What are the Benefits of Pit Digging?

by | Nov 8, 2022

Prior to any construction work taking place, it must first be determined whether the proposed building is feasible or otherwise! This requires excavating a trial pit to analyse the ground conditions and soil composition. Pit digging is simple, yet cost-effective, and it’s a method that has been used by Borehole Solutions countless times.

Are you wondering if you require a trial pit? The team at Borehole Solutions have put together this blog to help answer your questions!

What is a Trial Pit?

In simple terms, trial pits are between 1 and 4 metres deep and are often dug by hand. For larger pits, a small digger may be required. Any pit that is deeper than 1.2 metres must have structural measures put in place to ensure the structure is supported. If underground features, including electric cabling or gas pipelines, are below, then the means of excavation must be by hand.

What are the Benefits?

The digging of trial pits is very common within the geotechnical industry, but this is of no surprise considering the benefits of the process. There are a number of advantages to pit digging, including the following…

Flexibility and Results

Pit digging enables many different samples, both disturbed and undisturbed, to be collected. There are various sampling methods available, such as vane shear tests, infiltration tests and contamination tests. Following the excavation, an initial soil strata profiling test can be carried out. The results from this tend to be comprehensive, not to mention crucial for potential contractors! Another benefit is that both vertical and lateral subsurface samples can be taken, again showcasing the versatility of these simplistic pits.

Real-time changes to the sampling strategy can also be conducted fairly easily. This is ideal as the overall site plan will not need to be drastically overhauled. Furthermore, any trial pit dug by hand will usually be reinstated once the sampling is complete.

Cost-Effective

Trial pits are one of the most practical site investigation methods available to geotechnical drilling companies. In terms of the equipment used, the lack of machinery means you will save on transport costs and fuel! Moreover, as pit digging is so simple, it can certainly be carried out in one working day. It’s certainly a much quicker technique compared to sonic drilling, cable percussive drilling and window sampling.

Contact Borehole Solutions

Borehole Solutions have become recognised as a leading provider of geotechnical drilling services across the UK over the last decade. Our trial pit digging services help provide clients with the information they require quickly and efficiently prior to construction work taking place. If you would like to find out more information about our digging services, then please get in touch today! Contact us on 01733 200501 or email us at info@boreholesolutions.com.