National foreword

This British Standard is the UK implementation of EN 17542‑5:2026.

The UK participation in its preparation was entrusted to Technical Committee B/526/8.

A list of organizations represented on this committee can be obtained on request to its committee manager.

Contractual and legal considerations

This publication has been prepared in good faith, however no representation, warranty, assurance or undertaking (express or implied) is or will be made, and no responsibility or liability is or will be accepted by BSI in relation to the adequacy, accuracy, completeness or reasonableness of this publication. All and any such responsibility and liability is expressly disclaimed to the full extent permitted by the law.

This publication is provided as is, and is to be used at the recipient’s own risk.

The recipient is advised to consider seeking professional guidance with respect to its use of this publication.

This publication is not intended to constitute a contract. Users are responsible for its correct application.

Compliance with a British Standard cannot confer immunity from legal obligations.

This British Standard was published under the authority of the Standards Policy and Strategy Committee on 30 September 2026.

This European Standard was approved by CEN on 26 July 2026.

CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration. Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references concerning such national standards may be obtained on application to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre or to any CEN member.

This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other language made by translation under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre has the same status as the official versions.

CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye and United Kingdom.

European foreword

This document (EN 17542‑5:2026) has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/TC 396 “Earthworks”, the secretariat of which is held by AFNOR.

This European Standard shall be given the status of a national standard, either by publication of an identical text or by endorsement, at the latest by March 2027 and conflicting national standards shall be withdrawn at the latest by March 2027.

Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of patent rights. CEN shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.

Any feedback and questions on this document should be directed to the users’ national standards body. A complete listing of these bodies can be found on the CEN website.

According to the CEN-CENELEC Internal Regulations, the national standards organizations of the following countries are bound to implement this European Standard: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye and the United Kingdom.

Introduction

This document defines the terminology, specifies the characteristics of the apparatus, lays down the procedure for carrying out a swelling potential test for soil by loading and wetting some specimens and specifies the presentation of the results.

1 Scope

This document describes the reference methods for the determination of swelling, swelling pressure, magnitude or potential of one-dimensional swelling of a soil when subjected, in the presence of water, to vertical stresses under oedometric conditions.

It is used to assess the behaviour of earthwork platform and earthworks materials that can be affected by the presence of swelling soils.

These methods are used to determine three parameters related with the swelling of a soil: the swelling pressure, the swelling index and the constrained swelling pressure.

These test methods specify the technique for specimen preparation, apparatus and procedure for quantifying the amount of height change associated with swelling and procedures for reporting test results.

The procedures given in these test methods are applicable to undisturbed, remoulded, recompacted or reconstituted specimens.

2 Normative references

3 Terms, definitions, symbols and abbreviated terms

3.1 Terms and definitions

3.2 Symbols and abbreviated terms

4 Tests principle

4.1 Method A: One dimensional wetting-induced swelling pressure of a soil

4.2 Method B: Axial swelling index of a specimen under a defined vertical stress

4.3 Method C: Constrained swelling pressure of a specimen after wetting

5 Equipment and test material

6 Operating procedures

6.1 General

6.2 Specimen preparation

6.3 Conduct of the tests

7 Test report

Bibliography