A method for the collection of soil monoliths from stony and gravelly soils

Abstract

Monolith collection of soils with large amounts of coarse fragments, or of wet soils, pose specific problems which are directly related to their lack of physical stability. The purpose of this paper is to outline a procedure for soil monolith collection which is highly appropriate for these cases. A permanent backing is prepared on site with gypsum plaster before detaching the profile from the soil face. The soil is initially stabilized with an aqueous suspension of vinyl latex. A permanent backing is prepared on site by casting a gypsum plaster slurry between the soil section and a backing board. This will fill all voids and anchor the coarse fragments protruding from the soil exposure. Once the plaster has set, the soil monolith can be safely dug out and transported. Little finishing is needed afterwards in the laboratory. The procedure has been successfully demonstrated in a variety of soils in Spain.