What is the turnaround time for hydraulic conductivity and why is it so long?
Hydraulic Conductivity (also known as KSAT) has a longer turnaround time (TAT) than traditional production environmental analyses. The TAT of the analysis is almost entirely sample dependent and can vary from a week to four weeks typically. Samples higher in clay may have longer turnaround times due to soil is more tightly bound, resulting in a longer time for the liquid to flow through the sample. Samples with a higher sand content have shorter TATs as the liquid flows through the sample much faster.
Can the lab provide a rush turnaround time for hydraulic conductivity?
A major delay of the analysis of hydraulic conductivity is the time it takes for a volume of liquid to flow through the sample, thus the analysis itself cannot be rushed. The preparation (getting the soil into the required core) can be completed on a priority service, along with any data validation and reporting, to which rush surcharges would be applicable (to the whole test cost). Rush preparation would entail prepping the sample within 1-2 days of arrival at the analyzing lab.