ASTM D5549-19

This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
Designation: D5549 − 19
Standard Guide for
Contents of Geostatistical Site Investigation Report
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D5549; 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 (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
INTRODUCTION
Geostatistics is a framework for data analysis and estimation in media whose measurable attributes
show erratic spatial variability yet also possess a degree of spatial continuity imparted by the natural
and anthropogenic process operating therein. The soil, rock, and contained fluids encountered in
environmentalorgeotechnicalsiteinvestigationspresentsuchfeaturesandtheirsampledattributesare
therefore amenable to geostatistical treatment. This guide is concerned with the reporting of such
investigations.
1. Scope incorporate whatever supplementary knowledge of the site that
may be available from other sources. As with classical statis-
1.1 This guide covers the contents required for a complete
tical approaches, geostatistics is not intended to establish
report of a geostatistical site investigation.Acomplete report is
cause-and-effect relationships.
understood here to be one that contains all the information
necessary to the understanding and evaluation of the geostatis- 1.7 This guide offers an organized collection of information
or a series of options and does not recommend a specific
tical site investigation by other geostatisticians.
course of action. This document cannot replace education or
1.2 This guide does not discuss the reporting of supplemen-
experience and should be used in conjunction with professional
tary information that may assist evaluation of the report.
judgment. Not all aspects of this guide may be applicable in all
1.3 While geostatistical methods are used in many fields,
circumstances. This ASTM standard is not intended to repre-
this guide is primarily intended for the reporting of environ-
sent or replace the standard of care by which the adequacy of
mental and geotechnical applications.
a given professional service must be judged, nor should this
document be applied without consideration of a project’s many
1.4 The basic geostatistical methods referred to in this guide
unique aspects. The word “Standard” in the title of this
are fully described in texts by David (1), Journel and
document means only that the document has been approved
Huijbregts (2), Clark (3), and Isaaks and Srivastava (4). Olea
through the ASTM consensus process.
(5) gives a thorough compilation of geostatistical terminology
aswellas (6)apracticaldescriptionofthesubjectforengineers
1.8 This international standard was developed in accor-
and earth scientists. Chiles (7) and Goovaerts (8) provide
dance with internationally recognized principles on standard-
material on how to deal with spatial uncertainty and how to use
ization established in the Decision on Principles for the
geostatistics for the evaluation of natural resources.
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recom-
mendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical
1.5 This guide does not discuss the reporting of
Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
multivariate, space-time, and other less-frequently used geo-
statistical methods; however this is not intended to reflect any
2. Referenced Documents
judgment as to the validity of these methods.
2.1 ASTM Standards:
1.6 Geostatistics is but one approach that can be used to
D653 Terminology Relating to Soil, Rock, and Contained
understand and describe site conditions. Investigations should
Fluids
3. Terminology
This test method is under the jurisdiction ofASTM Committee D18 on Soil and
Rock and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D18.01 on Surface and
3.1 For definitions of common technical terms used in this
Subsurface Characterization.
standard, refer to Terminology D653.
Current edition approved May 1, 2019. Published May 2019. Originally
ɛ1
approved in 1988. Last previous edition approved in 1995 as D5549–94 , which
was withdrawn December 2002 and reinstated in May 2019. DOI: 10.1520/D7351- For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
19. contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM
The boldface numbers in parentheses refer to a list of references at the end of Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
the text. the ASTM website.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
D5549 − 19
3.2 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard: function model chosen to represent a regionalized variable. In
3.2.1 additivity, n—a mathematical property of a regional- the case of conditional simulation, the realizations are con-
strained to honor data values measured at sampled locations.
ized variable stating that it can be combined linearly in order to
define a similar variable on a larger support.
3.2.17 support, n—in geostatistics, the spatial averaging
region over which a regionalized variable is defined, often
3.2.2 correlogram, n—a measure of spatial continuity ex-
approximated by a point for sample-scale variables.
pressing the coefficient of correlation between two variables as
a function of the lag distance separating their locations.
3.2.18 variogram, n—a measure of spatial continuity de-
fined as one half the variance of the difference between two
3.2.3 covariance, n—a measure of similarity between two
variables and expressed as a function of lag distance. It is also
variables defined as the expected value of their product minus
sometimes referred to as the semi-variogram.
the product of their expected values and often used to measure
spatialcontinuitybetweentwovariablesasafunctionofthelag
4. Summary of Guide
distance separating their locations.
3.2.4 cross validation, n—in geostatistics, a procedure by
5. Significance and Use
which the suitability of an estimation method is assessed by
5.1 This guide is intended to encourage consistency and
sequentially removing and estimating sample data, and com-
thoroughness in the reporting of geostatistical site investiga-
paring the resulting pairs of true and estimated values.
tions by describing the basic information required in a com-
3.2.5 drift, n—in geostatistics, a systematic spatial variation
plete report.
that is usually expressed as a polynomial function of location
5.2 Referring to the table of contents suggested in Table 1,
coordinates.
this guide may be used as a template by those preparing reports
3.2.6 estimation, n—in geostatistics, a procedure by which
or as a checklist for review and auditing purposes by qualified
the value of a variable at an unsampled location is predicted
nonparticipants in the study.
using a weighted average of available sample values from the
neighborhood of that location.
6. Contents of a Geostatistical Site Investigation Report
3.2.7 field, n—in geostatistics, the region of one-, two-, or TABLE 1 Suggested Table of Contents for a Geostatistical Site
Investigation Report
three-dimensional space within which a regionalized variable
Report Heading Section
is defined.
Objectives 6.2
3.2.8 geostatistics, n—the application of random function
Site Description 6.3
Data Sources 6.4
theory to the analysis and estimation of natural phenomena
Definition of Field 6.5
characterized by the erratic spatial variability of their measur-
Choice of Regionalized Variable 6.6
able attributes.
Exploratory Data Analysis 6.7
Spatial Continuity Analysis 6.8
3.2.9 kriging, n—a linear estimation method where sample
Estimation 6.9
weights are obtained using a least-squares optimization proce- Simulation 6.10
Conclusions and Recommendations 6.11
dure based on a mathematical model of spatial continuity and
References 6.12
where the unknown variable may have a point or a block
Computer Software 6.13
support.
6.1 Table 1 shows the suggested table of contents for a
3.2.10 kriging variance, n—the expected value of the
geostatistical site investigation report and the corresponding
squared difference between the value of an unknown variable
sections of the standard that apply to each heading.
and its kriging estimate, sometimes used as a measure of
6.2 Objectives—The report of a geostatistical site investiga-
kriging precision.
tion should contain a section stating study objectives.Through-
3.2.11 lag, n—in geostatistics, the distance vector separat-
out the report, selected procedures, assumptions, and approxi-
ing the locations of two variables, as used in measures of
mations should be justified in terms of these objectives.
spatial continuity.
Objectives must be shown to be consistent with the data
quality, sample spacing, and site coverage available.
3.2.12 point, n—in geostatistics, the location in the field at
which a regionalized variable is defined. It also commonly
6.3 Site Description—The report of a geostatistical site
refers to the support of sample-scale variables.
investigation should contain a section summarizing site history
3.2.13 regionalized variable, n—a measured quantity or a and conditions, both physical and chemical, relevant to the
study.
numerical attribute characterizing a spatially variable phenom-
enon at a location in the field. 6.3.1 Maps should be used to show the location of the site
relative to country, state, province, county or similar boundary
3.2.14 realization, n—an outcome of a random function or a
lines; roads; population centers; bodies of water, and other
random variable.
physiographic features.
3.2.15 search neighborhood, n—the region over which
6.3.2 Detailed site plans should be provided if the site has
samples are considered for inclusion in the kriging process.
numerous cadastral, physical, or biological features that influ-
3.2.16 simulation, n—in geostatistics, a Monte-Carlo proce- ence access to sample data locations or future survey locations
dure for generating realizations of fields based on the random related to the geostatistical study. Plans should be provided at
D5549 − 19
the same scale and degree of accuracy and precision as that 6.6.4 If logarithmic, indicator, gaussian, uniform, or other
provided with sample location and site boundaries map(s). mathematical transformations are applied to the original re-
gionalized variable, the transformation procedure and the
6.3.3 Graphical displays such as maps or sections should be
used to show data locations, site boundaries, and all other reasons for performing such a transformation should be docu-
mented.
horizontal and vertical controls affecting boundaries or data
locations. 6.6.5 If a transformed regionalized variable was used
throughout a geostatistical study, the report must demonstrate
6.4 Data Sources andAccessory Information—The report of
that a back-transformation, if applied, does not introduce any
a geostatistical site investigation should contain a section
unwanted bias in the spatial statistics of the restored variable.
describing all qualitative and quantitative information needed
6.6.6 If the regionalized variable is a numerical quantity
for a geostatistician to evaluate the impact of the data as they
assigned to qualitative or subjective attributes of the medium,
will affect the study results.
the numerical coding should be described.
6.4.1 Sources of all physical and chemical data relevant to
6.7 Exploratory Data Analysis—The report of a geostatisti-
the geostatistical site investigation should be reported, identi-
cal site investigation should contain a section on exploratory
fying sample data in accordance with the sampling method,
data analysis. Exploratory data analysis refers to the univariate,
time of collection, sample gathering agency, and laboratory.
bivariate, or multivariate statistical analyses of the regionalized
6.4.2 Complete tables listing the data selected for the
variable generally conducted at the beginning of the geostatis-
geostatistical site investigation should be included in the
tical study.
report. If the combined data set is large, use of an appendix or
6.7.1 Any grouping of data into subsets f
...