ABSTRACT
In the 1940s, the soil test methods began to be standardized. In 1942, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials established standards for test methods, apparatuses and physical properties of soil. The purpose of the standards is to regulate soil test to ensure correct assessment of the engineering properties of soils and rocks, and to provide reliable parameters for engineering design and construction. The national standardization systems have been widely investigated. American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standards are divided into 15 categories, covering metals, coatings, plastics, textiles, petroleum, construction, energy, environmental, consumer products, medical services, equipment and electronics, and advanced materials. The International Society of Rock Mechanics is a non-profit rock mechanics research society that has published a number of methods for rock tests mainly in form of journals. The procedure for issuing and updating a standard in Australia Standards is similar to that in ASTM.
