MALAYSIAN MS 2038:2024

STANDARD

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Site investigations - Code of practice
(First revision)
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ICS: 93.020

Descriptors: site investigation, code of practice, field investigation, tests, samples, soils and rocks, reports

© Copyright 2024
DEPARTMENT OF STANDARDS MALAYSIA
DEVELOPMENT OF MALAYSIAN STANDARDS

The Department of Standards Malaysia is the national standards and accreditation body of Malaysia.

The main function of the Department of Standards Malaysia is to foster and promote standards,
standardisation and accreditation as a means of advancing the national economy, promoting industrial
efficiency and development, benefitting the health and safety of the public, protecting the consumers,
facilitating domestic and international trade and furthering international cooperation in relation to
standards and standardisation. The use of Malaysian Standards is voluntary except in so far as they
are made mandatory by regulatory authorities by means of regulations, local by-laws or any other similar

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ways.

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Malaysian Standards are developed through consensus by committees which comprise balanced
representation of producers, users, consumers and others with relevant interests, as may be
appropriate to the subject at hand. The development of a standard as a Malaysian Standard is governed

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by the Standards of Malaysia Act 1996 [Act 549]. Section 18A of the act stipulated that, all Malaysian
Standards are owned by the Government of Malaysia and no part of a Malaysian Standard can be
reproduced in any form without the written permission of the Director General.
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For further information on Malaysian Standards, please contact:

Department of Standards Malaysia

Level 4 – 7, Tower 2, Menara Cyber Axis
Jalan Impact, Cyber 6
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63000 Cyberjaya
Selangor Darul Ehsan
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MALAYSIA

Tel: 60 3 8008 2900

Fax: 60 3 8008 2901
http://www.jsm.gov.my
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E-mail: central@jsm.gov.my
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Contents

Page

Committee representation .......................................................................................................... v

Foreword .................................................................................................................................. vii

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Introduction .............................................................................................................................. viii

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SECTION 1: GENERAL AND SCOPE ....................................................................................... 1

1.1 Scope .............................................................................................................................. 1

1.2 Normative references ...................................................................................................... 1

1.3

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Terms and definitions ...................................................................................................... 4

SECTION 2: PRELIMINARY CONSIDERATIONS .................................................................... 7

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2.1 Primary objectives ........................................................................................................... 7

2.2 Safety on investigation sites ........................................................................................... 9

2.3 Personnel for site investigations ................................................................................... 11

2.4 Investigation strategy .................................................................................................... 13

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2.5 Planning and control of investigations .......................................................................... 14

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2.6 Quality management ..................................................................................................... 15

SECTION 3: DESK STUDY AND FIELD RECONNAISSANCE .............................................. 16

3.1 General ......................................................................................................................... 16

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3.2 Desk study .................................................................................................................... 17

3.3 Field reconnaissance .................................................................................................... 19

3.4 Earlier uses and state of site......................................................................................... 20

3.5 Aerial photographs and satellite imagery...................................................................... 22

SECTION 4: PLANNING SITE INVESTIGATIONS .................................................................. 25

4.2 Geological mapping ...................................................................................................... 28

4.3 Scope of the site investigation ...................................................................................... 29

4.4 Frequency of sampling and testing ............................................................................... 37

4.5 General considerations in the selection of methods of site investigation .................... 40

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MS 2038:2024

4.6 The effect of ground conditions on the selection of methods of intrusive investigation 44

4.7 Ground chemically aggressive or prone to volume change .......................................... 55

4.8 Site investigations over water ....................................................................................... 57

SECTION 5: EXPLORATORY HOLES .................................................................................... 60

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5.1 Surveying of investigation points .................................................................................. 60

5.2 Excavations and boreholes ........................................................................................... 61

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5.3 Sampling the ground ..................................................................................................... 71

5.4 Groundwater monitoring and sampling ......................................................................... 92

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SECTION 6: GEOPHYSICAL FIELD INVESTIGATIONS ........................................................ 97

6.1 General ......................................................................................................................... 97

6.3 Geophysical techniques ................................................................................................ 98

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6.4 Application of geophysical techniques ........................................................................ 108

6.5 Specification and planning of a geophysical survey ................................................... 109

SECTION 7: DESCRIPTION OF SOILS AND ROCKS.......................................................... 111

7.1 The description processes .......................................................................................... 111

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7.2 Description of soils ...................................................................................................... 115

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7.3 Field procedures for description of principal inorganic soil type ................................. 138

7.4 Classification of soils ................................................................................................... 141

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7.5 Description and classification of rocks ........................................................................ 142

SECTION 8: FIELD TESTS.................................................................................................... 162

8.1 General ....................................................................................................................... 162

8.2 Probing ........................................................................................................................ 164

8.3 Static cone penetration testing.................................................................................... 167

8.4 Flat dilatometer test .................................................................................................... 170

8.5 Standard penetration test............................................................................................ 171

8.6 Vane test ..................................................................................................................... 172

8.7 Pressuremeter tests .................................................................................................... 173

8.8 Field density ................................................................................................................ 176

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8.9 In-situ stress measurements ....................................................................................... 178

8.10 Bearing tests ............................................................................................................... 184

8.11 In-situ shear tests ........................................................................................................ 192

8.12 Geohydraulic testing ................................................................................................... 195

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8.13 Large-scale field trials ................................................................................................. 199

SECTION 9: FIELD INSTRUMENTATION ............................................................................ 203

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9.1 General ....................................................................................................................... 203

9.2 Planning a field monitoring programme ...................................................................... 204

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9.3 Groundwater measurements ...................................................................................... 205

9.4 Inclinometers ............................................................................................................... 217

9.5 Extensometers ............................................................................................................ 223

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SECTION 10: LABORATORY TESTS ON SAMPLES........................................................... 226

10.1 General ....................................................................................................................... 226

10.2 Roles and responsibilities ........................................................................................... 226

10.3 Health and safety in laboratories ................................................................................ 226

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10.4 Sample storage and inspection facilities ..................................................................... 227

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10.5 Selection of testing programme .................................................................................. 229

10.6 Visual examination and description of laboratory samples ......................................... 230

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10.7 Laboratory tests .......................................................................................................... 230

SECTION 11: REPORTS AND INTERPRETATION .............................................................. 256

11.1 General ....................................................................................................................... 256

11.2 Reports........................................................................................................................ 261

SECTION 12: REVIEW DURING AND AFTER CONSTRUCTION ....................................... 273

12.1 General ....................................................................................................................... 273

12.2 Purpose of review ....................................................................................................... 273

12.3 Information required .................................................................................................... 274

12.4 Monitoring ................................................................................................................... 275

12.5 Reporting..................................................................................................................... 275

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Annex A National safety legislation and guidance ........................................................... 276

Annex B General information for a desk study ................................................................ 280

Annex C Sources of information ...................................................................................... 285

Annex D Detailed information for design and construction .............................................. 290

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Annex E Notes on field reconnaissance .......................................................................... 294

Annex F Site investigations and development in ground potentially containing voids .... 297

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Annex G Integrated investigations ................................................................................... 309

Annex H Photographic records ........................................................................................ 313

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Bibliography ............................................................................................................................ 316

Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................ 333

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Committee representation

The National Standards Committee on Building, Construction and Civil Engineering (NSC 04) under whose authority
this Malaysian Standard was developed, comprises representatives from the following organisations:

Association of Consulting Engineers Malaysia

Construction Industry Development Board Malaysia
Department of Standards Malaysia (Secretariat)

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Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers
Jabatan Bomba dan Penyelamat Malaysia
Jabatan Kerajaan Tempatan

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Jabatan Kerja Raya Malaysia
Jabatan Pengairan dan Saliran
Malaysian Iron and Steel Industry Federation
Malaysian Timber Industry Board
Master Builders Association Malaysia
Ministry of International Trade and Industry
Pertubuhan Akitek Malaysia

The Cement and Concrete Association of Malaysia

The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia
Universiti Putra Malaysia
Universiti Sains Malaysia
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Real Estate and Housing Developers' Association Malaysia
Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan Air Negara
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Universiti Teknologi MARA

The Technical Committee on Geotechnical Works (NSC 04/TC 17) which supervised the development of this Malaysian
Standard consists of representatives from the following organisations:

Association of Consulting Engineers Malaysia

Department of Irrigation and Drainage Malaysia
Department of Mineral and Geoscience Malaysia
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Department of Standards Malaysia (Secretariat)

IKRAM Engineering Services Sdn Bhd
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Master Builders Association MalaysiaJabatan Kerja Raya Malaysia

The Malaysian Site Investigators Association
The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia
Universiti Teknologi MARA

The Working Groups which developed this Malaysian Standard consists of representatives from the following
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organisations:

Working Group 1

Department of Mineral and Geoscience Malaysia

Department of Standards Malaysia (Secretariat)
Institute of Geology Malaysia
Public Works Department Malaysia
Sealand Drillers (M) Sdn Bhd
STL Geotechnical Engineering Sdn Bhd
Test Sdn Bhd
The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia
The Malaysian Site Investigators Association
Universiti Teknologi MARA

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MS 2038:2024

Committee representation (continued)

Working Group 2

Department of Mineral and Geoscience Malaysia

Department of Standards Malaysia (Secretariat)
Institute of Geology Malaysia
Public Works Department Malaysia

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Sealand Drillers (M) Sdn Bhd
STL Geotechnical Engineering Sdn Bhd
The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia

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The Malaysian Site Investigators Association
Universiti Teknologi MARA

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 MS 2038:2024

Foreword

This Malaysian Standard was developed by the Working Group 1 and Working Group 2 which
was supervised by the Technical Committee on Geotechnical Works (NSC 04/TC 17) under the
authority of the National Standards Committee on Building, Construction and Civil Engineering
(NSC 04).

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This is a full revision of the standard, and the majority of changes arise from the further
implementation into Malaysia practice of MS EN 1997-1 and MS EN 1997-2 and the related
test standards cited therein and the need to conform to these standards.

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This Malaysian Standard cancel and replaces MS 2038:2006, Site investigations - Code of
practice.

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Compliance with a Malaysian Standard does not of itself confer immunity from legal obligations.
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© DEPARTMENT OF STANDARDS MALAYSIA 2024 - All rights reserved vii