SOIL CLASSIFICATION

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Learning Outcomes:
At the end of the chapter, students must be
able to:
1. Discuss different classification system
used for soil

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2. Identify soil using the different
classification system
Soil classification deals with the
systematic categorization of
soils based on distinguishing

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characteristics as well as criteria that
dictate choices in use.
Major Soil Groups
1. Fine grain soils -Cohesive soils
2. Coarse grain soils - Granular
soils or Cohesionless soils

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Grain size (mm)
 Grain Size Distribution
Significance of GSD:

1. To know the relative proportions of different

grain sizes.

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2. An important factor influencing the geotechnical
characteristics of a coarse grain soil.
3. Not important in fine grain soils.
Determination of GSD:

In coarse grain
…... By sieve analysis
soils

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In fine grain soils …... By hydrometer
analysis
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Grain Size Distribution Curve

• can find % of gravels, sands, fines

• define D10, D30, D60
Types of Distribution of Soil Particles

Well Graded Soils:

Wide range of grain sizes present

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Gravels: 𝐶𝑐 = 1 − 3 & 𝐶𝑢 > 4
Sands: 𝐶𝑐 = 1 − 3 & 𝐶𝑢 > 6
Poorly Graded Soils:
Includes two special cases:
a) Uniform soils – grains of same size
b) Gap graded soils – no grains in a

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specific size range
Well – graded soils

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Uniform Soil

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Gap-graded soil (absence of intermediate-
size particles)
Classification Systems:
1. Unified Soil Classification System
2. AASHTO Classification System

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3. USDA Classification System
4. ASTM Classification System
The Unified Soil Classification
System (or USCS)

- a soil classification system used in

engineering and geology to describe the

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texture and grain size of a soil
The Unified Soil Classification
System (or USCS)

- can be applied to most unconsolidated

materials, and is represented by a two-letter

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symbol.
First and/or second Second Letter
letter
Symbol Definition Letter Condition
G Gravel P Poorly graded
(uniform particle
sizes)

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S Sand W Well graded
(diversified particle
sizes)
M Silt H High plasticity
C Clay L Low plasticity
O organic
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The AASHTO Soil Classification
System was developed by the American
Association of State Highway and
Transportation Officials , and is used as

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a guide for the classification of soils and
soil-aggregate mixtures for highway
construction purposes.
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AASHTO Classification System for Granular Materials
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AASHTO Classification System for Silt-Clay Materials
 𝐺𝐼 = 𝐹200 − 35 0.2 + 0.005 𝐿𝐿 − 40 +
0.01 𝐹200 − 15 (𝑃𝐼 − 10)
𝐹200 − 𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑝𝑎𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑁𝑜. 200

If GI is negative, it is taken as 0

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Round off value of GI to the nearest whole number
The U.S Department of Agriculture (Soil
Conservation Service) textural classification
system is a third system commonly encountered
by planners, designers, and construction

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personnel who also work with government soil
maps and agriculture-related organizations
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USDA Triangular Textural Classification Chart
ASTM Classification System
ASTM D2487-17
Standard Practice for Classification of Soils for
Engineering Purposes (Unified Soil Classification
System)
This classification system is based on particle-size

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characteristics, liquid limit, and plasticity index.
According to ASTM D2487-17, there are three major
soil divisions: coarse-grained soils, fine-grained soils,
and highly organic soils. These are subdivided further
into 15 basic groups, each with its own group symbol
(e.g. GW).
Particle Unified SCS AASHTO SC USDA Textural
Designatio Classification
n System
Gravel > 4.76 mm 7.5 – 2.0 mm > 2.0 𝑚𝑚

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Sand 4.76-0.075 mm 2.0-0.074 mm 2.0 – 0.05 mm
Silt < 0.075 mm 0.074 − .002 mm 0.05–0.002 mm
Clay < 0.002 mm < 0.002 mm < 0.002 𝑚𝑚
Problem 1:
The result of the sieve analysis is shown below:
Sieve Diameter, mm Mass Retained (grams)
No.
4 4.76 25
8 2.38 80

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10 2.00 110
20 0.84 160
40 0.42 180
60 0.25 220
80 0.180 380
100 0.149 590
200 0.074 110
pan 85
a) What percentage of the soil is retained in No. 200
sieve?
b) What is the effective grain size of the soil?
c) Determine the uniformity coefficient.
d) Classify the soil using USCS

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Solution:
Solve for % Finer
Cumulative
Diameter Mass
Mass % Finer
(mm) Retained
Sieve No. Retained
4 4.76 25 25 98.71
8 2.38 80 105 94.59

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10 2.00 110 215 88.92
20 0.84 160 375 80.67
40 0.42 180 555 71.39
60 0.25 220 775 60.05
80 0.18 380 1155 40.46
100 0.149 590 1745 10.05
200 0.074 110 1855 4.38
pan 85 1940
 Chart Title
100.00
90.00
80.00
70.00 D60 0.249816
60.00
D30 0.169334
%Finer

50.00
40.00 D10 0.148318
30.00
20.00
10.00
0.00
0.01 0.1 1 10

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Particle Diameter

a)Percent retained in No. 200 sieve = 100 – 4.38 = 95.62%

b)Effective Grain size, 𝐷10 = 0.148
𝐷60
c) Uniformity coefficient, 𝐶𝑢 = = 1.48
𝐷30
𝐷30 2 .1692
d)Coefficient of gradation, 𝐶𝑐 = = = 0.77
𝐷60 𝐷10 .2498 0.148
USCS classification

% passing No. 200 sieve = 4.38% < 50 %

∴ coarse grained soils
% passing No. 4 sieve = 98.71 > 50 %
∴ sands (either sands with fines or clean sands)

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From classification on basis of percentage of fines:
% passing No. 200 = 4.38 < 5%; SW or SP
From classification criteria:
since 𝐶𝑢 = 1.48; 𝐶𝑐 = 0.77 (did not meet criteria)
∴ SP – poorly graded sands
Problem 2. The table below shows the laboratory results of the
sieve analysis of a sample. Plot the grain size curve of the soil.
The soil has a liquid limit of 35% and plasticity index of 26 %.
Classify the soil
Diameter, mm Mass Retained (grams)
0.25 18.96
0.149 33.18

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0.074 45.03
0.052 54.51
0.02 42.66
0.01 11,85
0.004 4.74
0.001 4.74
pan 21.33
Solve for percent passing, draw the grain size distribution
curve and determine values of 𝐷10 , 𝐷30 , 𝐷60
Cumulative
Mass Mass
Diameter Retained Retained % Passing
0.25 18.96 18.96 92
0.149 33.18 52.14 78

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0.074 45.03 97.17 59
0.052 54.51 151.68 36
0.02 42.66 194.34 18
0.01 11.85 206.19 13
0.004 4.74 210.93 11
0.001 4.74 215.67 9
pan 21.33 237 0
 Grain Size Distribution Curve
100

90

80

70

% passing 60

50

40

30

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20

10

0
0.001 0.01 0.1 1
particle diameter

D60 0.077947
D30 0.041333
D10 0.0025
USCS classification

% passing No. 200 sieve = 59% > 50 %

∴ fine grained soils
LL = 35% (ML, CL, or OL)
PL = 26%

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From plasticity chart:
∴ CL
Inorganic clay of low to medium plasticity
Problem 3. Classify the following soils using AASHTO
classification system.

Description Soil A Soil B Soil C

% finer than No. 10 sieve 83 100 48

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% finer than No. 40 sieve 48 92 28
% finer than No. 200 sieve 20 86 6
Liquid Limit 20 70
Plasticity Index 5 32
Solution:

To classify a soil according to this table, one must apply the

test data from left to right. By process of elimination, the first
group from the left into which the data fit is the correct
classification.
Soil A: % passing No. 200 = 20% < 35%

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The soil is either A-1, A-3, or A-2
% passing No. 10 = 83% > 50%,
it is not A-1-a
% passing No. 40 = 48% < 50%
% passing No. 200 = 20% < 25%
it is A-1-b
Compute the value of GI:
𝐺𝐼 = 𝐹200 − 35 0.2 + 0.005 𝐿𝐿 − 40 +
0.01 𝐹200 − 15 (𝑃𝐼 − 10)

𝐺𝐼 = 20 − 35 0.2 + 0.005 20 − 40 +
0.01 20 − 15 (5 − 10)

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𝐺𝐼 = −1.75

Therefore the soil is A-1-b (0)

Soil B:
% passing No. 200 = 86% > 35%
The soil is either A-4, A-5, A-6, or A-7
LL = 70% > 40%; it is not A-4
PI = 32% > 10%; it is not A-5
LL – 30 = 70 – 30 = 40%
PI < LL – 30; 32% < 40%

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The soil is A-7-5
𝐺𝐼 = 𝐹200 − 35 0.2 + 0.005 𝐿𝐿 − 40 +
0.01 𝐹200 − 15 (𝑃𝐼 − 10)
𝐺𝐼 = 86 − 35 0.2 + 0.005 70 − 40 +
0.01 86 − 15 (32 − 10)
𝐺𝐼 = 33.47
Therefore the soil is A-7-5 (33)
Soil C:
% passing No. 200 = 6% < 35%
The soil is either A-1, A-3, or A-2
% passing No. 200 = 6% < 15%
% passing No. 40 = 28% < 30%

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% passing No. 10 = 48% < 50%

Therefore the soil is A-1-a

Problem 4. Classify soil in Problem 2 using AASHTO

% passing No. 200 (0.074mm) = 59% > 35%

∴ silt – clay material
The soil cannot be A-4 since PI = 26% > 10%
The soil cannot be A-4 since PI > 10% and LL = 35% < 41%
Since PI = 26% > 11%, and LL = 35% < 40%

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∴ soil is A-6
Solve for GI
𝐺𝐼 = 𝐹200 − 35 0.2 + 0.005 𝐿𝐿 − 40 +
0.01 𝐹200 − 15 (𝑃𝐼 − 10)
 𝐺𝐼 = 59 − 35 0.2 + 0.005 35 − 40 +
0.01 59 − 15 (26 − 10)
𝐺𝐼 = 11.24

Therefore, the soil is A-6 (11)

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Problem 5:
The particle size distribution of a given soil
are as follows:
10% sand, 22% gravel, 50% silt, and 18%

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clay. Determine the percentage of sand, silt,
and clay. Classify the type of soil using
USDA triangular textural classification chart.
Solution:
Determine percentage of sand, silt, and clay.
% 𝑠𝑎𝑛𝑑 100
% 𝑠𝑎𝑛𝑑 =
100 − % 𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑙
10 100

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% 𝑠𝑎𝑛𝑑 = = 12.8%
100 − 22
% 𝑠𝑖𝑙𝑡 100
% 𝑠𝑖𝑙𝑡 =
100 − % 𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑙
50 100
% 𝑠𝑖𝑙𝑡 = = 64.1%
100 − 22
Determine percentage of sand, silt, and clay.

% 𝑐𝑙𝑎𝑦 100
% 𝑐𝑙𝑎𝑦 =
100 − % 𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑙

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18 100
% 𝑐𝑙𝑎𝑦 = = 23.1%
100 −22
Using USDA Chart:

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Soil is silty loam
Problem 6:
A sample of inorganic soil has the following grain size
characteristics:
Size % Finer
2.0 100
0.075 75

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0.050 70
0.005 35
0.002 20

The liquid limit is 54% and the plasticity index is 25%.

Classify the soil using USDA.
Solution:
Determine the percentages of sand, silt, and clay:

From the given data:

% clay = 20% diameter = < 0.002

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% silt = 70 – 20 = 50% diameter =0.05 – 0.002

% sand = 100 – 70 = 30% diameter = 2.0 – 0.05

Using the chart

% clay = 20%

% silt = 70 – 20 = 50%

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% sand = 100 – 70 = 30%

Soil is silty loam