Test Holes
In RSLog, the Test Hole page is where users enter and edit their test hole data.
To access this page:
Go to the left-hand navigation menu and select Data Entry > Test Holes.
The page should appear as follows:

Adding/Editing Test Holes
To add a new test hole:
- Click + button from the toolbar to begin entering test hole data.
- Click Duplicate button from the toolbar to make a copy of a test hole.
To edit an existing test hole:
- Double-click on the test hole name in the table to open the test hole. Alternatively, you can select the checkbox beside the desired test hole and click on the edit button from the top toolbar.
After selecting either option you will be taken to a new page for entering/editing your test hole data. This page consists of several tabs for entering test hole data including:
- General
- Samples (enter list of soil/rock samples)
- Field Tests (enter field tests e.g. SPT blow counts)
- Comments (access to depth comments)
- Stratigraphy (access to soil/rock layers)
- Boring Details (Note: only visible when Drill Hole is selected as your Test Hole Type)
- Drill Runs (Note: only visible when Drill Hole is selected as your Test Hole Type)
- Discontinuities (Note: only visible when Drill Hole is selected as your Test Hole Type)
- Instrumentation (access to Groundwater monitoring and Piezometer/Well)
The page should appear as follows:

Switch between Test Holes
Use the arrow buttons
in the top right of the screen to easily switch between boreholes for a Project.
Edit Tabs
Click the ellipse icon next to the tabs to customize the tabs used for the Test Hole data entry. Use the dialog to select, re-arrange and/or hide tabs as needed.

Preview Test Hole Log
Click the Preview icon in the top-right of the screen to preview your Test Hole Log. Users can select a log template form the drop-down menu and the test hole log will automatically be generated in a new tab.
General tab
In RSLog, test hole data is entered in different tabs located at the top of the page, beginning with the General tab. This tab is where you enter general details such as name, depth and test hole type.
Test Hole Type
Generally, a test hole is made either by ‘drilling’ or by ‘excavating’. As a result, the drop down options for Test Hole Type are either:
- Drill Hole (borehole): any type of hole drilled manually (e.g. hand auger) or using machinery (i.e. a drill rig).
- Test Pit (trial pit, trench, pit): typically implies a larger hole dug using shovel or by an excavator.
Coordinates
While coordinates are not necessarily required for a test hole, to benefit from the other RSLog features such as GIS or ‘cross section’ design, we recommend that you enter test hole coordinates and elevation. If you enter UTM Coordinates, RSLog will automatically convert these coordinates to geographic coordinates (provided UTM zone is correct) so that the test hole location can be shown on the map.
If you don’t have UTM coordinates for your test holes, please specify their locations on the map by clicking Place on Map. This way RSLog will save the geographic coordinates of the test holes. Read more about coordinates system in RSLog.
Verticality
Enter the trend and plunge of the test hole using the Verticality tab.
Location Details
More location specific data (e.g. Stationing, Offset etc.) for the test hole could be entered in this tab.
USACE
In this tab enter data required by United States Army Corps of Engineers for test hole logs.
SPT Hammer
Enter the hammer data used for Standard Penetration Test (SPT) using the SPT Hammer tab.
Completion Notes
- Start Notes: will be displayed in the borehole log at the top of the first page of the log, above the Lithologic Description log column. See how you can customize the Starts Notes.
- Termination Notes: will be displayed in the borehole log at the bottom of the test hole (last page) below the Lithologic Description log column. See how you can customize the Termination Notes.
Samples
On the Samples tab, you can add a list of all samples taken from this test hole. You can also specify top (From) and bottom (To) depth for each sample.
Sample data can be entered manually or imported using a CSV file. To enter your sample data manually:
- Click + button from the toolbar.
- Enter the sample details.
- Click Save to add the sample and close the dialog.
For data entry in tables please read this article.
Field Tests
RSLog supports various types of field tests, from Standard Penetration Test (SPT) to Vane Shear Test or Manual DCP sounding. Please note you can edit the list of field tests and their data columns on the Settings page > Field Investigation tab.
To add Field Test data:
- Go to the Test Type drop-down menu and select the desired field test.
- Depending on the columns defined for this field test on the Settings page > Field Investigation tab, the table will refresh with list of test results.
- Use the table to edit, delete or add data (see how).
- The "Reporting Value" column is the default column used for plotting the graph on the right side of the page. This is also the default column where test results for a field test would be used in the borehole log (user can select the columns in the log template).
The graph is refreshed as you enter field test data. You can save the graph as an image.
Importing Field Test Data
If you already have your field test data in CSV format, click on the Import CSV button on the toolbar and select the CSV file to import your data (read more).
Comments
The Comments tab allows you to add comments for specific depths along the test hole. These comments are shown in the borehole logs.
To add a Comment:
- Click + button from the toolbar.
- Enter the Depth.
- In the Comment field enter descriptions for test hole (e.g., slight seepage at 5ft depth)
- Click Save to save the comment.
Stratigraphy
The Stratigraphy tab is used to enter different subsurface soil or rock layers that were encountered during the field investigation.
To add a New Soil Layer:
- Click + button from the toolbar.
- Enter the depth to top and bottom of the layer in ft. (i.e., From Depth and To Depth)
- Enter Layer Title. This will be shown as a separate line at the top of each soil/rock layer in the borehole log.
- Select the Layer Symbol (or hatch pattern). This is the hatch or shading shown for this layer in the borehole log. RSLog covers various hatch patterns; these are grouped as USCS, AGS, Rock, Misc. Select a group, then select a hatch pattern from the dropdown list.
- In the Layer Description field enter relevant information (multiline text, maximum 256 characters).
- Enter information for Line at the bottom of layer to specify the type, thickness, and color for the line drawn at the bottom of this layer in the borehole log.
- Under Eng. Analysis enter the estimated unit weight and fines content of this layer (or leave at default values). The unit weight may be used for upcoming features such as SPT depth corrections (Cn), etc. which are planned for future versions.
- To see a summary of field tests within this layer click on See Field Tests link. Similarly, to see a summary of laboratory tests within this layer click on See Lab. Tests link.
- To set the consistency / relative density of soil layers, click on the link below Layer Description textbox. This allows you to select the consistency (fine-grained soils) or relative density (for coarse-grained soils) for the material. Please note the list of consistency or relative density levels may be edited on Settings > Field Investigation tab.
- Click Save to save the entry.
Boring Details
For drill holes, you can specify details about the boring method used. This data could be presented in the test hole log as a "Boring Details" log column.
To enter your Boring Method:
- Click + button from the toolbar.
- Enter the depth to top and bottom of the drill segment.
- Enter the rest of data for this drill segment. Please note if you indicate that an instrument is installed in this drill segment, a rectangle will be shown within the depth extents of this segment in the test hole log.
- Click the Save button.
Instrumentation
Groundwater Monitoring
When groundwater level is present in the test hole, use this tab to enter groundwater measurements. Simply enter the groundwater depth, date, time, and weather condition at the time of measurement once the Groundwater Info tab appears. You can enter multiple groundwater measurements for each test hole.
To enter groundwater readings:
- Click + button from the toolbar and enter water level, date, time, and weather condition.
- Click the Save button.
Piezometer/Well - Installation Details
If a piezometer is installed at this test hole, use this tab to enter piezometer data. You can specify the type of piezometer and the ‘plug’ used at the top of piezometer.
- From the Piezo Type drop-down list choose your preference and select the Plug Type. The End Cap, Pipe Diameter and Stickup may be entered as applicable.
- If this piezometer is installed with stickup, select the checkbox and enter the stickup length in the textbox. This will show a stickup icon at the top of the piezometer log column in the test hole log.
- Start adding ‘pipe segments’ by clicking + button from the toolbar.Each pipe segment is shown differently in the borehole log, depending on the type of pipe and how that pipe segment is backfilled.
- Enter information once the Piezometer Info dialog is prompted.
- Hit the Save button.
- Add as many pipe segments as necessary.