N.J. Admin. Code § 7:9A-5.3 - Terminology required for soil logs
(a) A soil log
shall be prepared for each soil profile pit or soil boring. The soil profile
characteristics listed in
7:9A-5.2(g) shall
be described using the terminology specified in (b) through (h)
below.
(b) Depth and thickness of
each district soil horizon or substratum shall be reported in inches. A
distinct soil horizon or substratum is any soil horizon or substratum which
differs from horizons or substrata above or below it in color, texture, coarse
fragment content, mottling, structure or consistence.
(c) Color shall be described using the
Munsell system of classification which includes a descriptive color name such
as "strong brown" or "pale red", together with an alpha-numeric designation of
hue, value and chroma such as "7.5 YR 5/6" or "2.5 YR 6/2". When mottling is
encountered, report the dominant or background color and the mottle
colors.
(d) Texture shall be
reported as the name of the appropriate textural class which is shown on the
USDA textural triangle, Figure 3 of Appendix A, determined based upon the
relative proportions of sand, silt and clay in that portion of the soil which
excludes the coarse fragment. Texture shall be estimated in the field by feel,
or determined by textural analysis as prescribed in
7:9A-6.3.
(e) The volume percentage of coarse fragments
shall be estimated in the field visually using volume percentage estimation
charts provided in Figure 4 of Appendix A. Coarse fragments which are rounded
or subrounded in shape shall be classified based upon size, as indicated in
(e)1 through 3 below. In the case of shale, slate, or other thin rock
fragments, the rock type and the average length and thickness of the rock
fragments shall be reported.
1. "Gravel"
means a rock fragment from two millimeters (0.1 inches) to 76 millimeters
(three inches) in diameter;
2.
"Cobble" means a rock fragment from 76 millimeters (three inches) to 254
millimeters (10 inches) in diameter; and
3. "Stone" means a rock fragment greater than
254 millimeters (10 inches) in diameter.
(f) When mottling is observed, the abundance,
size, and contrast of the mottles shall be reported using the following
terminology:
1. Abundance shall be estimated
visually, by using the volume percentage charts provided in Figure 4 of
Appendix A, to estimate the percentage of the exposed surface which is occupied
by mottles. Abundance of mottles shall be classified as follows:
i. Mottles are "few" when less than two
percent of the exposed surface is occupied by mottles;
ii. Mottles are "common" when from two
percent to 20 percent of the exposed surface is occupied by mottles;
and
iii. Mottles are "many" when
more than 20 percent of the exposed surface is occupied by mottles.
2. Size shall be classified based
on the estimated average longest dimension of the mottles, as follows:
i. Mottles are "fine" when they are less than
five millimeters in size;
ii.
Mottles are "medium" when they are from five to 15 millimeters in size;
and
iii. Mottles are "course" when
they are greater than 15 millimeters in size;
3. Contrast shall be described as follows:
i. Mottles are "faint" when they may be
distinguished only on close examination;
ii. Mottles are "distinct" when they are
readily seen but not prominent; and
iii. Mottles are "prominent" when they are
obvious and one of the outstanding features of the soil horizon.
(g) Soil structure
shall be described using the following terms which refer to the shape of the
natural soil aggregates:
1. Structure is
"spheroidal" when the aggregates are more or less equi-dimensional and lack
sharp corners, sharp edges or well-defined faces. This term includes crumb and
granular structure as defined by the USDA;
2. Structure is "subangular blocky" when the
aggregates are more or less equi-dimensional and possess well-defined flat or
somewhat curved faces, but lack sharp corners or edges;
3. Structure is "angular blocky" when the
aggregates are more or less equi-dimensional in shape and possess well-defined
flat or somewhat curved faces, sharp corners and sharp edges;
4. Structure is "prismatic" when the
aggregates have one axis distinctly longer than the other two and are oriented
with the long axis vertical;
5.
Structure is "platy" when the aggregates have one axis distinctly shorter than
the other two and are oriented with the short axis vertical. Soil horizons with
platy structure generally show numerous well-defined horizontal structural
faces and lack well defined vertical structural faces;
6. Structure is "massive" when the soil
consists of a dense, compact mass showing no recognizable natural aggregates or
structural faces; and
7. Structure
is "single grain" when the soil consists of loose individual sand grains which
lack cohesion and are not bound together into recognizable soil
aggregates.
(h) Soil
consistence shall be described using the following terminology which refers to
the ease with which a soil clod or aggregate may be crushed with the fingers in
either the dry or moist condition.
1. In the
dry soil condition, soil consistence is characterized as:
i. "Loose" when the soil is
non-coherent;
ii. "Soft" when the
soil mass breaks to a powder of individual grains with slight
pressure;
iii. "Slightly hard" when
the soil mass is easily broken between thumb and forefinger;
iv. "Hard" when the soil mass can be broken
in the hands without difficulty, but is barely breakable between thumb and
forefinger; and
v. "Very hard" when
the soil mass can be broken in the hands with difficulty, but is not breakable
between thumb and forefinger.
2. In the moist soil condition, soil
consistence is characterized as:
i. "Loose"
when the soil is non-coherent;
ii.
"Friable" when the soil material crushes easily between thumb and
forefinger;
iii. "Firm" when the
soil material crushes under moderate pressure between thumb and
forefinger;
iv. "Very firm" when
the soil material is barely crushable under strong pressure between thumb and
forefinger; and
v. "Extremely firm"
when the soil material cannot be crushed between thumb and forefinger, but can
only be broken apart bit by bit.
3. For any moisture condition, soil
consistence is characterized as "cemented" when the soil mass is brittle and
hard, and cannot be broken by hand.
Notes
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