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Problems 1.1

Soil is classified based on grain size and mechanical properties like permeability, stiffness, and strength. Classification separates soils into groups with similar characteristics. Coarse-grained soils have over 50% particles larger than 0.075mm and are divided into gravels or sands based on grading. Fine-grained soils have over 50% particles smaller than 0.075mm and are divided into clays, silts, or organic soils based on liquid limit, plasticity index, and organic content in a chart. Detailed classification further separates gravels, sands, silts, and clays based on additional criteria.

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23 views

Problems 1.1

Soil is classified based on grain size and mechanical properties like permeability, stiffness, and strength. Classification separates soils into groups with similar characteristics. Coarse-grained soils have over 50% particles larger than 0.075mm and are divided into gravels or sands based on grading. Fine-grained soils have over 50% particles smaller than 0.075mm and are divided into clays, silts, or organic soils based on liquid limit, plasticity index, and organic content in a chart. Detailed classification further separates gravels, sands, silts, and clays based on additional criteria.

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azman94
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We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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SOIL CLASSIFICATION

Classification of soil is the separation of soil into classes or groups each having similar
characteristics and potentially similar behaviour. A classification for engineering
purposes should be based mainly on mechanical properties: permeability, stiffness,
strength. The class to which a soil belongs can be used in its description.

Classification Based on Grain Size

The range of particle sizes encountered in soils is very large: from boulders with
dimension of over 300 mm down to clay particles that are less than 0.002 mm. Some
clay contains particles less than 0.001 mm in size which behave as colloids, i.e. do not
settle in water.

According to grain Size analysis:

Gravel, sand, silt, and clay are represented by group symbols G, S, M, and C
respectively. Physical weathering produces very coarse and coarse soils. Chemical
weathering produces generally fine soils.

Coarse-grained soils are those for which more than 50% of the soil material by
weight has particle sizes greater than 0.075 mm. They are basically divided into either
gravels (G) or sands (S). According to gradation, they are further grouped as well-
graded (W) or poorly graded (P). If fine soils are present, they are grouped as
containing silt fines (M) or as containing clay fines (C). For example, the combined
symbol SW refers to well-graded sand with no fines. Both the position and the shape
of the grading curve for a soil can aid in establishing its identity and description. Some
typical grading curves are shown.

Curve A- poorly-graded SAND


Curve B - a well-graded GRAVEL-SAND (i.e. having equal amounts of gravel and
sand)

Fine-grained soils are those for which more than 50% of the material has
particle sizes less than 0.075 mm. Clay particles have a flaky shape to which water
adheres, thus imparting the property of plasticity.

A plasticity chart, based on the values of liquid limit (WL) and plasticity index
(IP). Depending on the point in the chart, fine soils are divided into clays (C), silts (M),
or organic soils (O). The organic content is expressed as a percentage of the mass of
organic matter in a given mass of soil to the mass of the dry soil solids.
Soil classification using group symbols is as follows:
In Details Classification of Gravel:

In Details Classification of Sand:


In Details Classification of Silt:

In Details Classification of Clayey Soil:

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