Soil Classification

ENGINEERING DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION

 The Purpose

• To distinguish sand
silt
between the main soil
types
clay

• To assess the
strength and structure
of the soil
 Classification systems
• Unified Soil Classification Systems
(USCS)
• BS Classification Systems (in BS 5930)
• AASHTO/ASTM Classification Systems

Further reading:
1) Carter,M. Geotechnical Engineering Handbook. London:
Pentech Press.
2) Other geotechnical references.
 Soil Classification Tests

• Particle Size
Analysis
• Atterberg
limits
• Specific
gravity
 Particle size distribution
The size of particles within a soil mass can vary
from less than 0.001 to over 100mm. The BS
size ranges is shown below:
 Sieve test (coarse grain)
• Oven dried sample of
soil is weighted and
passed through a
series of sieves.
Particle size distribution form
 Well graded

100

80

60

40

20

0
0.01 0.1 1 10 100
Grain size (mm)
 Fine grain analysis
• Pipette method
• Hydrometer method
 Particle size distribution curve
• Soil can be described according to the shape of
the curve and where it fits on to the chart.
• Uniform soil – all particle are approximately the
same size, will have almost vertical curve.
• Well graded soil – containing wide range of
particle size, will have a curve spread evenly
across the chart.
• Poorly graded (or gap graded) – stretch across
but shown deficiency of some intermediate
sizes. Grading curve exhibit flat section or
plateau.
 Particle size distribution curve
• Effective size – the • Uniformity coefficient,
maximum particle CU – the ratio of the
size of the smallest maximum particle
10% and called size of the smallest
60% to effective size:
D60
CU =
D10 D10
Cu < 4.0 – uniformly graded
Cu > 4.0 – well graded or gap graded.
 PSD curve
• Uniform soil will have Uniformity
Coefficient approaching down to 1
• Well graded soil will have a high
Uniformity Coefficient.
 Example 1:PSD
Total wt of sample = 147.2 g

Retained on sieve size (mm) Weight retained (g)

20 0
12.5 1.7
10 2.3
6.3 8.4
5.6 5.7
2.8 12.9
2 3.5
1.4 1.1
0.5 30.5
0.355 45.3
0.18 25.4
0.063 7.4
 Cumulative
Sieve Sizes Wt retained wt % Passing
retained Wt. passing
20 0 0 147.2 100
12.5 1.7 1.7 145.5 98.8
10 2.3 4 143.2 97.3
6.3 8.4 12.4 134.8 91.6
5.6 5.7 18.1 129.1 87.7
2.8 12.9 31 116.2 78.9
2 3.5 34.5 112.7 76.6
1.4 1.1 35.6 111.6 75.8
0.5 30.5 66.1 81.1 55.1
0.355 45.3 111.4 35.8 24.3
0.18 25.4 136.8 10.4 7.1
0.063 7.4 144.2 3 2.0
 Example 1: curve
100
90
80
Percentage passing

70 D10 = 0.23
60
D60 = 0.7
50
U = D60/D10
40
= 0.7/0.23
30
20 =3.04
10
0
0.01 0.1 1 10 100
Size (mm)
 Atterberg limits (plasticity)
• Quantitatively Volume
describe the effect of of
varying water content Sample

on the consistency of
fine-grained soil.
• The increasing water
content cause the
Semi
changes of the soil solid
liquid
from solid to semi-
Plastic
solid to plastic and to LL
solid
liquid states.
SL PL Moisture
content
Graphical representation….

P.I.

SL PL LL

solid Semi-solid plastic liquid

Increasing water content

Liquid Limit (LL) The minimum moisture content at
which the soil will flow under its own
weight.
Plastic Limit (PL) The minimum moisture content at
which the soil can be rolled into a
thread 3mm dia. w/out breaking up.
Shrinkage Limit The maximum moisture content at
(SL) which further loss of moisture does
not cause a decrease in the volume
of the soil.
Plasticity Index (PI) The range of soil over which a soil is
plastic.
 PI
• Represent the relative amount of clay
particles in soil
• Higher PI = greater amount of clay
particles present = more plastic a soil.
• The more plastic soil will:
– Be more compressible
– Higher shrink swell potential
– Less permeable
 Liquid limit test

Casagrande Apparatus Cone penetrometer

 Exercise
Sieve Wt The total mass of the sample
Sizes retained was 311 g, plot the particle
50 0 size distribution curve and
37.5 15.5 from the curve, determine the
20 17 effective size and uniformity
14 10 coefficient. Classify the soil.
10 11
6.3 33
3.35 114.5 Answer: D10 = 0.7mm

1.18 63.3 D60 = 5.2 mm

0.6 18.2 Cu = 7.4
0.15 17 70 % gravel, 30 percent sand
0.063 10.5 Well graded Sandy Gravel.