Soil or Dirt

[Ble_PE]

When I'm speaking as an engineer, it's soil. Any other time it's dirt.

 

[RIP - VTEnviro]

I did some on-site soil testing today, according to the NRCS soil survey and state methods for soil examination. (I actually did) But when I left the site, my hands were dirty.

 

[bigray76]

Dirt... when talking to subcontractors or owners, it is more fun to call it 'dirt' repeatedly in a conversation to make a point than to call it soil...

 

[envirotex]

soil or sediment, but not dirt

 

[Dleg]

I did some on-site soil testing today, according to the NRCS soil survey and state methods for soil examination. (I actually did) But when I left the site, my hands were dirty.

VT gets the gold star for his homework assignment on the correct usage of dirt and soil!

 

[PE-ness]

I think everyone is overlooking the fact that one can become soiled by things that are neither soil or dirt.

 

[humner]

hmm, I have never told a contractor that when they were done with an absorption field that I wanted to see Top Dirt on the system.

 

[maryannette]

I think everyone is overlooking the fact that one can become soiled by things that are neither soil or dirt.

Yes, but one can be dirty AND soiled.

 

[FLBuff PE]

I think everyone is overlooking the fact that one can become soiled by things that are neither soil or dirt.

Yes, but one can be dirty AND soiled.

hmy: Mary, I'm shocked, shocked I say, to see this from you!

 

[TouchDown]

My FIL has a phd in soil science and was a major contributor in the Universal Soil Loss Equation used to calculate sediment in runoff.

He says, "it's soil as long as it's where it belongs... once it's in a place it doesn't belong, it becomes dirt."

ie. if soil gets tracked into your house, it magically transforms into dirt, else, it's soil.

 

[KevinA]

Are there dirt engineers?

I always refer to our geotech guys as the dirt gurus.

 

[Badger]

Neat topic, or or is dirty:

Let see in road construction earth moving equipment moves dirt from cut areas to fill areas and then the soil is compacted.

If you build a road and do not rock it and leave a dirt subgrade it is generally a dirt road. Soil road just doesn't sound right

I would generally say soil is soil when it is in place, usually growing something, and it is dirt when you dig it out of the ground.

Then again soil is usually smaller particles, maybe some sand or gravel, but no cobles or boulders. Then again if you have rocky soil is it rocky dirt?

Earth, dirt, clay, loam, and, gravel, fill, overburden, mud, organic material, and muck, all seemed to be related to soil.

Anyway I still like to work or play in the dirt and mud and get dirty. Soiled sounds kind of silly.

Merry Christmas and have a dit load of fun.

 

[mpm1732]

SOILENT GREEN

 

[wilheldp_PE]

SOILENT GREEN

People?

 

[Guest]

I say soil .... except for when it is time to impress the ladies! :dancingnaughty:

JR

 

[MA_PE]

I say soil .... except for when it is time to impress the ladies! :dancingnaughty:
JR

do they talk dirty back at you?

 

[Slugger926]

I just saw this thread. After working with soil (and dirt) at a research lab for several summers in college, it is soil when it is useful and/or where you want it, and it is dirt when it is something you don't want.

It is dirt on your clothes and hands that you need to wash off, but soil that built that water structure or supporting that vegetation on the berm.

 

[Supe]

I say soil .... except for when it is time to impress the ladies! :dancingnaughty:
JR

do they talk dirty back at you?

They sure don't talk soily to him.

 

[StaciaZ]

I work for a geotechnical engineering firm.

My boss once asked, "Who tracked all of this soil in here?"

And our accountant replied, "It might be soil out there, but when it ends up on our carpet, it's called dirt."