Applies to QESTLab, QEST Web App

Contents

Overview

When a new batch of density sand is received or processed by the testing laboratory, it is required to be calibrated to determine its loose, bulk, density.

To record this density value and make it available to worksheets during testing, each batch of density sand can be assigned to a QESTLab consumable equipment item.

Description of Density Sand

The requirements of sands suitable for use as density sands, in sand replacement density tests, vary from test method to test method.

The key properties are that the sand particles need to be strong and durable, free from fine particles (such as silt and clay) and organic matter, free-flowing, and small enough to fill the voids in the side of the excavated hole.

Because test method requirements overlap, a clean, natural, silica sand made up of particles passing the 600 μm sieve and retained on the 300 μm sieve would satisfy the needs of most test methods.

The Equipment Type

It probably seems odd that a material such as density sand should be considered to be a type of equipment item.

The concept of a “consumable equipment type” was first implemented in QESTLab to cater for the common practice in the USA of using “one-shot” or single use molds for concrete.

This concept was extended to density sand to provide the ability to import the batch calibration bulk density value directly into the field density tests, thereby avoiding issues related to the need to enter it manually.

Bulk density sand uses the QESTLab consumable equipment item of the type Sand - Bulk Density (30157).

New batches of density sand are added in the same way as any other equipment item.

Availability

Not all QEST Platform sand replacement field density tests can use this equipment item.

Those that do not use it require the sand density value to be entered directly on the screen or worksheet.

Managing Density Sand Batches

Over time, the size of the Sand Batch list on the worksheet will grow, as new batches are added.

To manage this, once a batch of density sand has been used up, or is no longer required, the associated equipment item should be marked as Not in Service.

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