1.1 These practices outline the procedures for obtaining intact block (cubical and cylindrical) soil samples. 1.2 Intact block samples are obtained for laboratory tests to determine the strength, consolidation, permeability, and other geotechnical engineering or physical properties of the intact soil. 1.3 Two sampling practices are presented. Practice A covers cubical block sampling, while Practice B covers cylindrical block sampling. 1.4 These practices usually involve test pit excavation and are limited to relatively shallow depths. Except in the case of large diameter (that is, diameters greater than 0.8 m [2.5 ft]) bored shafts of circular cross-section in unsaturated soils, for depths greater than about 1 to 11/2 meters [3 to 5 ft] or depths below the water table, the cost and difficulties of excavating, cribbing, and dewatering generally make block sampling impractical and uneconomical. For these conditions, use of a thin-walled push tube soil sampler (Practice D1587/D1587M), a piston-type soil sampler (Practice D6519), or Hollow-Stem Auger (Practice D6151/D6151M), Dennison, or Pitcher-type soil core samplers, or freezing the soil and coring may be required. 1.5 These practices do not address environmental sampling; consult Guides D6169/D6169M and D62