Does anyone have a simple process to test compressive strength of soils in the bottom of a post hole, dug for an attached deck. Building codes are dictating a 20" minimum hole size unless comrpessive stregth of the soil is determined.
I would have to agree with the 20". A DCP or a pocket penetrometer, as mentioned by techmaximus, will be enough for whoever is requiring the alternate testing. The problem is, it'll cost you somewhere on the order of $500 for the simple fact that a geotech firm is involved. That's cheap for most construction projects, but it sounds like you're a little smaller scale. For the small amount of extra concrete and time it'll take, it might be worth the money just to dig.