SS-06 The Science Behind Soil Sampling – Part 1

  • Teacher: David Nielsen
  • Level: Intermediate
  • Duration:
  • Price: $ 159.00
Certificate:

Must complete all E-Modules

Table of Contents

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The Science Behind Soil Sampling – Part 1

Description

Soil sampling – as easy as digging a hole and grabbing some dirt, isn’t it? No, it’s not! This series of 3 modules (SS-06, SS-07 and SS-08) explores the nuances of soils and how they affect soil sample collection. The first module (SS-06) begins by explaining the importance of developing an understanding of the complexity of soils and their parent geologic materials, then addresses the correlation between site geology and contaminant movement through the unsaturated (vadose) zone and the saturated zone. With these fundamental concepts in place, discussions focus on how this complex relationship affects how and where soils should be sampled to ensure that objectives for both physical and chemical sample analysis can be met by the sampling program.   This module then builds upon the concept of developing a detailed 3-dimensional view of subsurface materials, and walks you through everything that needs to be addressed when planning a soil sampling program, including defining what a representative soil sample is. The second module (SS-07) addresses the differences between conventional (multi-phased) site characterization and accelerated/expedited site characterization, and how to use accelerated site characterization methods to accomplish more comprehensive, cost-effective and efficient site characterization programs. The third module (SS-08) covers the use of a variety of site-characterization tools (direct-push, sonic drilling, cone penetration testing and field analytical methods) and concludes by addressing the questions of how many soil borings should be installed, at what depth intervals samples should be taken, and how many samples are enough for any given project. While you may opt to take just one of these modules, it is strongly recommended that you take all three modules in the prescribed order if you want comprehensive coverage of the subject.

  • Understanding the Heterogeneous Nature of Soils and Their Parent Geologic Materials
  • How Variations in Soil Type and Grain Size Affect the Movement of Water and Contaminants in the Vadose (Unsaturated) Zone and Saturated Zone
  • Major Causes of Soil Heterogeneity
  • Why it is Important to Understand the Complexity of Soil Samples and How That Complexity Affects Soil Sample Collection and Handling
  • Planning a Soil Sampling Program
  • Overview of Typical Soil Sampling Objectives
  • Definitions of Representative Samples for Physical vs. Chemical Analysis at the Sample Scale and the Site Scale

Total CEUs for Module SS-06: 1 CEU

Price

Plan Name Price
1 Day: $ 159.00

Teacher

David Nielsen

gwm2David M. Nielsen is President of Nielsen Ground-Water Science, Inc., the parent company of The Nielsen Environmental E-School and The Nielsen Environmental Field School.  He is a Certified Professional Geologist (AIPG #5040), a Professional Hydrogeologist (AIH #991), a Certified Ground-Water Professional (AGWSE #179) and a Certified/Licensed/Registered Professional Geologist in 7 states (AK, AR, DE, FL, IN, SC, TX). He has 40 years of experience in ground-water and environmental consulting, training and research. He has managed ground-water contamination investigations, environmental site assessments, ground-water monitoring and sampling programs, petroleum hydrocarbon spill investigations and remedial projects across the U.S.  David was one of the primary instructors for Princeton Groundwater's Groundwater Pollution and Hydrology Course for 12 years, and he has also developed curriculum for and instructed: undergraduate, graduate and continuing education courses in ground-water science at Wright State University; Technology Transfer workshops on Environmental Site Characterization and Ground-Water Monitoring and Sampling for the U.S. EPA; Waste Management, Inc.'s Landfill University; and a one-year Hydrogeologic Training Program for the Environmental Response Division of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. He has instructed more than 500 ground water and environmental science short courses and workshops for consulting firms, regulatory agencies, industrial concerns, the Department of Defense, the U.S. EPA, trade and professional organizations, educational institutes and universities in the U.S., England, Canada, Australia, Guatemala and Mexico. 

David is former Chairman of ASTM Subcommittee D-18.21 on Ground-Water and Vadose Zone Investigations, a consultant to the U.S. EPA Science Advisory Board, a member of the U.S. Department of Defense SERDP/ESTCP Peer Review Panel, and an advisor to the U.S. Department of Energy National Advanced Drilling and Excavation Technology Program. He is the editor and a contributing author for The Practical Handbook of Environmental Site Characterization and Ground-Water Monitoring (First and Second Editions; 1991 and 2006), The Essential Handbook of Ground-Water Sampling (2007) and Technical Guidance on Low-Flow Purging and Sampling and Minimum-Purge Sampling (2002). He is also a member of AIPG, the Association of Ground Water Scientists and Engineers, the American Institute of Hydrology and the Association of Engineering Geologists. He served for 12 years as Editor of Ground-Water Monitoring and Remediation and served for 12 years on the Wright State University Geology Department's Board of Counselors. He holds B.A. and M.S. degrees in geology from Miami University (1974) and Bowling Green State University (1977) respectively. Prior to co-founding The Nielsen Environmental Field School and Nielsen Ground-Water Science, Inc., he managed regional offices for two geoscientific and engineering consulting firms, served as Director of Research and Education for the National Ground Water Association and worked for state environmental agencies in Massachusetts, West Virginia and Ohio.

David has also written guidance documents on direct-push technology and ground-water sampling for the U.S. EPA Superfund program, and reviewed dozens of technical reports for the U.S. EPA's Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) program. He is the recipient of the Outstanding Service Award of the Association of Ground Water Scientists and Engineers, The Outstanding Achievement Award of ASTM, and a 4-time recipient of ASTM's Special Service Award.

Courses by this teacher

Name Level Release Date
ES-08: The Science Behind Soil Sampling – Part 1 01/29/2017 22:03:52
ES-09: The Science Behind Soil Sampling – Part 2 01/29/2017 22:03:52
ES-10: The Science Behind Soil Sampling – Part 3 01/29/2017 22:03:52
ES-11: Selection and Use of Soil Sampling Equipment – Part 1 01/29/2017 22:03:52
ES-12: Selection and Use of Soil Sampling Equipment – Part 2 01/29/2017 22:03:52
ES-16: Soil Sample Collection, Description & Handling in the Field -- Planning and Preparation for Soil Sample Collection and Description; Describing Soil Samples in the Field (Part 1) 01/29/2017 22:03:52
ES-17: Soil Sample Collection, Description & Handling in the Field -- Describing Soil Samples in the Field (Part 2); Handling Soil Samples in the Field 01/29/2017 22:03:52
ES-18: The Science Behind Ground-Water Sampling (Part 1): Defining Sampling Objectives; Accuracy, Precision & Bias; Uses of Water-Level Data; Water-Level Measurement Methods; Sources of Bias and Error in Water-Level Measurement 01/29/2017 22:03:52
ES-19: The Science Behind Ground-Water Sampling (Part 2): Sources of Bias and Error in Ground-Water Sampling; Factors Affecting the Representative Nature of Ground-Water Samples 01/29/2017 22:03:52
ES-20 Selection/Operation of GW Purging & Sample Devices (Part 1) Sampling Device Selection Criteria; Sampling Device Impacts on Sample Chemistry; Operational Characteristics & Limitations of Grab Samplers, Suction-Lift Pumps & Elect. Centrifugal Sub Pump 01/29/2017 22:03:52
ES-21 Selection/Operation of GW Purge & Sample Devices Part 2, Operational Characteristics & Limitations of Positive Displacement Pumps (Gear-Drive Elec. Sub Pumps, Double-Acting Piston Pumps, Gas-Drive Pumps & Bladder & Inertial-Lift Devices 01/29/2017 22:03:52
ES-22 Conventional Purging and Sampling Practices for High-Yield and Low-Yield Wells – Well-Volume Purging; Purging to Stabilization of Water-Quality Indicators; Purging to Dryness, Then Sampling 01/29/2017 22:03:52
ES-23 Practices and Procedures for Low-Flow Purging and Sampling 01/29/2017 22:03:52
ES-24 Practices and Procedures for No-Purge Sampling 01/29/2017 22:03:52
GWM-01 Ground-Water Monitoring Program and Monitoring System Design Elements; Establishing Monitoring Program and Monitoring System Objectives, Data Needs & Uses 01/29/2017 22:03:52
GWM-02 Assembling and Evaluating Important Existing Information (Part 1); Types and Sources of Existing Information 01/29/2017 22:03:52
GWM-03 Assembling and Evaluating Important Existing Information (Part 2); Using Existing Information to Prepare an Initial Conceptual Site Model 01/29/2017 22:03:52
GWM-04 Conducting a Detailed 3-Dimensional Environmental Site Characterization Program – Approaches, Tools and Methods 01/29/2017 22:03:52
GWM-05 Refining the Conceptual Site Model; Selecting Optimum Monitoring Point Locations in 3 Dimensions 01/29/2017 22:03:52
GWM-06 Factors to Consider in Selecting a Drilling Method; Descriptions, Applications and Limitations of Casing Advancement Drilling Methods 01/29/2017 22:03:52
GWM-07 Descriptions, Applications and Limitations of Fluid Circulation Drilling Methods and Hollow-Stem Augers 01/29/2017 22:03:52
GWM-08 Planning and Preparation for Soil Sample Collection and Description; Describing Soil Samples in the Field (Part 1) 01/29/2017 22:03:52
GWM-09 Describing Soil Samples in the Field (Part 2); Handling Soil Samples in the Field 01/29/2017 22:03:52
GWM-10 Objectives and Purposes of Monitoring Wells; Sources of Chemical Interference in Well Construction; Selection of Well Casing and Screen Materials; Methods for Joining Well Casing and Screen 01/29/2017 22:03:52
GWM-11 Optimizing Well Diameter; Types and Designs of Well Screens; Selecting Filter Pack Material Size and Well-Screen Slot Size; Optimizing Well Screen Length; Options for Monitoring Multiple Target Monitoring Zones 01/29/2017 22:03:52
GWM-12 Selection and Installation of Filter-Pack Material Type; Selection and Installation of Effective Annular Seal Materials 01/29/2017 22:03:52
GWM-13 Surface Protection for Monitoring Wells; Alternate Well Completions; Direct-Push Well Installation 01/29/2017 22:03:52
GWM-14 Ground-Water Monitoring Well Development – Objectives, Applications, Methods and Procedures 01/29/2017 22:03:52
GWM-18 The Science Behind Ground-Water Sampling (Part 1): Objectives of Ground-Water Sampling; The Importance of High-Quality Data; Uses of Water-Level Data; Water-Level Measurement Methods and Procedures; Recognizing and Avoiding Sources of Bias 01/29/2017 22:03:52
GWM-19 The Science Behind Ground-Water Sampling (Part 2): Sources of Bias and Error in Ground-Water Sampling; Conditions Under Which Ground Water Occurs; Factors Affecting the Representative Nature of Ground-Water Samples 01/29/2017 22:03:52
GWM-20 Purging and Sampling Device Selection Criteria; Operational Characteristics, Applications and Limitations of Grab Samplers, Suction-Lift Pumps & Electric Centrifugal Submersible Pumps 01/29/2017 22:03:52
GWM-21 Operational Characteristics, Applications and Limitations of Positive Displacement Pumps (Gear-Drive Electric Submersible Pumps, Double-Acting Piston Pumps, Bladder Pumps and Gas-Drive Pumps) and Inertial-Lift Pumps 01/29/2017 22:03:52
GWM-22 Conventional Purging and Sampling Practices for High-Yield and Low-Yield Wells 01/29/2017 22:03:52
GWM-23 Practices and Procedures for Low-Flow Purging and Sampling 01/29/2017 22:03:52
GWM-24 Practices and Procedures for No-Purge Sampling 01/29/2017 22:03:52
SS-06 The Science Behind Soil Sampling – Part 1 01/29/2017 22:03:52
SS-07 The Science Behind Soil Sampling – Part 2 01/29/2017 22:03:52
SS-08 The Science Behind Soil Sampling – Part 3 01/29/2017 22:03:52
SS-10 Selection and Use of Soil Sampling Equipment – Part 2 01/29/2017 22:03:52
SS-14 Soil Sample Collection, Description & Handling in the Field -- Planning and Preparation for Soil Sample Collection and Description; Describing Soil Samples in the Field (Part 1) 01/29/2017 22:03:52
GWM-18 The Science Behind Ground-Water Sampling (Part 1): Objectives of Ground-Water Sampling; The Importance of High-Quality Data; Uses of Water-Level Data; Water-Level Measurement Methods and Procedures; Recognizing and Avoiding Sources of Bias 01/29/2017 22:03:52
GWM-19 The Science Behind Ground-Water Sampling (Part 2): Sources of Bias and Error in Ground-Water Sampling; Conditions Under Which Ground Water Occurs; Factors Affecting the Representative Nature of Ground-Water Samples 01/29/2017 22:03:52
GWM-20 Purging and Sampling Device Selection Criteria; Operational Characteristics, Applications and Limitations of Grab Samplers, Suction-Lift Pumps & Electric Centrifugal Submersible Pumps 01/29/2017 22:03:52
GWM-21 Operational Characteristics, Applications and Limitations of Positive Displacement Pumps (Gear-Drive Electric Submersible Pumps, Double-Acting Piston Pumps, Bladder Pumps and Gas-Drive Pumps) and Inertial-Lift Pumps 01/29/2017 22:03:52
GWM-22 Conventional Purging and Sampling Practices for High-Yield and Low-Yield Wells 01/29/2017 22:03:52
GWM-23 Practices and Procedures for Low-Flow Purging and Sampling 01/29/2017 22:03:52
GWM-24 Practices and Procedures for No-Purge Sampling 01/29/2017 22:03:52
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The Science Behind Soil Sampling – Part 1