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SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY 
REGISTERED UNIT STANDARD THAT HAS PASSED THE END DATE: 

Identify different soil types and ground conditions 
SAQA US ID UNIT STANDARD TITLE
119524  Identify different soil types and ground conditions 
ORIGINATOR
SGB Civil Engineering Construction 
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY
-  
FIELD SUBFIELD
Field 12 - Physical Planning and Construction Civil Engineering Construction 
ABET BAND UNIT STANDARD TYPE PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL CREDITS
Undefined  Regular  Level 3  NQF Level 03  6 
REGISTRATION STATUS REGISTRATION START DATE REGISTRATION END DATE SAQA DECISION NUMBER
Passed the End Date -
Status was "Reregistered" 		 2018-07-01  2023-06-30  SAQA 06120/18 
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2024-06-30   2027-06-30  

In all of the tables in this document, both the pre-2009 NQF Level and the NQF Level is shown. In the text (purpose statements, qualification rules, etc), any references to NQF Levels are to the pre-2009 levels unless specifically stated otherwise.  

This unit standard does not replace any other unit standard and is not replaced by any other unit standard. 

PURPOSE OF THE UNIT STANDARD 
This unit standard is directed towards people who are required to have a basic understanding of ground conditions for geotechnical work and are able to differentiate between soil types.
People credited with this unit standard are able to:
  • Differentiate between types of soils
  • Identify cohesiveness and stability of soil types
  • Identify soft and hard rock masses
  • Identify the presence of ground water 
    		•

    LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
    The credit calculation is based on the assumption that learners are already competent in terms of the following outcomes or areas of learning when starting to learn towards this unit standard:
  • Communication at NQF level 2 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD RANGE 
    Soil types relate to sands, soils, silts, clays, soft and hard rock
    Ground conditions relate to the presence of ground water and its cohesive nature

    Specific range statements are provided in the body of the unit standard where they apply to particular specific outcomes or assessment criteria. These are intended as a general guide to scope and complexity of what is required. 

    Specific Outcomes and Assessment Criteria: 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 1 
    Differentiate between types of soils. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    Soil types are identified and described in terms of their geological nature. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    The differences between soil types are explained in terms of their behavioural characteristics. 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 2 
    Identify cohesiveness and stability of soil types. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    Tests are conducted to determine soil cohesiveness in accordance with site requirements. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Tests are limited to visual and hand tests conducted on the site.
     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    Stability of excavations is determined from soil cohesiveness tests. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    Changes in soil stability due to exposure to climatic conditions are identified in terms of characteristic features. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    The effect of groundwater on the cohesive nature of soils is explained in terms of ground stability. 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 3 
    Identify soft and hard rock masses. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    Different rock types are classified in terms of geological formation. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Granite, shale, sandstone and boulders.
     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    Rock types are classified in terms of hard and soft composition. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
  • Soft rock relates to ground that is "pickable"
  • Hard rock relates to ground that cannot be removed with normal excavation techniques
     
    		•

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    Rock structure is identified in terms of fragmentation and solidity. 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 4 
    Identify the presence of ground water. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    The presence of groundwater is identified in terms of the groundwater table. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    The consequences of conducting work in areas of high water content are explained in terms of soil stability and costs. 


    UNIT STANDARD ACCREDITATION AND MODERATION OPTIONS 
  • Anyone assessing a learner against this unit standard must be registered as an assessor with the relevant ETQA.
  • Any institution offering learning that will enable achievement of this unit standard must be accredited as a provider through the relevant ETQA.
  • Moderation of assessment will be overseen by the relevant ETQA according to the moderation guidelines and the agreed ETQA procedures. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD ESSENTIAL EMBEDDED KNOWLEDGE 
    The following embedded knowledge is addressed in an integrated way in the unit standard:
  • Different types of soils and rock masses
  • Soil cohesiveness
  • The effects of groundwater on soil cohesiveness
  • Rock hardness and characteristics
  • Location of groundwater table 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD DEVELOPMENTAL OUTCOME 
    N/A 

    UNIT STANDARD LINKAGES 
    N/A 


    Critical Cross-field Outcomes (CCFO): 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO IDENTIFYING 
    Identify and solve problems. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO WORKING 
    Work effectively with others and in teams. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO ORGANISING 
    Organise and manage oneself and one's activities responsibly and effectively. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO COMMUNICATING 
    Communicate effectively using visual, mathematical and/or language skills. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO SCIENCE 
    Use science and technology effectively and critically. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO DEMONSTRATING 
    Understand the world as a set of inter-related parts of a system. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO CONTRIBUTING 
    Contribute to the full development of oneself. 

    UNIT STANDARD ASSESSOR CRITERIA 
    When conducting assessments, assessors must ensure that they are familiar with the full text of the Unit Standards being assessed.

    They must ensure that the assessment covers the specific outcomes, critical cross-field outcomes and essential embedded knowledge.

    As each situation is different, it will be necessary to develop assessment activities and tools, which are appropriate to the contexts in which practitioners are working. These activities and tools may include self-assessment, peer assessment, formative and summative assessment.

    The specific outcomes and essential embedded knowledge must be assessed in relation to each other. If a practitioner is able to explain the essential embedded knowledge but is unable to perform the specific outcomes, they should not be assessed as competent. Similarly, if a practitioner is able to perform the specific outcomes but is unable to explain or justify their performance in terms of the essential embedded knowledge, they should not be assessed as competent.

    Assessors should keep the following principles in mind when designing and conducting assessments against this unit standard:
  • Focus the assessment activities on gathering evidence in terms of the main outcome expressed in the title to ensure assessment is integrated rather than fragmented. Remember we want to declare the person competent in terms of the title. Where assessment at title level is unmanageable, then focus assessment around each specific outcome, or groups of specific outcomes.
  • Make sure evidence is gathered across the entire range, wherever it applies. Assessment activities should be as close to the real performance as possible, and where simulations or role-plays are used, there should be supporting evidence to show the candidate is able to perform in the real situation.
  • Do not focus the assessment activities on each assessment criterion. Rather make sure the assessment activities focus on outcomes and are sufficient to enable evidence to be gathered around all the assessment criteria.
  • The assessment criteria provide the specifications against which assessment judgements should be made. In most cases, knowledge can be inferred from the quality of the performances, but in other cases, knowledge and understanding will have to be tested through questioning techniques. Where this is required, there will be assessment criteria to specify the standard required.
  • The task of the assessor is to gather sufficient evidence, of the prescribed type and quality, as specified in this unit standard, that the candidate can achieve the outcomes again and again and again. This means assessors will have to judge how many repeat performances are required before they believe the performance is reproducible.
  • All assessments should be conducted in line with the following well documented principles of assessment: appropriateness, fairness, manageability, integration into work or learning, validity, direct, authentic, sufficient, systematic, open and consistent. 
    		•

    REREGISTRATION HISTORY 
    As per the SAQA Board decision/s at that time, this unit standard was Reregistered in 2012; 2015. 

    UNIT STANDARD NOTES 
    Terminology

    Terminology used in this unit standard is in accordance with normal language usage in the construction industry. 

    QUALIFICATIONS UTILISING THIS UNIT STANDARD: 
      ID QUALIFICATION TITLE PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL STATUS END DATE PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QA FUNCTIONARY
    Core  49602   National Certificate: Construction: Geotechnical  Level 3  NQF Level 03  Passed the End Date -
    Status was "Reregistered"     		 2023-06-30  CETA 


    PROVIDERS CURRENTLY ACCREDITED TO OFFER THIS UNIT STANDARD: 
    This information shows the current accreditations (i.e. those not past their accreditation end dates), and is the most complete record available to SAQA as of today. Some Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionaries have a lag in their recording systems for provider accreditation, in turn leading to a lag in notifying SAQA of all the providers that they have accredited to offer qualifications and unit standards, as well as any extensions to accreditation end dates. The relevant Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionary should be notified if a record appears to be missing from here.
     
    NONE 


    All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source.