🛣️ Earthworks for motor roads — modulus of deformation and bearing ratio (PN-S-02205)
In short
Requirements and tests for earthworks in the construction of roads, streets, squares, car parks and airfields. The test is performed according to PN-S-02205:1998 (wersja polska); STATUS (state of the PKN card on 22-09-2026): CURRENT despite its age — the card of PN-S-02205:1998 has no "Wycofana" [Withdrawn] header, no "Data wycofania" [withdrawal date] row and no "Zastępuje" [Replaces] field. Publication date 02-01-1998, 25 pages, Polish-language version. The procedure comprises 5 steps; it is used for: Acceptance of the subgrade and embankment layers in the construction of a road, street, square, car park and airfield, Testing the modulus of deformation with the VSS plate in the field, Assessment of the railway subgrade when the requirements come from the technical conditions of PKP PLK.
At a glance
- Standard: PN-S-02205:1998 (wersja polska)
- Category: Construction
- Procedure steps: 5
- STATUS (state of the PKN card on 22-09-2026): CURRENT despite its age — the card of PN-S-02205:1998 has no "Wycofana" [Withdrawn] header, no "Data wycofania" [withdrawal date] row and no "Zastępuje" [Replaces] field. Publication date 02-01-1998, 25 pages, Polish-language version
- What the laboratory uses from the standard: ANNEX B — the method of determining the modulus of deformation of the subgrade by plate loading. It is cited by 24 entries as "Załącznik B", 11 as "zał. B", 2 as "Zał. B" [Załącznik, zał. = Annex] and further variants. Annex A (soil bearing ratio Wnos) — six entries
- Methodology in the scopes: MODULUS OF DEFORMATION in 34 entries, some of which give the load range: (0.00–0.35), (0.01–0.35), (0.02–0.35), (0.02–0.45) MPa and directly "metoda obciążeń płytą VSS" [VSS plate load method]. Separately, the bearing ratio (3 + 2 entries). THE LOAD RANGE IS NOT A QUANTITY FROM THE STANDARD, BUT A DECLARATION OF THE LABORATORY: four different intervals with the same standard and the same method. A modulus determined over the interval (0.00–0.35) MPa and one determined over (0.02–0.45) MPa are not the same numbers, although in the report they have the same name
Overview
WHAT THE STANDARD COVERS — ACCORDING TO THE CATALOGUE CARD. The scope quoted from the PKN card (reading of 22.09.2026): "Określono zakres stosowania normy przy projektowaniu, wykonywaniu i odbiorze robót ziemnych związanych z budową, przebudową i utrzymaniem dróg samochodowych, ulic, placów, parkingów i lotnisk. Podano 42 terminy i definicje, pogrupowane w 5 punktach (od 1.3.1 do 1.3.5). Określono wymagania obowiązujące w czasie robót ziemnych, podano zakres i opis badań oraz zasady oceny wyników badań. Zamieszczono 4 rysunki (rys. 1 i 2 przedstawiają przekrój nasypu i wykopu, rys. 3 i 4 - wymagane wartości wskaźnika zagęszczenia Is i wtórnego modułu odkształcenia E2 nasypu i wykopu) oraz 5 tablic zawierających dane dotyczące wykonania budowli, stosowanych materiałów oraz zakresu badań. W załącznikach (3) podano metodę oznaczania wskaźnika gruntu Wnos, metodę wyznaczania modułu odkształcenia podłoża przez obciążenie płytą oraz bibliografię" [The scope of application of the standard is specified for the design, execution and acceptance of earthworks associated with the construction, reconstruction and maintenance of motor roads, streets, squares, car parks and airfields. 42 terms and definitions are given, grouped in 5 clauses (from 1.3.1 to 1.3.5). The requirements applicable during earthworks are specified, and the scope and description of the tests and the rules for assessing the test results are given. 4 figures are included (Figs. 1 and 2 show a cross-section of an embankment and a cutting, Figs. 3 and 4 — the required values of the compaction index Is and the secondary modulus of deformation E2 of the embankment and the cutting) as well as 5 tables containing data on the execution of the structure, the materials used and the scope of the tests. The annexes (3) give the method of determining the soil bearing ratio Wnos, the method of determining the modulus of deformation of the subgrade by plate loading, and a bibliography].
THE STANDARD HAS 25 PAGES, AND THE INDUSTRY USES ONE ANNEX OF IT. In accreditation scopes, the citation "PN-S-02205:1998 Załącznik B" [Załącznik = Annex] dominates — 24 entries in this notation, 11 as "zał. B", two as "Zał. B", plus further variants; Annex A appears in six entries ("Załącznik A" 3, "zał. A" 2, "załącznik A" 1). The methodology is almost always the MODULUS OF DEFORMATION (34 entries) — the VSS plate test, carried out in the field, on the construction site. The rest of the standard — requirements, tables, figures with the values of the compaction index — serves the designer and the inspector, not the laboratory.
THE FORM WITH A SPACE INSTEAD OF A HYPHEN — FOURTEEN ENTRIES THAT THE TAB WILL NOT SHOW. Measurement (22-09-2026): the string "02205" appears in 72 entries at 35 laboratories. With a hyphen ("PN-S-02205") — 58 entries at 31 laboratories, and only that many will the "Laboratories" tab for this entry show, because it searches by prefix. The remaining 14 entries at SEVEN laboratories are written "PN-S 02205:1998" — with a space. A DIFFERENCE OF ONE CHARACTER HIDES A SEVENTH OF THE LABORATORIES, and none of these notations is wrong in a way that anyone could be blamed for.
A ROAD STANDARD APPLIED TO THE RAILWAY SUBGRADE. Nine entries at six laboratories cite it together with railway documents — "Warunki techniczne utrzymania podtorza kolejowego Id-3" [Technical conditions for the maintenance of the railway subgrade Id-3] from the order of the Management Board of PKP PLK S.A., and five entries at three laboratories together with GDDKiA documents (among others "WWiORB D-04.04.02"). The test method itself is the same, but the REQUIREMENTS against which the result is assessed then come from a document other than the standard. A reader comparing two modulus of deformation results is comparing numbers obtained in the same way but assessed against different thresholds.
A STANDARD FROM 1998 — AND STILL CURRENT. The PKN card has neither the "Wycofana" [Withdrawn] header nor a "Data wycofania" [withdrawal date] row (reading of 22.09.2026); nor does it have a "Zastępuje" [Replaces] field. Separate entries of the Knowledge Base concern PN-88/B-04481, withdrawn in 2015 and cited nevertheless, and PN-EN 71-1, changed three months ago. The age of a document therefore says nothing about its status — only the card decides.
WHAT WE DO NOT GIVE. We did not have the text of the standard (25 pages, Polish-language version, Construction and Building Structures Sector, KT 212 Road Construction and Maintenance, ICS 93.080.10). WE DO NOT GIVE: the content of Annex A or B, the course of the plate test, the plate diameter, the load steps, the method of calculating the primary and secondary modulus, the required values from Figures 3 and 4 or the content of the tables. Nor have we established whether and which regulations or contracting authorities' technical conditions indicate this standard by name — we know only from the scopes that it is sometimes cited together with PKP PLK and GDDKiA documents.
Method principle
According to the card: the standard gives in its annexes the method of determining the modulus of deformation of the subgrade by plate loading and the method of determining the soil bearing ratio Wnos, and in Figures 3 and 4 — the required values of the compaction index Is and the secondary modulus of deformation E2 of the embankment and the cutting. In accreditation scopes with this standard there are "Moduł odkształcenia" [modulus of deformation] (with the load range and "metodą obciążeń płytą VSS" [by the VSS plate load method]) and the soil bearing ratio. WE DO NOT GIVE the course of the test, the method of loading and calculation — we did not have the text of the standard.
Applications
- Acceptance of the subgrade and embankment layers in the construction of a road, street, square, car park and airfield
- Testing the modulus of deformation with the VSS plate in the field
- Assessment of the railway subgrade when the requirements come from the technical conditions of PKP PLK
- Reading an accreditation scope citing "Załącznik B" [Annex B] of this standard
Key parameters
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| STATUS (state of the PKN card on 22-09-2026) | CURRENT despite its age — the card of PN-S-02205:1998 has no "Wycofana" [Withdrawn] header, no "Data wycofania" [withdrawal date] row and no "Zastępuje" [Replaces] field. Publication date 02-01-1998, 25 pages, Polish-language version |
| What the laboratory uses from the standard | ANNEX B — the method of determining the modulus of deformation of the subgrade by plate loading. It is cited by 24 entries as "Załącznik B", 11 as "zał. B", 2 as "Zał. B" [Załącznik, zał. = Annex] and further variants. Annex A (soil bearing ratio Wnos) — six entries |
| Methodology in the scopes | MODULUS OF DEFORMATION in 34 entries, some of which give the load range: (0.00–0.35), (0.01–0.35), (0.02–0.35), (0.02–0.45) MPa and directly "metoda obciążeń płytą VSS" [VSS plate load method]. Separately, the bearing ratio (3 + 2 entries). THE LOAD RANGE IS NOT A QUANTITY FROM THE STANDARD, BUT A DECLARATION OF THE LABORATORY: four different intervals with the same standard and the same method. A modulus determined over the interval (0.00–0.35) MPa and one determined over (0.02–0.45) MPa are not the same numbers, although in the report they have the same name |
| Scale of citations — one number and one notation error | 72 entries at 35 laboratories counting every notation of the number. The "Laboratories" tab will show 58 entries at 31 laboratories, because it searches for the form with a HYPHEN — and FOURTEEN ENTRIES AT SEVEN LABORATORIES have a SPACE in this place ("PN-S 02205:1998") and therefore do not make it onto the list. The number was counted in the reference document field of the scope database — the "Laboratories" tab searches in the same field |
| Form with a space instead of a hyphen | "PN-S 02205:1998" — 14 entries at SEVEN laboratories. The difference of one character means that a search for the form with a hyphen does not find these laboratories |
| Citations together with railway documents | 9 entries at 6 laboratories cite the standard together with the "Warunkami technicznymi utrzymania podtorza kolejowego Id-3" [Technical conditions for the maintenance of the railway subgrade Id-3] (annex to the order of the Management Board of PKP PLK S.A. of 04.05.2009). The same method, requirements from another document |
| Citations together with GDDKiA documents | 5 entries at 3 laboratories — among others "WWiORB D-04.04.02" of 2021 and "KPRNPP-2013". The result is then assessed against thresholds from outside the standard |
| What the standard contains besides the method | 42 terms and definitions, the requirements applicable during the works, the scope and description of the tests, the rules for assessing the results, 4 figures (including the required values of the compaction index Is and the secondary modulus of deformation E2) and 5 tables — this is the part for the designer and the inspector, not for the laboratory |
| Legal basis and technical conditions | WE HAVE NOT ESTABLISHED whether a regulation or the contracting authorities' technical conditions indicate this standard by name. From the scopes we know only that it is sometimes cited together with PKP PLK and GDDKiA documents |
| Content of the standard | WE DO NOT GIVE IT — we did not have the text. This concerns the content of both annexes, the course of the plate test, the plate diameter, the load steps, the calculation of the primary and secondary modulus and the required values |
Standard
- Standard number
- PN-S-02205:1998 (wersja polska)
- Title (PL)
- Drogi samochodowe — Roboty ziemne — Wymagania i badania
- Title (EN)
- Motor roads — Earthworks — Requirements and tests
Step-by-step procedure
-
Establishing against which requirements the result will be assessed
The standard itself gives the required values for roads (Figures 3 and 4). For the railway subgrade or works commissioned by a road authority, the requirements may come from technical conditions — then the method is the same, but the threshold is different.
-
Preparing the test location
The test concerns the subgrade of earthworks on the construction site (card). WE DO NOT GIVE the preparation of the test location — we did not have the text of the standard.
-
Plate loading
The method is given in an annex of the standard (card). WE DO NOT GIVE the course of loading, the load steps and times — we did not have the text of the standard.
-
Secondary modulus E2 and compaction index Is
The card mentions the required values of the secondary modulus of deformation E2 and the compaction index Is (Figures 3 and 4). How the standard determines the secondary modulus and how it compares the results with the requirements, WE DO NOT GIVE — we did not have the text.
-
Calculation of the moduli and recording of the result
We do not quote the method of calculation. In the report, state the load range over which the modulus was determined — the ranges visible in the accreditation scopes differ between laboratories, and a modulus determined over a different interval is not the same number.
Required equipment and apparatus
| Equipment | Example | Indicative price |
|---|---|---|
| VSS plate test set | In the scopes with this standard: "metoda obciążeń płytą VSS" [VSS plate load method]. The components of the set, its dimensions and the requirements for it HAVE NOT BEEN ESTABLISHED — they are in the annex of the standard, whose text we did not have | — |
Reagents, media and consumables
| Reagent | CAS | Details |
|---|---|---|
| None | — | The modulus of deformation test does not require reagents |
Health and safety (OHS)
- Earthworks in an active road lane — marking of the test station and high-visibility clothing
- Excavations and embankment slopes risk slides; do not test at the foot of an unsecured slope
- High-pressure hydraulic system — check the hoses before testing
Frequently asked questions
Which standard describes this test?
The test is performed according to PN-S-02205:1998 (wersja polska) — “Motor roads — Earthworks — Requirements and tests”.
How does this method work?
According to the card: the standard gives in its annexes the method of determining the modulus of deformation of the subgrade by plate loading and the method of determining the soil bearing ratio Wnos, and in Figures 3 and 4 — the required values of the compaction index Is and the secondary modulus of deformation E2 of the embankment and the cutting. In accreditation scopes with this standard there are "Moduł odkształcenia" [modulus of deformation] (with the load range and "metodą obciążeń płytą VSS" [by the VSS plate load method]) and the soil bearing ratio.
What is the measuring range and accuracy?
STATUS (state of the PKN card on 22-09-2026): CURRENT despite its age — the card of PN-S-02205:1998 has no "Wycofana" [Withdrawn] header, no "Data wycofania" [withdrawal date] row and no "Zastępuje" [Replaces] field. Publication date 02-01-1998, 25 pages, Polish-language version; What the laboratory uses from the standard: ANNEX B — the method of determining the modulus of deformation of the subgrade by plate loading. It is cited by 24 entries as "Załącznik B", 11 as "zał. B", 2 as "Zał. B" [Załącznik, zał. = Annex] and further variants. Annex A (soil bearing ratio Wnos) — six entries; Methodology in the scopes: MODULUS OF DEFORMATION in 34 entries, some of which give the load range: (0.00–0.35), (0.01–0.35), (0.02–0.35), (0.02–0.45) MPa and directly "metoda obciążeń płytą VSS" [VSS plate load method]. Separately, the bearing ratio (3 + 2 entries). THE LOAD RANGE IS NOT A QUANTITY FROM THE STANDARD, BUT A DECLARATION OF THE LABORATORY: four different intervals with the same standard and the same method. A modulus determined over the interval (0.00–0.35) MPa and one determined over (0.02–0.45) MPa are not the same numbers, although in the report they have the same name; Scale of citations — one number and one notation error: 72 entries at 35 laboratories counting every notation of the number. The "Laboratories" tab will show 58 entries at 31 laboratories, because it searches for the form with a HYPHEN — and FOURTEEN ENTRIES AT SEVEN LABORATORIES have a SPACE in this place ("PN-S 02205:1998") and therefore do not make it onto the list. The number was counted in the reference document field of the scope database — the "Laboratories" tab searches in the same field.
How long does the test take?
The procedure comprises 5 steps. The standard does not give a duration for every stage — the laboratory's own procedure decides.
What equipment is required?
VSS plate test set.
Where is this test used?
Acceptance of the subgrade and embankment layers in the construction of a road, street, square, car park and airfield; Testing the modulus of deformation with the VSS plate in the field; Assessment of the railway subgrade when the requirements come from the technical conditions of PKP PLK; Reading an accreditation scope citing "Załącznik B" [Annex B] of this standard.
What safety precautions apply?
Earthworks in an active road lane — marking of the test station and high-visibility clothing; Excavations and embankment slopes risk slides; do not test at the foot of an unsecured slope; High-pressure hydraulic system — check the hoses before testing.
Which laboratory can perform this test?
The test is performed by laboratories accredited to ISO/IEC 17025. On LabCoda you can find them by the standard number PN-S-02205.