D18.91 - Standards Development and Review

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.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 The guidelines presented in this practice for retaining significant digits and rounding numbers may be adopted by the using agency or user. Generally, their adoption should be used for calculating and recording data when specified requirements are not included in a standard.  
4.2 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 accuracy of the values.  
4.2.1 The guidelines presented emphasize recording data to enough significant digits or number of decimal places to allow sensitivity and variability analyses to be performed, see 3.2.
SCOPE
1.1 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, and are representative of the significant digits that should generally be retained. The guidelines do not consider material variation, 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. 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.  
1.2 This practice accepts a variation of the traditional rounding method that recognizes the algorithm common to most hand-held calculators, see 5.2.3. The traditional rounding method (see 5.2) is in accordance with Practice E29 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.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
The guidelines presented in this practice for retaining significant digits and rounding numbers may be adopted by the using agency or user. Generally, their adoption should be used for calculating and recording data when specified requirements are not included in a standard.
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 accuracy of the values.
4.2.1 The guidelines presented emphasize recording data to enough significant digits or number of decimal places to allow sensitivity and variability analyses to be performed, see 3.2.
SCOPE
1.1 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, and are representative of the significant digits that should generally be retained. The guidelines do not consider material variation, 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. 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.
1.2 This practice accepts a variation of the traditional rounding method that recognizes the algorithm common to most hand-held calculators, see . The traditional rounding method (see ) is in accordance with Practice E 29 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 of this document means only that the document has been approved through the ASTM consensus process.

SCOPE
1.1 This guide provides minimum requirements for general-purpose scales, balances, and standard masses used in testing soil, rock, and related construction materials.
1.2 This guide provides guidance for evaluating, selecting, and specifying general purpose scales, balances, and standard masses used in testing soil, rock, and related construction materials.
1.3 The accuracy requirements for balances and scales are specified in terms of the combined effect of all sources of error contributing to overall balance performance. The measurement of specific sources of error and consideration of details pertaining to balance construction have been intentionally avoided.
1.4 This guide does not include requirements for balances and scales having accuracies greater than those generally required in testing soil, rock, and related construction materials.
1.5 This guide does not apply to nongraduated balances.
1.6 This guide does not address the methods used to verify or quantify specific parameters dealing with balances and scales. For a description of tests used in evaluating balance performance, see NIST Handbook 44.
1.7 This guide is not intended to be used as a specification for the purchase of balances and scales.
Note 1—The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), formerly the National Bureau of Standards (NBS), and the International Organization of Legal Metrology (OIML) publish standards or practices that specify construction requirements as well as performance guides for balances. ASTM, OIML, and NIST publish construction standards and tolerances for standard masses.
Note 2—The terms "mass" and "determine the mass of" are used in this standard instead of the more commonly used terms "weight" and "weigh" to comply with standard metric practice. In addition, the term "standard mass(es)" is used instead of standard "standard weight(s)" when referring to a piece of material of known specified mass used to compare or measure the mass of other masses.
1.8 This guide offers an organized collection of information or a series of options and does not recommend a specific course of action. This document cannot replace education or experience and should be used in conjunction with professional judgement. Not all aspects of this guide 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 sword "Standard" in the title of this document mans only that the document has been approved through the ASTM consensus process.

SCOPE
1.1 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, and are representative of the significant digits that should generally be retained. The guidelines do not consider material variation, 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 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.
1.2 This practice accepts a variation of the traditional rounding method that recognizes the algorithm common to most hand-held calculators, see 5.2.3. The traditional rounding method (see 5.2) is in accordance with Practice E 29 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 of this document means only that the document has been approved through the ASTM consensus process.

SCOPE
1.1 This practice is intended to assist in the use of uniform methods of indicating the number of digits that are to be considered significant and rounding for intermediate calculations when reporting geotechnical test results.  
1.2 This practice uses a variation of the traditional rounding method (see Practice E 29) that recognizes the algorithm common to most hand-held calculators.

SCOPE
1.1 This specification provides minimum requirements for general-purpose scales, balances, and standard masses used in testing soil, rock, and related construction materials.  
1.2 This specification provides guidance for evaluating, selecting, and specifying general purpose scales, balances, and standard masses used in testing soil, rock, and related construction materials.  
1.3 The accuracy requirements for balances and scales are specified in terms of the combined effect of all sources of error contributing to overall balance performance. The measurement of specific sources of error and consideration of details pertaining to balance construction have been intentionally avoided.  
1.4 This specification does not include requirements for balances and scales that have accuracies greater than those generally required in normal soil, rock, and related construction materials.  
1.5 This specification does not apply to nongraduated balances.  
1.6 This specification does not address the methods used to verify or quantify specific parameters dealing with balances and scales. For a description of tests used in evaluating balance performance, see NIST Handbook 44.  
1.7 This specification is not intended to be used as a specification for the purchase of balances and scales.  Note 1-The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), formerly the National Bureau of Standards (NBS), and the International Organization of Legal Metrology (OIML) publish standards or practices that specify construction requirements as well as performance specifications for balances. ASTM, OIML, and NIST publish construction standards and tolerances for standard masses. Note 2-The terms "mass" and "determine the mass of" are used in this standard instead of the more commonly used terms "weight" and "weigh" to comply with standard metric practice. In addition, the term "standard mass(es)" is used instead of "weight(s)" when referring to a piece of material of known specified mass used to compare or measure the mass of other masses.