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Soil Classification 2011b

The document discusses soil classification systems. It defines soil classification as a method of categorizing soils based on their engineering properties. The main systems covered are the Unified Soil Classification System (USCS), AASHTO system, and British Standard system. USCS classifies soils as gravel, sand, silt, or clay based on grain size and plasticity tests. It uses a two-letter symbol system like SW for well-graded sand. The AASHTO system focuses on suitability of soils for transportation projects based on grain size and plasticity.

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70 views20 pages

Soil Classification 2011b

The document discusses soil classification systems. It defines soil classification as a method of categorizing soils based on their engineering properties. The main systems covered are the Unified Soil Classification System (USCS), AASHTO system, and British Standard system. USCS classifies soils as gravel, sand, silt, or clay based on grain size and plasticity tests. It uses a two-letter symbol system like SW for well-graded sand. The AASHTO system focuses on suitability of soils for transportation projects based on grain size and plasticity.

Uploaded by

thuaiyaalhinai
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© © All Rights Reserved
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Soil Classification

by
Dr. Mohammed Al-Aghbari

Definition
a systematic method of categorizing soils
according to their probable engineering
properties.
a language between geotechnical (or civil)
engineers

Purpose
To describe and classify types of soils
To group soils which exhibit similar
behaviour

Soil Classification Systems


(1) The Unified Soil Classification System
(USCS)
(2) The American Association of State
Highway and Transportation Officials
(AASHTO
(3)British Standard System
(4)United Sates Department of Agriculture
System (USDA)

The Unified Soil Classification System


(USCS)
For soils having size less than 75mm (i.e.
course-grained (gravel, sand), fine
grained (silt, clays) and organic (peats)).
Tests needed for classification:
Grain size distribution and the
associated parameters (e.g. Cu, Cc)
Atterberg limits (i.e. LL, PL and PI)

Notations:
Soil name

Symbol

Size range (mm)

Gravel

4.75 to 75

Sand

0.075 to 4.75

Silt

<0.075

Clay

< 0.075 (people used to say


< 0.002, but not USCS)

Organic

Not specific

Coarse grained soils (gravel and sand)


W : well-graded
P: poorly graded
Fine grained soils (silt and clay) (See Plasticity Chart)
H : Highly plastic (LL>50)
L: Low plastic (LL<50)
Two letter symbol are used to classify the soils
Examples
GP : poorly graded gravel
CL: low plastic clay
SC: clayey sand
GM: sily gravel
SM: silty sand

Dual (double) symbol:


GW-GM: well graded gravel with silt
SP-SC: poorly graded sand with clay
CL-ML: low plastic silty clay or clayey silt

GRAVEL
Run sieve analysis
if < 50% passing sieve No. 200, then
the soil is coarse grained.
If >50% of the coarse material is
retained in sieve No. 4, then the soil is
GRAVEL

GRAVEL

% Passing Sieve No.


200
<5%

USCS Criteria

>12%

Name

C u 4 and 1 C c 3

GW

Well-graded gravel

C u 4 OR Cc <1 OR Cc >3

GP

Poorly-graded gravel

C u 4 and 1 C c 3
Between 5 and 12%

Symbol

Fines classify as CL or CH
C u 4 and 1 C c 3
Fines classify as ML or MH
C u 4 OR Cc <1 OR Cc >3
Fines classify as CL or CH
C u 4 OR Cc <1 OR Cc >3
Fines classify as ML or MH
Fines classify as CL or CH
(LL and PI above A-Line)
Fines classify as ML or MH MH
(LL and PI below A-line
Fines classify as CL-ML (LL
and PI in shaded area)

GW-GC

Well-graded gravel
with clay

GW-GM

Well-graded gravel
with silt

GP-GC

Poorly-graded gravel
with clay

GP-GM

Poorly-graded gravel
with silt

GC

Clayey gravel

GM

Silty gravel

GC-GM

Silty-clayey gravel

SAND
Run sieve analysis and if < 50%
passing sieve No. 200, then the soil is
coarse grained.
If <50% of the coarse material is
retained in sieve No. 4, then the soil is
SAND

SAND
% Passing Sieve No.
200
<5%

USCS Criteria

>12%

Name

C u 6 and 1 C c 3

SW

Well-graded sand

C u 6 OR Cc <1 OR Cc >3

SP

Poorly-graded sand

C u 6 and 1 C c 3
Between 5 and 12%

Symbol

Fines classify as CL or CH
C u 6 and 1 C c 3
Fines classify as ML or MH
C u 6 OR Cc <1 OR Cc >3
Fines classify as CL or CH
C u 6 OR Cc <1 OR Cc >3
Fines classify as ML or MH
Fines classify as CL or CH
(LL and PI above A-Line)
Fines classify as ML or MH MH
(LL and PI below A-line
Fines classify as CL-ML (LL
and PI in shaded area)

SW-SC

Well-graded sand
with clay

SW-SM

Well-graded sand
with silt

SP-SC

Poorly-graded sand
with clay

SP-SM

Poorly-graded sand
with silt

SC

Clayey sand

SM

Silty sand

SC-GM

Silty-clayey sand

SILT OR CLAY
Run sieve analysis and if > 50% passing sieve No.
200, then the soil is fine grained.
Run liquid and plastic limits* on material passing
sieve No. 40.
ASTM requires that the liquid limit be determined
using oven-dried and undried samples.
LLR = liquid limit ratio = (LL for oven-dried
sample)/(LL for undried sample)

SILT OR CLAY
Liquid limit

LL<50

LL>50%

USCS Criteria
LLR* < 0.75
LLR > 0.75 and LL and PI
plot below A-line
LLR > 0.75 and LL and PI
plot above A-line
LLR > 0.75 and LL and PI
plot in shaded area
LLR* < 0.75
LLR > 0.75 and LL and PI
plot below A-line
LLR > 0.75 and LL and PI
plot above A-line

Symbol
OL
ML
CL
CL-ML
OH
MH
CH

Name
Organic silt of clay
Low plastic
(inorganic) silt
Low plastic
(inorganic) clay
Low plastic silty
clay or clayey silt
Organic silt of clay
Highly plastic
(inorganic) silt
Highly plastic
(inorganic) clay

Example
Given: Particle size distribution
LL = 32, PL = 26
Required: The Unified Soil Classification System
(USCS)
100

% Finer

80
60
40
20
0
0.0001

0.001

0.01

0.1

Particle size (mm)

10

100

Particle size fractions:


Gravel
Sand

=5%
= 85%

Silt and Clay = 10%

Of the coarse fraction about 85% is sand, hence Prefix is S


D10= 0.075 mm

D60
Cu = D
= 10
10

D30= 0.25 mm

D302
Cc =
D10 D60

D60= 0.75 mm

= 1.11

The soil is Well graded Sand: SW


From Atterberg Tests
LL = 32, PL = 26

PI = 32 - 26 = 6

From the chart = The soil is Silt

Dual Symbols are:

SW-SM

To complete the classification the Symbols should be accompanied by a description

60
Comparing soils at equal liquid limit
50

Toughness and dry strength increase

Plasticity index

with increasing plasticity index

"A

40

il ne
"

CH
30
OH

20
CL
OL

CL

10
0

or
or

ML
10
20

MH

ML
30

40
50
60
Liquid limit

70

80

90

Plasticity chart
for laboratory classification of fine grained soils

100

(AASHTO) System
Useful for determining the relative quality of soils for use
in road construction (i.e. as a subgrade, subbase, base or
embankment)
Criteria
1. Grain size:
Boulders : >75 mm
Gravel : between 75 mm and 2mm (sieve No. 10)
Sand : between 2mm and 0.075 mm (sieve no. 200)
Silt and clays : < 0.075 mm
Plasticity
If PI < 10 : silt
If PI>11: clay

AASHTO system classifies the soil into groups


form A-1 to A-7 with a number of subgroups

Group Index:
GI = (F-35)[0.2+0.005(LL-40)]+ 0.01(F-15)(PI-10)

Where F=% of soil passing #200 sieve;


LL = liquid limit ; PI = Plasticity index

Round off to the nearest whole number. If GI<0,


should be set =0.
The lower GI indicated a good material for
pavements

AASHTO Soil Classification System


General Classification

A-1

A-2

Group Classification

Sieve Analysis, percent


passing
2.00mm(No.10)
0.425mm(No.40)
0.075mm(No.200)

Characteristics of
Fraction passing
0.425mm (No.40)
Liquid Limits
Plasticity Index

Usual Types of
Significant
Constituent
Materials
General Rating as Sub
grade

Silt-Clay Materials (more than 35% passing


0.075mm)

General Materials (35% or less passing 0.075 mm)

A-3
A-1-a

A-1-b

50max
30max
15max

50max
25max

6max

Stone Fragments
Gravel and
Sand

A-4

A-5

A-6

A-7
A-7-5
A-7-6

A-2-4

A-2-5

A-2-6

A-2-7

51min
10max

35max

35max

35max

35max

36min

36min

36min

36min

N.P

40max
10max

41min
10max

40max
11min

41min
11min

40max
10max

41min
10max

40max
11min

41min
11mina

Fine
Sa
nd

Silty or Clayey Gravel Sand

Excellent to Good

a Plasticity Index of A-7-5 subgroup is equal to or less than LL minus 30.


Plasticity Index of A-7-6 subgroup is grater than LL minus 30.

Silty Soil

Fair to Poor

Clayey Soils

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