Specialty Materials Testing

Soil Corrosivity Laboratory Testing

Laboratory soil corrosivity testing measures selected electrical and chemical properties of submitted soil for buried-metal, concrete-exposure, material-selection, and failure-investigation work.

Request a proposal See soil corrosivity testing

Service overview

What this service involves

Available testing includes soil-box resistivity, pH, chlorides, sulfates, sulfides, ammonia, nitrates, redox potential, and selected soluble salts. The test package should match the buried material and the design or investigation question.

Results can be issued as laboratory data or combined with field conditions and engineering interpretation. Shipped samples are accepted with chain-of-custody and sample-quantity instructions available before shipment.

Step by step

How the process works

The exact scope is matched to the project, but a typical assignment follows these steps.

01
Select the test panel
We review the buried material, governing specification, design or investigation question, and whether resistivity, pH, salts, sulfides, redox, or other measurements are requested.
02
Document the submitted sample
Source, depth, native or imported status, collection date, received condition, requested preparation, and chain-of-custody information are recorded.
03
Prepare and test
The electrical and chemical measurements are completed under the stated method and sample condition.
04
Issue data or interpretation
The report lists methods, units, conditions, and results; material-specific engineering interpretation can be added when it is part of the proposal.

Review criteria

What the project team needs from a laboratory corrosion report

Laboratory results apply to the submitted sample and must be connected to its location, depth, handling, moisture condition, and intended material use.

Sample identification, source, coordinates or location, depth, and native-versus-fill status
Named methods, preparation, measured condition, and units
The test panel required by the current owner or project specification
Limitations related to disturbance, moisture loss, sample handling, and site representativeness

What you receive

Typical project deliverables

Test panel required by the current owner or project specification
Expanded corrosion chemistry packages
Tabulated results, methods, units, and sample conditions
Engineering interpretation or recommendation report when scoped

Common project needs

When this service is useful

Buried metallic utilities
Concrete and ductile-iron exposure
Failure investigations
Design-team data requests

Frequently asked