58 Sample storage and inspection facilities

58.1 General
A geotechnical laboratory should have appropriate facilities for handling,
storing and inspecting samples. Samples should be preserved, handled and
stored in accordance with BS EN ISO 22475-1.

58.2 Storage of samples

58.2.1 General
The sample storage area should be of sufficient size to cater for the number of
stored samples without overcrowding and to enable the samples to be readily
located when required for examination or testing. Samples labelled as
containing or likely to contain hazardous substances should be stored in a
separate designated area. Samples should be stored so that they are protected
from damage, deterioration, loss of water, and to maintain quality as required
by the test methods used on that sample. Class 1 and 2 samples should be stored
at an appropriate temperature.
A record of storage temperatures for Class 1 and 2 samples should be
maintained.
NOTE Samples for chemical and geoenvironmental testing have different storage
temperature requirements (see BS ISO 18512).

58.2.2 Inspection facilities

A specific area should be established in the laboratory for the inspection and
description of samples. This should have sufficient space for the temporary
storage of the samples and an adequate area of bench space with good lighting
for inspection, preferably daylight or using "daylight" artificial lighting
(see Norbury, 2010 [42]). In general, the following equipment should be
provided as required:
a) an extruder for removing samples from the sample tubes or liners and a
means of cutting plastic liners when extrusion is not desirable;
b) camera, scale and other equipment (see Annex H);
c) an adequate number of trays of suitable size to enable disturbed samples of
coarse soils to be tipped out for inspection, and some means of returning
them safely and quickly to their containers afterwards;
d) spatulas, knives, hand lens, geological hammer, penknife, metre scale,
protractor for logging cores, hand vane, a simple binocular microscope with
appropriate magnification such as x30;
e) 10% (dilute) hydrochloric acid to assist identification of the presence of
carbonate;
f) an appropriate water supply to enable the fines to be washed out of
samples of soils and facilitate description of the coarser particles; to clean
rock cores and block samples; and to wet-up fine grained or any dry soils;
g) a balance suitable for checking the mass of samples is sufficient for testing;
h) means of resealing samples required for further use;
i) washing facilities for personnel inspecting the samples; and
j) gloves, overalls and other PPE as needed.