Trial pits and trial trenches are a good and quick way to investigate the ground.
They enable in-situ
inspection and testing of a significant portion of the ground, including CBR, soak away, and hand
shear vane testing. Trial pits and trenches can be useful in mining and foundation investigations in
addition to facilitating the collection of samples for geotechnical and contamination testing. Trial
pitting and trenching has also been successfully utilized for a variety of other purposes, such as
determining the depth of the engineering rock-head, the presence of slip-prone horizons for stability
analyses, and general ground conditions across various sites. Other examples of these uses include
locating infilled limestone solution features.
When large bulk samples of soil need to be recovered or a thorough visual examination of the strata
is required, trial pits are used. The relative speed with which the work can be completed is the
primary advantage of this method over window sampling or light-cable percussion drilling. The level
of surface disturbance and the difficulty of effectively reinstating the excavations are disadvantages.
When the ground is able to stand temporarily without support, trial pits are typically conducted. The
side walls' instability may cause issues in areas where water is present in the excavation. Fine
material washing out with the water as the sample is recovered can also make it difficult to obtain
representative samples of the ground. A trial pit's unsupported sides have the potential to collapse,
so manned entry must not be attempted. If manned entry is required, the sides of the pit must be
stepped or battered back to a safe angle or temporary shoring must be used. If the trial pit's sides
are stable, hand tools can typically safely excavate to a depth of about 1.2 meters. If underground
services (like water, gas, electricity, etc.) are present, hand excavation is required. are known to be
there, especially if their location is unsure. The trial pit can be machine continued when the base of
the excavation is below any possible service depth. Prior to development or demolition, hand pits
are frequently used to identify the construction of existing foundations. Trial pits can be excavated
to a depth of approximately 3 meters using a wheel-driven back-hoe excavator. Some of these
machines can dig to a depth of about 4.5 meters. To go deeper than 4.5 meters, you need an
excavator that is driven by a track. However, deeper excavation and sampling may be difficult and of
limited value, if groundwater is present.
Subsurface soil types and relative thicknesses can be easily recorded with professional trial pitting.
The exploratory hole's larger size enables a better understanding of the weathering characteristics
that are applicable to rock formations and coarse soils like gravel. When planning new service routes
through congested streets, slit trenches enable professionals to easily identify any buried objects,
such as underground pipes and cables, as well as their condition, construction, and direction.
