What is Soil Testing?

 

Soil testing (also known as Site Classification) is carried out on your block of land to determine the estimated soil movement due to moisture changes. To test the soil, the engineer drills 3 small diameter bore holes on your block of land which the house will be built on. The engineer takes the soil sample to the lab and tests it for various weather conditions, the outcome of the test provides you with your site class.

Once your site class is determined the engineer can design what type of footing and foundation you house will need.

Below is a table with the different types of soil classes:

Class

Foundation

A

Most sand and rock sites with little or no ground movement from moisture changes

S

Slightly reactive clay sites with only slight ground movement from moisture changes

M

Moderately reactive clay or silt sites which can experience moderate ground movement from moisture changes

H

Highly reactive clay sites which can experience high ground movement from moisture changes

E

Extremely reactive clay sites which can experience extreme ground movement from moisture changes

P

Sites which include soft soils, such as soft clay or silt or loose sands; landslips; mine subsidence; collapsing soils; soils subject to erosion; reactive sites subject to abnormal moisture conditions or sites which cannot be classified otherwise