Groundwater Sampling Methods
by: Sebastien Fortin, E.I.T., M.Sc.
BAT Sampling
The BAT system (named after the inventor, Bengt ArneTorstensson, 1984) is an in situ testing/sampling method for the characterization of soils and groundwater, which allows discrete-depth water sampling. The BAT is hydraulically pushed with the same equipment used for cone penetration testing (CPT). Once enough sampling is carried out at a specific depth, the BAT probe is then pushed to the next depth and the procedure repeated. There is no limit to the number of samples that can be taken at one location.
Campanella (1999) provides a discussion on a modified version of the original BAT system, which allows the direct measurement of permeability in sands and gives much more accurate and feasible sampling in higher TDS environments as experienced, for example, during water sampling in metallic mine tailings.
The US-EPA and other high conformance requirement groups have adopted BAT technology as appropriate and preferred for many environmental characterization applications. The attraction of no drill cuttings and the repeatability of the data are cited as the key reasons for this reference. BAT technology has been scrutinized by many investigators and has met with widespread acceptance (e.g., Zemo et al., 1992).
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