Soil classification

• Gravel, sand, silt and clay

• A wide range of engineering characteristics require
additional subdivisions or modifiers to make the terms
more useful in engineering practice.
• These terms are collected into soil classification systems.
• Represents a language of communication between
engineers.
• Provides a systematic method of categorizing soils
according to their probable engineering behavior.
• Allows engineers access to the accumulated experience of
other engineers.
• Many systems proposed, but most common in
engineering are
– AASHTO System
• Widely used for roadways and aircraft pavements
– USCS (Unified Soil Classification System)
• Used for most types of Civil infrastructure except
pavements
– Both AASHTO and USCS based on index properties
• Particle size
• Grain size distribution curve
• Effect of water on soil behavior
• Atterberg limits
 The AASHTO Classification System (1)
• First engineering soil classification system, developed by
Terzaghi and Hogentogler (1928).
• Adopted by AASHTO (1993).
• Use both particle size distribution and Atterberg limits data to
assign a group classification and a group index to the
soil.
• The group classification ranges A-1 (best soils) to A-7 (worst
soils).
• Group index values near 0 indicate good soils, whereas values
of 20 or more indicate very poor soils. (“good” or “poor” only
for highway subgrade)
• AASHTO system takes only accounts of the soil portion passing
through a 3-in. sieve. Percentage by weight of any plus 3-in.
material needs to be recorded and noted in the classification.
 The AASHTO Classification System (2)
• 35% or less of total soil sample passing No. 200 – Coarse-
grained, granular soils; more than 35% of total soil sample
passing sieve No. 200– Fine-grained silty and clayey soils.
• Table 5.1 (p.133) is used to determine the group
classification, beginning on the left side with A-1-a soils and
check each of the criteria. If all have been met, then this is
the group classification. If any criterion is not met, step to
the right and repeat the process, continuing until reaching
the first column for which all the criteria have been
satisfied. DO NOT BEGIN AT THE MIDDLE OF THE CHART.
• Pay special attention to the 5 rules listed on page 135 for
the group index.
 Group Index
• Group index calculated to evaluate the quality of a
soil as a highway subgrade material

– Round off to the nearest whole number

– The group index of soils belonging to groups A-1-a, A-1-b,
A-2-4, A-2-5, and A-3 is always zero.
– F200 –percentage of soils passing through the No. 200
sieve.
– LL = liquid limit, PI = plasticity index
• When calculating the group index for soils that
belong to A-2-6 and A-2-7,
Soil classification data for three soil
examples
Soil gradation curves for the three soil
samples
• Example 1: Classify soil #1 in the handout using AASHTO
system.
– Find soil fraction passing sieve #200: F200 = 10% , less than 35%
coarse-grained soil
– Use upper part of Table 5.1, and start up from the leftmost column,
which is for A-1-a
– Plasticity index PI (or Ip) = LL – PL = 25 – 15 = 10. Check the Plasticity
index criterion: PI > 6. So, the soil is not A-1
– Not A-3 because multiple criteria are not met.
– Keep moving from left to right, and we find A-2-4 fits all the criteria.
– Group name: A-2-4
– Group index: Following the criteria listed on page 135, we know GI =
0, or GI = (10-35)[0.2 + 0.005(25-40)+0.01(10-15)(10-10)=-3.13 0
– Final AASHTO classification A-2-4(0)
– A good soil for subgrade of a roadway
• Example 2: Classify soil #3 in the handout
using AASHTO system.
– F200 = 86 > 35%  fine-grained soil (A-4, A-5, A-6
or A-7)
– Liquid limit LL = 45 > 40 max, not A-4
– PI = 45 – 35 = 10 A-5
– GI = (86-35)[0.2+0.005(45-40)]+0.001(86-15)(10-
10)=11.48  11
– Final classification: A-5(11)
• Example 3 (Curve C): A fill material being
proposed for use as a subbase for a highway
project has the particle size distribution curve
described by curve C in the figure.
o A liquid limit of 37, and a plastic limit of
28.
o The material does not appear to be
organic.
o Determine the AASHTO soil classification
of this material and rate its suitability as
subbase material.
• Solution
– Passing #200 sieve (0.075 mm) = 10% < 35% coarse
grained material
– Passing #40 sieve (0.425 mm) = 33% > 30% max 
not A-1-a
– Passing #10 sieve (2.00 mm) = 64%
– PI = LL-PL = 37-28 = 9 > 6% max  not A-1-b
– Passing #40 sieve = 33% < 51% min  not A-3
– All the criteria are met for A-2-4
– Group Index GI = 0 following the special criterion on
page 135
– Final classification A-2-4 (0)
Unified Soil Classification System (USCS)
• Originally developed by A. Casagrande for the U.S. Army during
World War II (1948). Since then it was updated and is now
standardized in ASTM D2487.
• Each classification consists of a group symbol and a group name:
e.g., SM -- Silty sand with gravel
– “SM” is the group symbol (silty sand).
– “Silty sand with gravel” is the group name.
– The position of a soil type in the group name indicates its relative
importance.
• Noun = Primary component
• Adjective = Secondary component (or further explanation of primary component)
• “With …” = Tertiary component
• Coarse-grained or Fine-grained
– Coarse-grained: Sand (S) & Gravel (G), <50% soil fraction passing #200
sieve
 Classification of Fine-grained Soils (1)
• Fine-grained: Clay (C) & Silt (M), soil fraction
passing sieve #200 >=50%
• Plot Atterberg limits on the Casagrande plasticity
chart (p. 132)
– Clay: Atterberg limits plot on or above A-line
– Silt: Atterberg limits plot below A-line
– The “U-line” represents the upper limit of recorded test
results. So, data that plot above the U-line are probably
in error.
– Soils identified as “nonplastic (NP)” are classified as ML.
Casagrande Plasticity Chart
Classification of Fine-grained Soils (2)
• Fine-grained soils are further classified by plasticity
– Low plasticity (L) LL < 50
– High plasticity (H) LL>=50
• Use the plasticity chart to determine the group symbol for fine-
grained soils, which usually consists of two letters:
– First letter: M-predominantly silt; C-Predominantly clay; O-
Organic: (Liquid limit – oven dried)/(liquid limit not
dried)<0.75
– Second letter: L-low plasticity; H-high plasticity
– CH-Clay with high plasticity (fat clay); CL-Clay with low
plasticity (lean clay); ML– Silt with low plasticity (silt); MH-
elastic silt; OH-Organic soil with high plasticity
• Use Figure 5.2 to find out group symbol and Figure 5.5 for group
name.
Example 1: Classify Soil #3 in the handout using
the USCS system.
Example 1: Classify Soil #3 in the handout using
the USCS system (cont’d)
– F200 = 86% > 50%  Fine-grained soil
– PI = LL – PL = 45 – 35 = 10, and LL = 45  below the
A-line in the Casagrande Plasticity Chart  Silt (M)
– LL = 45 < 50 low plasticity –ML (group symbol --
“silt with low plasticity”)
– %gravel (soils retained on sieve #4) = 0, % sand (soils
passing #4 and retained on/above sieve #200) = 100
– 86 = 14% < 30% plus #200 (plus: retained on or
above), and also < 15% plus#200  Silt (group name)
– Final classification: ML -- Silt
• Example 2: The natural soils have a particle size distribution as
described by curve A in the figure, Classify the soil using the
USCS system (LL = 44, PL = 21).
– 100% passes 3’’
– 97% passes #4
– 56% passes #200 > 50%  fine-grained
– 100 – 56 = 44% retained on/above #200  fraction of (gravel + sand)
– Plasticity index PI = LL – PL = 44 – 21 = 23, Liquid limit LL = 44 < 50
low plasticity, and above the A-line on the Casagrande chart  Clay
– Group symbol  CL
– %Gravel = 3-in - #4 = 100 – 97 = 3%
– %Sand = #4 -- #200 = 97 – 56 = 41%
– 44% retained on/above (plus) #200
– %Sand > %Gravel, less than 15% gravel. Following Figure 5.5, Group
Name: sandy lean clay
– Final classification CL – Sandy lean clay
 Classification of Coarse grained soils(1)
• Coarse grained: Sand(S) & Gravel(G) <50% passing #200 sieve.
• #4 sieve (mesh size: 4.75 mm) used to distinguish between sand and gravel.
– It is Sand if sand portion (%) is greater than gravel portion (%)
– It is Gravel if gravel portion (%) is greater than sand portion (%)
– Note: sand portion (%) = % retained on and above #200 sieve -- % passing #4 sieve;
Gravel portion (%) = % retained on #4 sieve.
• Coarse-grained soils are further classified depending upon amount of fines
present
– Three cases
• Insignificant (<=5%) amount of fines (F200)
• Significant (>=12%) amount of fines
• Intermediate (5%<F200<12%)
• The letters forming the group symbols for coarse-grained soils
– First letter: S_Predominantly sand; G_Predominantly gravel
– Second letter: P_Poorly-graded; W_well-graded; M_silty; C_Clayey
– e.g, SP  Poorly-graded sand, GW  Well-graded gravel, SC  Clayey sand, GM  Silty
gravel, etc.
Classification of Coarse grained soils(2)
• Insignificant (= <5%) amount of fines
– Behavior affected by grain size distribution
– Use two-letter group symbol to describe gradation (well-
or poorly-graded)
– Well-graded (W)
• Cu(coefficient of uniformity)>=6 (D60/D10), 1<=Cz<=3 (coefficient
of curvature Cz=(D30)2/(D60XD10))
– Poorly-graded (P)
• Not meet the criteria of Cu or Cz
– e.g., SP (poorly-graded sand), SW (well-graded sand), GP
(poorly-graded gravel), GW (well-graded gravel)
 Classification of Coarse grained soils(3)
• Significant (>=12%) amount of fines
– Behavior dominated by plasticity of fine particles
– Use two-letter group symbol to describe type of fines (silt or clay)
– Above A-line (C); below A-line (M)
– e.g., SC, SM, GC, GM
• Intermediate (5%<F200<12%) amount of fines
– Behavior affected by grain size distribution
– Behavior affected by plasticity of fine particles
– Dual classification
– Use four-letter group symbol to describe both gradation and type of fines
– e.g., SP-SC, SW-SM, GW-GM
• Identify group symbols following Table 5.2 (p.137)
• Identify group names following Figure 5.4 (pp. 139)
• Example 1: Classify Soil #2 in the handout
using the USCS system.
• Example 1: Classify Soil #2 in the handout using the USCS
system. (cont’d)
– F200 = 25% < 50%  Coarse-grained
– Gravel fraction: retained on/above #4, 100 – 51 = 49%
– Sand fraction: passing #4 but retained on/above #200, 51-25=26%
– Gravel fraction > sand fraction gravel
– Fraction passing #200: 25%>12% significant amount of fine-
grains
– GM or GC
– PI = 40 – 32 = 8, and LL = 40  below the A-line  GM (group
symbol)
– %sand 26% > 15% sand Silty gravel with sand (group name)
– Final soil classification: GM – Silty gravel with sand
Example 2: Classify soil B using the USCS
– 100% passes sieve #4
– 4% (<50%) passes #200 sieve Coarse-grained
– 100% passes #4 sieve  %gravel = 0
– %sand = #4 - #200 = 100 – 4 = 96%
– % passing #200 = 4% =%fines <5%  insignificant amount
of fines
– D10 = 0.10 mm; D30 = 0.17 mm; D60 = 0.40 mm
• Cu = D60/D10 = 0.4/0.1 = 4.0
• Cz (or Cc) = (D30)2/(D60 × D10) = (0.17)2/[(0.4)(0.1)] = 0.72
– %sand > %gravel  Sand; Cu <6 and Cc <1 poorly-graded
– Group symbol: SP
– 0% gravel <15% gravel Group name: Poorly-graded sand
– Final classification: SP – Poorly-graded sand
Example 3: Classify Soil #1 in the handout using
the USCS system.
Example 3: Classify Soil #1 in the handout using the USCS system (LL = 30,
PL = 25) (cont’d)
– 100% passes 3-in sieve
– 10% passes #200 sieve <50%  Coarse-grained
– % gravel = 3-in -- #4 = 100 – 60 = 40%
– % sand = #4 - #200 = 60 – 10 = 50%
– %sand = 50 > %gravel = 40  Sand
– 10% fines, between 5% - 12% Intermediate amount of fines  dual
classification
– D10 = 0.075 mm, D30 = 0.85 mm, D60 = 4.75 mm
• Cu = D60/D10 = 4.75/0.075 = 63.3
• Cz (or Cc) = (D30)2/(D60 × D10) = (0.85)2/[(4.75)(0.075)] = 2.03
– Cu >6 and 1<Cc = 2.03 <3  well-graded
– PI = 25 – 15 = 10, LL = 25 above A-line,  Clay (C)
– Group symbol: SW – SC
– %Gravel = 40% > 15% gravel, group name: Well-graded sand with clay and
gravel
– Final classification: SW – SM -- Well-graded sand with clay and gravel
 Textural Classification by USDA
• Based on the following particle size limits
– Sand size: 2.0 to 0.05 mm in diameter
– Silt size: 0.05 to 0.002 mm in diameter
– Clay Size: smaller than 0.002 mm in diameter
• Based on only the fraction of soil that passes through the
No. 10 sieve. Hence, if the particle-size distribution of a soil
is such that a certain percentage of the soil particle is larger
than 2 mm in diameter, a correction will be necessary.
– If soil B: 20% gravel, 10% sand, 30% silt, and 40% clay, the
modified textural compositions: sand: 10X100/(100-20) = 12.5%,
silt: 30X100/(100-20) = 37.5%, clay: 40X100/(100-20) = 50.0%
U.S. Department of Agriculture textural classification (USDA)