Soil Mechanics By: Waseem Al-Baghdadi

4- Classification of Soil
4-1 Soil Classification System
Soil has so many properties, because of that there are many systems could be used
to classify it. Some of them are:

A- Triangular Coordinates Classification System

This classification system was developed by U.S. Department of Agriculture, it is
based on the particle size limits only, as illustrated in table (1) below:

Size Limits (mm) Soil Type

2-0.05 Sand
0.05-0.002 Silt
<0.002 Clay

Table(1): Particle Size vs. Soil Type

The system is shown in the fig. (1).

Fig. (1): Triangular Classification System

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Soil Mechanics By: Waseem Al-Baghdadi

Example(1) : Classify the soil according to triangular system if its sample has 30% sand,
40% silt and 30% clay…
Solution:- this soil is Clay loam

This system can be used just for the soil passes through No.10 sieve (2mm).
(why?) So it is necessary to make a correction for soil particles larger than 2mm.

Example(2): Classify the soil according to triangular system if it has 20% gravel, 10%
sand, 30% silt and 40% clay…
Solution:-

𝟏𝟎 × 𝟏𝟎𝟎
𝒔𝒂𝒏𝒅 − 𝒔𝒊𝒛𝒆 = = 𝟏𝟐. 𝟓%
𝟏𝟎𝟎 − 𝟐𝟎
𝟑𝟎 × 𝟏𝟎𝟎
𝑺𝒊𝒍𝒕 − 𝒔𝒊𝒛𝒆 = = 𝟑𝟕. 𝟓%
𝟏𝟎𝟎 − 𝟐𝟎
𝟒𝟎 × 𝟏𝟎𝟎
𝑪𝒍𝒂𝒚 − 𝒔𝒊𝒛𝒆 = = 𝟓𝟎. 𝟓%
𝟏𝟎𝟎 − 𝟐𝟎

Then the soil is clay, but due to the large percentage of gravel, it may be called as
gravelly clay

Since Triangular Classification System do not take plasticity in to account, also it is

not totally indicative of many important soil properties and types like gradation type,
so, it is necessary to use another systems. At present time, two systems are commonly
used by soil engineers, both systems take into consideration the particle size distribution
and Atterberg's limits. They are: AASHTO and Unified Soil Classification System
(USCS).

B- AASHTO Classification System

This system is mostly used by highway engineering, it was developed by
Hogentogler and Terzaghi in 1929. This system uses table (2). In general, the soil is
classified into eight major groups from A-1 to A-7. And A-8 for organic soil

- Groups A-1, A-2 and A-3 for granular soils where 35% or less of the particles
pass through the NO.200 sieve.
- Groups A-4, A-5, A-6 and A-7 for silt-clay soils where more than 35% of the
particles pass through the No.200 sieve.

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Soil Mechanics By: Waseem Al-Baghdadi

The criteria of this system as below:

a- Grain Size
75mm<Gravel<2mm
2mm<Sand<0.075mm
Silt and Clay<0.075
b- Plasticity
silty: for fine soils having PI≤10
clayey: for fine soils having PI≥11
c- Boulders: for soil particles larger than 75mm they are excluded from the portion of the soil
sample. However the percentage of the boulders must be recorded

Table (2): AASHTO Classification System

The table should be used from left to the right, by elimination process. Fig. (2) shows
the range of the LL and PI for soils (A-2, A-4A-5 A-6 and A-7)

Fig.(2) Ranges of LL and PI for Soils in Groups A-2, A-4, A-5, A-6 and A-7
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Soil Mechanics By: Waseem Al-Baghdadi

Group Index (GI): is a number refers to evaluate the quality of soil as a highway
subgrade material, it is also written in parentheses after the group or subgroup symbol.

𝐺𝐼 = (𝐹 − 35)[0.2 + 0.005(𝐿𝐿 − 40)] + 0.01(𝐹 − 15)(𝑃𝐼 − 10)

Where:

F: percent of passing No.200 sieve

Notes for Group Index

1. If GI<0, then it is written as (zero)

2. GI is rounded off to an integer, for example GI=2.4, then GI=2
3. There is no upper limit for GI
4. GI=0 for A-1-a, A-1-b, A-2-4, A-2-5and A-3
5. For groups A-2-6 and A-2-7 the GI will calculated as below

𝐺𝐼 = 0.01(𝐹 − 15)(𝑃𝐼 − 10)

6. The quality of soils as a sub-grade material inversely proportional with GI

Example: both mechanical analysis and Atterberg limits tests were performed for
a soil sample. The results are given as below, classify the soil sample according to
the AASHTO classification System

- Percent of passing through No.(10) sieve is 100%

- Percent of passing through No.(40) sieve is 80%
- Percent of passing through No.(200) sieve is 58%
- The liquid limit and plasticity index for the fine soil fraction are 30 and 10,
respectively

Sol:-

Regarding the table of AASHTO using elimination method from left to the right,
the soil falls in to A-4 groups

GI= (F-35)[0.2+0.005(LL-40)]+0.01(F-15)(PI-10)

GI= (58-35)[0.2+0.005(30-40)]+0.01(58-15)(10-10)=3.45≈3

So, the soil will be classified as A-4(3)

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Soil Mechanics By: Waseem Al-Baghdadi

C- Unified Classification System

This system is mostly used by geotechnical engineering, the original form was
proposed by Casagrande in 1942, the unified system using table. (3). The system
classifies the soil under two main groups:

a- Coarse-grained soils: for gravelly and sandy soils which less than 50% pass
through No.200 sieve. Noting that:
1- (G) refers to gravelly soils
2- (S) refers to sandy soils
b- Fine-grained soils: for silty and clayey soils which more than 50% pass through
the No.200 sieve. Noting that:
1- (M) refers to inorganic silt
2- (C) refers to inorganic clay
3- (O) refers to organic silt and organic clay
4- (PT) refers to peat, muck and other highly organic soils

This system not only uses grain-size distribution criteria but also takes in its
account the description of the soil according to its gradation both with the plasticity
status as below:

W: well – graded P: poorly - graded

H: high plasticity (LL > 50 %) L: low plasticity (LL < 50 %)

A- For coarse grain soils:

1- Write the percent of fine fraction (passing through No.200)
2- Write the percent of gravel (retained on No.4)
3- In this case (coarse soil), the percentage of fine soils (which is already less
than 50%) must be noted as following:

The Ppercentage of
The Possible Solutions
Fine Soils (F)
F=0% (GW) (GP) (SW) (SP)
0%<F<5% Cu, Cc, LL and PI has to be calculated
Cu, Cc has to be calculated (GW-GM) (GP-GM)
5%<F<12% (GW-GC) (GP-GC) (SW-SM) (SW-SC) (SP-SM) or
(SP-SC)
12%<F<50 (GM) (GC) (SM) (SC)

B- For fine grain soils:

1- Use the plasticity chart in Fig. (3).

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Soil Mechanics By: Waseem Al-Baghdadi

Ex: Use the same data mentioned in the previous example to re-classify the soil
sample according to the Unified Classification system:

Sol:-

Since more than 50% is passing through Sieve No.200, then the soil is (Fine
Grained Soil), so we will use the plasticity chart…Using LL and PI values on
plasticity chart…. So the soil is: CL

4-2 Comparison Between AASHTO and Unified Classification System

No. AASHTO USCS

By Hogentogler and Terzaghi in
1 By Casagrandi in 1942
1929
2 Used by Highway Engineers
3 Use Texture and Plasticity
Divide soil into 2 major groups:
4
coarse and fine
Soil is fine-grained when 35%
5
passes through NO.200 sieve
No.10 sieve is used to separate
6
gravel from sand
Gravelly and sandy soils are not
7
well separated
8 There is no place for organic soils
Used by Geotechnical Engineers
Use Texture, Plasticity and
gradation
Divide soil into 2 major groups:
coarse and fine
Soil is fine-grained when 50%
passes through NO.200 sieve
No.4 sieve is used to separate
gravel from sand
Gravelly and sandy soils are well
separated
There is a place for organic soils

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Soil Mechanics By: Waseem Al-Baghdadi

Table (3): Unified Classification System

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Soil Mechanics By: Waseem Al-Baghdadi

Classification Criteria
Cu>4

 5% to 12% pass from No.200 Sieve Border line classification

 Less than 12% pass from No.200 sieve GM, GC, SM, SC 1<Cc<3
 Less than 5% pass from No.200 sieve GW, GP, SW, SP

Not meeting both criteria for GW

Classification on Basis of percentage of fines

requiring use of dual symbols

Atterberg Limits plots below A-Line or

PI<4
Atterberg limits plotting in hatched area
are borderline classifications requiring
use of dual symbols.
Atterberg Limits plots above A-Line or
PI>7

Cu>6
1<Cc<3
Not meeting both criteria for SW

Atterberg Limits plots below A-Line or

PI<4
Atterberg limits plotting in hatched area
are borderline classifications requiring
use of dual symbols.
Atterberg Limits plots above A-Line or
PI>7

Fig.(3) Plasticity Chart

Table (3): Unified Classification System (… continued)