What types of tests are used to classify soil at an excavation site according to appendix A?

The classification of soil at an excavation site is crucial for understanding its properties and behavior under various conditions. The most relevant methods for this classification are field and laboratory tests, which provide accurate assessments of soil characteristics.

Field tests are performed on-site and include methods such as in-situ testing, which helps evaluate the soil's density, shear strength, and moisture content directly in the environment where excavation will take place. Laboratory tests, on the other hand, involve samples taken from the site that are analyzed for physical and chemical properties, including grain size distribution, plasticity index, and compaction characteristics. These combined efforts offer comprehensive insight into soil behavior, ensuring safe excavation practices and structural integrity.

In contrast, mechanical and visual methods—while they might aid in intuitively assessing soil—are less scientific and reliable compared to standardized field and laboratory approaches. Manual assessments might involve simple observations or rudimentary testing, which lack the precision and rigor needed for thorough soil classification.