Document: NRC Regulatory Guide
Document ID: 1859c547-c10c-4ce4-ad2e-e54f7b66d4ef
Document Type: regulatory_guide
Title: Laboratory Investigations of Soils and Rocks for Engineering Analysis and Design of Nuclear Power Plants + HISTORY – HISTORY 07/2014 – DG-1256 , Proposed Revision 3 08/2001 – DG-1109 , Proposed Revision 2 (Rev. 3)
Source: NRC Regulatory Guide Division 1
Source URL: https://www.nrc.gov/docs/ML1318/ML13186A032.pdf
Revision Date: 2023-06
Chapter: 
Section ID: RG-1.138
CFR Part: 
CFR Title: 

Content:
ory Facilities a. Laboratory facilities for soil and rock testing should include adequate test space, temperature controlled areas, and adequate ventilation and airflow. Separate areas, and preferably separate rooms, are desirable for dust- and vibration-producing activities such as sieve analyses, compaction tests, and sample processing. Normally, samples should be tested on arrival from the field, or as soon as possible. If storage is required, investigators should consider storing samples in a separate room with the relative humidity maintained at or near 100 percent. The facility should have the proper equipment necessary to perform the types of tests for which the facility is designed. 1.2. Laboratory Equipment a. When standard laboratory testing procedures are used, the test apparatus should conform to the published specifications. When the testing apparatus does not satisfy published specifications, investigators should supply a complete description of the essential characteristics of the apparatus with appropriate references to published papers, reports, or monographs. To ensure that essential characteristics (such as dimensions, mating of parts, piston friction, and fluid seals) are not significantly altered by wear, handling, corrosion, dirt, or deterioration of materials, all testing apparatus should be inspected and maintained regularly. For additional information, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Engineering Manual (EM) 1110-2-1906, “Laboratory Soils Testing” (Ref. 8), issued in 1986, Das (1992, Ref. 9), and Head (1992, Ref. 10) discuss the use and care of laboratory equipment in detail. American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Standard D4753, “Standard Specification for Evaluating, Selecting and Specifying Balances and Scales for Use in Soil, Rock, and Construction Materials Testing” (Ref. 11), describes specifications for balances and scales. In addition, Reference 7 contains valuable discussions of common problems, precautionary