BOOK : INTRODUCTION TO GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING (PART 1), NURLY GOFAR AND KHAIRUL ANUAR KASSIM) MEKANIKA TANAH LANJUT

(KULIAH KE-3)

SOIL CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM

Soil classification system is important in geotechnical engineering because it provide a systematic method of categorizing soil according to their probable engineering behavior. From research and experience, engineering properties such as shear strength and compressibility characteristics of soil have been found to correlate quite well with the index properties (water content, density and void ratio), and classification properties (grain size and grain size distribution as well as plasticity) of a given soil deposit. By knowing the classification of the soil, an engineer will have a good idea on how to proceed with detailed site investigation and laboratory testing and subsequently with the design of foundation as well as the engineering situations both during and after construction. Many soil classification systems have been introduced; most of them used soil texture or grain size distribution. As mentioned previously, clay can be further classified by its plasticity. Common soil classification systems used in civil engineering practice are :
1. 2. 3.

British Soil classification system (BS), The Unified Soil Classification System (USCS), and The Classification System proposed by AASHTO (American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials).

The British Classification System The British soil classification system is shown in Table 1.3 which is supplemented by plasticity chart shown in Figure 1.2. In this system, the soil is classified by

Introduction

group symbols composed of main term and qualifying term shown in Table 1.4 (BS 5930.81).
Table 1.3 British Soil Classification system (BS 5930.81) Soil groups
GRAVEL and SAND may be qualified sandy GRAVEL and gravelly SAND, etc. where appropriate Slightly silty or clayey GRAVEL more than 50% of coarse material is of sand size more than 50% of coarse material is of gravel SILTS and CLAYS Gravelly or sandy SANDS SANDS (finer than 2 mm) size (coarser than 2 mm) Silty GRAVEL Clayey GRAVEL Very silty GRAVEL Very clayey GRAVEL

Subgroups and Laboratory identification

Group symbols GW G GP G-M G-F G-C GM GF GC G Pu G Pg GWM GPM 5 to 15 GWC GPC GML, etc 15 to 35 GCL GCI GCH GCV Subgroup symbol GW 0 to 5 Fines (% less than 0.063 mm) Liquid limit

less than 35% of the material is finer than 0.063 mmCOARSE SOILS

Slightly silty or clayey SAND Silty SAND Clayey SAND Very silty SAND Very clayey SAND

SW S SP S - M S - F S - C SM SF SC

GCE SW 0-5 S Pu S Pg SWM SPM 5 to 15 SWC SPC SML, etc 15 to 35 SCL SCI SCH SCV

Gravelly SILT Gravelly CLAY

MG FG CG

SCE MLG, etc CLG CIG CHG CVG CEG MLS, etc <35 35 50 50 70 70 90 >90

FINE SOILS

Sandy SILT

MS FS

Sandy CLAY

CS

CLS, etc

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SILTS and CLAYS 35% to 65% fines 65% to 100% fines

more than 35% of the material is finer than 0.063 mm

SILT (M-SOIL) F CLAY

M C

ML, etc CL CI CH CV CE <35 35 50 50 70 70 90 >90

ORGANIC SOILS PEAT

Descriptive letter "O" suffixed to any group or subgroup symbol Pt

70 60

CE CV CH MV CI CL MH
ML
0 10 20 30 40

Plasticity Index ( PI )

50 40 30 20 10 0

"A" line ME

MI
50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120

Liquid Limit ( L ) L

Figure 1.2 Plasticity chart: British system (BS 5930, 1981)

Table 1.4 Group symbols used in British soil classification system

Main terms GRAVEL SAND

Symbol G S

Qualifying terms Well graded Uniform graded

Symbol W Pu

Introduction

FINES SOILS, FINES SILTS CLAY

F M C

Gap graded LL<35 35 < LL< 50 50 < LL < 70 70 < LL < 90 LL > 90 IP > 35 Organic

Pg L I H V E U O

PEAT

Pt

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A group symbol may consist of two to four letters for example SW means well graded sands SCL means very clayey sand or clay of low plasticity. The terms fine is used when it is not required to differentiate between Silts (M) and clay ( C). Any cobbles or boulder retained in 63 mm sieve are removed before the classification test but the percentage should be determined. The presence of these particles is indicated in the classification symbol joined by a plus sign, for example GW+Cb means well graded gravel with cobbles.

The Unified Soil Classification System (USCS) The unified soil classification method is introduced by Casagrande (1942). This system is modified slightly and adopted by ASTM in 1985 (Table 1.5). The Unified Classification System categorize the soil into two main groups i.e.: Coarse grained soil (gravel and sand) where less than 50% of the total weight of the soil particles pass No 200 sieve. Other considerations in this classification are the percentage of coarse fraction (retained on No 40 sieve), coefficient of uniformity (Cu) and coefficient of curvature (Cc) for soil with less than 12 % passing No. 200 sieve. The symbol for this group is G for gravel or S for sand. The fine grained soil has more than 50 % of the total weight passing No. 200. sieve. The symbol for this group is M (mjla) for inorganic silt, C for inorganic clay, and O stands for silt and clay that contain organic materials. The symbol Pt is used for peat, muck and other highly organic soils. The fine grained soil is further classified based on its plasticity index (PI). Other symbols used in this classification system are W for well graded soil, P for poorly graded soil, L for low plasticity clay, and H for highly plastic clay. Symbols such as GM, SM, GC, SC are used for soil that contain both coarse and fine particles.

6 Table 1.5 Soil Classification Chart (ASTM D-2487)

Soil Classification Chart : ASTM D2487 Criteria for Assigning Group Symbols and Group names Using Laboratory Tests
Gravels More than 50% of coarse fraction retained on No. 4 sieve Sands 50% or more of coarse fraction passes No. 4 sieve
Clean Gravels Less than 5 % finesC Gravels with fines More than 12 % finesC Clean Sandls Less than 5 % finesD Sand with fines More than 12 % finesD Inorganic Cu 4 and 1 Cc 3E Cu < 4 and/or 1>Cc>3E Fines classify as ML or MH Fines classify as CL or CH Cu 6 and 1 Cc 3E Cu < 6 and/or 1>Cc>3E Fines classify as ML or MH Fines classify as CL or CH PI > 7 and plots on or above AlineJ PI < 4 and plots below AlineJ
Liquid limit - oven dried < 0.75 Liquid limit - not dried

Introduction

Group Symbol

Soil Classification Group NameB

Well-graded gravelF Poorly graded gravelF Silty gravelF,G,H Clayey gravelF,G,H Well-graded gravelI Poorly graded gravelI Silty sand,G,H,I Clayey sand,G,H,I Lean clayK,L,M SiltK,L,M

GW GP GM GC SW SP SM SC CL ML OL CH MH OH Pt
M

COARSEGRAINED SOILS More than 50% retained on No. 200 sieve

COARSEGRAINED SOILS 50% or more passes the No. 200 sieve

Silts and Clays Liquid Limit less than 50

Organic

Organic clay Organic clay

Fat clayK,L,M Elastic siltK,L,M

K,L,M,N

K,L,M,O

PI plots on or above Aline

Silts and Clays Liquid Limit 50 or more

Inorganic Organic

PI plots below Aline

Liquid limit - oven dried < 0.75 Liquid limit - not dried

Organic clay Organic clay

K,L,M,P

K,L,M,O

HIGLY ORGANIC SOILS

A

Plasticity Index ( PI )

20 10
CL or ML

Figure 1.3 Plasticity Chart (ASTM D 2487)

MH or OH

ML or OL

0 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110

CL or OL

30

Liquid Limit (LL )

For classification of fine grained soils and Fine-grained fraction of Coarse-Grained Soils Equation of "A" Line: Horizontal at PI = 4 to LL = 25.5, then PI = 0.73 (LL-20) Equation of "U" Line: Vertical at LL = 16 to PI = 7, then PI = 0.9 (LL-8)

CH or OH

Based on the material passing the 3-in (75-mm) sieve. B If field sample cointained cobbles or boulders, or both, add with cobbles or boulders, or both to group name. C Gravels with 5 to 12 % fines require dual symbols : GW-GM well graded gravel with silt GW-GC well graded gravel with clay GP-GM poorly graded gravel with silt 60 GP-GC poorly graded gravel with clay D Sands with 5 to 12 % fines require dual symbols : 50 SW-SM well graded gravel with silt SW-SC well graded gravel with clay SP-SM poorly graded gravel with silt 40 SP-SC poorly graded gravel with clay

Primarily organic matter, dark color, and organic color (D30 ) 2 E Cc = Cu = D60 / D10 D10 x D60
F

Peat

If soil contains 15% sand, add with sand to group name. G If fines classify as CL-ML, use symbol GC-GM, N PI 4 and plots on or above or SC-SM H A line. If fines are organic, add with organic fines to O PI < 4 and or plots below group name. I If soil contains 15% gravel, add with gravel A line. P PI plots on or above A line. to group name. J If Atterberg limits plot in hatched area, "U"is a Q PI plots below A line. soil line CL-ML, silty clay. K If soil contains 15 to 29 % plus No. 200, add with sand or with gravel, whichever is "A" line predominant. L If soil contains 30 % plus No. 200, predominantly sand, add sandy to group name.

If soil contains 30 % plus No. 200, predominantly gravel, add gravelly to group name.

Introduction

The AASHTO Soil Classification System Table 1.6 shows the classification system proposed by AASHTO which is widely used in the field of highway. This system classify the soil into seven main groups A-1 to A-7. Granular soil is classified into groups A-1, A-2 and A-3, where less than 35 % of soil particles passing a No 200 sieve. Clay and silts are categorized as group A-4 to A-7, where 35 % or more particle passing the sieve.

Table 1.6 AASHTO Classification System (AASHTO M-145)

Granular Material General Classification Group classification A-l-a A-l-b Sieve analysis (% passing) No.10 No.40 No.200 Characteristics of fraction passing No. 40 50 max 30 max 15 max (35 % or less passing 0.075 mm (sieve no 200) A-1 A-2 A-3 A-24 A-2-5 A-2-6 A-2-7 Fine grained soils (> 35% passing 0.075 min (No. 200) A4 A-5 A-6 A-7 A-7-5 A-7-6

50 51 max max 25 10 35 max max max

35 max

35 max

35 max

36 min

36 min

36 min

36 min

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40 41 40 41 40 41 40 Liquid limit 41 min max min max min max 10ma max 11 min min 10 10 11 11 10 11 Plasticity index 6 max NP max max min min max x min Usual types of Stone Fine significant fragments, Silty or clayey gravel and sand Silty soils Clayey soils constituent gravel and sand s materials sands General rating as subgrade Excellent to good Fair to poor Notes : Plasticity index for subgroup A-7-5<LL-30 Plasticity index for subgroup A - 7 - 6 > LL - 30

Introduction

AASHTO classification system uses grain size distribution obtained from the sieve analysis and soil plasticity obtained from Atterberg limit tests. The numbers are fit into Table 1.6 from the leftmost column to the right. Gravels are soil fraction that pass the sieve with diameter of 75 mm and retained in sieve No. 10 (2 mm diameter). Sand is the fraction of soil passing No. 10 (2 mm) sieve and retained in the sieve No. 200 (0.075 mm). Silts and clay passes No 200 sieve. Adjective silty is used when fine fraction of soil have a plasticity index of less than 10, while clayey is used when the fine fraction has an index plasticity of more than 10. If boulders (particle size more than 75 mm) is found in the soil, than they are not used in the analysis. Group index (GI) is used to evaluate the quality of the soil as sub-grade material. This can be estimated using the following equation: GI = (F 35)[0.2 + 0.005(LL 40)] + 0.01(F 15)(PI 10) (1.4)

where F is the percentage of particles passing sieve No. 200, LL is the liquid limit, and PI is the plasticity index. Good quality soil for sub grade has a low group index.

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Introduction