Designation:D420−18StandardGuideforSiteCharacterizationforEngineeringDesignandConstructionPurposes1ThisstandardisissuedunderthefixeddesignationD420;thenumberimmediatelyfollowingthedesignationindicatestheyearoforiginaladoptionor,inthecaseofrevision,theyearoflastrevision.Anumberinparenthesesindicatestheyearoflastreapproval.Asuperscriptepsilon(´)indicatesaneditorialchangesincethelastrevisionorreapproval.INTRODUCTIONSitecharacterizationforengineeringdesignandconstructionpurposesinvolvesbothsimpleandcomplextechniquesthatmaybeaccomplishedbymanydifferentproceduresandmaybevariouslyinterpreted.Thesestudiesarefrequentlysitespecificandareinfluencedbygeologicalandgeographicalsettings,bythepurposeofthesitecharacterization,bydesignrequirementsfortheprojectproposed,andbythebackground,training,andexperienceofthestaffinvolved.ThisdocumentisaguidetotheselectionofthevariousASTMstandardsthatareavailablefortheexplorationofsoil,rock,andgroundwaterforprojectsthatinvolvesurfaceand/orsubsurfaceconstruction,orboth.Itisintendedtoimproveconsistencyofpracticeandtoencouragerationalplanningofasitecharacterizationprogram.Sincethesubsurfaceconditionsataparticularsiteareusuallytheresultofacombinationofnatural,geologic,topographic,andclimaticfactors,andofhistoricalmodificationsbothnaturalandmanmade,anadequateandinternallyconsistentexplorationprogramwillallowevaluationoftheresultsoftheseinfluences.1.Scope*1.1ThisguidereferstoASTMmethodstoperformsitecharacterizationforengineering,design,andconstructionpur-poses.Theobjectiveofthesitecharacterizationshouldbetoidentifyandlocate,bothhorizontallyandvertically,significantsoilandrocktypesandgroundwaterconditionspresentwithinagivensiteareaandtoestablishthecharacteristicsofthesubsurfacematerialsbysamplingorinsitutesting,orboth.1.2Laboratorytestingofsoil,rock,andgroundwatersamplesisspecifiedbyotherASTMstandardsnotlistedherein.Subsurfaceexplorationforenvironmentalpurposesisalsooutsidethescopeofthisguide.1.3Priortocommencementofthesitecharacterizationthesites...
