What is ISO 11277 about?
ISO 11277 specifies a basic method of determining the particle size distribution applicable to a wide range of mineral soil materials, including the mineral fraction of organic soils. It also offers procedures to deal with the less common soils mentioned in the introduction.
ISO 11277 has been developed largely for use in the field of environmental science, and its use in geotechnical investigations is something for which professional advice might be required.
Note: ISO 11277 does not apply to the determination of the particle size distribution of the organic components of soil, i.e. the more or less fragile, partially decomposed, remains of plants and animals.
Who is ISO 11277 for?
ISO 11277 on determination of soil quality by sieving and sedimentation methods is relevant to:
- Geotechnical engineers and investigators
- Land/site-inspection agencies
- Soil probing and exploration rigs manufacturers and suppliers
- Government disaster management departments
- Regulatory bodies
- Civil engineers
- Contractors
Why should you use ISO 11277?
The physical and chemical behaviour of soils is controlled in part by the amounts of mineral particles of different sizes in the soil. In this regard, ISO 11277 deals with the quantitative measurement of such amounts (expressed as a proportion or percentage of the total mass of the mineral soil) within specified size classes.
As soils change with behaviour based on moisture and drying, the processes in ISO 11277 acknowledge these types of variances between soils from different contexts, and the technique described is geared to deal with them in an organised manner. Such changes in soil behaviour can be significant, but recognition of them is largely dependent on local knowledge.
A major objective of ISO 11277 is the determination of enough size fractions to enable the construction of a reliable particle-size-distribution curve.
One of the intentions of ISO 11277 is that strict adherence to its specifics will assist you in minimizing interlaboratory variation in determining the particle size distribution of mineral soils.
ISO 11277 also covers best industry practice on field sampling that includes the necessary mass of soil sample to be taken for sampling and values for the maximum mass of material to be retained on each test sieve. Processes for dry and wet sieving and sedimentation are also indicated in ISO 11277.
As a result, you will be able to undertake an accurate and efficient assessment of the soil quality, the detailed information of which is crucial for land and site surveyors before foundation construction takes place.
What’s changed since the last update?
BS ISO 11277:2020 supersedes BS ISO 11277:2009, which is withdrawn. BS ISO 11277:2020 includes some technical changes with respect to BS ISO 11277:2009. These include:
- Alternative digestion methods were added
- A practical order of preparation steps was added
- References were updated
- Document has been editorially revised