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Title / Perform civil engineering laboratory field investigation tests
Level / 4 / Credits / 15
Purpose / This unit standard is one of a series relating to field investigation testing and technician level knowledge and skills.
People credited with this unit standard are able to: perform civil engineering laboratory field investigation tests; and calculate and report results of civil engineering laboratory field investigation tests.
Classification / Infrastructure Civil Engineering > Infrastructure Laboratory
Available grade / Achieved
Entry information
Recommended skills and knowledge / Unit 26664, Describe civil engineering laboratory field investigation tests,or demonstrate equivalent knowledge and skills.
Explanatory notes
1Applicable rules, standards, and codes include but are not limited to:
ISO/IEC 17025:2005 General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories, available from
NZS 4402.1:1986 Methods of testing soils for civil engineering purposes - Preliminary and general, available from
2Definitions
Samples may include but are not limited to – prepared materials and test materials such as standards and reagents.
Organisational requirements refer to instructions to staff on policy and procedures which are formally documented or generally accepted at the worksite. This may include legislation; industry standards and methods; national and international standards and methods; customer/organisation developed methods; standard operating procedures; specifications; manuals; and manufacturer’s information.
Perform refers to completing the individual components of the test sequentially in terms of the relevant test method and organisational requirements. Components will vary between tests and include but are not limited to – the completion of tasks, from sample and equipment preparation to the calculation and reporting of results. Perform does not include the evaluation or the troubleshooting of tests.
3Evidence is required for a minimum of five civil engineering laboratory field investigation tests, which may include but are not limited to – Nuclear Density Meter, Benkelman beam, shear vane, Scala penetrometer, cone penetrometer test, static penetrometer test, falling weight deflectometer, lightweight deflectometer, impact soil tester (clegg), sand circle, British pendulum, National Association of Australian State Road Authority (NAASRA), grip tester, sand replacement, balloon densometer, core cutters, in situCalifornia Bearing Ratio, plate bearing,soil and rock logging.
Outcomes and evidence requirements
Outcome 1
Perform civil engineering laboratory field investigation tests.
Evidence requirements
1.1Samples and equipment are prepared in accordance with organisational requirements.
1.2Test is performed in accordance with organisational requirements.
1.3Test results are checked to be within precision requirements in accordance with organisations requirements.
1.4Test equipment is maintained and storedin accordance with organisations requirements.
Outcome 2
Calculate and report results of civil engineering laboratory field investigation tests.
Evidence requirements
2.1Results are recorded accurately and calculations are performed in accordance with organisational requirements.
Rangemay include but is not limited to – sample site, sample description.
2.2Results are reported in accordance with organisational requirements.
Planned review date / 1 June 2015Status information and last date for assessment for superseded versions
Process / Version / Date / Last Date for AssessmentRegistration / 1 / 21 January 2011 / N/A
Accreditation and Moderation Action Plan (AMAP) reference / 0101
This AMAP can be accessed at
Please note
Providers must be granted consent to assess against standards (accredited) by NZQA, or an inter-institutional body with delegated authority for quality assurance, before they can report credits from assessment against unit standards or deliver courses of study leading to that assessment.
Industry Training Organisations must be granted consent to assess against standards by NZQA before they can register credits from assessment against unit standards.
Providers and Industry Training Organisations, which have been granted consent and which are assessing against unit standards must engage with the moderation system that applies to those standards.
Consent requirements and an outline of the moderation system that applies to this standard are outlined in the Accreditation and Moderation Action Plan (AMAP). The AMAP also includes useful information about special requirements for organisations wishing to develop education and training programmes, such as minimum qualifications for tutors and assessors, and special resource requirements.
Comments on this unit standard
Please contact Infrastructure if you wish to suggest changes to the content of this unit standard.
Infrastructure ITOSSB Code 101813 / New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2018