COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

Civil Engineering Department

Soil Mechanics
NCE 412

Engineering
Classification of Soil
Content

• Quick Overview
• Unified Soil Classification System
• Basic Classification Parameters
• Group Names
• Classification Steps
• Examples
 Quick Revision – Atterberg’s Limits

Depending on Moisture Content soil can be

divided into:
- 1. Solid
Shrinkage Limit (SL)
Moisture Content (w)

2. Semi-Solid
LI = 0
Plastic Limit (PL)
Liquidity Plasticity Index
3. Plastic Index (LI) (PI) = PL - LL
Liquid Limit (LL)
LI = 1
+ 4. Liquid
Quick Revision – Plasticity Chart
 USCD System

This
This classification
classification system
system
is
is based
based on
on all
all material
material
76.2 mm passing
passing 7575

Gravel Sieve No.

Coarse
4.75 mm 4 R4 Retained above
Sand No. 4

0.075 mm 200 R200 Retained above

Fine Silt and Clay
No. 200
Pan Pan F200 Finer Than
No. 200
Particle-Size Distribution Curve

1. Uniformity Coefficient (Cu)

D60
Cu 
D10

2. Coefficient of Gradation (Cz)

D 230
Cz 
D60  D10
 Basic Classifications

Soil
Coarse Fine
F200 < 50 F200 ≥ 50

Gravel Sand Clay Silt

G S C M
Basic Classifications

For Coarse Soil Aggregates

Gradation
Well Graded Poorly Graded
W P
Classification Steps
Classification Steps

Step One:
Classify Soil
Classification Steps

Step Two:
Find Soil Name
Gravel
Sand
Fine Aggregates
Fine Aggregates
Sand
Fine Aggregates
 USDA(US Department of
Agriculture)
• This classification method is based on the
particle-size limits as described under
• the USDA system in Table 2.3; that is
• • 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
USDA
4. American Association of State
Highway and Transportation
Officials system (AASHTO)
Origin of AASHTO: (For road construction)
This system was originally developed by Hogentogler
and Terzaghi in 1929 as the Public Roads Classification
System. Afterwards, there are several revisions. The
present AASHTO (1978) system is primarily based on
the version in 1945. (Holtz and Kovacs, 1981)

31
 4.1 Definition of Grain Size
No specific
grain size-use
Atterberg
limits
Boulders Gravel Sand Silt-Clay

Coars Fine
e
75 No.4 No.200
mm 4.75 0.075
mm No.40 mm
0.425
mm

32
 4.2 General Guidance
– 8 major groups: A1~ A7 (with several subgroups) and organic soils A8
– The required tests are sieve analysis and Atterberg limits.
– The group index, an empirical formula, is used to further evaluate soils
within a group (subgroups).

A1 ~ A3 A4 ~ A7

Granular Materials Silt-clay Materials

 35% pass No. 200 sieve  36% pass No. 200 sieve
Using LL and PI separates silty Using LL and PI separates silty
materials from clayey materials (only for materials from clayey materials
A2 group)
– The original purpose of this classification system is used for road
construction (subgrade rating).
33
 4.3 Group Index
The first term is determined by the LL

GI  (F200  35) 0.2  0.005(LL  40)

 0.01(F200  15)(PI  10)
The second term is determined by the
PI
For Group A-2-6 and A-2-7

GI  0.01(F200  15)(PI  10) use the second term

only
F200: percentage passing through the No.200 sieve

In general, the rating for a pavement subgrade is inversely

proportional to the group index, GI.

34
4.4 Classification

Das,
1998
35
 4.4 Classification (Cont.)

Note:
Das,
The first group from the left to fit the test data is the 1998
correct AASHTO classification. 36
 Passing No.200 86%
LL=70, PI=32
4.4 Example
LL-30=40 > PI=32
Passing No.200 86% GI  (F200  35) 0.2  0.005(LL  40)
LL=70, PI=32  0.01(F200  15)(PI  10)
A-7-5(33)
LL-30=40 > PI=32  33.47  33 Round off

37
 Example
• Ninety-five percent of a soil passes through
the No.200 sieve and has a liquid limit of 60
and plasticity index of 40. Classify the soil by
the AASHTO system.

39
 Example
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 minus No.
40 fraction of the soil are 25 and 20, respectively.
Classify the soil by the AASHTO system.