How do you quantify minor inclusions on the boring logs? 1

[learning2geotech]

How do you guys use to quantify inclusions such as organics (roots, leaves, branches), debris (brick, concrete, asphalt, metal, trash, etc.)? FHWA guidelines use "with," which does not quantify to paint a picture of the amount of inclusions encountered

 

[EireChch]

For organics you can use the above. For MADE GROUND I have only very really encoutered fragments of material that indicates its not natural soil, fragments of red brick, tarmac etc.

But if I did encounter ground that included 'a lot' of fragments of non natural soil then I would just try be as descriptive as possible, eg 25% of soil made up of 2mm dia fragments of red brick with approximately 5% made up of plastic pieces

 

[MTNClimber]

This is when modified Burmister comes in handy. I know it's not used nearly as much as USCS, but it has its advantages.

and = 35%-50%
some = 20%-35%
little = 10%-20%
trace = 0%-10%

trace, little, or some (+) = on the higher end of trace, little, or some.
trace, little, or some (-) = on the lower end of trace, little, or some.

UCSC does allow for use of estimated percentages, which conflict with Burmister, and I have rarely seen used in practice but are included in ASTM D2488:

Trace—Particles are present but estimated to be less than 5 %
Few—5 to 10 %
Little—15 to 25 %
Some—30 to 45 %
Mostly—50 to 100 %

In all of the examples provided in ASTM, they provide approximate percentages in the sub description, which I have rarely seen used as well:
Silty Sand with Organic Fines (SM)—About 75 % fine to coarse, hard, subangular reddish sand; about 25 % organic and silty dark brown nonplastic fines with no dry strength and slow dilatancy; wet; maximum size, coarse sand; weak reaction with HCl.