bearing capacity values in loose topsoil with organic materials. Not a good application.