Before starting on a construction project, any professional needs to identify the kinds of soils that exist in that area. The site needs to be properly inspected and affirmed to have the right type of soil that won't hinder the process. Meeting extremely hard rocks when using directional drilling equipment for instance, can be a huge problem because the head of these bores can't really break through them.

So before you engage in a construction project, test the soils. Here are some of the best methods to use:

Open excavation

In this technique, shallow pits are normally dug at the site and they can be around 5 meters deep. This enables the soil samples to be taken over a wide diameter and at different depths. Such samples bring about a consistent result and the constructors are assured that the probability of encountering any surprises is kept at a low. Moreover, the visualization is made a lot easier because you'd be able to clearly see the different layers of strata.

This technique also enables you to gather undisturbed samples through a process called chunk sampling.

Probing

Probing involves driving a steel rod deeply into the ground till a hard layer is met and then removing it to begin the inspection. The rod is also driven into the ground at different areas to properly asses the whole area. Moreover, the rod can also be used to check the different strata by probing at different depths.

Professionals can easily analyse the kinds of soils present by simply watching how the rod penetrates into the ground and analysing the soil that sticks on the rod.

Inspecting the rod can tell you the moisture content and the amount on the rod coupled with the look and feel can inform you of the type. Soils with smaller particles are usually much stickier than those will larger particles.

Boring

Boring is another global way constructors use to inspect the soils. Boring tools are used to create small, deep holes in the ground and the soil is then collected and analysed. The advantage of using this tactic is that it can clearly show the extent of each strata without the need to create a pit. You'd also be able to analyse the composition of each stratum and the properties of the soils in it. For a large area, it is advisable to do your boring on different areas so as to get a detailed report on the whole site.

Contact a company such as Wholesale Sleeper Co if you'd like to learn more.