1、BSI Standards PublicationBS 3882:2015Specification for topsoilPublishing and copyright informationThe BSI copyright notice displayed in this document indicates when the documentwas last issued. The British Standards Institution 2015Published by BSI Standards Limited 2015ISBN 978 0 580 85949 6ICS 13.
2、080.01; 93.020The following BSI references relate to the work on this document:Committee reference AW/20Draft for comment 14/30297814 DCPublication historyFirst published April 1965Second edition October 1994Third edition November 2007Fourth (current) edition April 2015Amendments issued since public
3、ationDate Text affectedBS 3882:2015 BRITISH STANDARDContentsForeword iiiIntroduction 11 Scope 12 Normative references 23 Terms and definitions 24 Topsoil classification and characteristics 35 Sampling of topsoil 76 Information to be provided by the supplier to the purchaser 9AnnexesAnnex A (informat
4、ive) Recommendations for stripping, handling and preparingtopsoil 10Annex B (informative) Information and guidance on low fertility topsoils 13Annex C (normative) Method of sample reduction and preparation 13Annex D (normative) Determination of mass loss on ignition 13Annex E (normative) Determinati
5、on of mineral carbonate content of soil (ascalcium carbonate) 15Annex F (normative) Determination of the extractable phosphate content ofsoil 17Annex G (normative) Extraction of exchangeable cations in soil 20Annex H (normative) Determination of the specific electrical conductivity of acalcium sulfa
6、te extract of soil 21Annex I (normative) Determination of laboratory density of soil 23Annex J (normative) Method for determining visible contaminants andsharps 24Bibliography 26List of figuresFigure1Textural classification (limiting percentages of sand, silt and clay sizedparticles for the mineral
7、texture class) and the area of textures that areacceptable within BS 3882:2015 8Figure A.1 Preferred method of stripping topsoil 11Figure A.2 The loose tipping method for placing topsoil, including subsoilloosening 12List of tablesTable1Topsoil characteristics 5Table A.1 Recommended maximum stone si
8、ze for different land uses 12Summary of pagesThis document comprises a front cover, an inside front cover, pages i to iv,pages 1 to 26, an inside back cover and a back cover.BRITISH STANDARD BS 3882:2015 The British Standards Institution 2015 iBRITISH STANDARDBS 3882:2015ii The British Standards Ins
9、titution 2015ForewordPublishing informationThis British Standard is published by BSI Standards Limited, under licence fromThe British Standards Institution, and came into effect on 30 April 2015. It wasprepared by Technical Committee AW/20, Topsoil, other growing media and turf.A list of organizatio
10、ns represented on this committee can be obtained onrequest to its secretary.SupersessionThis British Standard supersedes BS 3882:2007, which is withdrawn.Relationship with other publicationsThis British Standard is intended to complement BS 8601 which specifies subsoil.Information about this documen
11、tThis is a full revision of the standard to bring it up to date and to make itcomplementary to the new British Standard for subsoil, BS 8601.Test laboratory accreditation. Users of this British Standard are advised toconsider the desirability of selecting test laboratories that are accredited to BSE
12、N ISO/IEC 17025 by a national or international accreditation body.Use of this documentIt has been assumed in the preparation of this British Standard that theexecution of its provisions will be entrusted to appropriately qualified andexperienced people, for whose use it has been produced.Hazard warn
13、ingsWARNING. This British Standard calls for the use of substances and/orprocedures that can be injurious to health if adequate precautions are nottaken. It refers only to technical suitability and does not absolve the userfrom legal obligations relating to health and safety at any stage.Presentatio
14、nal conventionsThe provisions of this standard are presented in roman (i.e. upright) type. Itsrequirements are expressed in sentences in which the principal auxiliary verb is“shall”.Commentary, explanation and general informative material is presented insmaller italic type, and does not constitute a
15、 normative element.Requirements in this standard are drafted in accordance with Rules for thestructure and drafting of UK standards, subclause J.1.1, which states,“Requirements should be expressed using wording such as: When tested asdescribed in Annex A, the product shall .”. This means that only t
16、hose productsthat are capable of passing the specified test will be deemed to conform to thisstandard.Contractual and legal considerationsThis publication does not purport to include all the necessary provisions of acontract. Users are responsible for its correct application.Compliance with a Britis
17、h Standard cannot confer immunity from legalobligations.BRITISH STANDARD BS 3882:2015 The British Standards Institution 2015 iiiParticular attention is drawn to: Schedule 9 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 1 The Environmental Protection Act 1990 (EPA) 2 The National Planning Policy Framework
18、 (NPPF) 3 Contaminated Land Exposure Assessment (CLEA) model (EA/DEFRA:2009) SoilGuideline Values 4 Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH)/Land QualityManagement (LQM) Generic assessment criteria for human health riskassessment (2nd Edition, 2009) 5 The Waste Management Licensing Regulat
19、ions 1994 (as amended) 6 Definition of waste: Development industry code of practice (GuidanceBulletin GB 03, CL:AIRE, 2011) 7BRITISH STANDARDBS 3882:2015iv The British Standards Institution 2015IntroductionTopsoil is an important component of most landscape projects such as gardens,civil engineering
20、, sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) and reclamation sites,where it provides the function of supporting the growth of vegetation. It doesthis by providing an anchorage for plant roots, by slowly releasing nutrients, byproviding oxygen, by draining excess water whilst delaying/retarding runoff andby
21、 retaining moisture to sustain plant growth during dry periods. Theunderlying subsoil or other substrate can provide additional rooting depth,moisture storage and drainage.Topsoil can be both naturally occurring and manufactured. Naturally occurringtopsoil is the product of dynamic chemical, physica
22、l and biological processesacting on weathered mineral matter. Topsoil can also be manufactured bycombining organic matter, mineral material with additional lime and/orfertilizer, as appropriate, to provide a medium that (with the same chemical,physical and biological processes) can develop propertie
23、s similar tonaturally-occurring topsoil.During natural soil formation, organic matter (typically from decayingvegetation) becomes incorporated by biological activity into the surface layers toform a (characteristically) darkened topsoil over a lighter subsoil, the lattertypically of lower organic co
24、ntent and fertility. In many places this process hasbecome modified by human intervention through cultivation and/or by theaddition of fertilizer and organic materials.Topsoil is a dynamic and fragile material, which when managed appropriately,fulfils its function, but is easily damaged by mishandli
25、ng. It is important thattopsoil is lifted, transported, stored and spread carefully over a non-compactsubstrate. Damage during handling can result in a rapid deterioration in thefunctions topsoil provides.NOTE 1 Transporting soil involves mechanical handling, i.e. excavation, loading,transport and d
26、istribution on site. Not all naturally occurring topsoils would survivesuch handling and retain the ability to develop into an acceptable soil in areasonable time at the new site, even though in their undisturbed, naturallyoccurring condition they might be very productive and capable of sustaining p
27、lantgrowth over long periods of time. For example, clay textured soil could be veryproductive in situ but its structure might suffer damage during stripping (or otherhandling activities) that could only be reversed by years of careful management.NOTE 2 In the context of soil profile construction, th
28、e subsoil is also an importantmedium for root growth, since it provides reserves of water and available plantnutrients and mechanical anchorage, and for SuDS.1 ScopeThis British Standard specifies requirements for the classification andcomposition of natural and manufactured topsoils that are moved
29、or traded forcreating soil profiles intended to support plant growth. The standard is notapplicable to subsoil, or to topsoil that is to remain in situ, however, it is notintended to preclude the use of topsoil that is already on site and suitable for itsintended purpose. This standard specifies req
30、uirements for multipurpose topsoil,which is fit for the majority of needs, and also specific purpose topsoils thathave low fertility or are acidic or calcareous, for specialist use where low fertilityor acidic or calcareous soil profiles are required. It also specifies requirements forsampling and a
31、nalysis of topsoil.NOTE Recommendations for the stripping, handling and trafficking of topsoil aregiven in Annex A.BRITISH STANDARD BS 3882:2015 The British Standards Institution 2015 12 Normative referencesStandards publicationsThe following documents, in whole or in part, are normatively reference
32、d in thisdocument and are indispensable for its application. For dated references, onlythe edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of thereferenced document (including any amendments) applies.BS 7755-3.7:1995, Soil quality Part 3: Chemical methods Section 3.7:Determination
33、of total nitrogen Modified Kjeldahl methodBS EN 12579:2013, Soil improvers and growing media SamplingBS EN ISO 3696:1995, Water for analytical laboratory use Specification and testmethodsBS ISO 10390:2005, Soil quality Determination of pHBS ISO 11277:2009, Soil quality Determination of particle size
34、 distribution inmineral soil material Method by sieving and sedimentationBS ISO 16729:2013, Soil quality Determination of nitric acid soluble fractions ofelementsOther publicationsN1DEPARTMENT FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS. Constructioncode of practice for the sustainable use of soils on c
35、onstruction sites.London: DEFRA, 2009.3 Terms and definitionsFor the purposes of this British Standard the following terms and definitionsapply.3.1 topsoiltop layer of soil, darker in colour and with more organic matter than the layerbelow (subsoil), or manufactured soil with similar propertiesNOTE
36、The thickness of a natural topsoil varies with land use and management.3.2 subsoilsoil layer extending between the topsoil and the little weathered parentmaterial below, or material that functions in the same way in a constructed soilprofile and on to which topsoil can be spreadNOTE Usually subsoil
37、has a lower concentration of organic matter and availableplant nutrients than topsoil.3.3 soil textureproportion by mass of sand, silt and clay sized particles in the mineral fraction ofthe 2mm20mm50mm30 10 030 10 030 10 030 10 030 10 030 10 0BSISO11277Masslossonignition%B)Clay5%to20%Clay20%to35%3to
38、205to203to305to303to205to202to202to202to302to302to202to20AnnexDSoilpH(measuredinwater)5.5to8.53.5to5.57.5to9.03.5to9.03.5to5.57.5to9.0BSISO10390Carbonate%m/m11AnnexEPlantnutrientcontentTotalnitrogen%m/mExtractablephosphatemg/LExtractablepotassiummg/LExtractablemagnesiummg/L0.15 16to140121to150051to6
39、000.15 16to140121to150051to6000.15 16to140121to150051to600C)20 C)20 C)20 AnnexFandBS7755-3.7AnnexGandAnnexIAnnexGandAnnexIAnnexICarbon:nitrogenratioD)E)7.0Zn(Nitricacidextractable)Cu(Nitricacidextractable)Ni(Nitricacidextractable)0.15%canaidtheinitialestablishmentofplants.dependsonthebioavailability
40、ofthecarbonandthenitrogen.D)Thecarbonnitrogenratiogivesanindicationofthepotentialforsoiltoreleasenitrogenforplantgrowth.ThepotentialtoreleaseorimmobilizenitrogenalsoE)Excludingveryacidicsoil(pH2 mm, 20 mm and50 mm;k) mass loss on ignition;l) pH of the topsoil (see 3.6) measured in water;m) for speci
41、fic purpose calcareous topsoil, the carbonate content;n) total nitrogen;o) extractable phosphate, potassium and magnesium;p) carbon:nitrogen ratio;q) topsoil electrical conductivity;r) content of potentially phytotoxic elements (see 3.7), i.e. nitric acidextractable zinc, copper and nickel;s) conten
42、t of visible contaminants 2 mm (see 3.8):t) plastics;u) sharps (see 3.9).1)Marking BS 3882:2015 on or in relation to a product represents a manufacturers orsuppliers declaration of conformity, i.e. a claim by or on behalf of the manufactureror supplier that the product meets the requirements of the
43、standard. The accuracy ofthe claim is solely the claimants responsibility. Such a declaration is not to beconfused with third-party certification of conformity.BRITISH STANDARD BS 3882:2015 The British Standards Institution 2015 9Annex A(informative)Recommendations for stripping, handling andprepari
44、ng topsoilA.1 GeneralSoils generally lose strength and become less resistant to damage as theybecome wetter; therefore, it is essential that they are stripped, handled andtrafficked only in the appropriate conditions of weather and soil moisture, andwith suitable machinery. If sustained heavy rainfa
45、ll (e.g. 10 mm in 24 h) occursduring soil stripping operations, work should be suspended and not restarteduntil the ground has had at least one dry day or until a suitable moisturecontent has been reached. A soil can be considered to have a suitable moisturecontent for stripping and handling if the
46、whole thickness of the topsoil layerbeing stripped and/or handled is at a moisture content below the plastic limit asdetermined in accordance with BS 1377-2.Machinery should be selected and routed to minimize soil compaction.Topsoil should not be stripped, handled or trafficked: in a waterlogged con
47、dition; when the ground is frozen or covered by snow; or when there are pools of water on the ground surface.To minimize risks of damage to the soil structure, whenever possible, soil shouldbe moved directly from where it is stripped or manufactured to the receptorland.NOTE 1 Multiple handling of so
48、il materials increases the risk of damage to the soilstructure.At the commencement of work on a site, topsoil should be stripped from allareas that are to be disturbed by construction activities or driven over byvehicles.Stripping should be done by earthmoving plant that is appropriate to the size o
49、fthe site, the volume of soil to be stripped and the haul distances.NOTE 2 The selection of appropriate equipment and work practices is alsoimportant because mishandling topsoil can have an adverse effect on its properties,especially the permeability, which can result in waterlogging, reduce recharge ofunderlying aquifers, and increase the risk of flooding and off-site discharges whichcan breach water discharge consents.The operation should follow a detailed stripping plan showing soil units to best
