ABSTRACT
The geotechnical properties of soils are determined in order to study their in-situ properties and fundamental physical characteristics. For this purpose samples are either recovered and tested or tested in situ. To have a good control over the progress and the quality of any sampling investigation, it is strongly preferred to have a laboratory onboard the vessel. An usual offshore practice is to extrude the samples from their tubes to inspect their quality, to immediately determine soil classification, and to perform simple strength tests. The best samples are then repacked, waxed, and carefully stored for later testing onshore. This procedure gives the possibility to immediately understand the soil in which one is drilling, and to have data available for a field soil report, which then serves for the next stage of the investigation. Frequently, it also helps the client to have a preliminary engineering answer; for example, when looking for a suitable location for a jack-up drilling rig.
