BRE 365 Soakaway Testing

We conduct our soakage tests in accordance with the BRE 365 Digest in order to understand the sub soils capacity for drainage. 

HESI would attend site, and with the use of a JCB, excavate trial pits within the anticipated stratum for the soakaway. A water tanker would deliver clean water into the test pit prior to commencement of the test. Water needs to be delivered quickly as to not pre saturate the ground prior to the test and produce a distorted result. Our engineer will monitor the water for a minimum of three hours to recover all necessary data to calculate an infiltration rate. 

This test procedure is repeated two more times, as per best practice, before the excavation is backfilled. A report will be prepared as to the potential drainage capacity of the stratum for drainage capacity. 

See our Mechanically excavated trial pits page for more information of trial pits.

The works will involve an engineer on site throughout the duration of the works and should include for all health and safety parameters when working with deep excavations and water. Heras Fencing would be best employed to maintain safety when completing these tests. 

In certain soils, the drainage capacity of the subsoil is poor and as such, the test procedure can run into days of work which obviously we cannot foresee based on desk based assessments of the site.