ASTM D6169-98

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Designation: D 6169 – 98
Standard Guide for
Selection of Soil and Rock Sampling Devices Used With
Drill Rigs for Environmental Investigations
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D 6169; 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 of action. This document cannot replace education and expe-
rience and should be used in conjunction with professional
1.1 This guide covers guidance for the selection of soil and
judgement. The word “Standard” in the title of this document
rock sampling devices used with drill rigs for the purpose of
means that the document has been approved through theASTM
characterizing in situ physical and hydraulic properties, chemi-
consensus process.
cal characteristics, subsurface lithology, stratigraphy and struc-
ture, and hydrogeologic units in environmental investigations.
2. Referenced Documents
1.2 This guide does not specifically address selection of soil
2.1 ASTM Standards:
sampling devices for use with direct-push sampling systems,
D 657 Specification for Isopropyl Acetate
but the information in this guide on thick-wall and thin-wall
D 1452 Practice for Soil Investigation and Sampling by
samplers is generally applicable to direct-push soil sampling.
Auger Borings
1.3 This guide should be used in conjunction with refer-
D 1586 Test Method for Penetration Test and Split-Barrel
enced ASTM guides, practices, and methods on drilling tech-
Sampling of Soils
niques for geoenvironmental investigations and use of sam-
D 1587 Practice for Thin-Walled Tube Sampling of Soils
pling devices referenced in 2.1, and with Guide D 5730.
D 2113 Practice for Diamond Core Drilling for Site Inves-
1.4 This guide does not address selection of sampling
tigation
devices for hand-held soil sampling equipment, and soil
D 3550 Practice for Ring-Lined Barrel Sampling of Soils
sample collection with solid-stem augering devices, or collec-
D 3694 Practice for Preparation of Sample Containers and
tion of grab samples or hand-carved block samples from
for Preservation of Organic Constituents
accessible excavations. Refer to Appendix X1.2 for guidance
D 4220 Practices for Preserving and Transporting Soil
on these topics. This guide should be used in conjunction with
Samples
Guide D 4700 when thin-walled, split barrel, ring-lined barrel
D 4452 Methods for X-Ray Radiography of Soil Samples
and piston samplers with solid- and hollow-stem augers are
D 4700 Guide for Soil Sampling from the Vadose Zone
used in the unsaturated zone.
D 4823 Guide for Core-Sampling Submerged, Unconsoli-
1.5 This guide does not address devices for collecting cores
dated Sediments
from submerged sediments or sampling devices for solid
D 5079 Practices for Preserving and Transporting Rock
wastes. Refer to Guide D 4823 for guidance on these topics.
Core Samples
1.6 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the
D 5084 Test Method for Hydraulic Conductivity of Satu-
standard.However,dimensionsofmaterialsusedinthedrilling
rated Porous Materials Using a Flexible Wall Permeame-
industry are given in English units by convention, therefore,
ter
English units are used where necessary in this guide.
D 5088 Practice for Decontamination of Field Equipment
1.7 This standard does not purport to address all of the
Used at Nonradioactive Waste Sites
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
D 5434 Guide for Field Logging of Subsurface Exploration
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
of Soil and Rock
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
D 5730 Guide to Site Characterization for Environmental
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.
Purposes with Emphasis on Soil, Rock, the Vadose Zone
1.8 This guide offers an organized collection of information
and Ground Water
or series of options and does not recommend a specific course
D 5781 Guide to the Use of Dual-Wall Reverse-Circulation
This guide is under the jurisdiction ofASTM Committee D-18 on Soil an Rock
and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D18.21 on Ground Water and Discontinued; see 1979 Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 06.01.
Vadose Zone Investigations. Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 04.08.
Current edition approved March 10, 1998. Published August 1998. Originally Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 11.02.
published as D 6169–97. Last previous edition D 6169–97. Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 04.09.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
D6169–98
Drilling for Geoenvironmental Exploration and the Instal- 3.2.3.1 Discussion—refer to Hvorslev (1) and Paikowsky
lation of Subsurface Water-Quality Monitoring Devices et al. (2) for appropriate formulas for calculating wall area
ratio.
D 5782 Guide for the Use of Direct-Air Rotary Drilling for
3.2.4 core—for the purposes of this guide, a cylindrical
Geoenvironmental Exploration and the Installation of
sample of soil or rock obtained by means of a thick-wall,
Subsurface Water-Quality Monitoring Devices
thin-wall, or rotating core sampler.
D 5783 Guide for the Use of Direct Rotary Drilling with
3.2.5 cuttings—for the purposes of this guide, soil material
Water-Based Drilling Fluid for Geoenvironmental Explo-
or small-sized rock fragments brought to the surface in the air
ration and the Installation of Subsurface Water-Quality
orfluidstreamofarotarydrillrig,bailingfromacabletoolrig,
Monitoring Devices
sticking to drill bits or auger flights, or as return from auger
D 5784 Guide for the Use of Hollow-Stem Augers for
flights. See 8.3.
Geoenvironmental Exploration and the Installation of
3.2.6 direct push sampling system—for the purposes of this
Subsurface Water-Quality Monitoring Devices
guide, a subsurface sampling system using samplers generally
D 5872 Guide for the Use of Casing Advancement Drilling
2 in. (50 mm) in diameter or less that use hand-held percussion
MethodsforGeoenvironmentalExplorationandtheInstal-
driving devices, or mobile hydraulic, vibratory or percussion
lation of Subsurface Water-Quality Monitoring Devices
drive systems that are mounted to a small truck, van, all-terrain
D 5875 Guide for the Use of Cable-Tool Drilling and vehicle (ATV), trailer, skid, or drill rig.
Sampling Methods for Geoenvironmental Exploration and 3.2.7 drill rig—for the purposes of this guide, a land-based
the Installation of Subsurface Water-Quality Monitoring wheeled, ATV, or skid-mounted assembly or offshore or barge
Devices mounted assembly capable of drilling boreholes and collecting
soilorrocksampleswithadiametergenerallygreaterthan2in.
D 5876 Guide for the Use of Direct Rotary Wireline Casing
(50 mm) using rotary, drive, push, or vibratory advancement
Advancement Drilling Methods for Geoenvironmental
methods.
Exploration and the Installation of Subsurface Water-
3.2.8 drill-rod core sampling—a sampling process in which
Quality Monitoring Devices
a fixed drill rod assembly advances a thick-wall or thin-wall
D 5911 Practice for the Minimum Set of Data Elements to
5 sampler or a rotating drill rod assembly advances a rotating
Identify a Soil Sampling Site
core samplers.
D 6151 Practice for Using Hollow-Stem Augers for Geo-
3.2.9 group A—samples for which only general visual
technical Exploration and Soil Sampling
identification is necessary (see Practices D 4220).
3.2.10 group B—samples for which only water content and
3. Terminology
classification tests, proctor and relative density, or profile
3.1 Definitions: Terminology used within this guide is in logging is required and bulk samples that will be remolded or
accordance with Terminology D 653 except as noted below.
compacted into specimens for swell pressure, percent swell,
consolidation, permeability, shear testing, CBR, stabilimeter,
3.2 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:
etc. (see Practices D 4220).
3.2.1 borehole grab sampler—a sampling device with a
3.2.10.1 Discussion—Group B samples are disturbed, re-
cutting head that advances by rotation and collects a sample by
molded samples used primarily for engineering properties
scraping side or bottom rather than coring. See Section 8.1
tests.
3.2.2 chemically undisturbed core sample—a soil or rock
3.2.11 group C—intact, natural formed or field fabricated,
core sample in which the sampling device, collection and
samples for density determination; or for swell pressure,
handling procedures result in preservation of the chemical
percent swell, consolidation, permeability testing and shear
properties to a degree that satisfies the purpose for which the
testing with or without stress-strain and volume change mea-
sample was taken.
surements, to include dynamic and cyclic testing (see Practices
3.2.2.1 Discussion—For nonsensitive chemical constitu-
D 4220).
ents, representative samples will generally provide chemically
3.2.11.1 Discussion—Group C samples are undisturbed
undisturbed samples. Nonrepresentative samples may also be
samples used primarily for engineering properties tests. Some
chemically undisturbed, but are generally not suitable for
of these tests, such as bulk density and permeability are useful
analysis because of their uncertain integrity, location or origin.
for environmental investigations. Additional physical and hy-
For sensitive chemical constituents, special sample collection
drologic properties that require Group C type samples are
and handling procedures are generally required to obtain
identified in Table 1.
chemically undisturbed samples as discussed in 6.4 and 6.10.
3.2.12 group D—samples that are fragile or highly sensitive
Physically undisturbed samples will generally provide chemi-
for which tests in Group C are required (see Practices D 4220).
cally undisturbed samples provided that sampling technique,
3.2.13 liner—cylindrical tubes or rings made of metal or
and materials for sampling devices and containers are selected
plasticplacedinsideacoresamplingdevicetofacilitatesample
to avoid chemical alteration.
retrieval and handling.
3.2.3 clearance ratio (inside)—the difference between in-
side diameter of the sampling tube and inside diameter of
cutting edge or shoe divided by the insided diameter of the
The boldface numbers given in parentheses refer to a list of references at the
cutting shoe or edge. end of the text.
D6169–98
TABLE 1 General Sample-Type Requirements for Measurement
size and gradation and chemical characteristics of the sample
of Physical and Chemical Properties
interval are preserved; suitable for mechanical and chemical
Physically Chemically
analysis for nonsensitive chemical constituents, and lithologic
Tests to be Performed Representative
Undisturbed Undisturbed
logging. (Adapted from U.S. Geological Survey, 1980). See
Physical/Hydrologic Properties
discussion in 6.3.
Hydraulic Conductivity X . . . . . .
3.2.17.1 Discussion—This definition follows general usage
Specific Yield X . . . . . .
Pressure Head (Matric Potential) X . . . . . .
in the geologic profession, and differs from the definition of
A
Moisture Characteristic Functions X . X
representative sample in the statistical sense. The sample is
Water Content . . . . . . X
only representative of the subsurface material encountered by
Particle Size Distribution . . . . . . X
Bulk Density/Porosity X . . . . . .
the sampler and is not necessarily representative of the
Strength Properties X . . . . . .
formation being sampled. Sample representativeness in the
Compressibility X . . . . . .
latter sense needs to be addressed in the sample design that
Mineralogy
Gross Mineralogy . . . . . . X
defines the specific location of sampling.
Soil Thin Section X . . . . . .
3.2.18 rotatingcoresampler—arotatingcylindricalsampler
Micromorphology
with a coring bit that cuts away soil or rock material from
Surface Properties
Ion Exchange Capacity . . . X . . .
around the core. See 7.6.
Sorption (Batch Tests) . . . X . . .
3.2.19 sensitive chemical constituents—chemical species or
Sorption (Flow-Through Tests) X . . . . . .
Sorption Site Density . . . X . . . compounds for which the composition or concentration in soil
Surface Area . . . . . . X
may change rapidly in soil in response to disturbance, or
B
Nonsensitive Chemical Constituents
interaction with sample container materials, due to processes
Most Total Elemental . . . . . . X
Concentrations such as volatilization, degassing, microbial action or abiotic
Carbonate . . . . . . X
oxidation-reduction reactions.
Soil Organic Carbon . . . . . . X
C
3.2.20 thick-wall sampler—acoresamplerthatthatdoesnot
Sensitive Chemical Constituents
Microbiology . . . X . . .
satisfy the requirements for collection of undisturbed Group C
Volatile and Semivolatile Organics . . . X . . .
and D samples.
Nitrogen- and Sulfur-Containing . . . X . . .
3.2.20.1 Discussion—Generally, samplers with a wall area
Species
Redox-Sensitive Species . . . X . . .
ratio greater than 15 % (see Table 2 for additional specifica-
(As, Cr, Fe, Mn, Se)
tions. Typical thick wall samplers are found in Test Method
Other Sensitive Inorganics . . . X . . .
D 1586 and Practice D 3550. See 7.3.
(Hg, cyanides)
A
3.2.21 thin-wall sampler—a sampler that meets the specifi-
Physically undisturbed sample preferred, but repacked representative sample
may be adequate.
cations in Practice D 1587. See 7.4.
B
Chemicalconstituentsthataresufficientlystablethatnospecialattentionneed
3.2.22 undisturbed sample—a soil sample that has been
tobegiventosampledevice/containercompatibility,orsamplehandling,transport,
obtained by methods in which every precaution has been taken
and storage if analyzed within a few months.
C
Special consideration of sample device/container compabitility, sample collec-
to minimize disturbance to the sample (see Terminology
tion, handling and transport required to obtain chemically undisturbed samples.
D 653). See also definitions for chemically undisturbed sample
and physically undisturbed sample.
3.2.23 vibratory core sampling—a sample process in which
3.2.14 nonrepresentative sample—a soil sample that con-
a thick-wall or thin-wall sampler is advanced using high
sists of drill cuttings of uncertain integrity, location or origin,
frequencyvibrationsratherthanhydraulicorpercussionforces.
or other incomplete or contaminated portions of subsurface
3.2.24 wall area ratio—The ratio of gross wall area due to
materials; generally not suitable for testing or analysis (3).
thickness divided by the in
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