MODULE III
CLASSIFICATION OF SOIL:
• TEXTURAL CLASSIFICATION: USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture)
In this classification system, the soils are named after their principal components, such as sandy
clay, silty clay, silty loam, and so on. There are a number of classification system developed by
different organizations. This method is based on the following limits of particle size:
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
• UNIFIED SOIL CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM (USCS)
This system classifies soils into two broad categories:
1. Coarse-grained soils that are gravelly and sandy in nature with less than 50% passing through
the No. 200 sieve. The group symbols start with prefixes of either G or S. G for Grave or gravelly
soil, and S for sand or sandy soil.
2. Fine-grained soil with 50% or more passing through the No. 200 sieve. The groups symbol
start with prefixes of M, which stands for inorganic silt, C for inorganic clay, and O for organic
silts and clays. The symbol Pt is used for peat, muck, and other highly organic soils.
Other symbols used:
W – well-graded L – low plasticity (LL<50)
P – poorly graded H –high plasticity (LL>50)
• PARTICLE-SIZE DISTRIBUTION CURVE (SIEVE ANALYSIS)
Sieve analysis consists of shaking the soil sample through a set of sieves that have
progressively smaller openings. These sieves are generally 200 mm in diameter.
To conduct a sieve analysis, the soil is first oven-dried and then all lumps must be
broken into small particles. The soil is then shaken through s stack of sieves with
openings decreasing size from top to bottom. A pan is placed below the stack.
The particle-size distribution curve can be used to determine the following four
parameters for a given soil:
1. Effective Size D10 – is the diameter in the curve corresponding to 10% finer. The
effective size of a granular soil is a good measure to estimate the hydraulic conductivity
and drainage through soil.
2. Uniformity Coefficient, Cu
CU = D60/D10
Where: D60= diameter corresponding to 60% finer.
3. Coefficient of Gradation or Coefficient of Curvature, CC
CC = (D30)2/ (D60XD10)
Where: D30 = diameter corresponding to 30% finer.
4. Sorting Coefficient, So
So = √D75/D25
Where: D75 = diameter corresponding to 75% finer
D25 = diameter corresponding to 25% finer
The particle-size distribution curve shows not only the range of particle sizes present in the soil,
but also the type of distribution of various-size particles.
Poorly graded soil is one where most of the soil grains are the same size.
Well graded soil is one in which the particle sizes are distributed over a wide range. A well
graded soil has CU greater than about 4 for gravels and 6 for sands, and CC between 1 and 3 for
gravels and sands.
Gap graded soil is characterized by two or more humps in the grading curve.
The average grain size of the soil is D50.
• AASHTO (American Association of State Highway & Transportation Officials) CLASSIFICATION
SYSTEM:
- Soil is classified into seven major groups: A-1, through A-7.Soils classified under groups A-1,
A-2, and A-3 are granular materials of which 35% or less of the particles pass through the no.
200 sieve. Soils of which more than 35% pass through the No. 200 sieve are classified under
groups A-4, A-5, A-6, and A-7. These are mostly silt and clay-type materials.
- To evaluate the quality of a soil as a highway subgrade material, one must also incorporate a
number called the group index with the groups and subgroup designation, example, A-7-5(35)
GI = (F200 – 35)[(0.2+0.005(LL – 40)] + 0.01(F200 – 15)(PI – 10)
Where:
F200 = percentage passing No. 200 sieve
LL = Liquid Limit
PI = Plasticity Index
The first group of the equation is the partial group index determined from liquid
limit. The second term is the partial group index determined from plasticity index.
• If the equation yields negative value for GI, it is taken as Zero (0).
• GI calculated from the equation is rounded-off to the nearest whole number.
• There is no upper limit for GI.
• The GI of soils belonging to groups A-1-a, A-1-b, A-2-4, A-2-5, and A-3 is always
zero.
• When calculating the GI for soils that belong to groups A-2-6 and A-2-7 use the
partial GI for PI, or
GI = 0.01(F200 – 15)(PI – 10)
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