A soil boring is a drilled or advanced hole used to observe subsurface materials and collect samples or test data at a selected location.
Definition
A soil boring is a field exploration point created by drilling or another method to examine subsurface materials. The work may produce a log, samples, and test data, with the location and depth selected to address investigation questions. A boring provides information at a specific point; it does not establish that conditions between borings are identical or capture all site variation. Firms may plan borings by number, location, depth, or a combination, depending on the project purpose and access. Owners should understand what sampling and testing are included, and who handles utility clearance, access, and surface restoration. A soil boring is not a complete geotechnical investigation by itself, nor is it a soil sample or a geotechnical interpretation. Its results are inputs that qualified professionals review with other project information. The ASCE resource can provide broader professional context for geotechnical engineering work.
How owners use it
- Review boring locations and planned depths against the project layout and design questions.
- Clarify whether sampling, field tests, logging, utility clearance, and restoration are included in the field scope.
- Compare proposed boring programs by total planned depth and location coverage.
- Example: 4 borings planned to 25 feet each total 4 × 25 = 100 boring feet.
