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CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

II. SOIL
 Materials that are derived from
the weathering of rocks.
 Granular material which covers
much of the surface of the
earth.
Dr. PHAM HUU HA GIANG
 Most soils result from the
Falcuty of Transportation Engineering breakdown of rocks which form
Can Tho University the crust, by means of natural
processes of weathering such
as due to the action of the sun,
rain, water, snow, ice and frost,
and chemical and biological
activity.

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

I. SOIL II. SOIL MECHANICS

 Soil is considered a three-phase material, made of soil, water and air.  Defined as the study of the engineering behaviour of soils, with respect to the
 Unsaturated soil and Saturated soil. design of civil engineering structures made on or within the earth.
 Deals with the behaviour of soil under the action of forces acting on the soil
when it is used as a construction material or as a foundation material.

Embankment Retaining wall Bridge abutment

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CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

III. SOIL CLASSIFICATION SYSTEMS 1. Unified Soil Classification System (USCS)

 Classification is based on the following physical properties.  Four major divisions: Coarse-grained, Fine-grained, Organic soils, Peat.
 Grain Size Distribution (GSD)  Symbols for main soil types:
 Liquid limit (LL) - G: Gravel S - Sand M - Inorganic Silt,
 Plasticity Index (PI) - C: Inorganic Clay O - Organic Silt and Clay, Pt - Peat, Humus, Swamp.

 Classification systems developed by different organizations  Coarse-grained soil is subdivided into two subgroups based on gradation:
 Unified soil classification system: most widely used to classify soil for use - W- for well-graded soil
in foundation & dam engineering (ASTM D-2487) - P - for poorly-graded soil
 AASHTO (American Association of state Highway and Transportation  Fine-grained soil is subdivided in two subgroups based on their plasticity
Officials) soil classification system: most widely and exclusively used for characteristics:
highways and airfields. - L: for low plasticity soil (liquid limit < 50)
 FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) soil classification system. - H: for high plasticity soil (liquid limit > 50)
 Textural soil classification system.

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

1. Unified Soil Classification System (USCS) 1. Unified Soil Classification System (USCS)
 Classification Group Symbols  USCS is based on the following:
Main Soil Symbols Subgroup Symbols Classification  Textural characteristics of coarse-
Type Group symbols
grained soils with such small amount
Gravel G Well-graded W GW
Poorly-graded P GP of fines, that fines do not affect the
Silty M GM
Clayey C GC behaviour. Textural characteristics are
Sand S Well-graded W SW evaluated by particle-size analysis.
Poorly-graded P SP
Silty M SM  Plasticity characteristics of fine-
Clayey C SC
grained soils where the fines affect the
Silt M LL < 50% L ML
LL > 50% H MH engineering behaviour. Plasticity
Clay C LL < 50% L CL characteristics are evaluated by the
LL > 50% H CH
plasticity chart
Organic O LL < 50% L OL
LL > 50% H OH
Peat Pt Pt
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CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

1. Unified Soil Classification System (USCS) 1. Unified Soil Classification System (USCS)

No specific
grain size- use
Atterberg limits

Gravel Sand Silt and

Boulders Cobbles Clay
Coarse Fine Coarse Medium Fine

300 mm 75 mm No.4 No.200

4.75 mm 0.075
19 mm No.10 No.40 mm
2.0 mm 0.425 mm

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

2. American Association of State Highway and Transportation 2. American Association of State Highway and Transportation
Officials system (AASHTO) Officials system (AASHTO)
 8 major groups: A1~ A7 (with several subgroups) and organic soils A8

Boulders Silt-Clay  The tests are sieve analysis and Atterberg limits.
Gravel Sand
 The group index is used to further evaluate soils within a group (subgroups)
Coarse Fine
A1 ~ A3 A4 ~ A7
75 mm No.10 No.200
0.075 Granular Materials Silt-clay Materials
2.00 mm
No.40 mm  35% pass No. 200 sieve  36% pass No. 200 sieve
0.425 mm Using LL and PI separates silty Using LL and PI separates silty
materials from clayey materials materials from clayey materials
(only for A2 group)
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CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

2. American Association of State Highway and Transportation 2. American Association of State Highway and Transportation
Officials system (AASHTO) Officials system (AASHTO)

AASHTO SYSTEM UNIFIED SYSTEM

1.It is based on texture and plasticity of soil. 1-It is also based on texture and plasticity of soil. AASHTO VS USCS
2. The soil is divided into two major categories i.e., coarse 2-The soil is divided into two major categories
Soil group in Most Probable Soil group in Most Probable groups in
grained and fine grained, as separated by the No. 200 i.e., coarse grained and fine grained, as
AASHTO system Group in USCS Unified system AASHTO system
sieve. separated by the No. 200 sieve.
A-1-a GW, GP GW A-1-a
3- A soil is considered fine grained when more than 35% 3- A soil is considered fine grained when more
A-1-b SW, SP, GM,SM GP A-1-a
passes the No. 200 sieve. than 50% passes the No. 200 sieve.
A-3 SP GM A-1-b, A-2-4, A-2-5, A-2-7
(A coarse-grained soil having about 35% fines behaves
A-2-4 GM, SM GC A-2-6, A-2-7
like a fine-grained material, since there are enough fines to
fill the voids between the coarse grains and hold them A-2-5 GM, SM SW A-1-b
apart. In this respect AASHTO system appears to be more A-2-6 GC, SC SP A-3, A-1-b
appropriate.) A-2-7 GM, GC, SM, SC SM A-1-b, A-2-4, A-2-5, A-2-7 A-
A-4 ML, OL 2-6, A-2-7
4- No. 10 sieve is used to separate gravels from sand. The 4- No. 4 sieve is used to separate gravels from
A-5 OH, MH, ML, OL SC A-2-6, A-2-7
No.10 sieve is more accepted as upper limit for sand. sand
A-6 CL ML A-4, A-5
(Therefore AASHTO system is more appropriate.)
A-7-5 OH, MH CL A-6, A-7-6
5- Gravelly and sandy soils are not clearly separated. The 5- Gravelly and sandy soils are clearly
A-7-6 CH, CL OL A-4, A-5
A-2 group in particular, contains a large variety of soils separated.
6- The symbols A-1, A-2, etc., of this group are not well 6- The symbols such as GW, SM, CH, and MH A-7-5, A-5
descriptive of the soil properties. others are more descriptive of the soil properties CH A-7-6
7- Organic soils are not well discussed in this system. 7- The classification of organic soils such as OL, OH A-7-5, A-5
OH, & Pt has been provided in this system. Pt --