ISO 17892-5-2017 PDF

Full title and description

Geotechnical investigation and testing — Laboratory testing of soil — Part 5: Incremental loading oedometer test (ISO 17892-5:2017). This International Standard specifies the incremental-loading oedometer (consolidation) test procedure used to determine compressibility and deformation characteristics of soils in the laboratory, including specimen preparation, apparatus requirements, loading/unloading sequences and result interpretation for geotechnical investigations.

Abstract

ISO 17892-5:2017 describes the procedure for performing incremental loading oedometer tests on cylindrical soil specimens confined laterally by a rigid ring. The specimen is subjected to discrete vertical load increments (or unloadings) and allowed to drain axially; the standard applies to undisturbed, remoulded, recompacted or reconstituted specimens and notes limitations relating to specimen size and saturation assumptions when deriving parameters for design.

General information

• Status: Published (International Standard, confirmed).
• Publication date: February 2017 (ISO edition 1, 2017-02).
• Publisher: International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
• ICS / categories: 93.020; 13.080.20 (geotechnical investigation and soil physical properties).
• Edition / version: Edition 1 (2017).
• Number of pages: 26 (official ISO publication).

Scope

Specifies laboratory methods for determining soil compressibility and deformation under incremental axial loading using an oedometer/test cell. The standard covers equipment (oedometer rings, porous discs, loading platens), specimen preparation options (trimming, extrusion, recompaction, remoulding), loading/unloading sequences, drainage conditions, measurement and data reduction procedures and notes on interpretation limits (e.g., sample size effects and the assumption of saturation). It is intended for geotechnical investigations and foundation/settlement assessments.

Key topics and requirements

• Apparatus requirements: oedometer ring dimensions and stiffness, porous discs, loading device calibration and limits on ring deformation under load.
• Specimen preparation: acceptable methods (undisturbed trimming, extrusion, recompaction, reconstitution) and trimming rules (particle size relative to specimen height).
• Test procedure: sequence of load increments/unloadings, allowing axial drainage, measurement of axial deformation and computation of vertical strain and settlement parameters.
• Data analysis and reporting: calculation of compressibility parameters (e.g., compression index, recompression index), effective stress considerations and reporting of test conditions and results.
• Limitations and notes: small specimen size may not represent natural fabric, and many analyses assume saturation—caution when applying results for unsaturated soils.

Typical use and users

Used by geotechnical laboratories, consulting geotechnical engineers, researchers and testing services to determine soil compressibility for settlement prediction, foundation design, earthworks and consolidation studies. Typical users include civil engineering consultancies, university laboratories and construction clients requiring standardized consolidation test data for design and assessment.

Related standards

ISO 17892-5 is part of the ISO 17892 series (Laboratory testing of soil) that includes related parts such as ISO 17892-1 (Determination of water content), ISO 17892-3 (Particle density), ISO 17892-6 (Fall cone test), ISO 17892-11 (Permeability tests) and ISO 17892-12 (Liquid and plastic limits), among others; these parts together provide a suite of standard laboratory methods for geotechnical testing.

Keywords

oedometer, incremental loading, consolidation test, compressibility, settlement, compression index, recompression, soil laboratory testing, geotechnical investigation, specimen preparation, porous disc, oedometer ring.

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: ISO 17892-5:2017 is the International Standard that specifies the incremental loading oedometer (consolidation) test procedure for laboratory determination of soil compressibility and deformation characteristics.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers apparatus requirements, specimen preparation methods, detailed test procedure for incremental loading and unloading, measurement and data reduction, parameter calculation and reporting, and notes on limitations such as specimen size and saturation assumptions.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Geotechnical testing laboratories, consulting geotechnical engineers, researchers and construction clients who need standardized consolidation test results for settlement prediction and foundation or earthworks design.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: ISO 17892-5:2017 is the current published version (edition 1, published February 2017). The official ISO record shows this edition and indicates it was reviewed/confirmed in subsequent ISO reviews, so it remains the valid ISO publication for this test method.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: Yes — it is part of the ISO 17892 series (Geotechnical investigation and testing — Laboratory testing of soil), which includes multiple parts covering common laboratory soil tests (water content, density, particle size distribution, fall cone, triaxial tests, permeability, Atterberg limits, etc.).

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: Oedometer, incremental loading, consolidation, compressibility, settlement, compression index, geotechnical laboratory testing, specimen preparation, porous disc, oedometer ring.