The Unit Weight of Soil refers to the weight of one unit of a particular soil. The weight of soil varies with type and moisture content. One cubic foot of soil can weigh from 110 pounds to 140 pounds or more, and one cubic meter (35.3 cubic feet) of soil can weigh more than 3,000 pounds.
OSHA categorizes soil and rock deposits into four types:
- Stable Rock is natural solid mineral matter that can be excavated with vertical sides and remain intact while exposed.
- Type A Soils are cohesive soils with an unconfined compressive strength of 1.5 tons per square foot (tsf) (144 kPa) or greater.
- Type B Soils are cohesive soils with an unconfined compressive strength greater than 0.5 tsf (48 kPa) but less than 1.5 tsf (144 kPa).
- Type C Soils are cohesive soils with an unconfined compressive strength of 0.5 tsf (48 kPa) or less.
For additional information, see OSHA Technical Manual (OTM) Section III: Overview: Soil Mechanics.
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As 45 years of experience as an underground/site contactor and a third generation contractor, Ron takes time to go through each individual project with the supervisor and is responsible for all scheduling and equipment logistics. He’s also involved in all troubleshooting for projects.