UNIFIED SOIL CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM (USCS)*

Field Identification Procedures

Group
Major Division Typical Names (excluding particles larger than 75 mm and basing Laboratory Classification Criteria
Symbols
fraction on estimated weights)

1 2 3 4 5 6

Cu = D60/D10 grater than 4 ;

(little or no fines)
Wide range in grain size and substantial amounts of
More than half of gravel fraction is

Depending on percentage of fines (fraction smaller than No. 200 sieve

(for visual classification, 5 mm may be used as equivalent to the No. 4

Clean gravel
GW Well graded gravels, gravel-sand mixtures, little or no fines
More than half of material is larger than No. 200 (75 m) sieve size

all antermediate particles sizes Cc = (D30)2/[(D10)(D60)] between 1 and 3

larger than No. 4 sieve size

Determine percentages of gravel and sand from grain size curve.

Predominantly one size or a range of sizes with some

: Borderline cases requiring

GP Poorly graded gravels, gravel-sand mixtures, little or no fines Not meeting all gradation requirements for GW

size) coarse grained soils are classified as follow:

(4.75mm)

intermediate sizes missing

Gravels

use of dual symbols

Atterberg limits below A-line, or PI less than Above A-line with
fines(appreciable

More than 12 % : GM, GC, SM, SC

Less than 5% : GW, GP, SW, SP
amount of fines) Nonplastic fines or fines with low plasticity (for
GM Silty gravels, gravel-sand-silt mixtures
Gravels with

identification procedures see ML below) 4 PI between 4 and 7

Coarse Grained Soils

are borderline
Plastic fines ((for identification procedures see CL Atterberg limits above A-line with PI greater cases requiring use
GC Clayey gravels, gravel-sand-clay mixtures
sieve size)

below) than 7 of dual symbol

Cu = D60/D10 grater than 6 ;
(little or no fines)

Wide range in grain size and substantial amounts of

More than half of coarse fraction is
smaller than No. 4 sieve size (4.75

Use grain size curve in identifiying the fractions as given under field identification
Clean Sands

SW Well graded sands, gravelly sand, little or no fines

all antermediate particles sizes Cc = (D30)2/[(D10)(D60)] between 1 and 3

5% to 12%
Predominantly one size or a range of sizes with some
SP Poorly graded sands, gravelly sand, little or no fines Not meeting all gradation requirements for SW
intermediate sizes missing
Sands

mm)

Atterberg limits below A-line, or PI less than Above A-line with

fines(appreciable

Nonplastic fines or fines with low plasticity (for

amount of fines)

SM Silty sands, sand-silt mixtures

Sands with

identification procedures see ML below) 4 PI between 4 and 7

are borderline
Plastic fines ((for identification procedures see CL Atterberg limits above A-line with PI greater cases requiring use
SC Clayey sands, sand-clay mixtures
below) than 7 of dual symbol
Identification procedures on fraction smaller than No.
Plasticity Chart
More than half of material is smaller than No. 200 (75 m) sieve size

40 sieve size
Dry strength Dilatancy Toughness
(crushing (reaction to (consistency For laboratory classification of fine-grained soils
Liquid limit less than 50

characteristics) sheaking) near PL)

Silt and Clays

Inorganic silts and very fine sand rock, silty or clayey fine sands
ML None to slight Quick to slow None U-Line
or clayey silt with slight plasticity 60
PI=0,9(LL-
Fine Grained Soils

Inorganic clays of low to medium plasticity, gravelly clays, sandy None to very 8)
CL Medium to high Medium 50
clays, silty clays, lean clays slow

40 A-Line

Plasticity Index (PI)

OL Organic silts and organic silty clays of low plasticity Slight to medium Slow Slight
CH PI=0,73(LL-
20)
Liquid limit greater than 50

Inorganic silts, micaceous or diatomaceous fine sandy or silty Slight to 30

MH Slight to medium Slow to none
soils, elastic silts medium CL MH
Silt and Clays

20 or
CH Inorganic clays of high plasticity, fat clays High to very high None High OH
CL-ML ML
10
7 or
None to very Slight to 4 OL
OH Organic clays of medium to high plasticity, organic silts Medium to high
slow medium 0 ML
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Readily identified by color, odor, spongy feel and Liquid Limit (LL)
Highly Organic Soils Pt Peat and other highly organic soils
frequently by fibrous textures

* After US Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station (1960) and Howard (1977)