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Classification of Soils

The document discusses various characteristics of soils including grain size distribution, Atterberg limits, consistency, sensitivity, thixotropy, activity, free swell index, classification systems, and field identification tests. Specifically, it covers the Indian Standard Soil Classification System and how to classify soils based on their grain size and plasticity properties using a plasticity chart. It also describes common soil engineering properties and how they relate to index and classification properties.

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Sushma Dakey
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24 views

Classification of Soils

The document discusses various characteristics of soils including grain size distribution, Atterberg limits, consistency, sensitivity, thixotropy, activity, free swell index, classification systems, and field identification tests. Specifically, it covers the Indian Standard Soil Classification System and how to classify soils based on their grain size and plasticity properties using a plasticity chart. It also describes common soil engineering properties and how they relate to index and classification properties.

Uploaded by

Sushma Dakey
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Review of GSD

% Finer

Log scale
Effective size D10: 0.02 mm
(Holtz and Kovacs, 1981)
D30: D60:
Review of Plasticity characteristics
Atterberg limits

Increasing water content

Liquid state
Liquid limit
Plastic state
Plastic limit
Semi-solid state
Shrinkage limit
Solid state
Liquid limit- Casagrande’s
Liquid limit-Fall cone

Penetration of cone
20 mm

(mm)

wL

Water content w%
Plastic limit
Consistency of soils

Consistency UCS, kPa IL


Very soft < 25 0.75 – 1.0
Soft 25-50 0.50-0.75
Medium 50-100 0.25-0.50
Stiff 100-200 0-0.25
Very stiff 200-400 <0
Hard > 400 <0

UCS- Unconfined Compressive strength, qu


Sensitivity

( qu )undisturbed
St 
( qu ) remoulded

St Classification
1-4 Normal
4-8 Sensitive
8-15 Extra-sensitive
> 15 Quick

Leda clay, Canada


Thixotropy
Regain of strength with time
Activity
• A = (Plasticity Index)/(% clay fraction)
• < 0.75 Inactive
• 0.75-1.25 Normal
• > 1.25 Active
• Typical values
– Kaolinite : 0.38
– Illite : 0.9
– Sodium Montmorillonite : 7.2
Free Swell Index
(Soil volume in water-Soil volume in kerosene) x100
DFS (%) = --------------------------------------------------------------------
Soil volume in kerosene

Kerosene Distilled Water


Degree of expansiveness and DFS
IS: 2911 Part III-1980
Degree of Expansiveness DFS Percent

Low Less than 20

Moderate 20 to 35

High 35 to 50

Very high Greater than 50


Uses of Atterberg limits
• Classification of soils
• Correlation with engineering properties
• Identification of problematic soils
– Soft clays
– Expansive soils (shrinkage limit)
Classification of Soils
Classification of Soils
• A language of communication between engineers.

• It provides a systematic method of categorizing soils according to


their probable engineering behaviour.

• A classification system must be simple with less number of soil

• Most commonly used properties are the GSD and plasticity.

• A soil classification system does not eliminate the need for detailed
soil investigations and for testing for engineering properties.

• However, the engineering properties have been found to correlate


quite well with the index and classification properties of a given soil
deposit.
• Most of the civil engineering classification
systems had their roots in agricultural soil
science and Civil engineers classified soil by
grain size or soil texture (Casagrande 1948).
• Atterberg (1905) apparently was the first to
suggest that something other than grain size
could be used for soil classification.
Soil Classification Systems
• Unified Soil Classification System (USCS)

• American Association of State Highway and Transport


Officials (AASHTO) system

• Indian Standard Soil Classification System (ISSCS)

• Massachusets Institute of Technology (MIT)

• American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM)


Indian Standard Soil Classification System
(IS 1498:1970)
• Based on USCS with modifications.

• The basis for the ISSCS is that coarse-grained soils


can be classified according to their grain size
distributions, where as the engineering behaviour of
fine-grained soils is primarily related to their
plasticity.
Information required
• Grain size distribution
– Passing 75 micron sieve
– Retained on 4.75 mm sieve
– Cu
– Cc
• Atterberg limits
– Liquid limit
– Plasticity Index
Symbols

G Gravel
S Sand
M Silt
C Clay
O Organic matter
Well graded and poorly graded
• Gravels
– If Cu > 4 and Cc between 1 and 3 : Well graded (W)
– Otherwise poorly graded (P)
• Sands
– If Cu > 6 and Cc between 1 and 3 : Well graded (W)
– Otherwise poorly graded (P)

GW – Well graded gravel GP- Poorly graded gravel


SW – Well graded sand SP- Poorly graded sand
Plasticity chart
Classification procedure
Soil

Coarse grained soil Fine grained soil Highly organic soil


If 50% or more retains If 50% or more (Peat)
on 75 micron IS sieve pass through 75 Fibrous texture,
micron IS sieve colour, odour, very
high w, particle of
vegetative matter
Classification procedure- continued
Classification procedure- continued
Field Identification of soils

• Dilatancy (reaction to shaking)


• Dry strength (crushing characteristics)
Dilatancy Test

• Pat of moist soil prepared.

• Pat placed in the open palm of one hand and shaken


vigorously against the other hand several times.

• Appearance of water on the surface indicate a positive


reaction.
• Rapidity of appearance of water during shaking and
disappearance when squeezed with fingers helps in identifying
character of fines.
• Clean fine sand gives quick and distinct reaction.
Dry strength

• Pat made to the consistency of putty and dried completely in air,


sun or oven.

• Test the strength by breaking and crumbling between fingers.

• Strength is a measure of the quantity and character of the


colloidal matter contained in the soil.

• Strength increases with increasing plasticity.

• Clays of the group CH has high dry strength.

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