Clean Well graded Gradation requirements are:

gravels Meets gradation D60 GW

Borderline cases require the use of

requirements Cu = >4 and
< 50% of the coarse fraction
D10

passes the No. 4 sieve size

< 5% passing
Poorly graded (D30 ) GP
2
the No. 200
sieve size Does not meet gradation Cc = >1< 3
requirements D10 × D60
Grains

Gravels
with fines
Plasticity limits of material passing No. 40
sieve size plots below “A” line and P .I. < 4
Plasticity limits above
“A” line with P.I. > 4 < 7
GM

dual symbols
< 12% passing are boundary cases and
the No. 200 require use of dual
Coarse-grained soils

sieve size
Plasticity limits of material passing No. 40
sieve size plots below “A” line or P .I. > 7
symbols GC
Clean Well graded Gradation requirements are:
sands Meets gradation D60 SW
≥ 50% of the coarse fraction passes

Borderline cases require the use of

requirements Cu = >6 and

< 5% passing D10
Poorly graded (D30 ) SP
2
the No. 200
the No. 4 sieve size

sieve size Does not meet gradation Cc = >1< 3

requirements D10 × D60
Sands

Sands with
fines
Plasticity limits of material passing No. 40
sieve size plots below “A” line and P .I. < 4
Plasticity limits above
“A” line with P.I. > 4 < 7
SM
dual symbols

12% passing are boundary cases and

require use of dual
the No. 200
sieve size
Plasticity limits of material passing No. 40
sieve size plots below “A” line or P .I. > 7
symbols SC
Below “A” line and
P.I. < 4 ML
Silt s Above “A” line and P .I., > 4 < 7 are borderline cases requiring use of
and dual symbols
clays Above “A” line and
P.I. > 7 CL
Liquid
limit
< 50 Below “A” line and
OL
60
P.I. < 4 and
Fine-grained soils

L. L. (oven dry soil )

< 0.7 50
L. L. (air dry soil)

Below “A” line 40 CH MH

Silt s U
lin
e
Plasticity index

and 30
clays Above “A” line CL A
lin
e
CH
Liquid 20 MH
CL–ML
limit
>= 50 Below “A” line and 10
P.I. < 4 and ML
OH
L. L. (oven dry soil ) 0
< 0.7 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
L. L. (air dry soil) Liquid limit

Highly organic soils

L. L. (oven dry soil )
< 0.7 PT
L. L. (air dry soil )