Soil Core Sampling
A soil core.Copyright USGS Soil Carbon Research, US Dept. of the Interior http://carbon.wr.usgs.gov/
Students learn about one method used in environmental site assessments. They practice soil sampling by creating soil cores, studying soil profiles and characterizing soil profiles in borehole logs. They use their analyses to make predictions about what is going on in the soil and what it might mean to engineers developing the area.
Geotechnical engineers are involved in environmental site assessments that analyze the impact of development on the land. To make recommendations based on soil quality, engineers drill small-diameter boreholes into the ground to collect soil samples. Soil is removed from boreholes in long clear tubes called soil cores. Soil cores permit engineers to examine many feet of the below-ground soil profile. Engineers use the soil cores to characterize the soil profile using borehole logs. They also take soil samples and further analyze them for characteristics, quality, water content, and pollutant or pesticide contamination.
After this activity, students should be able to:
- Describe how soil samples are taken by engineers for site assessment.
- Analyze a model soil core sample and make recommendations for development on similar areas of soil.