LESSON 2

F e b r u a r y 1 , 2 0 2 4

CEP322
Engr. Nicky Arjoe M. Obseñares
LOAM
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 PEAT
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MUCK
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 CLAY
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MUD
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 SILT
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SAND
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 GRAVEL
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 SOIL
refers to the mineral material at or near the Earth’s
surface which consists of air, moisture, and other
substances that may be incorporated therein and
which has resulted from natural processes such as
weathering, decay, and other chemical action.

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 ENGINEERING
CLASSIFICATION
OF SOILS

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 1 COARSE-GRAINED SOIL
• Materials passing the 75 mm (3”) sieve and
retained on No. 200 (0.075 mm) sieve
• Granular Soils

2 FINE-GRAINED SOIL
• Materials passing the No. 200 (0.075 mm) sieve

3 ORGANIC SOIL
• Inferior to fine-grained soil (unsuitable or
unpredictable material)

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COARSE-GRAINED SOIL
Frequently identified based on
the particle size or grain size.
Individual particles are visible
to the naked eye.
Divided into two classes:
(1) sand, and (2) gravel.
Shape of grains varies from
rounded to angular
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Have 50% or less material
passing the No. 200 sieve
There is no crucial change in
strength with the change in
moisture condition.
Has good load-bearing
qualities
Coarse-grained soil drains
freely
Feels gritty when touched by
hand
COARSE-GRAINED SOIL
Particles with a diameter larger than 4.75 mm are termed gravel
and particles with a diameter range between 4.75 mm to 75
microns is known as sand.
Engineering properties such as the strength and compressibility
of coarse-grained soil are governed by the grain-size of the
particles and their structural arrangement.
Described on the basis of its gradation (well or poor), particle
shape (angular, sub-angular, rounded or sub-rounded) and
mineralogical components.
Moisture condition variation does not affect its volume;
however, vibration accentuates volume change in a loose state

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COARSE-GRAINED SOIL

GRAVEL SAND
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 FINE-GRAINED SOIL
Identified based on its
plasticity
Individual particles are
not visible to the naked
eye.
Divided into silt and clay.
Silt tends to have a
spherical shape and clay
particles are flaky
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Have 50% or more
material passing the No.
200 sieve.
Strength changes with a
change in moisture
condition
Described depending on its
dry strength, dilatancy,
dispersion, and plasticity.
Impermeable due to its
small particle size.
 FINE-GRAINED SOIL
Volume change occurs as moisture content varies.
Feels smooth, greasy, and sticky when touched by hand
Fine-grained soil particles with diameters that fall
between 75 microns to 2 microns are known as silt and
particles having a diameter smaller than 2 microns is
called clay
The engineering properties of fine-grained soil are
controlled by mineralogical factors and moisture content.
It has good-load bearing qualities when dry; however, it
possesses little or no load-bearing strength if it is wet. This
characteristic is especially true with clay.
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 FINE-GRAINED SOIL

CLAY SILT
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 ORGANIC SOIL
Also considered as UNSUITABLE MATERIALS

Materials containing detrimental quantities of organic

materials, such as GRASS, ROOTS and SEWERAGE

Organic Soils such as PEAT and MUCK

Soil with a liquid limit exceeding 80 and/or Plasticity Index

exceeding 55

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 ORGANIC SOIL

Soils with a natural water content exceeding 100%

Soils with very low natural density, 800 kg./cu.m. or

lower

Soils that cannot be properly compacted as determined by

the Engineer.

Source: DPWH Standard Specifications for Highways, Bridges, and Airports (2013) (BLUE BOOK)

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 ORGANIC SOIL

PEAT

MUCK
LOAM

MUD

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 1

4 2

4 CONSTITUENT
PARTS OF SOIL
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 GRAVEL
Rounded or water-worn pebbles
No plasticity and cohesion
Any soil particle from 2 – 75 millimeters

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 SAND
Hard and loose grains
Individual grains are readily
seen and felt
No plasticity and cohesion
If dry, a cast formed in the
hands will fall apart
If moist, a cast will crumble
Overview
when touched
Any soil particle larger than 0.05 millimeters
(0.002 inches)

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 SILT
Fine and barely visible grains
When dry pulverized
condition, it feels soft and
floury
Can hardly be made in
plastic
Exhibit little or no strength when
Overview air-dried
A cast is easily crushed in the hands
Any soil particle from 0.002 – 0.05 millimeters

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 CLAY
Any soil particle below .002 millimeters,
including colloidal clay so small it does not
settle out of suspension in water.

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 ASTM

American Society for Testing

and Materials

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 AASHTO

American Association of State

Highway and Transportation
Officials

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 SAMPLING
AASHTO T-2
ASTM D75-97

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 Sampling
• Is the process of selecting a part
(sample), which will be used to judge
the whole (lot). Sampling of
construction materials should be done
on the delivered materials at the
project site and not in the place where
it was purchased
• Sampling of materials shall be in
accordance with the Standard
Sampling Procedures to obtain a true
representative of a lot and based on
the minimum testing requirements as
prescribed for the item of work.

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 Sampling
• The quantity represented by the sample
to be brought to a testing laboratory
should be adequate and meet the
requirements for the sizes, shapes, and
parts of the materials where it should
be taken to obtain a reliable test result
in the conduct of the required physical
and chemical analysis of a material that
will be subjected for testing.

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 SIGNIFICANCE OF
SAMPLING

Sampling is equally as important as the testing, and

the sampler shall use every precaution to obtain
samples that will show the nature and condition of
the materials that they represent.

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HOW TO SECURE SAMPLES

1. Sampling from a Flowing Aggregate Stream (Bins or Belt

Discharge)

2. Sampling from the Conveyor Belt

3. Sampling from Stockpiles or Transportation Units

4. Sampling from Roadway (Bases and Sub Bases)

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SOIL SAMPLING
1. Use new clean containers to avoid contamination.

2. Seal filled containers with clean, dry and tight

fitting lids

3. Label container clearly and properly

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 For processed aggregates, the maximum nominal size of
particles is the largest sieve size listed in the applicable
specification, upon which any material is permitted to be
retained.

For combined coarse and fine aggregates (eg. Base and

Subbase) minimum weight shall be coarse aggregates
minimum plus 10 kg.

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 REDUCING FIELD
SAMPLES OF
AGGREGATES TO
TESTING SIZES
AASHTO T-248
ASTM C702-98 (Reapproved 2003)

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 Reducing Field Samples of
Aggregates to Testing Sizes

These methods cover the reduction of field

samples to the appropriate size for testing
by employing techniques that are intended
to minimize variations in measured
characteristics between the test samples so
selected and the field sample

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 SIGNIFICANCE
and USE

These methods provide for reducing the large

sample obtained in the field to a convenient size for
conducting several tests to the smaller portion is most
likely to be a representation of the field sample

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 Method A
Mechanical Splitter

Sample splitter shall have an even number of

equal widths chutes, but not less than a total of eight
(8) for Coarse aggregates, or Twelve (12) for Fine
aggregates, which discharge alternatively to each
side of the splitter.
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 Method A
Mechanical Splitter

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 Method A
Mechanical Splitter

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 Method B
Quartering

Place the field sample on a hard clean, level surface and

mix the material thoroughly by turning the entire sample over
three times. With the last turning, shovel the entire sample into
a conical pile by depositing each shovelful on top of the
preceding one. Carefully flatten the conical pile to a uniform
thickness and diameter. Divide the flattened mass into four
equal quarters with a shovel or trowel remove two diagonally
opposite quarters, including all fine material, and brush the
cleared spaces clean. Successively mix and quarter the
remaining material until the sample is reduced to the desired
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size.
 Method B
Quartering
A. Quartering on a Hard, Clean Level Surface

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 Method B
Quartering
B. Quartering on a Canvas Blanket

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 Method C
Miniature Stockpile Sampling

Obtain a sample for each test by selecting at

least five increments of materials at random locations
from the miniature stockpile.

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 TESTING AND
INSPECTION OF
MATERIALS

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 TESTING AND Testing and Inspection in the construction
works complement each other and should be
1
INSPECTION OF done at the right time as the work
progresses
MATERIALS Testing refers to the process of making tests
to determine the degree of compliance of the
delivered materials with the required
specifications. It is a documented proof of
2 the materials that an engineer or an
inspector can use as basis for the
Acceptance or Rejection of the materials to
be used
Inspection is the basic means or tool by
which an Engineer or an Inspector can be
used to determine physically the
acceptability of the delivered construction
3 materials on-site if they conform to the
required quantity, size, and conditions
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Thank You
For Your Attention
That ends the part 1 of our lecture

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