0<4 Very soft / Soft 4–8 Medium stiff CLAY 8 – 15 Stiff 15 – 30 Very stiff < 30 Hard 0 – 10 Loose 10 – 30 Medium dense SAND 30 – 50 Dense > 50 Very dense
WETHERING GRADES OF ROCK MASSES
Ref. Table 10 of BS -5930-1981 (CP-2001)
Core Recovery RQD Term Description % % No visible sign of rock material weathering; FRESH perhaps slight discoloration on major 90 - 100 75 – 100 discontinuity surfaces. Discoloration indicates weathering of rock material and discontinuity surfaces. All the SLIGHTLY WEATHERED 75 - 90 50 – 75 rock material may be discolored by weathering. Less than half of the rock material is MODERATELY decomposed or disintegrated to a soil. Fresh 50 - 75 25 – 50 WEATHERED or discolored rock is present either as a continuous framework or as core stones. More than half of the rock material is decomposed or disintegrated to a soil. Fresh HIGHLY WEATHERED 10 - 50 00 – 25 (N>100) or discolored rock is present either as a discontinuous framework or as core stones. All rock material is decomposed and / or COMPLETELY disintegrated to soil. The original mass 00 - 10 NIL (N>50) WEATHERED structure is still largely intact. All rock material is converted to soil. The mass structure and material fabric are NIL RESIDUAL SOIL destroyed. There is a large change in NIL (N=10 to 30) volume, but the soil has not been significantly transported.