Hardpan (Caliche) “Hardpan” is a highly dense and solid layer of soil near the ground surface, which is usually comprised of clay or silty-clay soils. Hardpan forms by cementation over time, during the process of precipitation of insoluble substances such as calcium carbonates, silica, iron oxides, and other organic matter. “Hardpan” is a term mostly…

Methane Alarm System Methane Alarm System: As per the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety (LADBS) Methane Code, Ordinance Number 175790, a methane alarm system is part of an active methane mitigation plan. A methane alarm system is a group of interacting components and circuits that synchronize to monitor and annunciate the status of…

Soil Creep Definition Soil Creep is a type of landslide that entails the slow and gradual movement of a soil mass (or even some loose rock) materials.

Mineral Assemblages Mineral Assemblages: In the field of geology and the branch of mineralogy, the term “mineral assembles” means the minerals that compose a rock, including the different kinds and their relative abundance.

Liquid Limit (LL) “Liquid Limit (LL)” in the field of geological engineering, refers to the upper limit of the “plastic state.” This is a separation of the plastic phase and viscous liquid phase when measuring soil consistency. Mathematically, it is the water content (basing on the percent of dry weight), at which two sections of…