Soil Mechanics

CVL 3413

Chapter 5
Classification of Soil
Dr. Sari Abusharar
Assistant Professor
Civil Engineering Department
Faculty of Applied Engineering and Urban Planning

2nd Semester 2015-2016 1

 Outline of Presentation

Introduction

Textural Classification

AASHTO Classification System

Unified Soil Classification System

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 Introduction
Different soils with similar properties may be classified into groups
and sub-groups according to their engineering behavior.

Most of the soil classification systems that have been developed for
engineering purposes are based on simple index properties such as
particle-size distribution and plasticity.

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 Textural Classification
Figure 5.1 shows the textural classification systems developed by
the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). This classification
method is based on the particle-size limits as described under the
USDA system in Table 2.3; that is

Gravel size: greater than 2.0 mm in diameter

Sand size: 2.0 to 0.05 mm in diameter

Silt size: 0.05 to 0.002 mm in diameter

Clay size: smaller than 0.002 mm in diameter

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Textural Classification

Soil A

30% sand
40% silt
30%clay

This soil falls into the

zone of clay loam

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 Textural Classification
Note that the chart is based on only the fraction of soil that passes
through the No. 10 sieve (smaller than 2 mm). Hence, if the particle-
size distribution of a soil is such that a certain percentage of the soil
particles is larger than 2 mm in diameter (gravel size), a correction
will be necessary as shown below.

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Examples

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Examples

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Classification by Engineering Behavior
Currently, two more elaborate classification systems are commonly
used by soils engineers. Both systems take into consideration the
particle-size distribution and Atterberg limits. They are the
American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials
(AASHTO) classification system and the Unified Soil Classification
System (USCS).

AASHTO
Engineering
Classification
USCS

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 1. AASHTO Classification System
The AASHTO system of soil classification was developed in 1929 as
the Public Road Administration classification system. It has
undergone several revisions, with the present version proposed by
the Committee on Classification of Materials for Subgrades and
Granular Type Roads of the Highway Research Board in 1945 (ASTM
designation D-3282; AASHTO method M145).

Boulders Gravel Sand Silt-Clay

Coarse Fine

75-mm 2-mm 0.425-mm 0.075-mm

No. 200 11
No. 10 No. 40
 1. AASHTO Classification System
Soil is classified into seven major groups: A-1 through A-7
Soils classified under groups A-1, A-2, and A-3 are granular
materials of which 35% or less of the particles pass through the
No. 200 sieve
Soils of which more than 35% pass through the No. 200 sieve are
classified under groups A-4, A-5, A-6, and A-7, these soils are
mostly silt and clay-type materials
The term silty is applied when the fine fractions of the soil have a
plasticity index of 10 or less. The term clayey is applied when the
fine fractions have a plasticity index of 11 or more.
If cobbles and boulders (size larger than 75 mm) are encountered,
they are excluded from the portion of the soil sample from which
classification is made. However, the percentage of such material
is recorded. 12
1. AASHTO Classification System

(2 mm)
(0.425 mm)
(0.075 mm)

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1. AASHTO Classification System

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 1. AASHTO Classification System
To evaluate the quality of a soil as a highway subgrade material, one
must also incorporate a number called the group index (GI
)with the groups and subgroups of the soil. This index is
written in parentheses after the group or subgroup designation. The
group index is given by the equation

The higher the value of GI the weaker will be the soil and vice versa.
Thus, quality of performance of a soil as a subgrade material is
inversely proportional to GI. A soil having GI of zero is considered as
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the best.
 1. AASHTO Classification System
Some rules for determining the group index:
1. If Eq. (5.1) yields a negative value for GI, it is taken as 0.
2. The group index calculated from Eq. (5.1) is rounded off to the
nearest whole number
(for example, GI 3.4 is rounded off to 3; GI 3.5 is rounded off to 4).
3. There is no upper limit for the group index.
4. The group index of soils belonging to groups A-1-a, A-1-b, A-2-4,
A-2-5, and A-3 is always 0.
5. When calculating the group index for soils that belong to groups
A-2-6 and A-2-7, use the partial group index for PI, or

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Examples

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Examples

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Examples

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 2. Unified Soil Classification System
The original form of this system was proposed by Casagrande in
1942 for use in the airfield construction works undertaken by the
Army Corps of Engineers ( ) during World War II. In
cooperation with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (
), this system was revised in 1952. At present, it is used widely
by engineers (ASTM Test Designation D-2487). The Unified
classification system is presented in Table 5.2.

Other symbols used for the classification are:

Wwell graded
Ppoorly graded
Llow plasticity (liquid limit less than 50)
Hhigh plasticity (liquid limit more than 50)
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2. Unified Soil Classification System

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2. Unified Soil Classification System

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 2. Unified Soil Classification System
This system classifies soils into two broad categories:
1. Coarse-grained soils that are gravelly and sandy in nature with
less than 50% passing through the No. 200 sieve. The group
symbols start with a prefix of G or S. G stands for gravel or
gravelly soil, and S for sand or sandy soil.

2. Fine-grained soils are with 50% or more passing through the

No. 200 sieve. The group symbols start with prefixes of M,
which stands for inorganic silt, C for inorganic clay, or O for
organic silts and clays.

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 2. Unified Soil Classification System
For proper classification according to this system, some or all of the
following information must be known:

1. Percent of gravelthat is, the fraction passing the 76.2-mm

sieve and retained on the No. 4 sieve (4.75-mm opening)
2. Percent of sandthat is, the fraction passing the No. 4 sieve
(4.75-mm opening) and retained on the No. 200 sieve (0.075-
mm opening)
3. Percent of silt and claythat is, the fraction finer than the No.
200 sieve (0.075-mm opening)
4. Uniformity coefficient (Cu) and the coefficient of gradation (Cc)
5. Liquid limit and plasticity index of the portion of soil passing the
No. 40 sieve
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2. Unified Soil Classification System
Gravel

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2. Unified Soil Classification System
Sand

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2. Unified Soil Classification System
Fine Aggregate

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2. Unified Soil Classification System
Fine Aggregate

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Examples

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Examples

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Examples
No. 4 = 4.75 mm

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Examples

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Examples

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HW # 4

Problems
5.1
5.4

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