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Jar soil test for leachfield design

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JohnnyB_

Structural
Feb 1, 2022
84
I am assessing soil for a leachfield design and am curious if anyone has a good method to classify the soil without doing a percolation test. I am in the process of doing the soil jar test (see attached) but curious if there is a standardized methodology I can use. Thanks in advance.
 
 https://files.engineering.com/getfile.aspx?folder=d4cf1297-acf4-44c3-841d-09a55de2a7c0&file=16493785458408080205437645677172.jpg
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Classifying the soil typically means performing a grain size analysis and Atterberg limits to determine its USCS classification. Ontario building code has a supplemental standard SB-6 to assign a percolation time to soil classification. Looking at the picture attached it looks like clay clods which were not broken up at the bottom of the jar, if there is a large portion of fine grained silt/clay in your leachfield area this will require more size or importing permeable backfill.
 
Thank you for the reply. The regulation I have to follow in CO gives LTAR values for soil classified in the USDA classification system, which seems to be a more broad spectrum and less detailed than the USCS classification system. I can classify the soil with sieves under the USCS but I can't find the supplemental standard SB-6 that you mentioned. Is there any chance that you could send me the url to the standard or upload it here?
 
Hi JohnnyB, you may want to reach out to others in your jurisdiction to see how they go about fulfilling the local requirements for permitting. As for the ontario supplemental standard 6 you can find it by searching for " ontario building code 2012 volume 2 pdf ".
 
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