International Standardisation of Ground Investigation and Testing Methods

Abstract

Three committees of the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) and European Committee for Standardisation (CEN) prepare common standards on equipment and methods used for soil and rock identification, drilling, sampling, field and laboratory testing of rock and soil as well as groundwater measurements as part of the ground and site investigation services. These standards for investigation and testing are important for the safety of infrastructures, e. g. such as roads, bridges, canals, railways, airfields, harbours, tunnels, sewer and communication lines and other structures, e.g. buildings dams. They also facilitate the development of a common global market for the free trade of services and equipment for geotechnical investigation and testing. The standardisation in this field also leads to an apparent cost reduction in the building market.