A test used to determine type of soil and bearing capacity.

• A. Soil borings
• B. Soil tests pit
• C. Standard Proctor test
• D. Cone penetrometer test

Answer: (A)

Understanding what you’re building on requires knowing both the soil’s classification and how much load it can bear. Soil borings give you actual samples from different depths, so you can identify each layer (sand, clay, gravel, etc.) and then run tests on those samples to determine their strength and density. This combination lets you assess bearing capacity with a solid, evidence-based footing design. Other options don’t provide the same combination: a test pit mainly offers a surface view and limited sampling; the Standard Proctor test focuses on how compacted the soil can be, not its strength under loads; the cone penetrometer test gives in-situ resistance data but doesn’t yield the soil type classification from recovered samples. So, soil borings are the best choice for determining both soil type and bearing capacity.