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Establish characteristics of soils for engineering purposes
Level
4
Credits
9
Purpose
People credited with this unit standard are able to: prepare a soil testing
programme; carry out site investigations including drilling and sampling
methods; prepare and maintain field records of testing and observations;
evaluate soil performance characteristics at project sites; take soil samples;
complete laboratory testing of soil samples; and comply with site safety
requirements.
Subfield
Civil Engineering
Domain
Civil Engineering - Generic
Status
Registered
Status date
24 February 1998
Date version published
18 December 2006
Planned review date
31 December 2008
Entry information
Open.
Accreditation
Evaluation of documentation and visit by NZQA and
industry.
Standard setting body (SSB)
Infrastructure ITO
Accreditation and Moderation Action Plan (AMAP) reference
0101
This AMAP can be accessed at http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/framework/search/index.do.
Special notes
1
The credit value for this unit standard has been calculated on the basis that people
seeking credit have acquired knowledge and understanding of the engineering
principles involved.
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
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2
Reference documents and standards relevant to this unit standard include but are not
limited to: Guideline for the Field Classification and Description of Soil and Rock for
Engineering Purposes, New Zealand Geotechnical Society, December 2005; BS
5930:1999 Code of practice for site investigations (partially replaced by BS EN ISO
14688-2:2004 Geotechnical investigation and testing. Identification and classification
of soil. Principles for a classification); NZS 4402:1TO7:1986 Methods of testing soils
for civil engineering purposes – Soil Tests.
3
The following apply to the performance of all elements in this unit standard:
a
all activities are to be completed and reported within agreed timeframes and
delegated authority;
b
all work practices must meet worksite’s documented quality management
requirements. This includes documentation of activities, events, assumptions,
and decisions;
c
all communications must be made in accordance with the organisation’s
documented procedures for content, recipient, timing, and method;
d
all activities must comply with any policies, procedures, and requirements of the
organisations involved; the ethical codes and standards relevant to professional
bodies; and any relevant cultural, legislative and/or regulatory requirements,
which can include but are not limited to: the Treaty of Waitangi, Health and
Safety in Employment Act 1992, Resource Management Act 1991, Building Act
2004, Copyright Act 1994, Contracts Enforcement Act 1956, and their
subsequent amendments and regulations.
Elements and performance criteria
Element 1
Prepare a soil testing programme.
Performance criteria
1.1
Programme requirements are established in accordance with organisation’s
requirements, BS 5930:1999, and geotechnical field notes.
Range
1.2
Positions and levels of soils investigation are located in accordance with design
requirements.
Range
1.3
preliminary plans, site layout and conditions, scope, budget,
equipment, personnel, contingency plan.
three dimensions.
Resource management consents are obtained in accordance with controlling
authority requirements.
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
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Element 2
Carry out site investigations including drilling and sampling methods.
Performance criteria
2.1
Site investigations are carried out using equipment specified by the project
manager and in accordance with NZS 4402.1TO7:1986 and BS 5930:1999.
2.2
Equipment is operated in accordance with manufacturer's recommendations,
NZS 4402.1TO7:1986 and BS 5930:1999.
Range
2.3
hand auger, scala penetrometer, shear vane, cone penetration
test, piezometer.
Operation of equipment is supervised to ensure that samples and records are
obtained as required by the project manager.
Range
excavator, motorised drilling rig.
Element 3
Prepare and maintain field records of testing and observations.
Performance criteria
3.1
Field testing and observations are recorded in accordance with organisation’s
requirements.
Element 4
Evaluate soil performance characteristics at project sites.
Performance criteria
4.1
Site soils are classified in accordance with organisation’s requirements.
4.2
Soil performance at project site is evaluated in accordance with soil
classification and project requirements.
Element 5
Take soil samples.
Performance criteria
5.1
Samples are collected as specified by the project manager.
5.2
Samples are stored and transported as specified in Geotechnical Field Notes.
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
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Element 6
Complete laboratory testing of soil samples.
Performance criteria
6.1
Soils are classified, based on laboratory test results in accordance with the
requirements of NZS 4402.
Range
including but not limited to – unconfined compressive strength,
compaction, grading by sieve analysis, plasticity, solid density,
water content, pH analysis.
Element 7
Comply with site safety requirements.
Performance criteria
7.1
All operations are carried out in accordance with site safety plan and legislative
requirements.
Please note
Providers must be accredited by the Qualifications Authority, or an inter-institutional body
with delegated authority for quality assurance, before they can report credits from
assessment against unit standards or deliver courses of study leading to that assessment.
Industry Training Organisations must be accredited by the Qualifications Authority before
they can register credits from assessment against unit standards.
Accredited providers and Industry Training Organisations assessing against unit standards
must engage with the moderation system that applies to those standards.
Accreditation requirements and an outline of the moderation system that applies to this
standard are outlined in the Accreditation and Moderation Action Plan (AMAP). The
AMAP also includes useful information about special requirements for organisations
wishing to develop education and training programmes, such as minimum qualifications for
tutors and assessors, and special resource requirements.
Comments on this unit standard
Please contact Infrastructure ITO askus@infratrain.co.nz if you wish to suggest changes to
the content of this unit standard.
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016