BABBAGE GEOTECHNICAL LABORATORY

TESTING CHARGES
EFFECTIVE FROM: January 2017

All tests include a moisture content of the sample at as-received moisture content (except
soil chemical tests)
Please note that a minimum charge of $500 applies to each testing job (all tests are reported
under a single job name, with one invoice issued for the job)

Test Standard Cost Per Test

Test Description
Used (GST exclusive)

SOIL CLASSIFICATION TESTS

Water Content NZS4402:1986: 2.1 $ 25

Cone Penetration Limit NZS4402:1986: 2.5 $ 300

ATTERBERG LIMITS NZS4402:1986: 2.1,

$ 320
Liquid limit, plastic limit, plasticity index, water content 2.2, 2.3, 2.4

Linear Shrinkage (as a separate test) $ 120

NZS4402:1986: 2.6
Linear Shrinkage (carried out with Liquid Limit test) $ 70

Shrink Swell Index AS 1289: Test 7.1.1 $ 300

Solid Density for fine & medium soils NZS4402:1986: 2.7.2 $ 230

WET SIEVE Particle-Size Distribution

Gives gravel & sand fractions, and a single % for the silt & clay
< 9.50mm $ 250
(< 0.06mm) fractions. NZS4402:1986: 2.8.1
NZS4407:2015: 3.8.1
> 9.50mm $ 350
Gravelly samples with a high silt/clay content are more suited to a
combined hydrometer & wet sieve test.

PSD Combined Hydrometer & Wet Sieve NZS4402:1986: 2.8.1

$ 600
An overall PSD covering all size fractions from cobbles to clay. NZS4402:1986: 2.8.4

HYDROMETER Particle-Size Distribution

Gives size fractions below the 9.50mm sieve ie. fine gravel,
sand fractions, silt fractions & clay fraction.
NZS4402:1986: 2.8.4 $ 340
No organic pre-treatment. Cannot be carried out on peat soils.
Generally suitable for fine soils with >20% silt & clay fractions.
Material >9.50mm is excluded from the test sample.

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 Test Standard Cost Per Test
Test Description
Used (GST exclusive)

SOIL CHEMICAL TESTS

pH Value colorimetric NZS4402:1986: 3.3.2 $ 20

Presence of allophane NZS4402:1986: 3.4 $ 25

SOIL COMPACTION TESTS

Standard Compaction Curve: 5-point curve
NZS4402:1986: 4.1.1 $ 600
Includes shear vane test on each point.

Heavy Compaction Curve: 5-point curve

NZS4402:1986: 4.1.2 $ 700
Includes shear vane test on each point.

Standard Compaction: Single Point Test

At as-received moisture content, additional charges apply if NZS4402:1986: 4.1.1 $ 100
sample moisture content adjustment prior to testing is requested.

Heavy Compaction: Single Point Test

At as-received moisture content, additional charges apply if NZS4402:1986: 4.1.2 $ 130
sample moisture content adjustment prior to testing is requested.

SOIL DENSITY TESTS

Tube / Core Cutter In situ Density sample supplied by client
NZS4402:1986: 5.1.3 $ 80
Bulk density, dry density, water content, air voids
NZS4407:2015: 4.2 Please enquire for
Nuclear Densometer In situ Density per visit cost.
NZS4407:2015: 4.3

SOIL STRENGTH TESTS

CBR TESTING
RECOMPACTED Laboratory California Bearing Ratio (CBR)
Standard compaction of soil sample at as-received moisture
content NZS4402:1986: 6.1.1 $ 300
Add $30 for heavy compaction. Additional charges apply if
sample moisture content adjustment prior to testing is requested.

UNDISTURBED Laboratory California Bearing Ratio (CBR)

NZS4402:1986: 6.1.2 $ 200
Testing of a CBR core-cutter soil sample

CBR OF AGGREGATE Passing a 19mm Test Sieve

Standard compaction of aggregate sample at as-received
moisture content NZS4407:2015: 3.15 $ 300
Add $30 for heavy compaction. Additional charges apply if
sample moisture content adjustment prior to testing is requested.

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 Test Standard Cost Per Test
Test Description
Used (GST exclusive)
Lime / Cement Stabilised CBR (reactivity testing) $ 300 for 0% CBR
RRU Technical
Recommendation TR7 $ 370 per
A series of CBRs is usually carried out eg. at 0% / 2% / 3% / / NZS4402:1986: 6.1.1
5% stabilising additive. stabilised CBR

UCS TESTING

Unconfined Compressive Strength Test (UCS)

with before & after photographs of sample NZS4402:1986: 6.3.1 $ 240
To a maximum strength of approximately 15MPa (weak rock).

POINT LOAD TESTING

Point Load Strength Index Test
axial core / diametral core / irregular lumps ASTM D5731-08 $ 90
Note that report is not IANZ endorsed.

CU & QU TRIAXIAL COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH TESTING

EFFECTIVE STRESS TESTS CU Triaxials

NOTE: Minimum effective stress for triaxial tests = 25kPa / Maximum effective stress = 400kPa.
Common effective stresses used are 50/100/200kPa, 75/150/300kPa or 100/200/400kPa.

CONSOLIDATED UNDRAINED TRIAXIAL WITH POREWATER PRESSURE MEASUREMENT (CU)

3-point multi-stage test on a single sample $ 1,500

BS1377: Part 8 /
3-sample test Section 7
All three samples must be practically identical to obtain $ 2,000
meaningful results.

TOTAL STRESS TESTS QU (UU) Triaxials

UNCONSOLIDATED UNDRAINED QUICK TRIAXIAL WITHOUT POREWATER PRESSURE MEASUREMENT

(QU Test, also referred to as a UU Test)

BS1377: Part 7 / $ 350

Single point test
Section 8

3-point multi-stage test on a single sample BS1377: Part 7 / $ 500

Section 9

Prices are for undisturbed push-tube samples. We can test push-tubes in the range of 50 63mm diameter.
Additional charges apply if a compacted sample is requested, and if sample moisture content adjustment is
required.

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 Test Standard Cost Per Test
Test Description
Used (GST exclusive)
DIRECT SHEAR (SHEAR BOX) TESTING

3-POINT PEAK DIRECT SHEAR TEST

$ 1,000
Three separate samples from a block sample or push-tube*
ASTM D3080/3080M-
11
3-POINT RESIDUAL DIRECT SHEAR TEST
$ 1,000
Three separate samples from a block sample or push-tube*

Additional charges apply if a compacted sample is requested, and if sample moisture content adjustment is
required.
*50mm / 54mm / 60mm diameter push-tubes.

SOIL CONSOLIDATION TESTS

$ 600 standard
One Dimensional Consolidation - T90 method
pressures**
NZS4402:1986: 7.1
Cvs, Mvs & void ratios determined from the T90 method $ 650 client
Maximum cycle time of 4 hours pressures

$ 700 standard
One Dimensional Consolidation - T90 and T50 methods*
pressures**
NZS4402:1986: 7.1
Cvs, Mvs & void ratios determined from both the T90 and T50 $ 750 client
methods Maximum cycle time of 24 hours pressures

*It may not be possible to calculate a T50 Cv from the logarithm of time graph for fast consolidating materials such
as sands, or for low pressures cycles.

** Standard sequence of one dimensional consolidation pressures (approximate) ;

8 cycles of increasing pressure & three backload (rebound) cycles

50mm diameter sample: 16, 32, 62, 125, 250, 500, 1000, & 2000kPa with backloads of 500, 125 & 32kPa
(we can obtain a 50mm diameter sample from a 54mm or 60mm diameter tube)

60mm diameter sample: 12, 23, 44, 88, 175, 350, 700, & 1400kPa with backloads of 350, 88 & 23kPa

SOIL PERMEABILTY TESTS

Common head differences used are 20kPa (effective stress must be > 30kPa),
30kPa (effective stress must be > 45kPa) or 50kPa (effective stress must be > 75kPa)

CONSTANT HEAD PERMEABILITY TEST IN A TRIAXIAL CELL (fine soils, ie. clays & silts) single stage

Core cutter / push-tube sample supplied by client. $ 500

Bulk sample to be compacted into proctor mould at as-received BS1377: Part 6 / $ 600
moisture content. Section 6
Bulk sample to be compacted into proctor mould after moisture
$ 650
content adjustment.

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 Test Standard Cost Per Test
Test Description
Used (GST exclusive)

THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY / RESISTIVITY TESTING

Preparation & compaction of sample into a test mould, and
thermal conductivity testing of the compacted sample at four
different water contents. ASTM D5334:14 /
$ 1,000
IEEE Std 442:1981
Test is only suitable for homogeneous soils with a grain-size
less than 3mm, or for soft rock.

INCLINOMETER SLOPE MONITORING

Please enquire for per visit cost.

Please be aware that contaminated samples may incur a surcharge if special

handling requirements are needed.

If non-standard samples require additional preparation the client will be notified &
costs agreed upon.

Costs for additional sample conditioning requested by the client will be agreed upon
before commencement of testing.

For all enquiries please contact Wayne Campton (Laboratory Manager) at

wec@babbage.co.nz / DDI 09-3674-953 / MOB 027-222-3632

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 GUIDE TO MINIMUM MASSES OF SAMPLES TO BE
SUBMITTED FOR LAB TESTING
(These are the absolute minimum masses, however, it is always better to have more sample.)

Soil Tests as per NZS4402:1986 Methods of Testing Soils for Civil Engineering Purposes

Soil Groups Section 1.5 (page 12)

Coarse Soils: 90 100% (dry mass) of the soil is < 63mm & 11% or more is > 20mm in particle
size, ie. a coarse gravel

Medium Soils: 90 100% (dry mass) of the soil is < 20mm & 11% or more is > 2mm in particle size

Fine Soils: 90 100% (dry mass) of the soil is < 2mm in particle size, ie. clay, silt & sand soils

TEST SOIL GROUP

TEST
NUMBER COARSE MEDIUM FINE

Water Content 2.1 4kg 350g 50g

Liquid Limit or Cone

2.2 / 2.5 2kg 1kg 500g
Penetration Limit

Plastic Limit 2.3 200g 100g 50g

Linear Shrinkage 2.6 1.5kg 800g 500g

Solid Density 2.7.2 - 600g 300g

Wet Sieve 2.8.1 2kg 75kg* 1.5kg 200g

Hydrometer 2.8.4 2kg 1kg 250g

pH Value 3.3.2 3.5kg 600g 150g

Presence of Allophanes 3.4 1g 1g 1g

NZ Standard & Heavy

4.1.1 / 4.1.2 50kg 25kg 25kg
Compaction

CBR 6.1.1 - 10kg 6kg

* Sample size depends on the maximum particle size present in substantial proportion. Please check with BGL first.

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