ASTM D5979-96e1

e1
Designation: D 5979 – 96
AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR TESTING AND MATERIALS
100 Barr Harbor Dr., West Conshohocken, PA 19428
Reprinted from the Annual Book of ASTM Standards. Copyright ASTM
Standard Guide for
Conceptualization and Characterization of Ground-Water
1
Systems
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D 5979; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1
e NOTE—Paragraph 1.10 was added editorially October 1998.
2
1. Scope In such hydrogeologic settings, refer to Quinlan (1) and Guide
D 5717 for additional guidance.
1.1 This guide covers an integrated, stepwise method for the
1.8 This guide does not address special considerations
qualitative conceptualization and quantitative characterization
regarding the source, fate, and movement of chemicals in the
of ground-water flow systems, including the unsaturated zone,
subsurface.
for natural or human-induced behavior or changes.
1.9 This standard does not purport to address all of the
1.2 This guide may be used at any scale of investigation,
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
including site-specific, subregional, and regional applications.
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
1.3 This guide describes an iterative process for developing
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
multiple working hypotheses for characterizing ground-water
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.
flow systems. This process aims at reducing uncertainty with
1.10 This guide offers an organized collection of informa-
respect to conceptual models, observation, interpretation, and
tion or a series of options and does not recommend a specific
analysis in terms of hypothesis and refinement of the most
course of action. This document cannot replace education or
likely conceptual model of the ground-water flow system. The
experience and should be used in conjunction with professional
process is also aimed at reducing the range of realistic values
judgment. Not all aspects of this guide may be applicable in all
for parameters identified during the characterization process.
circumstances. This ASTM standard is not intended to repre-
This guide does not address the quantitative uncertainty
sent or replace the standard of care by which the adequacy of
associated with specific methods of hydrogeologic and ground-
a given professional service must be judged, nor should this
water system characterization and quantification, for example,
document be applied without consideration of a project’s many
the effects of well construction on water-level measurement.
unique aspects. The word “Standard” in the title of this
1.4 This guide addresses the general procedure, types of
document means only that the document has been approved
data needed, and references that enable the investigator to
through the ASTM consensus process.
complete the process of analysis and interpretation of each data
type with respect to geohydrologic processes and hydrogeo-
2. Referenced Documents
logic framework. This guide recommends the groups of data
2.1 ASTM Standards:
and analysis to be used during each step of the conceptualiza-
2.1.1 This procedure is used in conjunction with the follow-
tion process.
ing ASTM Standards:
1.5 This guide does not address the specific methods for
D 653 Terminology Relating to Soil, Rock, and Contained
characterizing hydrogeologic and ground-water system prop-
3,4
Fluids
erties.
D 5254 Practice for the Minimum Set of Data Elements to
1.6 This guide does not address model selection, design, or
5
Identify a Ground Water Site
attribution for use in the process of ground-water flow system
D 5408 Guide for the Set of Data Elements to Describe a
characterization and quantification. This guide does not ad-
Ground Water Site; Part 1—Additional Identification De-
dress the process of model schematization, including the
5
scriptors
simplification of hydrologic systems and the representation of
D 5409 Guide for the Set of Data Elements to Describe a
hydrogeologic parameters in models.
5
Ground Water Site; Part 2—Physical Descriptors
1.7 This guide does not address special considerations
D 5410 Guide for the Set of Data Elements to Describe a
required for characterization of karst and fractured rock terrain.
2
The boldface numbers given in parentheses refer to a list of references at the
1
This guide is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D-18 on Soil and end of the text.
3
Rock and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D18.21 on Ground Water and Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 04.08.
4
Vadose Zone Investigations. Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 11.01.
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Current edition approved July 10, 1996. Published November 1996. Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 04.
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