What is ISO 15176- Characterization of excavated soil about?
ISO 15176 discusses excavated soil and other materials intended for re-use. ISO 15176 provides guidance on the range of tests that could be necessary to characterize soil and other soil materials intended to be re-used, with or without preliminary treatment (e.g., screening to remove over large material). ISO 15176 is intended to be of use in determining the suitability of soil materials for re-use and the assessment of the environmental impacts that might arise from re-use. ISO 15176 takes into account the different requirements of topsoil, sub-soil, and other soil materials such as sediments or treated soils.
Soil materials include natural soils and other materials (e.g., fill, made ground) excavated, stripped, or otherwise removed from their original in-ground or above-ground location (e.g., stockpile), dredged materials, manufactured soils, and soil treated to remove or destroy contaminants. For manufactured soils, which are often made using excavated materials together with other materials such as “green waste”, the characteristics of the components and of the manufactured product might need to be determined.
Note: Radiochemical and geotechnical aspects are not covered.
Who is ISO 15176- Characterization of excavated soil for?
ISO 15176 on the characterization of excavated soil is useful for:
- Constructors / builders
- Road and rail constructors
- Ecologists and conservationists
- Soil testing laboratories
- Landowners
Why should you use ISO 15176- Characterization of excavated soil?
Soils are the dynamic product of chemical, physical, and biological processes. They are the result of interactions between the inherent nature of the parent material, the prevailing environmental conditions, and human activities.
ISO 15176 is one of a series providing guidance on the assessment of soils and soil materials in relation to certain functions and uses. It should be read in conjunction with other International Standards, some of which give more specific guidance in relation to some of the uses listed in the Scope or particular aspects of assessments.
ISO 15176 identifies the functions and properties of soil materials at the source (point of origin) and also the properties of the target (target) site which could be relevant to the potential uses listed in the Scope and indicates for which parameters or procedures there are International Standards available. Using ISO 15176 guidelines in conjunction with other relevant standards, you can decide the appropriate use for the soil in question.
What’s changed since the last update?
BS ISO 15176:2019 supersedes ISO 15176:2002, which is withdrawn. BS ISO 15176:2019 includes some technical changes with respect to ISO 15176:2002.
These include:
- Introduction of references to the ISO 18400 series of standards
- Updated references to International Standards
