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Basics of Geotechnical Engg

The document discusses soil classification systems. It describes methods for determining grain size, including sieving and hydrometer tests. It explains grading curves and how they are used to classify soils as well graded, uniformly graded, or skip graded. Key concepts covered include liquid limit, plastic limit, plasticity index, uniformity coefficient, and curvature coefficient. Common soil types are defined based on grain size. The classification system uses letters to identify primary and secondary characteristics of soils.

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kesharinaresh
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61 views

Basics of Geotechnical Engg

The document discusses soil classification systems. It describes methods for determining grain size, including sieving and hydrometer tests. It explains grading curves and how they are used to classify soils as well graded, uniformly graded, or skip graded. Key concepts covered include liquid limit, plastic limit, plasticity index, uniformity coefficient, and curvature coefficient. Common soil types are defined based on grain size. The classification system uses letters to identify primary and secondary characteristics of soils.

Uploaded by

kesharinaresh
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Soil

Classification
System

By:
R. K. Shekhawat
Sr. Professor (Projects)
IRICEN, PUNE
Grain Size Determination
• Sieving - used for particles > 75 micron

• Hydrometer test - used for smaller


particles
Grading Curves
100

80
% Finer

60

40

20

0
0.0001 0.001 0.01 0.1 1 10 100
Particle size (mm)

W Well graded
Grading Curves
100

80
% Finer

60

40

20

0
0.0001 0.001 0.01 0.1 1 10 100
Particle size (mm)
W Well graded
U Uniformly/Poorly graded
Grading Curves
100

80
% Finer

60

40

20

0
0.0001 0.001 0.01 0.1 1 10 100
Particle size (mm)
W Well graded
U Uniformly/Poorly graded
P Skip graded
Grading Curves
100

80
% Finer

60

40

20

0
0.0001 0.001 0.01 0.1 1 10 100
Particle size (mm)
W Well graded
U Uniformly/poorly graded
P Skip graded
C Well graded with some clay
Grading Curves
100

80
% Finer

60

40

20

0
0.0001 0.001 0.01 0.1 1 10 100
Particle size (mm)
W Well graded
U Uniformly/poorly graded
P Skip graded
C Well graded with some clay
F Well graded with an excess of fines
Atterberg Consistency Limits
Liquid Limit
• Soil is practically a liquid
• Shows minimal shear strength
• Defined as the moisture content required to close a distance
of 0.5 inch along the bottom of a groove after 25 blows of
the liquid limit device.
Liquid Limit

Plastic Limit
•Water content at which the soil is a plastic
•Defined as the moisture content % at which the soil begins to
crumble when rolled into 1/8” diameter threads
Liquid Limit

Plastic Limit

Plasticity Index (PI)


• Difference between Liquid Limit and Plastic Limit
• Important measure of plastic behavior
 Uniformity coefficient, Cu = D60/D10
 Curvature coefficient, Cc = (D30)2 / (D60 x D10)

 Cu > 4 : Well-graded soil, i.e. a soil which has a


distribution of particles over a wide size range.
 Cc between 1 and 3 : Well-graded soil.
 Cu < 3 : Uniform soil, i.e. a soil which has a very
narrow particle size range.
Grain Size Range for Coarse Soils

Category Size
Very Coarse Boulder Size > 300 mm
Soils Cobble Size 80 – 300 mm
Coarse 20 – 80 mm
Gravel Size
Fine 4.75 – 20 mm
Coarse Soils Coarse 2 – 4.75 mm
Sand Size Medium 0.475 – 2 mm
Fine 0.075 – 0.475 mm
Silt Size 0.002 – 0.075 mm
Fine Soils
Clay Size < 0.002 mm
 Curve A - Poorly-graded medium SAND
 Curve B - Well-graded GRAVEL-SAND (i.e. having
equal amounts of gravel and sand)
 Curve C - Gap-graded COBBLES-SAND
 Curve D - Sandy SILT
 Curve E - Silty CLAY (i.e. having little amount of sand)
Fine Grained Soils
Soil Classification letters

Primary Letter Secondary Letter


W : Well Graded
G : Gravel P : Poorly Graded
S : Sand M : With Non-plastic Fines
C : With Plastic Fines
L : of Low Plasticity
C : Clay
I : of Medium Plasticity
M: Silt
H : of High Plasticity
P : Peat

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