Standard Practice for Using Significant Digits and Data Records in Geotechnical Data

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
5.1 The guidelines presented in this practice for retaining significant digits and rounding numbers may be adopted by the using agency or user. Their adoption should generally be used to calculate and record data when specified requirements are not included in a standard.  
5.2 While this practice originated when most geotechnical data were manually collected and recorded on data forms, tables, or into computers, the use of digital acquisition, calculations, and reporting of data has become more common. When calculators and computers are used for data collection, the significant digits may not meet the requirements specified in this standard. Nevertheless, their use shall not be regarded as nonconforming with this practice.  
5.3 The guidelines presented herein should not be interpreted as absolute rules but as guides to calculate and report observed or test data without exaggerating or degrading the precision of the values.  
5.3.1 The guidelines presented emphasize recording data to enough significant digits or the number of decimal places to allow sensitivity and variability analyses to be performed.
SCOPE
1.1 Using significant digits in geotechnical data involves the processes of collecting, calculating, and recording either measured values or calculated values (results) or both. This practice is intended to promote uniformity in recording significant digits for measured and calculated values involving geotechnical data.  
1.2 The guidelines presented are industry standard and are representative of the significant digits that should be retained in general. The guidelines do not consider material variation, the purpose for obtaining the data, special purpose studies, or any considerations for the user's objectives, and it is common practice to increase or reduce significant digits of reported data to be commensurate with these considerations.  
1.3 It is beyond the scope of this practice to consider significant digits used in analysis methods for engineering design.  
1.4 This practice accepts a variation of the traditional rounding method that recognizes the algorithm common to most hand-held calculators and computers, see 6.2.3. The traditional rounding method (see 6.2) is in accordance with Practice E29, ASTM Manual 7, or IEEE/ASTM SI 10.
Note 1: Calculators and computers often present and use many digits in their output and calculations, which may not all be significant. It is the responsibility of the programmer and user to make sure that the measured and calculated values are handled, interpreted and reported properly using these guidelines.  
1.5 This practice offers a set of instructions for performing one or more specific operations. This document cannot replace education or experience and should be used in conjunction with professional judgment. Not all aspects of this practice may be applicable in all circumstances. This ASTM standard is not intended to represent or replace the standard of care by which the adequacy of a given professional service must be judged, nor should this document be applied without consideration of a project’s many unique aspects. The word “Standard” in the title means only that the document has been approved through the ASTM consensus process.  
1.6 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.

General Information

Status
Published
Publication Date
14-Jun-2021
Current Stage
Ref Project

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Standards Content (Sample)

This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
Designation:D6026 −21
Standard Practice for
Using Significant Digits and Data Records in Geotechnical
1
Data
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D6026; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision.Anumber in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope* a project’s many unique aspects. The word “Standard” in the
title means only that the document has been approved through
1.1 Usingsignificantdigitsingeotechnicaldatainvolvesthe
the ASTM consensus process.
processes of collecting, calculating, and recording either mea-
1.6 This international standard was developed in accor-
suredvaluesorcalculatedvalues(results)orboth.Thispractice
dance with internationally recognized principles on standard-
is intended to promote uniformity in recording significant
ization established in the Decision on Principles for the
digits for measured and calculated values involving geotech-
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recom-
nical data.
mendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical
1.2 The guidelines presented are industry standard and are
Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
representativeofthesignificantdigitsthatshouldberetainedin
general. The guidelines do not consider material variation, the
2. Referenced Documents
purpose for obtaining the data, special purpose studies, or any
2
2.1 ASTM Standards:
considerations for the user’s objectives, and it is common
D653Terminology Relating to Soil, Rock, and Contained
practicetoincreaseorreducesignificantdigitsofreporteddata
Fluids
to be commensurate with these considerations.
D2435/D2435MTest Methods for One-Dimensional Con-
1.3 It is beyond the scope of this practice to consider
solidation Properties of Soils Using Incremental Loading
significant digits used in analysis methods for engineering
D4186/D4186MTestMethodforOne-DimensionalConsoli-
design.
dation Properties of Saturated Cohesive Soils Using
Controlled-Strain Loading
1.4 This practice accepts a variation of the traditional
E29Practice for Using Significant Digits in Test Data to
rounding method that recognizes the algorithm common to
Determine Conformance with Specifications
most hand-held calculators and computers, see 6.2.3. The
E456Terminology Relating to Quality and Statistics
traditional rounding method (see 6.2) is in accordance with
E833Terminology of Building Economics
Practice E29, ASTM Manual 7, or IEEE/ASTM SI 10.
IEEE/ASTM SI 10Standard for Use of the International
NOTE 1—Calculators and computers often present and use many digits
in their output and calculations, which may not all be significant. It is the
System of Units (SI): The Modern Metric System
responsibility of the programmer and user to make sure that the measured
MNL7ASTMManual7onPresentationofDataandControl
andcalculatedvaluesarehandled,interpretedandreportedproperlyusing
Chart Analysis
these guidelines.
3. Terminology
1.5 This practice offers a set of instructions for performing
one or more specific operations. This document cannot replace
3.1 Definitions—For common definitions of soil and rock
education or experience and should be used in conjunction
terms in this standard, refer to Terminology D653.
withprofessionaljudgment.Notallaspectsofthispracticemay
3.2 This terminology standard contains many definitions
be applicable in all circumstances. This ASTM standard is not
that are applicable to this standard in a grouping named
intended to represent or replace the standard of care by which
Measurement Grouping. These terms are: accuracy, bias,
the adequacy of a given professional service must be judged,
estimation, meaningful number/digit or significant number/
nor should this document be applied without consideration of
digit, observation/observed value or data point/recorded value,
precision, resolution or readability, sensitivity, signal noise or
noise.
1
This practice is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D18 on Soil and
Rockand is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D18.91 on Standards
2
Development and Review. For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
Current edition approved June 15, 2021. Published June 2021. Originally contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM
approved in 1996. Last previous edition approved in 2013 as D6026 – 13. DOI: Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
10.1520/D6026-21. the ASTM website.
*A Summary of Changes section appears at the end of this standard
C
...

This document is not an ASTM standard and is intended only to provide the user of an ASTM standard an indication of what changes have been made to the previous version. Because
it may not be technically possible to adequately depict all changes accurately, ASTM recommends that users consult prior editions as appropriate. In all cases only the current version
of the standard as published by ASTM is to be considered the official document.
Designation: D6026 − 13 D6026 − 21
Standard Practice for
Using Significant Digits and Data Records in Geotechnical
1
Data
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D6026; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope*
1.1 Using significant digits in geotechnical data involves the processes of collecting, calculating, and recording either measured
values or calculated values (results) or both. This practice is intended to promote uniformity in recording significant digits for
measured and calculated values involving geotechnical data.
1.2 This practice is intended to promote uniformity in recording significant digits for measured and calculated values involving
geotechnical data. The guidelines presented are industry standard,standard and are representative of the significant digits that
should generally be retained. be retained in general. The guidelines do not consider material variation, the purpose for obtaining
the data, special purpose studies, or any considerations for the user’s objectives;objectives, and it is common practice to increase
or reduce significant digits of reported data to be commensurate with these considerations. It is beyond the scope of this practice
to consider significant digits used in analysis methods for engineering design.
1.1.1 Using significant digits in geotechnical data involves the processes of collecting, calculating, and recording either measured
values or calculated values (results), or both.
1.3 It is beyond the scope of this practice to consider significant digits used in analysis methods for engineering design.
1.4 This practice accepts a variation of the traditional rounding method that recognizes the algorithm common to most hand-held
calculators, calculators and computers, see 5.2.36.2.3. The traditional rounding method (see 5.26.2) is in accordance with Practice
E29, ASTM Manual 7, or IEEE/ASTM SI 10.
1.3 This practice offers a set of instructions for performing one or more specific operations. This document cannot replace
education or experience and should be used in conjunction with professional judgment. Not all aspects of this practice may be
applicable in all circumstances. This ASTM standard is not intended to represent or replace the standard of care by which the
adequacy of a given professional service must be judged, nor should this document be applied without consideration of a project’s
many unique aspects. The word “Standard” in the title means only that the document has been approved through the ASTM
consensus process.
NOTE 1—Calculators and computers often present and use many digits in their output and calculations, which may not all be significant. It is the
responsibility of the programmer and user to make sure that the measured and calculated values are handled, interpreted and reported properly using these
guidelines.
1.5 This practice offers a set of instructions for performing one or more specific operations. This document cannot replace
1
This practice is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D18 on Soil and Rockand is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D18.91 on Standards Development
and Review.
Current edition approved Nov. 1, 2013June 15, 2021. Published December 2013June 2021. Originally approved in 1996. Last previous edition approved in 20062013 as
D6026 – 06.13. DOI: 10.1520/D6026-13.10.1520/D6026-21.
*A Summary of Changes section appears at the end of this standard
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
1

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D6026 − 21
education or experience and should be used in conjunction with professional judgment. Not all aspects of this practice may be
applicable in all circumstances. This ASTM standard is not intended to represent or replace the standard of care by which the
adequacy of a given professional service must be judged, nor should this document be applied without consideration of a project’s
many unique aspects. The word “Standard” in the title means only that the document has been approved through the ASTM
consensus process.
1.6 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization
established in the Decision on Principles for the Devel
...

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