A trial pit is an excavation of ground in order to study or sample the composition

and structure of the subsurface, usually dug during a site investigation, a soil survey or
a geological survey. Trial pits are dug before the construction. They are dug to determine the
geology and the water table of that site.
Trial pits are usually between 1 and 4 metres deep, and are dug either by hand or using a
mechanical digger. Building and construction regulations clearly state that any trial pits that
concede deeper than 1.2 metres should be secured against structural collapse, if they are to be
entered by people.

Trial Pit Excavations
This technique is normally used for recovering near surface large bulk samples of granular soil
or if close visual examination of the strata is required. The main advantage of this method when
compared to percussion drilling is the relative speed with which the work can be carried out.
The disadvantage is the level of surface disturbance suffered and the difficulty in carrying out
the effective reinstatement of the excavations.
Trial pits can be formed where the ground will be able to stand temporarily unsupported.
Where there is water present in the excavation, problems may be presented due to instability
of the sides and the difficulty of obtaining representative samples of the ground (finer material
tends to wash out with the water as the sample is collected).
Entry of the excavation by personnel must be avoided, since the unsupported sides of a trial pit
can collapse. If it is essential that an excavation be entered, e.g. for the collection of
undisturbed samples or to enable in-situ testing to be carried out, then shoring must be used or
the sides of the trial pit battered back to a safe angle.
Trial pits can be safely manually excavated down to about 1.2m. Hand excavation is necessary if
services (water, gas, electricity, etc.) are known to exist in the vicinity and particularly if their
location is uncertain. Once the base of the excavation is below the depth at which any services
may exist, then the excavation can be continued by machine.
A wheel-driven back-hoe excavator is appropriate for excavating trial pits to a depth of about
3m. Some machines of this type are capable of excavating down to about 5m. A track-driven
excavator is necessary to reach depths beyond about 4.5m. However, if groundwater is
encountered, deeper excavation and sampling may be difficult and of limited value.