CONTENTS

Page

Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii
Foreword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v

Chapter 1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Chapter 2 Geologic Terminology and

Classifications for Geologic
Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Established References for Geological
Terminology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Geologic Classification of Materials . . . . . . . 4
Engineering Classification of Geologic
Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Application and Use of Standard Indexes,
Terminology, and Descriptors . . . . . . . . . . 9
Units of Measurements for Geologic Logs
of Exploration, Drawings, and Reports . . 12
Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Chapter 3 Engineering Classification and

Description of Soil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Classifications of Soils . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Abbreviated Soil Classification Symbols . . . 39
Description of the Physical Properties
of Soil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Narrative Descriptions and Examples . . . . . 48
Use of Soil Classification as Secondary
Identification Method for Materials
Other Than Natural Soils . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

Chapter 4 Classification of Rocks and

Description of Physical
Properties of Rock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Rock Classification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
 FIELD MANUAL

Chapter 4 Classification of Rocks and

Description of Physical
Properties of Rock (continued)

Page

Description of Rock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Example Descriptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90

Chapter 5 Terminology and Descriptions

for Discontinuities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Indexes for Describing Fracturing . . . . . . . . 94
Description of Fractures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Descriptions of Shears and Shear Zones . . . 114
Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126

Chapter 6 Geologic Mapping and

Documentation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Responsibilities of the Engineering
Geologist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Development of a Study Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Specific Mapping Requirements . . . . . . . . . . 133
Global Positioning System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Site Mapping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Dozer Trench Mapping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Backhoe Trench Mapping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Construction Geologic Mapping . . . . . . . . . . 167
Large Excavation Mapping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Steep Slope Mapping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Canal and Pipeline Mapping . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Underground Geologic Mapping . . . . . . . . . 171
Underground Geologic Mapping Methods . . 185
Photogeologic Mapping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Analysis of Aerial Photographs . . . . . . . . . . 198

viii
 CONTENTS

Chapter 6 Geologic Mapping and

Documentation (continued)

Page

Photoanalysis for Reconnaissance

Geologic Mapping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Availability of Imagery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203

Chapter 7 Discontinuity Surveys . . . . . . . . 205

General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211

Chapter 8 Exploration Drilling

Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Preparation of Drilling Specifications
and Format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223

Chapter 9 Groundwater Data Acquisition

Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Design and Installation of Observation
Wells and Piezometers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Methods Used to Measure Groundwater
Levels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Methods and Techniques Used to Estimate
Flows from Seeps, Springs, and Small
Drainages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Computer-Based Monitoring Systems . . . . . 242
Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247

ix
 FIELD MANUAL

Chapter 10 Guidelines for Core Logging . 249

General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Format and Required Data for the Final
Geologic Log . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
Method of Reporting Orientation of Planar
Discontinuities and Structural Features . 284
Core Recovery and Core Losses . . . . . . . . . . 285
Samples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287
Core Photography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288
Equipment Necessary for Preparing
Field Logs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291
Instruction to Drillers, Daily Drill Reports,
and General Drilling Procedures . . . . . . . . 294

Chapter 11 Instructions for Logging Soils 313

General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313
Formats for Test Pits and Auger Hole Logs 325
Format of Word Descriptions for Drill
Hole Logs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 333
Exceptions to Test Pit and Auger Hole
Format and Descriptions for Drill
Hole Logs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 339
Equipment Necessary for Preparing the
Field Log . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 347
Example Descriptions and Format . . . . . . . . 349
Laboratory Classifications in Addition to
Visual Classifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 349
Word Descriptions for Various Soil
Classifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 351
Reporting Laboratory Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 351
Special Cases for USCS Classification . . . . . 363
Reporting In-Place Density Tests . . . . . . . . . 364
Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 366

x
 CONTENTS

Page

Chapter 12 Hazardous Waste Site

Investigations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 367
General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 367
Common Terminology and Processes . . . . . . 368
Documentation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 369
Contaminant Characteristics and
Migration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 375
Classification and Handling of Materials . . 381
Field Sampling Protocol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 383
Sample Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 402
Safety at Hazardous Waste Sites . . . . . . . . . 405
Sample Quality Assurance and
Quality Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 406
Sample Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 410
Decontamination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 417

Appendix
Abbreviations and Acronyms Commonly
Used in Bureau of Reclamation
Engineering Geology and Related to
Hazardous Waste . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 419

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 433

TABLES

Table Page

2-1 Ground behavior for earth tunneling

with steel supports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
2-2 Useful conversion factors— metric and
English units (inch-pound) . . . . . . . . . 14
3-1 Basic group names, primary groups . . . 26

xi
 FIELD MANUAL

TABLES (continued)

Table Page

3-2 Basic group names, 5 to 12 percent

fines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
3-3 Criteria for describing dry strength . . . 31
3-4 Criteria for describing dilatancy . . . . . . 32
3-5 Criteria for describing toughness . . . . . 33
3-6 Criteria for describing plasticity . . . . . . 34
3-7 Identification of inorganic fine-grained
soils from manual tests . . . . . . . . . . . 36
3-8 Criteria for describing angularity of
coarse-grained particles . . . . . . . . . . . 41
3-9 Criteria for describing particle shape . . 42
3-10 Criteria for describing moisture
condition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
3-11 Criteria for describing reaction
with HCl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
3-12 Criteria for describing consistency of
in-place or undisturbed fine-grained
soils . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
3-13 Criteria for describing cementation . . . 44
3-14 Criteria for describing structure . . . . . . 45
3-15 Particle sizes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
3-16 Checklist for the description of soil
classification and identification . . . . . 48
3-17 Checklist for the description of in-place
conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
4-1 Igneous and metamorphic rock grain
size descriptors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
4-2 Sedimentary and pyroclastic rock
particle-size descriptors . . . . . . . . . . . 71
4-3 Bedding, foliation, or flow texture
descriptors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
4-4 Weathering descriptors . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
4-5 Durability index descriptors . . . . . . . . . 79

xii
 CONTENTS

TABLES (continued)

Table Page

4-6 Rock hardness/strength descriptors . . . 83

5-1 Fracture density descriptors . . . . . . . . . 97
5-2 Fracture spacing descriptors . . . . . . . . . 102
5-3 Fracture continuity descriptors . . . . . . . 102
5-4 Descriptors for recording fracture ends
in joint surveys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
5-5 Fracture openness descriptors . . . . . . . . 104
5-6 Fracture filling thickness descriptors . . 104
5-7 Fracture healing descriptors . . . . . . . . . 107
5-8 Fracture roughness descriptors . . . . . . . 109
5-9 Fracture moisture conditions
descriptors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
6-1 U.S. State plane coordinate systems –
1927 datum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
6-2 U.S. State plane coordinate systems –
1983 datum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
11-1 Checklist for the description of soils in
test pit and auger hole logs . . . . . . . . 326
12-1 EPA recommended sampling containers,
preservation requirements, and
holding times for soil samples . . . . . . 385
12-2 Summary of soil sampling devices . . . . 388
12-3 Common laboratory testing methods . . 404

FIGURES

Figure Page

3-1 Modifiers to basic soil group names . . . 22

3-2 Flow chart for inorganic fine-grained
soils, visual method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

xiii
 FIELD MANUAL

FIGURES (continued)

Figure Page

3-3 Flow chart for organic soils, visual

method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
3-4 Flow chart for coarse-grained soils,
visual method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
3-5 Plasticity chart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
3-6 Sample of test results summary . . . . . . 53
4-1 Field classification of igneous rocks . . . 60
4-2 Field classification of sedimentary
rocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
4-3 Field classification of metamorphic
rocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
4-4 Field classification of pyroclastic rocks . 63
4-5 Charts for estimating percentage of
composition of rocks and sediments . 64
4-6 Descriptor legend and explanation
example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
4-7 Permeability conversion chart . . . . . . . . 87
5-1 Rock Quality Designation (RQD)
computation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
5-2 Comparison of true and apparent
spacing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
5-3 Examples of roughness and waviness of
fracture surfaces, typical roughness
profiles, and terminology . . . . . . . . . . 108
5-4 Uniform shear zone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
5-5 Structured shear zone (two zones or
layers) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
5-6 Structured shear zone (three layers) . . 116
5-7 Uniform shear zone with veinlets . . . . . 116
5-8 Uniform shear zone (composite) . . . . . . 117
5-9 Standard descriptors and descriptive
criteria for discontinuities . . . . . . . . . 121

xiv
 CONTENTS

FIGURES (continued)

Figure Page

6-1 Process of engineering geology

mapping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
6-2 Sample trench log . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
6-3 Sample completed trench log . . . . . . . . . 165
6-4 Tunnel mapping form with key
alphanumeric descriptors and
mapping data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
6-5 Tunnel mapping form with blocks for
title and geologic data . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
6-6 As-built summary geology tunnel map . 179
6-7 Full periphery mapping method
layout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
6-8 Full periphery geologic map example . . 188
6-9 Map layout of a tunnel for geologic
mapping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
6-10 Relationship of planar feature trace to
map projections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
7-1 Equatorial equal area net . . . . . . . . . . . 209
7-2 Discontinuity log field sheet . . . . . . . . . 210
10-1 Drill hole log, DH-123 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
10-2 Drill hole log, B-102, for Standard
Penetration Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
10-3 Drill hole log, DH-SP-2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
10-4 Drill hole log, SPT-107-2 . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
10-5 Drill hole log, DH-DN/P-60-1 . . . . . . . . . 270
10-6 Daily drill report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292
10-7 Water testing record . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299
10-8 Use of half-round to protect core . . . . . . 301
10-9 Standard N-size core box . . . . . . . . . . . . 303
10-10 Log of concrete and rock core . . . . . . . . . 308
11-1 Log of test pit or auger hole . . . . . . . . . . 314
11-2 Clean coarse-grained soils . . . . . . . . . . . 315

xv
 FIELD MANUAL

FIGURES (continued)

Figure Page

11-3 Fine-grained soils . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 316

11-4 Soil classifications based on laboratory
test data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317
11-5 Auger hole with samples taken . . . . . . . 318
11-6 Reporting laboratory classification in
addition to visual classification . . . . . 319
11-7 Undisturbed soils . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 320
11-8 Coarse-grained soils with fines . . . . . . . 321
11-9 Coarse-grained soils with dual
symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 322
11-10 Reporting in-place density tests and
percent compaction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323
11-11 Soil with measured percentages of
cobbles and boulders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 324
11-12 Field form - soil logging . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329
11-13 Soil with more than 50 percent cobbles
and boulders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 334
11-14 Borderline soils . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335
11-15 Test pit with samples taken . . . . . . . . . 336
11-16 Disturbed samples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 337
11-17 Two descriptions from the same
horizon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 338
11-18 Drill hole advanced by tri-cone
rock bit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
11-19 Log showing poor recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 342
11-20 Log of landslide material (a) . . . . . . . . . 343
11-21 Log of landslide material (b) . . . . . . . . . 344
11-22 Log of bedrock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345
11-23 Geologic interpretation in test pit
(sheet 1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 350
11-24 Geologic interpretation in test pit
(sheet 2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 352

xvi
 CONTENTS

FIGURES (continued)

Figure Page

11-25 Geologic interpretation in test pit using

a geologic profile (1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 353
11-26 Geologic interpretation in test pit
(sheet 3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 354
11-27 Geologic interpretation in test pit
(sheet 4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 355
11-28 Geologic interpretation in test pit using
a geologic profile (2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 356
11-29 Geologic interpretation in test pit
(sheet 5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 357
11-30 Geologic interpretation in test pit
(sheet 6) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 358
11-31 Geologic interpretation in test pit
(sheet 7) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 359
11-32 Geologic interpretation in test pit
(sheet 8) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 360
11-33 Geologic interpretation in test pit using
a geologic profile (3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 361
12-1 Aquifer types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 379
12-2 Typical monitoring well construction for
water quality sampling . . . . . . . . . . . . 399
12-3 Soil and water sample identification
labels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 412
12-4 Chain-of-custody record . . . . . . . . . . . . . 413
12-5 Custody seal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 415

xvii