Designation:D7015/D7015M−18StandardPracticesforObtainingIntactBlock(CubicalandCylindrical)SamplesofSoils1ThisstandardisissuedunderthefixeddesignationD7015/D7015M;thenumberimmediatelyfollowingthedesignationindicatestheyearoforiginaladoptionor,inthecaseofrevision,theyearoflastrevision.Anumberinparenthesesindicatestheyearoflastreapproval.Asuperscriptepsilon(´)indicatesaneditorialchangesincethelastrevisionorreapproval.1.Scope*1.1Thesepracticesoutlinetheproceduresforobtainingintactblock(cubicalandcylindrical)soilsamples.1.2Intactblocksamplesareobtainedforlaboratoryteststodeterminethestrength,consolidation,permeability,andothergeotechnicalengineeringorphysicalpropertiesoftheintactsoil.1.3Twosamplingpracticesarepresented.PracticeAcoverscubicalblocksampling,whilePracticeBcoverscylindricalblocksampling.1.4Thesepracticesusuallyinvolvetestpitexcavationandarelimitedtorelativelyshallowdepths.Exceptinthecaseoflargediameter(thatis,diametersgreaterthan0.8m[2.5ft])boredshaftsofcircularcross-sectioninunsaturatedsoils,fordepthsgreaterthanabout1to11⁄2meters[3to5ft]ordepthsbelowthewatertable,thecostanddifficultiesofexcavating,cribbing,anddewateringgenerallymakeblocksamplingimpracticalanduneconomical.Fortheseconditions,useofathin-walledpushtubesoilsampler(PracticeD1587/D1587M),apiston-typesoilsampler(PracticeD6519),orHollow-StemAuger(PracticeD6151/D6151M),Dennison,orPitcher-typesoilcoresamplers,orfreezingthesoilandcoringmayberequired.1.5Thesepracticesdonotaddressenvironmentalsampling;consultGuidesD6169/D6169MandD6232forinformationonsamplingforenvironmentalinvestigations.1.6Successfulsamplingofgranularmaterialsrequiressuf-ficientcohesion,cementation,orapparentcohesion(duetomoisturetension(suction))ofthesoilforittobeisolatedinacolumnshapewithoutundergoingexcessivedeformations.Additionally,caremustbeexercisedintheexcavation,pres-ervationandtransportationofintactsamples(seePracticeD4220/D4220M,GroupD).1.7ThevaluesstatedineitherSIunitsorinch-poundunits[giveninbrackets]aretoberegardedsep...
