Outline: Soil Classification
Outline: Soil Classification
Soil Classification
Chih-Ping Lin
National Chiao Tung Univ.
[email protected]
Outline
1. Purpose
2. Classification Systems
3. The Unified Soil Classification System
(USCS)
4. American Association of State Highway and
Transportation Officials System (AASHTO)
Purpose
Classifying soils into groups with similar behavior,
in terms of simple indices, can provide geotechnical
engineers a general guidance about engineering
properties of the soils through the accumulated
experience. Communicate
between
engineers
Classification Systems
Two commonly used systems:
Group Names
The group symbol was enhanced by addition
of several group names for each group symbol.
e.g. SM Silty sand with gravel
2. Gradation or 2. Compressibility
Fine component PL, LL
Grain size distribution (Plasticity chart)
(Cu and Cc)
Initial Classification
Conduct sieve analysis test
Fine-grained soil
P#200 > 50%
Coarse-grained soil
P#200 < 50%
Highly Organic Soil
Primarily organic material
Dark brown, dark gray, or black color
Organic odor
Soft consistency
If P#200 > 5%, conduct Atterberg limits tests on the soil passing #40
Classification of fine-grained soils
L H
The A-line generally
Plasticity Chart separates the more
claylike materials
from silty materials,
PI
and the organics
from the inorganics.
The U-line indicates
the upper bound for
general soils.
G(P#4<50%) S(P#4<50%)
P#200 P#200
Fine-grained
material
LL, PI
Highly
LL= 33
PI= 12
PI= 0.73(LL-20), A-line
PI=0.73(33-20)=9.49
SC
(15% gravel)
Clayey sand with Highly
gravel
Coarse Fine
75 mm No.4 No.200
4.75 mm 0.075
No.40 mm
0.425 mm
General Guidance
The required tests are sieve analysis and Atterberg limits.
8 major groups: A1~ A7 (with several subgroups) and
organic soils A8
A1 ~ A3 A4 ~ A7
Das, 1998
Classification (Cont.)
Note:
Das, 1998
The first group from the left to fit the test data is the
correct AASHTO classification.
Group Index
The first term is determined by the LL
Example
Passing No.200 86% GI = (F200 35)[0.2 + 0.005(LL 40)]
LL=70, PI=32 + 0.01(F200 15)(PI 10)
LL-30=40 > PI=32 = 33.47 33 Round off A-7-5(33)