INSTITUTE OF ENGINEERING

DEPARTMENT CIVIL
Master of Engineering (Transportation
Engineering)
SOIL MECHANICS FOR HIGHWAY
ENGINEERS

Classification of Soils DISCOVER . LEARN .

EMPOWER
 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.
 Soil Classification Systems

1. Particle Size Classification

2. Highway Research Board (HRB) Classification

3. Unified Soil Classification System (USCS)

4. Indian Standard Classification System (ISCS)

Particle Size Classification
 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.
IS Classification of Grain Size

Reference: Soil
mecahnics by k.r
arora
Textural Classification
 Textural classification

The twelve classifications are sand, loamy sand, sandy

loam, loam, silt loam, silt, sandy clay loam, clay loam,
silty clay loam, sandy clay, silty clay, and clay. 
Soil textures are classified by the fractions of each soil
separate (sand, silt, and clay) present in a soil.
Classifications are typically named for the primary
constituent particle size or a combination of the most
abundant particles sizes, e.g. "sandy clay" or "silty clay". 
Highway Research Board (HRB)
Classification
 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.
 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.
 Group Index (GI) determination
Group Index of a soil depends on:
1. Amount of material passing 75 micron IS sieve.
Reference:
Soil
2. Liquid Limit. mecahnics
by k.r arora
3. Plastic Limit.
 HRB Classification Table

Reference:
Soil
mecahnics
by k.r arora

For A-7-5, IP<= wL-30 For A-7-6, IP > wL-30

 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.
Reference: Group Index should be rounded off to nearest integer and placed in
Soil Parenthesis.
mecahnics
by k.r arora
Poll Question
In particle size classification system, the soils are
classified according to ___a_______
a) Grain size
b) Properties
c) Shape
d) Solubility
Poll Question
The purpose of soil classification is to ___A________
a) To arrange various soils types in to groups
b) To use it for various purpose
c) For finding its properties
d) For investigating the soil
Poll Question
 Group index is defined by which of the equation? C
a) GI=0.2b+0.005ac+0.01bd
b) GI=0.2a+0.005bd+0.001ac
c) GI=0.2a+0.005ac+0.01bd
d) GI=0.2a+0.5ac+0.001bd
Unified Soil Classification
System
USCS
 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 .
 Four Major Divisions

Course Organic
Grained Soil

Fine
Peat
Grained
 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
.
Main Soil Type Prefix Subgroup Suffix Classification Group
symbols

Well-graded W GW
Gravel G Poorly-graded P GP
Silty M GM
Clayey C GC

Well-graded W SW
Sand S Poorly-graded P SP
Silty M SM
Clayey C SC

Silt M LL < 50% L ML

LL > 50% H MH

Clay C LL < 50% L CL

LL > 50% H CH

LL < 50% L OL
Organic O
LL > 50% H OH

Peat Pt Pt
Indian Standard Classification
System (ISCS)
IS:1498-1970
 Introduction
Adopted by Bureau of Indian Standards.
Soil is divided into 3 broad divisions
1. Coarse grained soil- when 50% or more of total material is
retained on 75 micron sieve.
2. Fine grained soil- when more than 50% material passes
through 75 micron sieve.
3. If soil contains large organic material than it is called Peat.
There were 18 groups of soils.
 8 groups for Coarse grained soil
9 groups for Fine grained soil
1 group for peat
 SYMBOLS FOR SOILS

Type of Soil Symbol

Gravel G

Sand S

Silt M

Clay C

Peat Pt
 SYMBOLS FOR GRADATION & PLASTICITY

Characteristic Symbol Remarks

Well graded W Used for coarse grained soil

Poorly graded P Used for coarse grained soil

Low plasticity (L.L<35) L Used for fine grained soil

Medium plasticity I Used for fine grained soil

(35<L.L<50)

High plasticity (L.L>50) H Used for fine grained soil

 Classification Group Symbols
Main Soil Classification
Prefix Subgroup Suffix
Type Group symbols
Well-graded W GW
Poorly-graded P GP
Gravel G
Silty M GM
Clayey C GC

Well-graded W SW
Poorly-graded P SP
Sand S
Silty M SM
Clayey C SC
LL < 35% L ML
Silt M 35<LL<>50 I MI
LL > 50% H MH
LL < 35% L CL
Clay C 35<LL<>50 I CI
LL > 50% H CH
LL < 35% L OL
Organic O 35<LL<>50 I OI
LL > 50% H OH
Peat Pt
 Plasticity Chart

Reference:
Google

Below A-line, use M (Silt) or High Plasticity use H - wL >50

O (Organic)
Intermediate Plasticity use I – 35< wL >50
Above A-line, use C - Clay Low Plasticity use L - wL <35
Poll Question
 Unified soil classification system (USCS) was developed
by ____________
a) Kozney
b) Atterberg
c) Casagrande
d) Rankine
Poll Question
  By USCS system, soil are classified in to ___________
Major groups.
a) 2
b) 5
c) 6
d) 4
Poll Question
  Laboratory classification of fined grained soil is done
with the help of ________
a) Plasticity chart
b) Textural classification chart
c) Kozney’s graphical method
d) None of the mentioned
Poll Question
  The symbol ‘L’ represents which of the following soil
types?
a) Silt and Clay
b) Gravel
c) All of the mentioned
d) None of the mentioned
THANK YOU

For queries
Email:amanpreet.civil@cumail.in