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CE-305

Soil Mechanics-1
Course Instructor: Dr Saria Bukhary

SOIL CLASSIFICATION SYSTEMS


Soil Classification Systems
Different soils with similar properties may be classified into groups and
subgroups according to their engineering behavior. Classification systems
provide a common language to concisely express the general characteristics
of soils, which are infinitely varied, without detailed descriptions.

• MIT Soil Classification system


• Textural Soil Classification
• Unified Soil Classification System
• AASHTO Soil Classification System
MIT Soil Classification system

Retained on sieve #?

Passing sieve #?
Soil Classification Systems
Textural Classification System
• The textural classification, developed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture,
is based on the particle-size distribution of the percent of sand, silt, and
clay-size fractions present in a given soil.
• It is based on only the fraction of soil that passes through the No. 10 sieve.
• This classification method is based on the particle-size limits:
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
Soil Classification Systems
Textural
Classification
System

Soil A:

30% sand,
40% silt, and
30% clay-size particles
Textural
Classification
System
soil B has a particle-size
distribution of
20% gravel,
10% sand,
30% silt, and
40% clay
Textural
Classification
System
What is the classification of a
soil sample with 15% sand,
30% silt, and 55% clay?

What is the classification of a


soil sample with 10% gravel,
20% sand, 41% silt, and 29%
clay?
AASHTO Classification System
• It was intended specifically for use in highway construction, and still survives as
the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO)
system.
• It rates soils according to their suitability for support of roadway pavements, and
continues to be widely used on such projects.
• The AASHTO system uses both grain-size distribution and Atterberg limits data to
assign a group classification and a group index to the soil.
• The group classification ranges from A-1 (best soils) to A-8 (worst soils).
• A-8 are organic soils, identified visually.
• It is important to remember that a soil that is "good" for use as a highway
subgrade might be "very poor" for some other purpose.
• Soil is further classified using group index (GI) value.
AASHTO Classification System
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

• For A-2-6, and A-2-7 group, GI formula is equal to


AASHTO Classification System
AASHTO Classification System

1. The results of the particle-size analysis of a soil are as follows:

Percent passing the No. 10 sieve = 42


Percent passing the No. 40 sieve = 35
Percent passing the No. 200 sieve = 20

The liquid limit and plasticity index of the soil are 25 and 20, respectively. Classify the
soil by the AASHTO system.
AASHTO Classification System

2. The natural soils along a proposed highway alignment have a grain-size


distribution as shown below, a liquid limit of 44, and a plastic limit of 21.
Determine the AASHTO soil classification and rate its suitability for pavement
support.
Passing #10 sieve (2.00 mm)= 92%
Passing #40 sieve (0.425 mm)= 74%
Passing #200 sieve (0.075 mm) = 54%
AASHTO Classification System

3. Determine the AASHTO soil classification for the following soil type
Passing #10 sieve (2.00 mm)= 100%
Passing #40 sieve (0.425 mm)= 100%
Passing #200 sieve (0.075 mm) = 88%
LL (%)= 26
PI (%)= 8

4. Ninety-five percent of a soil passes through the No. 200 sieve and has a liquid
limit of 60 and plasticity index of 20. Classify the soil by the AASHTO system.
Unified Soil Classification System
Widely used by engineers. Originally developed for use in airfield construction but was
later modified for general use (ASTM Test Designation D-2487).

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.
2. Fine-grained soils are with 50% or more passing through the No. 200 sieve.

3. Symbols used are:


• G—gravel or gravelly soil • Pt—peat, muck
• S—sand or sandy soil • W—well graded
• M—inorganic silt • P—poorly graded
• C—inorganic clay • L—low plasticity (liquid limit less than 50)
• O—organic silts and clays • H—high plasticity (liquid limit more than 50)

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