Classification of Soils

by
Pranamesh Chakraborty

Purpose

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Purpose
Arrange various types of soils into
groups according to their engineering or
various other characteristics.
Soil possessing similar characteristics
can be placed in the same group.

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Soil Classification Systems

1. Particle Size Classification
2. Textural Classification
3. Highway Research Board (HRB)
Classification
4. Unified Soil Classification System
(USCS)
5. Indian Standard Classification System
(ISCS)
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Particle Size Classification

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Introduction
Soils arranged according to grain sizes.
Terms such as gravel, sand, silt and clay are
used to indicate grain sizes.
These terms are used only as designation of
particle sizes.
They do not signify naturally occurring soil
types.
Naturally occurring soil are mixture of
particles of different sizes.

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IS Classification of Grain Size

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Textural Classification

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Introduction
Soil classification of composite soils
exclusively based on Particle Size
Distribution.
Most popular is the Triangular Classification
of U.S. Public Roads Administration.
Classification based on % of sand, silt and
clay size.
More suitable for describing coarse grained
soil.

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Textural Classification Chart

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Example
30% sand
30% silt
40% clay

Soil Type
Clay

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Highway Research Board (HRB)

Classification

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Introduction
Based on both particle-size composition as
well as plasticity characteristics.
Mostly used for pavement construction.
7 primary groups (A-1, A-2,., A-7).
A-1 subdivided into 2 subgroups.
A-2 subdivided into 4 subgroups.

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Group Index (GI)

Used to describe performance of soil when
used for pavement construction.
Not used to place a soil in a particular group.
It means rating the value of soil as a subgrade material
within its own group.
Higher the value of GI, poorer is the quality of material.

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Group Index (GI) determination

Group Index of a soil depends on:
1. Amount of material passing 75 micron IS sieve.
2. Liquid Limit.
3. Plastic Limit.

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HRB Classification Table

For A-7-5, IP<= wL-30

For A-7-6, IP > wL-30

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HRB Classification Procedure

Proceed from left to right on the chart.

Correct group will be found by process of elimination.
The first group from left into which the test data will fit will be the correct
classification.
Group Index should be rounded off to nearest integer and placed in parenthesis,
such as, A-2-2 (6).
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Example
56% passes 75 micron sieve.
Plastic Limit (wP) =23%
Liquid Limit (wL)=36%
Plasticity Index (IP) = 36-23=13%

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Example
Passing 75 micron>35%

IP < 40%

wL>10%
wL=36%
IP =13%

A-6

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Example
Group Index Calculation

56% passes 75 micron sieve.

Plastic Limit (wP) =23%
Liquid Limit (wL)=36%
Plasticity Index (IP) =13%

a= 56-35=21
b=56-15=41, Take 40
GI=5.4=5

c=0
d=13-10=3
A-6 (5)

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Unified Soil Classification System

USCS

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Origin of USCS
First
developed
by
Professor
A.
Casagrande (1948) for the purpose of
airfield construction during World War II.
Afterwards, it was modified to enable
the system to be applicable to dams,
foundations, and other construction .

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Four Major Divisions

Course
Grained

Organic
Soil

Fine
Grained

Peat

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Classification Groups
The soil is classified into 15 groups.
Each group is designated a symbol
consisting of two capital letters.
The first letter is based on main soil
type.
The second letter is based on gradation
and plasticity .

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Classification Group Symbols

Main Soil
Type

Prefix

Subgroup

Suffix

Classification
Group symbols

Well-graded
Poorly-graded
Silty
Clayey

W
P
M
C

GW
GP
GM
GC

Sand

Well-graded
Poorly-graded
Silty
Clayey

W
P
M
C

SW
SP
SM
SC

Silt

LL < 50%
LL > 50%

L
H

ML
MH

Clay

LL < 50%
LL > 50%

L
H

CL
CH

Organic

LL < 50%
LL > 50%

L
H

OL
OH

Peat

Pt

Gravel

Pt

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Unified Soil Classification System (Contd.)

50 %

50%

Coarse-grained
soils:
Gravel (G)
(S)

NO. 4
4.75
mm

Sand

Fine-grained
soils:
Silt (M) Clay (C)

NO.200
0.075
mm

Well or Poor
Graded based on
Cu and Cc
For G, use W if Cu > 4 and 1<Cc <3
For S, use W if Cu > 6 and 1<Cc <3

Based on wL and
IP
(Plasticity Chart)

wL >50
wL <50
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Plasticity Chart

Silt (M)
Clay (C)
Organic (O)

Below A-line, use M (Silt) or

O (Organic)
Above A-line, use C - Clay

High Plasticity use H - wL

>50
Pranamesh
Low Plasticity use
L - wChakraborty
L <50 27

Plasticity Chart

The soils liquid limit (wL) after oven drying is less than 75 % of
its liquid limit before oven drying. If the above statement is true,
then it is Organic Soil (OL or OH). Otherwise, it is Inorganic Soil
(ML or MH)

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Plasticity Chart

When IP and wL are in the hatched portion of the plasticity chart,

the soil is given dual symbol (CL-ML).
Soil possessing properties of more than one group are termed as
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boundary soil and designated by dual group symbol.

USCS at a glance

(Santamarina et al.,
2001)

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Group Symbols and Group Names

Group Symbol

Typical Name

GW

Well-graded gravels.

GP

Poorly-graded gravels.

GM

Silty gravels.

GC

Clayey gravels

SW

Well-graded sands.

SP

Poorly-graded sands.

SM

Silty sands.

SC

Clayey sands.
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Group Symbols and Group Names

Group Symbol

Typical Name

CL

Inorganic clays of low plasticity.

ML

Inorganic silts with slight plasticity.

OL

Organic soil of low plasticity.

CH

Inorganic clays of high plasticity.

MH

Inorganic silts with high plasticity.

OH

Organic soil of high plasticity.

Pt

Peat.
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Example

Passing No.200 sieve 30 %

Passing No.4 sieve 70 %

LL= 33
PI= 12

Passing No.200 sieve 30%

Passing No.4 sieve 70 %

LL= 33
PI= 12
PI= 0.73(LL-20), A-line
PI=0.73(33-20)=9.49
Soil Type= SC
Clayey sand

Highly
Pranamesh Chakraborty
(Santamarina et al.,
2001)

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Indian Standard
Classification System
(ISCS)
IS:1498-1970

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Introduction
Based on USCS system
Modifications are:
Fine grained soils subdivided into 3
groups (low, intermediate and high
plasticity) as against two groups(low and
high) in USCS.
wL <35=L,

35<wL <5o=I,

wL >50=H

Thus, soil classified into 18 groups as

against 15 in USCS.
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Classification Group Symbols

Main Soil
Type

Prefix

Subgroup

Suffix

Classification
Group symbols

Well-graded
Poorly-graded
Silty
Clayey

W
P
M
C

GW
GP
GM
GC

Well-graded
Poorly-graded
Silty
Clayey

W
P
M
C

SW
SP
SM
SC

LL < 35%
35<LL<>50
LL > 50%

L
I
H

ML
MI
MH

LL < 35%
35<LL<>50
LL > 50%

L
I
H

CL
CI
CH

Organic

LL < 35%
35<LL<>50
LL > 50%

L
I
H

OL
OI
OH

Peat

Pt

Gravel

Sand

Silt

Clay

Pt
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Chakraborty
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Plasticity Chart

Below A-line, use M (Silt) or

O (Organic)
Above A-line, use C - Clay

High Plasticity use H - wL >50

Intermediate Plasticity use I 35<
wL >50Pranamesh Chakraborty
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Low Plasticity use L - wL <35

Thank You

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