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Geotechnical Engineering

Chapter 5
Classification of Soil
As discussed in Principles of Geotechnical Engineering by Das and Sobhan
(2014)

Bashar Tarawneh, Ph.D, P.E

 Introduction
 Soil classification systems offer a common language to concisely
express the general characteristics of soils, which are infinitely varied,
without detailed descriptions.

 Different soils with similar properties may be classified into groups

and sub-groups according to their engineering behavior.

 Most of the soil classification systems that have been developed for
engineering purposes are based on simple index properties such as
particle-size distribution and plasticity.

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5.2 Textural Classification
 The texture of the soil refers to its surface appearance.
 Soils are generally mixtures of particles from several size groups, and are
named after their principle components.
The USDA textural classification system categorizes soils based on the
percentage of sand, silt, and clay
This classification method is based on the
particle-size limits as described under
the USDA system in Table 2.3; that is:

• Sand size: 2.0 to 0.05 mm in diameter

• Silt size: 0.05 to 0.002 mm in diameter
• Clay size: smaller than 0.002 mm in diameter
•Example: classify the soil using USDA
•Clay = 30%
•Sand= 30%
•Silt= 40%
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5.2 Textural Classification
 This chart is based on only the fraction of soil that passes through
sieve No.10 ( 2.0 mm).
 If we have soil sample has materials larger than 2.0 mm then a
correction is necessary.

 Example: Correction
Gravel= 20% Sand= (10x100)/80= 12.5%
Sand= 10% Silt= 37.5%
Silt= 30% Clay= 50%
Clay= 40%
The soil classification using the USDA system is Clay. However, because
of the large gravel then the classification is gravelly clay.

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5.3 Classification by Engineering Behavior
Textural classification is based entirely on the particle-size distribution, and does
not account for the type of clay minerals, which influences it’s physical properties.

Textural classification is not adequate for engineering purposes.

Geotechnical Engineers must consider plasticity which results from the presence
of clay minerals.

Other systems of classification, including the AASHTO system and the Unified
Soil Classification System, use the Atterberg limits to account for plasticity.

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5.4 AASHTO Classification System

The AASHTO (American Association of State Highway and Transportation

Officials) system was developed in 1929, and has been revised several times
since then.
Soils are classified into seven groups, A-1 through A-7.
Soils where more than 35% of the particles pass through sieve No. 200 are
groups A-4 through A-7. ( Silt and Clay).
Soil where less than 35% pass through sieve No.200 are groups A-1 to A-3 (
Granular materials).

A-1
Granular Materials, 35% or less pass through sieve No.200
A-2
A-3

A-4
A-5 Silt and Clay, more than 35% pass through sieve No.200
A-6
A-7 Refer to table 2.3
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 5.4 AASHTO Classification System
AASHTO classification system is based on the following criteria:
1. Grain size
a. Gravel: fraction passing the 75-mm (3-in.) sieve and retained on the No. 10 (2-mm).
b. Sand: fraction passing the No. 10 (2-mm) and retained on the No. 200 (0.075-mm).
c. Silt and clay: fraction passing the No. 200.

2. Plasticity: The term silty is applied when the fine fractions of the soil have a
plasticity index of 10 or less. The term clayey is applied when the fine fractions have a
plasticity index of 11 or more.

3. If cobbles and boulders (size larger than 75 mm) are encountered, they are excluded
from the portion of the soil sample from which classification is made. However, the
percentage of such material is recorded.

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5.4 AASHTO Classification System
•To classify a soil
according to AASHTO,
you must apply the
test data from left to
right.

• By process of
elimination, the first
group from the left
into which the test
data fit is the correct
classification.

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5.4 AASHTO Classification System
To evaluate the quality of a soil as a
highway subgrade material, a number called
the group index (GI) should be incorporated
with the groups and subgroups of the soil.
This index is written in parentheses after
the group or subgroup designation. The
group index is given by the equation

1.If the above equation yields a negative value for GI, it is taken as 0.
2. The group index is rounded off to the nearest whole number
(for example, GI 5.4 is rounded off to 5; GI 5.5 is rounded off to 6).
3. There is no upper limit for the group index.
4. The group index of soils belonging to groups A-1-a, A-1-b, A-2-4, A-2-5, and A-3 is
always 0.
5. When calculating the group index for soils that belong to groups A-2-6 and A-2-7,
use the partial group index for PI, or
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5.4 AASHTO Classification System

In general, the quality of performance of a soil as a subgrade material is

inversely proportional to the group index.

Example:

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5.4 AASHTO Classification System
Example:

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5.5 Unified Soil Classification System

 Original form of this system was proposed by Casagrande in 1942

 The Unified classification system divides soils into two broad

categories:
1. Coarse-grained soils, with less than 50% passing through the
No. 200 sieve, are given the following prefixes:
G: Gravel or Gravelly Soil
S: Sand or Sandy Soil

2. Fine-grained soils, with more than 50% passing through the No.
200 sieve, are given the following prefixes:
M: Inorganic silt.
C: Inorganic clay.
O : Organic silts and clays.
Pt: Peat, muck, and other highly organic soil.

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5.5 Unified Soil Classification System
 Other symbols used for the classification are:
W: Well graded
P: Poorly graded
L: Low plasticity (liquid limit less than 50)
H: High plasticity (liquid limit more than 50)

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5.5 Unified Soil Classification System

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5.5 Unified Soil Classification System
 For proper classification according to the USCS, some or all of the following
information must be known:
1. Percent of gravel: the fraction passing the 76.2-mm sieve and
retained on the No. 4 sieve (4.75-mm opening).
2. Percent of sand: the fraction passing the No. 4 sieve (4.75-mm
opening) and retained on the No. 200 sieve
(0.075-mm opening).
3. Percent of silt and clay: the fraction finer than the No. 200 sieve
(0.075-mm opening).
4. Uniformity coefficient (Cu) and the coefficient of gradation (Cc).
5. Liquid limit and plasticity index of the portion of soil passing the No.
40 sieve

Fine fraction: Passing sieve No.200

Coarse fraction: Retained on sieve No.200
Gravel Fraction: Retained on sieve No.4
Sand fraction: (% retained on sieve No.200)- ( % retained on sieve No.4)

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5.5 Unified Soil Classification System

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5.5 Unified Soil Classification System

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5.5 Unified Soil Classification System

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5.5 Unified Soil Classification System
Examples

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5.5 Unified Soil Classification System
Examples

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