Residential Soil Testing

GTS undertakes residential site classifications for regional Victoria and southern New South Wales, including but not limited to: Bendigo, Echuca, Wallan and surrounds.

What is residential soil testing?

A “soil test” or “site classification” is used to categorise the soil and geological conditions to determine site reactivity and founding conditions so that the most appropriate type of footing may be designed for the proposed development.  

The site classification is based on the Australian Standard AS 2870-2011 – “Residential slabs and footings.”

Results from a site classification may be as follows:

1. Class A – Most sand and rock sites with little or no ground movement from moisture changes.

1. Class S – Slightly reactive clay sites, which may experience only slight ground movement from moisture changes.
2. Class M – Moderately reactive clay or silt sites, which may experience moderate ground movement from moisture changes.
3. Class H1 – Highly reactive clay sites, which may experience high ground movement from moisture changes.
4. Class H2 – Highly reactive clay sites, which may experience very high ground movement from moisture changes.
5. Class E – Extremely reactive sites, which may experience extreme ground movement from moisture changes.
6. Class P – Class P sites may include include soft or unstable foundations such as soft clay or silt or loose sands, landslip, mine subsidence, collapsing soils and soils subject to erosion, uncontrolled fill deposits, reactive sites subject to abnormal moisture conditions, possibly from trees or removed structures.