Soil Specifications Templates

Extracts from Soils for Landscape Development

By: Simon Leake, Elke Haege

Soil specifications templates extracted from Soils for Landscape Development.

These soil specifications have been extracted from the book Soils for Landscape Development and are provided as editable PDF for ease of use in reports compiled by landscape designers for their clients. Please note that practitioners will need to consult the book to ensure that these specifications are properly applied. The corresponding page numbers where these items appear in the book have been retained in the PDFs so that readers can easily reference this material. + Full description

The specifications contain the elements required to ensure adequate investigation of the site soil before finalising design works. They can be used as a format for preparing or tailoring a site soil investigation specification for any project. It should be noted that these specifications are typical only, not site-specific, and may require specialist advice where site conditions or performance criteria is outside the parameters of these typical specifications.

These typical specifications have been provided for use by proficient and experienced landscape design professionals who are able to determine when these specifications are suitable. Where there is any doubt, consult with appropriate experienced professionals, such as restoration ecologists, soil scientists, experienced landscape architects or consulting arborists.

- Short description

News

The Soil Volume Simulator is available online from the author’s website [external link].

The Excel spreadsheet referred to in the templates and book is available as a free downloadable spreadsheet (Microsoft Excel Worksheet, 55 KB).

Details

PDF | June 2014 | $ 9.95
ISBN: SSTWEB | 58 pages
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing

Features

Specification A1 Site soil investigation and characterisation
Specification A2. Site subgrade investigation and characterisation
Specification B1 Stripping and stockpiling
Specification B2 Site subgrade preparation
Specification B3 Imported subsoil
Specification B4 Soil schedules (profiles, volumes and depths)
Specification C1 Passive amenity turf
Specification C2 Active high-traffic turf
Specification C3 Sports field turf
Specification D1 Mass planting soil
Specification D2 Garden bed planting soil
Specification D3 Display bed soil
Specification D4 Advanced tree and vault soils
Specification E1 On slab soil media ‘A’ horizon
Specification E2 On slab soil media ‘B’ horizon
Specification E3 Low-density container and green roof
Specification F1 Structural support soils (SSS)
Specification F2 Raingardens and stormwater filtration soils
Specification F3 Wetland soils
Specification G1 Quality assurance and control
Specification G2 Hold points and inspections
Specification G3 Certification
Appendix C The Recommended Minimum Soil Volume ‘Estimator’ Figure C2
Appendix C Example Soil Volume Estimator Graph Figure C4

Authors

Simon Leake is a soil scientist and Director of SESL (Sydney Environmental and Soil Laboratory) Australia. He has over 30 years of experience in the analysis, diagnosis, specification and quality assurance of agricultural soils and landscape soil media and has been lecturing and writing in the soil sciences for amenity and environmental horticulture for over 25 years. Simon has contributed to numerous Australian Standards publications and is regularly invited to lecture on landscape soils for landscape architecture university programs and arboricultural programs.

Elke Haege is an award winning registered landscape architect and consulting arborist who is dedicated to the development of and sustainable connection to natural systems. She is an executive committee member of the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects (AILA), is part of AILA's University Education Advisory Panel and has lectured at the University of New South Wales. During the last 15 years, Elke has worked on projects throughout Australia, China, Denmark, the UK and North America.