• I.

CLASSIFICATIONS OF SOILS

• A soil classification system is the arrangement

of different soils having similar properties into
groups and sub-groups based on their
application.

• It provides a common language to express

briefly the general characteristics of soils.

• There are several methods of classifying soils.

But the most widely used classification systems
by engineers are :-
1.Grain Size Classification
2. Soil Classification Based on both Grain-size and
Atterberg limits
1.Grain Size Classification
• It is based on grain size of the soils and is
essentially useful for classifying soils in which
single grain properties are of importance.
• Three of the grain size classifications that are
in common use are the following.
(a) U.S. Bureau of Public Roads Classification
Sand Silt Clay
Gravel Coarse Fine
2 0.25 0.05 0.005
Grain size in mm
(b) M.I.T ( Massachusetts Institute of Technology) Classification
Gravel Sand Silt Clay
Coarse Medium Fine Coarse Medium Fine

2 0.6 0.2 0.06 0.02 0.006 0.002

Grain size in mm
(c) Textural Classification
-This classification is based on a triangular chart shown below.
-A soil with known percentage of sand, silt and clay sizes is
represented by a given point on a triangular chart of this type.
Example
35% sand -, 25% silt-, and 40% clay-size particles,
This soil falls into the zone of Sandy clay.
2. Soil Classification Based on both Grain-
size and Atterberg limits
• The physical properties of fine-grained soils
are dictated to a great extent by the amounts
and types of clay minerals present in them.
Hence, for proper interpretation of soil
characteristics, the plasticity that is the result
of the presence of clay minerals needs to be
considered.
• Presently, two more elaborate classification
systems that take into consideration both
particle-size distribution and Atterberg limits
are commonly used. They are
– The AASHTO (American Association of State
Highway and Transport Official) classification
system and
– The unified soil classification system
2.1 AASHTO Classification System
• The AASHTO classification system, also called
Public Roads Administration (PRA)
classification, is based on the following three
soil properties:
– Grain-size distribution
– Liquid limit
– Plasticity index
• This system is generally used by highway
engineers, for classification of sub-grade soils
for the highway pavements.

• According to this system, soil is classified into

seven major groups, A-1 through A-7.
• Soils classified under groups A-1, A-2, and A-3
are granular materials with 35% or less
passing through No. 200 sieve.

• -Soils with more than 35% passing a No. 200

sieve are classified under groups A-4, A-5, A-6
and A-7. These soils are mostly silt and clay-
type materials.

• To classify a soil using AASHTO soil

classification Table, one must proceed from
left to right with required test data available.
By the process of elimination, the first group
from the left into which the test data will fit
gives the correct classification.
General Classification Granular Materials Silt-clay Materials
(35 per cent or less passing No. 200) (More than 35 percent passing No. 200)
A-1 A-2 A-7
Group Classification A-3 A-4 A-5 A-6
A-7-5
A-1-a A-1-b A-2-4 A-2-5 A-2-6 A-2-7
A-7-6
Sieve analysis per cent
passing
50 max
No. 10
30 max 50 max 51 min
No. 40
15 max 10 max 10 max 35 max 35 max 35 max 35 max 36 min 36 min 36 min 36 min
No. 200

Characteristics of
fraction passing
No. 40 sieve
Liquid limit 40max 41 min 40max 41 min 40 max 41 min 40 max 41 min
Plasticity Index 6 (max) N.P 10max 10max 11 min 11min 10 max 10 max 11 min 11 min
Group index 0 0 0 4 (max) 8 (max) 12 16(max) 20 (max)
(max)
Usual types of Stone fragments Fine Silty or clayey gravel and sand Silty soils Clayey soils
significant constituent gravel and sand sand
materials
General rating as sub- Excellent to good Fair to poor
grade

The A-7 group is subdivided into A-7-5 or A-7-6 depending on the plastic limit. For P.L.<30, the classification is A-7-6; for
P.L 30, it is A-7-5.
• -Under this classification system, a characteristic
called group index (G.I) is used to describe the
performance of a soil when used as a highway sub
grade material.
• -Group index is not used to place the soil in a
particular group, but is actually a means of rating
the value of a soil as a sub grade material, within
its own group.
GI = 0.2a+ 0.005ac + 0.01bd
• a= that portion of percentage of particles passing No.200 sieve
greater than 35% and not exceeding 75% expressed as a
whole number(0 to 40)
• b= that portion of percentage of particles passing No.200 sieve
greater than15% and not exceeding 55% expressed as a whole
number(0 to 40)
• c= that portion of the liquid limit greater than 40 and not
exceeding 60, expressed as a Positive whole number(0 to 20)
• d= that portion of the Plasticity index greater than 10 and not
exceeding 30, expressed as a Positive whole number(0 to 20)
2.2Unified Soil Classification System

• The system is most popular for use in all types

of engineering problems involving soils.

• It is based on recognition of the type and

predominance of the constituents considering
grain size, gradation and plasticity.

• It divides soil into three major divisions;

namely:
» Coarse-grained soils,
» Fine-grained soils, and
» Highly organic (peat) soils.
 The name and symbols used to distinguish
between the typical and boundary soil groups are
given below.
• a) Coarse-grained soils
G = Gravel , S = Sand
• The gravel and sand are further divided into
subgroups as;
W = Well graded P = Poorly graded

• b) Fine-grained soils
M = Inorganic silt
C = Inorganic clay
O = Organic silts and clays
Pt = Peat
The above groups of fine-grained soils (excluding peat) are further
subdivided according to their liquid limits into
L = Low plasticity (ℓ < 50%)
H = High plasticity (ℓ > 50%)
• Plasticity Chart: - The plasticity chart is a
plot of plasticity index versus liquid limit.
Fine-grained soils are subdivided into
soils of low, medium and high plasticity
following the criteria cut-lined below

• Low plasticity(ℓ < 30%)

• Medium plasticity(ℓ between 30% and 50%)
• High plasticity (ℓ> 50%)
• The diagonal line drawn in the plasticity
chart is called the “A” line and is given
by the equation p = 0.73 (ℓ - 20). Clays
fall above the A-line and silts below it.
Cu = uniformity Coefficient
Cc= Coefficient of curvature
Division of GM and SM groups in to subdivisions of d and u
are for Roads and air fields only.
This Subdivision is based on the Atterberg limits;
Suffix d used when ωl < 28 and PI < 6
Suffix u used when ωl > 28
. FIELD IDENTIFICATION OF SOILS
•Soils can be identified in the field by
conducting the following simple tests.
– The techniques used for identification of
soils in the field can conveniently be
discussed under the headings of coarse-
grained and fine-grained soils.
–The sample is first spread on a flat
surface. If more than 50% of the particles
are visible to the naked eye, the soil is
coarse-grained; otherwise, it is fine-
• 1. Coarse-grained Soil
• -Coarse-grained soils are mineral fragments
that may be identified primarily on the basis of
grain size. The different constituents of coarse-
grained soils are sand and gravel.
• The size of sand varies from 0.075 mm to 2 mm
and that of gravel from 2 mm to 60mm.
• Sand can further be classified as coarse,
medium and fine.
• The description of sand and gravel should
include an estimate of the quantity of material
in the different size ranges as well as a
statement of the shape and mineralogical
composition of the grains.
• The mineral grains can be rounded, sub-
rounded, sub-angular, or angular
• 2. Fine Grained Soils
• A. Inorganic Soils: - The constituent parts of fine-
grained materials are silt and clay fractions.

• The classification tests used in the field for

preliminary identification are;
a. Dry strength: The strength of a soil in a dry state
is an indication of its cohesion and hence of its
nature.
• It can be estimated by crushing a 3 mm size dried
fragment between thumb and forefinger.
• A clay fragment can be broken only with great
effort, whereas a silt fragment crushes easily.
b.Shaking test: It helps to distinguish silt from clay.
• In this test a part of soil mixed with water to a very soft
consistency is placed in the palm of the hand. The surface
of the soil is smoothed out with a knife and the soil pat is
shaken by tapping the back of the hand. If the soil is silt,
water will rise quickly to the surface and give it a shiny
glistening appearance.
• Since clay soils contain much smaller voids than silts and
are much less permeable, the appearance of the surface of
the pat does not change during the shaking test.
c. Plasticity test: If a sample of moist soil can be manipulated between the
palms of the hands and fingers and rolled into a long thread of about 3
mm diameter, the soil then contains a significant amount of clay. Silt
cannot be rolled into a thread of 3 mm diameter without severe
cracking.
B. Organic Soils
• The presence of an appreciable quantity of organic material can
usually be recognized by the dark-grey to black color and odor of
decaying vegetation, which it lends to the soil.