Visual Tests
Visual testing involves looking at the soil and the area around the excavation site for signs of instability.
Visual tests for soils.
The competent person might do visual tests such as the following:
- Observe the soil as it is excavated. Soil that remains in large clumps when excavated may be cohesive. Soil that breaks up easily is granular.
- Examine the particle sizes of excavated soil to determine how they hold together.
- Look for cracks or fissures in the faces of the excavation.
- Look for layers of different soil types and the angle of the layers in the face of the excavation that may indicate instability.
- Look for water seeping from the sides of the excavation.
- Look for signs of previously disturbed soil from other construction or excavation work.
- Consider vibration from construction activity or highway traffic that may affect the stability of the excavation.
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
1-8. Which one of the following visual tests is used to indicate that the soil is cohesive?
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