1、Designation: D 5715 00 (Reapproved 2006)Standard Test Method forEstimating the Degree of Humification of Peat and OtherOrganic Soils (Visual/Manual Method)1This standard is issued under the fixed designation D 5715; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year oforiginal adopt
2、ion or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. Asuperscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.1. Scope*1.1 This test method covers a system for visually discrimi-nating peat and
3、other highly organic soils on the basis of degreeof humification.1.2 This standard does not purport to address all of thesafety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is theresponsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-priate safety and health practices and determine the appl
4、ica-bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.2. Referenced Documents2.1 ASTM Standards:2D 653 Terminology Relating to Soil, Rock, and ContainedFluidsD 2974 Test Methods for Moisture, Ash, and Organic Mat-ter of Peat and Other Organic SoilsD 3740 Practice for Minimum Requirements for AgenciesEng
5、aged in the Testing and/or Inspection of Soil and Rockas Used in Engineering Design and ConstructionD 4427 Classification of Peat Samples by Laboratory Test-ing3. Terminology3.1 Definitions:3.1.1 For common definitions of terms in this test method,refer to Terminology D 653.3.1.2 degree of humificat
6、ionas defined by this test methodrefers to any one of ten categories (indicated by the letter “H”),with H1 being the least humified and H10 being the mosthumified. In general, the term humification relates to the degreeof biochemical decomposition of original starting plant com-ponents. However, thi
7、s terminology actually refers to thepresent visual composition of the peat and highly organic soilsregardless of the genesis of this composition.3.1.3 organic soilssoil with a high organic content. Ingeneral, organic soils are very compressible and have poor loadsustaining properties.3.1.4 peata nat
8、urally-occurring highly organic substancederived primarily from plant materials. Peat is distinguishedfrom other organic soil materials by its lower ash content (lessthan 25 % ash by dry mass-see Test Method D 2974) and fromother phytogenic material of higher rank (that is, lignite coal)by its lower
9、 calorific value on a water saturated basis.4. Significance and Use4.1 The purpose of this test method is to standardize theroutine description of peat and other organic soils for varioususes (such as, peatland inventories and resource evaluations).This test method is a modified version of a widely
10、used systemoriginally developed by L. von Post.3This test method shouldbe used to supplement other field information, such as, sitelocation, surface morphology, surface vegetation, water table,moisture content, fiber content, wood content, and visuallyidentifiable plant types and parts.4.2 It should
11、 be stressed that this is a visual/manual methodand is not meant to replace the more precise method oflaboratory classification of peat (see Classification D 4427). Itshould also be noted that this test method is independent of thedetermination of whether a particular deposit contains peat thatis de
12、fined in Classification D 4427 on the basis of laboratorydetermination of ash content (see Test Method D 2974).NOTE 1The quality of the result produced by this test method isdependent on the competence of the personnel performing it, and thesuitability of the equipment and facilities used. Agencies
13、that meet thecriteria of Practice D 3740 are generally considered capable of competentand objective testing/sampling/inspection/etc. Users of this test methodare cautioned that compliance with Practice D 3740 does not in itselfassure reliable results. Reliable results depend on many factors; Practic
14、eD 3740 provides a means of evaluating some of those factors.5. Procedure5.1 The sample used for this test method can be collected byany of a number of means as long as it still retains its originalin-situ composition (that is, moisture as well as solid compo-nents). In practice the sample is usuall
15、y collected using a1This test method is under the jurisdiction ofASTM Committee D18 on Soil andRock and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D18.22 on Soil as a Mediumfor Plant Growth.Current edition approved Nov. 1, 2006. Published December 2006. Originallyapproved in 1995. Last previous ed
16、ition approved in 2000 as D 5715 00.2For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, orcontact ASTM Customer Service at serviceastm.org. For Annual Book of ASTMStandards volume information, refer to the standards Document Summary page onthe ASTM website.3von Post, L., “Sveriges
17、Geologiska Undersoknings Torvinventering Och Nagreav Dess Hittills Vunna Resultat,” Sr. Mosskulturfor. Tidskr, 1, 1992, pp. 127.1*A Summary of Changes section appears at the end of this standard.Copyright ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, Unite
18、d States.Macaulay Sampler, Hiller Borer, or similar field reconnais-sance peat sample; but, it may be collected by more sophisti-cated piston coring devices or simply as a grab sample (that is,by hand) or a block sample.5.2 A representative sample is picked up with the hand andsqueezed firmly. The c
19、olor of the water expelled between thefingers upon squeezing the sample or the amount of amorphousmatter expelled is used (along with the intactness of theoriginal plant components), or both, to place the peat into oneof the categories described below.6. Basis for Classification6.1 H1Completely unde
20、composed peat that, whensqueezed, releases almost clear water. Plant remains are intactand easily identifiable. No amorphous material is present.6.2 H2Almost completely undecomposed peat that, whensqueezed, releases yellowish water. Plant remains are stillrelatively intact. No amorphous material is
21、present.6.3 H3Very slightly decomposed peat that, whensqueezed, releases turbid brown water, but in which noamorphous peat passes between the fingers.6.4 H4Slightly decomposed peat that, when squeezed,releases very dark water. No peat passes between the fingersbut the plant remains are somewhat visi
22、bly altered and lessdistinct. The residue left in hand appears slightly pasty.6.5 H5Moderately decomposed peat that, when squeezed,releases through the fingers very turbid water containing asmall amount of amorphous granular peat. The residue remain-ing in hand is strongly pasty in consistency and t
23、he tissues ofthe original source plants are difficult to recognize.6.6 H6Moderately decomposed peat that, when squeezed,releases through the fingers about one-third of the peat. Theresidue remaining after squeezing is strongly pasty. Very littleplant structure is visible before squeezing; but, some
24、smallamount of intact debris becomes more visible after squeezing.6.7 H7Strongly decomposed peat that, when squeezed,releases through the fingers about one-half of the peat. Thewater released, if any, is very dark and pasty. The residueremaining after squeezing is primarily composed of amorphousmate
25、rial with little recognizable plant tissue.6.8 H8Very strongly decomposed peat that, whensqueezed, releases through the fingers about two-thirds of thepeat. The water released, if any, is very dark and pasty. Theresidue remaining after squeezing is primarily composed ofamorphous material with very l
26、ittle intact plant tissue.6.9 H9Almost completely decomposed peat that, whensqueezed, almost entirely releases through the fingers as afairly uniform dark paste. Almost no recognizable plant struc-tures are evident in the residue.6.10 H10Completely decomposed peat containing no dis-cernible plant ti
27、ssues. When squeezed, all of the peat releasesthrough the fingers as a uniform dark paste.6.11 Table 1 summarizes the von Post System3and can beused to identify the degree of humification. Peats whose degreeof humification ranges from H1 to H3 have been described asfibrous peat for geotechnical appl
28、ications (fibric for otherpurposes). Materials that lie in the range H4 to H10 have beendescribed as amorphous peat or highly organic soil for geo-technical applications (H4 to H6 hemic and H7 to H10 sapricfor other purposes). For more precise classification of peatsamples, follow the procedures des
29、cribed in ClassificationD 4427.7. Precision and Bias7.1 PrecisionTest data on precision is not presented dueto the nature of the soil materials tested by this test method. Itis either not feasible or too costly at this time to have ten ormore laboratories participate in a round-robin testing program
30、.Also, it is either not feasible or too costly to produce multiplespecimens that have uniform physical properties.Any variationobserved in the data is just as likely to be due to specimenvariation as to operator or laboratory testing variation.7.2 BiasThere is no accepted reference value for this te
31、stmethod, therefore, bias cannot be determined.8. Keywords8.1 classification; decomposition; humification; organic ma-terials; peat; von PostTABLE 1 Determination of Degree of Humification orDecompositionDegree ofHumificationNature of MaterialExtruded on SqueezingNature of Plant Structure inResidueH
32、1 Clear, colorless water; no organicsolids squeezed outUnaltered, fibrous,undecomposedH2 Yellowish water; no organicsolids squeezed outAlmost unaltered, fibrousH3 Brown, turbid water; noorganic solids squeezedoutEasily identifiableH4 Dark brown, turbid water; noorganic solids squeezedoutVisibly alte
33、red butidentifiableH5 Turbid water and some organicsolids squeezed outRecognizable but vague,difficult to identifyH6 Turbid water;13 of samplesqueezed outIndistinct, pastyH7 Very turbid water;12 of samplesqueezed outFaintly recognizable; fewremains identifiable,mostly amorphousH8 Thick and pasty;23
34、of samplesqueezed outVery indistinctH9 No free water; nearly all of samplesqueezed outNo identifiable remainsH10 No free water; all of samplesqueezed outCompletely amorphousD 5715 00 (2006)2SUMMARY OF CHANGESIn accordance with Committee D18 policy, this section identifies the location of changes to
35、this test methodsince the last edition (95) that may impact the use of the test method.(1) Section 2.1 Inserted references to D 653 and D 3740.(2) Section 3 Inserted reference to D 653 for terms.Renumbered subsequent sections as needed.(3) Section 4.2 Inserted as Note 1 standard reference toD 3740.(
36、4) Section 7 Updated precision and bias statements.(5) Added Summary of Changes section.(6) Corrected headquarters address for ASTM.ASTM International takes no position respecting the validity of any patent rights asserted in connection with any item mentionedin this standard. Users of this standard
37、 are expressly advised that determination of the validity of any such patent rights, and the riskof infringement of such rights, are entirely their own responsibility.This standard is subject to revision at any time by the responsible technical committee and must be reviewed every five years andif n
38、ot revised, either reapproved or withdrawn. Your comments are invited either for revision of this standard or for additional standardsand should be addressed to ASTM International Headquarters. Your comments will receive careful consideration at a meeting of theresponsible technical committee, which
39、 you may attend. If you feel that your comments have not received a fair hearing you shouldmake your views known to the ASTM Committee on Standards, at the address shown below.This standard is copyrighted by ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959,United States. Individual reprints (single or multiple copies) of this standard may be obtained by contacting ASTM at the aboveaddress or at 610-832-9585 (phone), 610-832-9555 (fax), or serviceastm.org (e-mail); or through the ASTM website(www.astm.org).D 5715 00 (2006)3
