Trial pit
A trial pit (also known as a test pit) is a type of intrusive ground investigation that is used as a means of determining the condition of the ground, typically before beginning construction works.
Trial pits are commonly used to investigate shallow ground conditions to develop an understanding of the profile of soils within the ground. They can be particularly useful where buried structures, variable conditions or contamination is suspected or needs further investigation.
They can be excavated by hand or using a backhoe excavator, generally to a depth of up to 3.5-4.5 m. If a trial pit is deeper than 1.2 m and is intended to be entered by people, it should be made secure against the possibility of structural collapse.
Trial pits (or trenches) can be more cost-effective than boreholes but they cannot reach the same depth. Trial pits can also excavated relatively quickly. However, they can cause significant surface disturbance and it can be difficult to properly fill excavations when the pit is no longer needed.
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