Soil Compaction Testing or Soil Density Testing Soil compaction testing, or soil density testing, is the process by which the density property of a soil mass is increased in the field by various means, and monitored by a professional geologist in accordance with local building department specifications. During the placement of engineered backfill material, density…

Silicates Definition In the fields of geology and mineralogy, the term “silicates” refers to compounds whose crystal structure contains SiO4 tetrahedra. Silicates are either isolated or joined to form groups, rings, single or double chains, sheets, or three-dimensional frameworks.

Intrusive Rocks In the volcanology branch of geology, intrusive rocks are igneous rocks that form and crystallize under the Earth’s ground surfaces, within other geologic formations. In fact, intrusive rocks form by the process of magma shooting through pre-existing sedimentary, igneous or metamorphic rocks. For instance, a pegmatite dyke or a batholith. On the other…

Metamorphic Rock Definition In the field of geology, the term “Metamorphic Rock” refers to a rock classification that is the result of the alteration of prior existing sedimentary rocks or igneous rocks. The alteration process is “metamorphosis, and can take place by various methods and environments. The metamorphosis process produces specific metamorphic rocks, on the…

Trench Dam Trench Dam: Per the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety (LADBS) Methane Code, Ordinance Number 175790, a trench dam is part of a methane mitigation system. A trench dam is essentially a subsurface barrier that exists within a furrow or ditch, that is adjacent to the foundation of a building in a…

Natural Gas Natural Gas: In geology, natural gas means combustible hydrocarbon gas that forms by natural geological or biological processes. To illustrate, natural gas that forms by geological processes is the thermal decomposition of buried organic materials. Whereas natural gas that forms via biological processes entail the microbial decomposition of buried organic material. Natural gas…