ASTM D3213-91(1997)
(Practice)Standard Practices for Handling, Storing, and Preparing Soft Undisturbed Marine Soil
Standard Practices for Handling, Storing, and Preparing Soft Undisturbed Marine Soil
SCOPE
1.1 These practices cover methods for project/cruise reporting, and handling, transporting and storing soft cohesive undisturbed marine soil. Procedures for preparing soil specimens for triaxial strength, and consolidation testing are also presented.
1.2 These practices may include the handling and transporting of sediment specimens contaminated with hazardous materials and samples subject to quarantine regulations.
1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety problems, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use. Specific precautionary statements are given in Sections 1, 2 and 7.
1.4 The values in acceptable SI units are to be regarded as the standard. The values given in parentheses are for information only.
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Standards Content (Sample)
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Designation: D 3213 – 91 (Reapproved 1997)
AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR TESTING AND MATERIALS
100 Barr Harbor Dr., West Conshohocken, PA 19428
Reprinted from the Annual Book of ASTM Standards. Copyright ASTM
Standard Practices for
Handling, Storing, and Preparing Soft Undisturbed Marine
Soil
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D 3213; 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 (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope practices shall be in accordance with Terminology D 653.
1.1 These practices cover methods for project/cruise report-
4. Summary of Practice
ing, and handling, transporting and storing soft cohesive
4.1 Procedures are presented for handling, transporting,
undisturbed marine soil. Procedures for preparing soil speci-
storing, and preparing very soft and soft, fine-grained marine
mens for triaxial strength, and consolidation testing are also
sediment specimens that minimize disturbance to the test
presented.
specimen from the time it is initially sampled at sea to the time
1.2 These practices may include the handling and transport-
it is placed in a testing device in the laboratory.
ing of sediment specimens contaminated with hazardous ma-
terials and samples subject to quarantine regulations.
5. Significance and Use
1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of the
5.1 Disturbance imparted to sediments after sampling can
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
significantly affect some geotechnical properties. Careful prac-
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
tices need to be followed to minimize soil fabric changes
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
caused from handling, storing, and preparing sediment speci-
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use. Specific precau-
mens for testing.
tionary statements are given in Sections 1, 2 and 7.
5.2 The practices presented in this document should be used
1.4 The values in acceptable SI units are to be regarded as
with soil that has a very soft or soft shear strength (undrained
the standard. The values given in parentheses are for informa-
shear strength less than 25 kPa (3.6 psi)) consistency.
tion only.
NOTE 1—Some soils that are obtained at or just below the seafloor
2. Referenced Documents
quickly deform under their own weight if left unsupported. This type of
behavior presents special problems for some types of testing. Special
2.1 ASTM Standards:
handling and preparation procedures are required under those circum-
D 653 Terminology Relating to Soil, Rock, and Contained
2 stances. Test are sometimes performed at sea to minimize the effect of
Fluids
storage time and handling on soil properties. An undrained shear strength
D 1587 Practice for Thin-Walled Tube Sampling of Soils
of less than 25 kPa was selected based on Terzaghi and Peck. They
D 2435 Test Method for One-Dimensional Consolidation
defined a very soft saturated clay as having undrained shear strength less
Properties of Soils
than 25 kPa.
D 2488 Practice for Description and Identification of Soils
5.3 These practices shall apply to specimens of naturally
(Visual Manual Procedure)
formed marine soil (that may or may not be fragile or highly
D 2850 Test Method for Unconsolidated, Undrained Com-
sensitive) that will be used for density determination, consoli-
pressive Strength of Cohesive Soils in Triaxial Compres-
dation, permeability testing or shear strength testing with or
sion
without stress-strain properties and volume change measure-
D 4186 Test Method for One-Dimensional Consolidation
ments (see Note 2). In addition, dynamic and cyclic testing can
Properties of Soils Using Controlled-Strain Loading
also be performed on the sample.
D 4220 Practices for Preserving and Transporting Soil
NOTE 2—To help evaluate disturbance, X-Ray Radiography has proven
Samples
2 helpful, refer to Methods D 4452.
D 4452 Methods for X-Ray Radiography of Soil Samples
5.4 These practices apply to fine-grained soils that do not
3. Terminology
allow the rapid drainage of pore water. Although many of the
3.1 Definitions—The definitions of terms used in these
procedures can apply to coarser-grained soils, drainage may
occur rapidly enough to warrant special handling procedures
1 not covered in these practices.
These practices are under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D-18 on Soil
and Rock and are the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D18.13 on Marine
Geotechnics.
Current edition approved May 15, 1991. Published July 1991. Terzaghi, K. and Peck, R. B., Soil Mechanics in Engineering Practice, 2nd ed.,
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 04.08. Wiley, 1967, p. 729.
NOTICE:¬This¬standard¬has¬either¬been¬superceded¬and¬replaced¬by¬a¬new¬version¬or¬discontinued.¬
Contact¬ASTM¬International¬(www.astm.org)¬for¬the¬latest¬information.¬
D 3213
5.5 These practices apply primarily to soil specimens that 6.2.6 Cheesecloth or Aluminum Foil, to be used in conjunc-
are obtained in thin-walled or similar coring devices that tion with wax for block sample.
produce high-quality cores or that are obtained by pushing a
6.2.7 Sealing Wax, non-shrinking, non-cracking wax, in-
thin-walled tube into cores taken with another sampling device. cludes microcrystalline wax, beeswax, ceresine, carnaubawax,
5.6 These practices can be used in conjunction with soils
or combination thereof.
containing gas, however, more specialized procedures and
NOTE 6—The wax must be able to adhere to the container and be
equipment that are not covered in these practices have been
ductile enough not to chip or flake off during handling at cold tempera-
developed for use with such materials.
tures. Microcrystalline wax alone or in combination with other waxes has
been shown to be satisfactory in sealing the ends of cores stored at low
NOTE 3—For information on handling gas charged sediments, the
4 5 temperatures.
reader is referred to papers by Johns, et al., and Lee.
6.2.8 Plastic Wrap, used to prevent the wax from adhering
6. Apparatus
to other objects and providing additional protection against soil
6.1 Coring Device, capable of obtaining high-quality soil
moisture loss.
specimens, including related shipboard equipment such as
6.2.9 Core Storage Boxes.
cable and winch. Typical coring devices used in industry are
6.2.10 Rope, Cord, or Chains, used to immobilize contain-
the wireline push or piston samplers.
ers, boxes, or other core storage fixtures aboard ship.
6.2.11 Shipboard Refrigeration Equipment, when
NOTE 4—Some sampling devices, for example, box corers, obtain
samples of a size or shape that are difficult to preserve. Such cores can be
geochemical, or gas charged sediments are present or other
subsampled aboard ship by pushing a thin-walled sampler into the larger
special use. Refrigeration may not be needed under some
size core. This method can produce samples from soils obtained near the
circumstances, such as coring in shallow water in the tropics.
seafloor. The subsamples can then be handled and stored according to
6.3 Equipment for Transporting Cores, used from the ship
these practices.
to a shore-based laboratory facility.
6.1.1 Metal or Plastic Liners or Barrels (Pipe or Thin-
6.3.1 Packing—Material to protect against vibration and
Walled Tubes—), the soil will be obtained or stored within, or
shock, includes foam rubber.
both. Short sections of the liner, sharpened on one end, may
6.3.2 Insulation, if refrigeration is not used, either granule
also be used to subsample larger sized cores (see Note 4). It is
(bead) sheet, or foam type, to resist temperature change of soil
important to note that liners constructed of cellulose acetate
or to prevent freezing.
butyrate (CAB) plastic are pervious to water. Polycarbonate is
6.3.3 Shipping Containers, either box or cylindrical type
nearly impervious and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is impervious
and of proper construction to protect against vibration, shock,
to water migration.
and the elements. Refer to Practices D 4220.
6.2 Equipment Required on Board Ship to Seal and Store
Soil Samples: NOTE 7—The length, girth, and weight restrictions for commercial
transportation must be considered.
6.2.1 Identification Material—This includes the necessary
writing pens, tags, and labels to properly identify the
6.4 Equipment for Storing Cores, used at the shore-based
sample(s).
laboratory facility.
6.2.2 Caps, either plastic, rubber, or metal, to be placed over
6.4.1 Refrigeration Unit, capable of maintaining a tempera-
the end of thin-walled tubes, liners and rings, and sealed with
ture close to the in situ condition, see 6.2.11.
tape or wax, or both.
6.4.2 Core Storage Boxes or Racks, capable of supporting
6.2.3 Packers, or add wax to top and bottom of core to seal
all cores in the vertical orientation in which they were
the ends of samples within thin-walled tubes.
obtained.
NOTE 5—Plastic expandable packers are preferred. Metal expandable
NOTE 8—An environment that is close to 100 % relative humidity may
packers seal equally well; however, long-term storage using metal
be required to minimize sediment water loss during storage of samples
expandable packers may cause corrosion problems.
obtained within cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB) liners unless they are
6.2.4 Filler Material, used to occupy the voids at the top
totally coated with impervious wax and plastic wrap. Other liner materials,
and bottom of the sediment container. The material must be such as polycarbonate or polyvinyl chloride (PVC) may be more suitable
for sample storage because of their low water transmissibility.
slightly smaller than the inside dimensions of the container and
must be a light-weight, nonabsorbing, nearly incompressible
6.5 Equipment for Preparing Specimens, used for laboratory
substance. For example, wooden disks of various thicknesses
testing.
that have been coated with a waterproofing material can be
6.5.1 Thin-Walled Rings, made of stainless steel or other
used.
noncorrosive metal or material, used to obtain samples for
6.2.5 Tape, either waterproof electrical or duct tape.
consolidation or permeability testing.
NOTE 9—The sampling ring may also be used as the test confining ring.
For size and deformation requirements of consolidation test rings refer to
Johns, M. W., Taylor, E., and Bryant, W. R., “Geotechnical Sampling and
Test Methods D 2435 and D 4186. Because of the small height to diameter
Testing of Gas-Charged Marine Sediments at In Situ Pressures,” Geo-Marine
ratio of consolidation samples and due to the nature of consolidation
Letters, Vol 2, 1982, pp. 231–236.
testing, the inside clearance ratio as specified by Practice D 1587 can be
Lee, H. J., “State of the Art: Laboratory Determination of the Strength of
2 2
reduced from 1 % to zero. The ring area ratio, A , equal to [(Do −Di )/
Marine Soils,” Strength Testing of Marine Sediments, ASTM STP 883, ASTM, 1985,
r
pp. 181–250. Di ] 3 100 (terms are defined in Practice D 1587) should be less than
NOTICE:¬This¬standard¬has¬either¬been¬superceded¬and¬replaced¬by¬a¬new¬version¬or¬discontinued.¬
Contact¬ASTM¬International¬(www.astm.org)¬for¬the¬latest¬information.¬
D 3213
13 % to minimize subsampling disturbance.
8. Procedure
6.5.2 Thin-Walled Piston Subsampler, used to obtain triaxial
8.1 Shipboard Handling of Soil Cores not Requiring Sub-
test specimens from soil that quickly deforms under its own sampling:
weight if left unsupported (see Fig. 1).
8.1.1 Carefully bring soil sampling or coring device aboard
ship, avoid contact with either the side of the ship or moon
NOTE 10—To minimize soil disturbance, the sampler wall thickness
pole, or dropping the device onto the deck during this process.
should be the thinnest possible that will adequately obtain a test specimen.
For drop corers, have an end cap available to prevent material
The area ratio (see Note 9) should be less than 10 % and the inside
clearance ratio (refer to Practice D 1587) should be zero. from dropping out.
NOTE 11—Proper coring and sampling operations may not be possible
7. Hazards
during adverse weather conditions or sea states.
7.1 Preserving and transporting soil samples may involve
8.1.2 Remove liner or core tube from soil sampling or
personnel contact with hazardous materials, operations, and
coring device.
equipment. It is the responsibility of whoever uses these
8.1.3 Sealing the Bottom of the Sample Liner:
practices to consult and establish appropriate safety and health
8.1.3.1 Either insert expandable packer and tighten (some
practices and to determine the applicability of regulatory
sediment may have to be removed) or add wax at top and
limitations and requirements prior to use.
bottom of core in its tube.
7.2 Special instructions, descriptions, and marking of con-
8.1.3.2 Apply an end cap and securely tape in place with
tainers must accompany and be affixed to any sample container
waterproof electrical tape or duct tape. If the sample is to be
that may include radioactive material, toxic chemicals, or other
stored for over 2 weeks prior to testing, insure that the tape is
hazardous materials.
completely covered with wax by dipping the liner and end cap
7.3 Interstate transportation, containment, storage, and dis-
into a container of melted wax. Cover with plastic wrap prior
posal of soil samples obtained from certain areas within the
to storage. Leakage or evaporation of pore water during storage
United States and the transportation of foreign soils into or
is not acceptable.
through the United States are subject to regulations established
by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant
NOTE 12—If an air void is present between the end of the liner and the
Health Service, Plant Protection, and Quarantine Programs,
soil surface, cut the liner level with the soil surface prior to applying the
end cap or fill the void with a nearly incompressible, nonabsorbing inert
and possibly to regulations of other federal, state, or local
material, or add wax (see Note 5). Free water accumulating above the
agencies.
sample when held vertically can be drained by either a small cut in the
liner, drilled hole, or decanting. The liner is then cut off level with the soil
6 surface. When cutting the liner, be sure that the method used does not
International Society for Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering, Inter-
impart significant vibrations to the soil or distort the liner.
national Manual for the Sampling of Soft Cohesive Soils, Tokai University Press,
Tokyo, 1981, p. 129. NOTE 13—A rotary pipe cu
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