CE 412

GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING 1: SOIL

MECHANICS

LAB 2: SIMPLE VISUAL AND MANUAL TEST

IN THE FIELD

GROUP 6
MEMBERS: ARABE, MARINELLE B.

LAYOSA, ERWIN U.

MAGNO, PAUL ARVIN M.

INTRODUCTION:

The design of building foundations, excavation, fills and slopes requires an

understanding of soil characteristics and consideration of problem soils. In-situ field-testing
along with laboratory soils tests provides this information. Visual-manual methods are
important to determine existing soil conditions and are helpful in selecting the appropriate lab
tests especially since laboratory tests can be expensive. Soils are made of countless different
components and can even differ completely from neighboring soils. Knowing how to classify
soil can be very important because classification can determine whether a soil is suitable for
its intended purpose.

The accurate complete identification of soils is the first and most fundamental step in
all soil investigations for engineering works. Identification not only refers to the physical
techniques of identifying soils, but also as an integral part refers to the careful, systematic and
precise written and spoken identification of soils, which can be made to convey definite and
significant information on soil character. An appraisal of the classification and identification
approaches in soil investigations is made to show the fundamental importance and
possibilities of the identification approach. Identification places the emphasis on recognizing
and establishing the identity and individuality of soils, and on identifying accurately and
completely the inherent characteristics of each soil.

Soil classification is a way of describing a given soil sample. It presents generalized

information about the behavior and nature of soil belonging to a specific site or location. It
also gives scientist, engineers and agriculturists the information they need for the kind of soil
that they will be dealing with. This is actually one of the first steps in any geotechnical
engineering projects.

Soils can be classified based on visual and manual test, and laboratory test. The use of
visual examination and simple manual tests gives standardized measure and procedures for
describing and identifying soils. These tests can be used not only in the field but also in the
office, laboratory, or whatever soil samples are needed to be identified and classified. Using
these practices, like identifying the texture and color of soil, can give a significant value of
narrowing the number of tests needed to be ran in laboratory for positive soil classification.

This activity presents a procedure for describing soil samples obtained from earth and
foundation engineering purposes. The procedure involves visually and manually examining
soil samples with respect to texture, plasticity and color. The procedure applies to soil
description made in the field or laboratory.

THEORETICAL BACKGROUND:

The significant characteristics of the soil material, which determine behavior, and by
which soils may be identified, are composition and inherent character with regard to the
proportions and gradations of the granular gravel, sand and silt components, and the
proportion, plasticity and clay qualities of the clay component. The identification approach
recognizes the inherently variable and complex character of soils and of natural situations, of
which soil is an essential part. The behavior of soils must be considered in relation to the
specific conditions that control in a situation. Accurate complete identification of soils, the
rating of soils with regard to potential behavior characteristics, and the appraisal of natural
situations with regard to the controlling conditions that determine the actual behavior of soils
are fundamental and most important analyses in soil investigations.
The principles of soil identification and a significant naming and identification of soils
are discussed for granular soils and clay-soils. Interpretative ratings of soils are given with
regard to fundamental behavior characteristics in order to give point to the principles and
techniques of soil identification. The techniques of soil identification by visual and manual
methods are presented in tables of identification techniques for three basic soil types: (a)
Composite granular soils with less than five percent silt; (b) composite granular soils with
more than five percent silt, and (c) composite clay-soils. The techniques of identification are
illustrated for each of these types. Soil identifications by visual and manual methods can be
performed rapidly in the field and in the laboratory, and can be made accurate and significant.
The great practical importance and use of soil identification may be judged by the fact that
visual and manual methods probably suffice for 75 percent or more of all soil and foundation
investigations, if properly made.
It should be understand that the soil description are based upon the judgment of the
individual making the description. Classification tests are not intended to be used to verify
the description, but to provide further information for analysis of soil design problems or for
possible use of the soil as a construction material. It is the intent of this system to describe
only the constituent soil sizes that have a significant influence on the visual appearance and
behavior of the soil. Soils can be classified into two general categories: (1) coarse grained
soils and (2) fine grained soils. Usually coarse-grained soils are sand, gravel, cobble and
boulder, while fine-grained soils are silt and clay.
 Determining the soil color and texture is useful to characterize and differentiate soils. The
color of soil materials can be gauged in the laboratory by visual analysis. By using the sense
of sight, the color perceived by the eyes is compared to Munsell Soil Color Chart. Small
differences in soil color can then be used to identify and study differences in soil
compositional properties. Soil texture is an important physical characteristic of soil which is
used in both the field and laboratory to determine classes for soils based on their physical
texture. The soil texture depends upon the proportion of the constituent solid particles of
different sizes. The terms sand, silt and clay refer to particle size; sand is the largest and clay
is the smallest. Each texture corresponds to specific percentages of sand, silt or clay. The soil
texture triangle is a tool used to visualize and understand the meaning of soil texture names.

OBJECTIVES

This activity aims to (1) Define the texture and color of soil samples through simple
visual and manual tests of soil (2) Recognize the differences in soil textures of the given
samples.

EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE

Preliminary Identification

Soils can be classified into two general categories: (1) coarse grained soils and (2) fine
grained soils. Examples of coarse-grained soils are gravels and sands. Examples of fine-
grained soils are silts and clays. Procedures for visually identifying these two general types of
soils are described in the following sections.

 The soil is fine grained if it contains 50% or more fines.

 The soil is coarse grained if it contains less than 50% fines.

(1) Identify the color (e.g. brown, gray, brownish gray), odor (if any) and texture
(coarse or fine grained) of soil.

(2) Identify the major soil constituent (>50% by weight) using Table 1.1 as coarse
gravel, fine gravel, coarse sand, medium sand, fine sand, or fines.
 (3) Estimate percentages of all other soil constituents using Table 1.1 and the
following terms: Trace - 0 to 5% by weight Few – 5 to 10 % Little - 15 to 25%
Some - 30 to 45% Mostly - 50 to 100%
(Examples: trace fine gravel, little silt, some clay)

Table 1.1 Grain size distributions (Engineering Properties of Soils Based on Laboratory
Testing Prof. Krishna Reddy, UIC)

(4) If the major soil constituent is sand or gravel: Identify particle distribution.
Describe as well graded or poorly graded. Well-graded soil consists of particle
sizes over a wide range. Poorly graded soil consists of particles which are all
about the same size. Identify particle shape (angular, sub-angular, rounded, sub-
rounded) using Figure 1.2 and Table 1.2.

Figure 1.2 Shapes of coarse-grained soil particles (Engineering Properties of Soils

Based on Laboratory Testing Prof. Krishna Reddy, UIC)
 (5) According to the major soil constituents are, perform the following tests:

Procedure for Identifying Coarse-grained Soils

Gravel, sand and Fines

(1) The percentages of the following particle fractions are estimated (i) Gravel fraction (75
mm – 4.75 mm or approximately 5 mm), (ii) Sand fraction (4.75 or 5 mm – 75 micron), and
(iii) Soil fines, i.e., silt and clay fraction (smaller than 75 micron). According to USCS
followed by USBR (USA), Army Corps of Engineers ASTM and ASCE: Range of silt size is
0.002 mm to 0.074 mm and clay particles are smaller than 0.002 mm. (After S.K. Garg – Soil
Mechanics and Foundation Engineering, Sixth Revised Edn. 2005, p. 17)

(2) If the gravel fraction is greater than sand fraction, identify the soil as "gravel" (G). The
gravel fraction may be further divided into (i) coarse gravel (75 mm-20 mm) and (ii) fine
gravel (20 mm-4.75 mm).

(3) If the gravel fraction is equal to or less than sand fraction, identify the soil as "sand" (S).
The sand fraction may be further divided into (i) Coarse sand (4.75 mm – 2 mm), (ii)
Medium sand (2 mm – 425 micron), and (iii) Fine sand (425 micron – 75 micron)

(4) Identify the soil further as ―clean gravel‖ or "clean sand" if the percentage of fines is
estimated to be less than 5 percent. Identify it as "gravel with fines" or "sand with fines" if the
percentage of fines is estimated to be more than 15%.

(5) Classify the "clean gravels" or "clean sand" as follows: Identify the soil as well graded
gravel (GW), or as a well graded sand (SW) if there is good representation of all particle
sizes. Identify the soil as poorly graded gravel (GP), or as a poorly graded sand (SP) if it
contains predominantly of one size (uniformly graded) or it has a wide range of sizes with
some intermediate size(s) obviously missing (gap graded).

(6) Classify "gravel with fines" or "sand with fines" as follows: (a) If the other course
grained constituent is less than 15% then : Silty gravel (GM) or silty sand (SM) if the fines
have little or no plasticity, or Clayey gravel (GC) or clayey sand (SC), if the fines are of low
to medium or high plasticity. (b) If the other course grain constituent is greater than 15%,
then the group name shall be a combination from the two columns below:
(7) If the percentage of fine is in between 5~15% then the group name shall be a combination
from the two columns below:

Boundary classifications: Assume the coarser soil first, when there is a choice, complete the
classification and assign the appropriate symbol.

Then beginning where the choice was made, assume the finer soil, complete the classification
and assign the second group symbol. The examples are as follows: GW-GP, GM-GC, GW-
GM, GW-GC SW-SP, SM-SC, SW-SM, SW-SC, GW-SW, GP-SP, GM-SM, GC-SC, SM-
ML, SC-CL, etc.

Table 1.9 Criteria for describing soil-moisture condition (Engineering Properties of Soils
Based on Laboratory Testing Prof. Krishna Reddy, UIC)

ANALYSIS OF DATA

SOIL INFORMATION SHEET

1. Color Brown

2. Odor None

3. Texture Coarse-grained soil

4. Major Soil Constituent Sand

 Gravel, Fines
Type Approx % by weight

5. Minor Soil Constituent Gravel 10%

Sand 86%

Fines 4%
7. For coarse-grained soils
Gradation Well-graded soil
Particle Shape Sub-angular

8. Moisture Condition Dry

Brown, Sand, Few Gravel, Trace Fines,
9. Classification
Well-graded, Sub-angular, Dry

TECHNICAL DISCUSSION

When examining a soil sample, one thing that is important is the color of the
sample. Soil color can tell us about the pigmentation and oxidation states of the minerals it is
composed of, whether or not the soil might have organic content, and the amount of moisture
present in the soil (wet soil will look darker). Another thing that is crucial to soil
classification is identifying and quantifying the grain sizes that are in the soil. Look at how
much gravel-sized particles there are compared to sand-sized particles, and sand compared to
silt and clay, and so on. To distinguish clay from silt, put some soil in the hand with the palm
facing upwards. Mix in some water until the soil is moldable like putty. With the other hand,
firmly pat the edge of the hand holding the soil for 5 to 10 seconds. If the surface of the soil
starts shining and the water rises to the surface, it’s silt. If the water does not rise, then it’s
clay. This is because water penetrates silt more easily than clay. Also, clay feels stickier than
silt when it’s wet.

APPENDIX
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION BY THE TEAM MEMBERS