Soil Classification

Dr. Ghusoon Sadik Al-Qaisee

Middle Technical University

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Usually soil on site has to be used.
Soils differ from other engineering materials
in that one has little control over their
properties
Extent and properties of the soil have to be
determined
Cheap and simple tests are required to give
an indication of engineering properties, e.g.
stiffness, strength, for preliminary design
The classification must use core samples
obtained from the ground. This information is
often supplemented by in-situ tests such as
cone penetration tests. 2
 The Aim
• Classifying soils into groups or sub-groups with similar
engineering behavior.
• Classification systems were developed in terms of simple
indices (GSD and plasticity).
• These classifications can provide geotechnical engineers
with general guidance about engineering properties of the
soils through the accumulated experience.
Communicate
between
engineers
Classification Estimate Achieve
Simple indices
system engineering engineering
GSD, LL, PI (Language) properties purposes
Use the
accumulated
experience 3
 Classification Systems
Two commonly classification system used are:

1. Unified Soil Classification System (USCS)

(preferred by geotechnical engineers).

2. American Association of State Highway and

Transportation Officials (AASHTO) System
(preferred by Transportation engineers).

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 Objectives
Define terms important for Unified
Soil Classification System
– Percent Fines
– Mechanical Analysis
– Liquid Limit
– Plastic Limit, Plasticity Index
– Water Content
– Organic
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Gradation or Mechanical Analyses

Sieves for Hydrometer

larger for fine
particles particles
Sieve Analyses

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 Liquid Limit Definition
• The water content at
which a soil changes
from a plastic
consistency to a liquid
consistency
• The water content at
which a groove cut in
a soil paste will close
upon 25 repeated
drops of a brass cup
with a rubber base.
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 Plastic Limit Definition
• The water content at
which a soil changes
from a plastic
consistency to a semi-
solid consistency
• The water content at
which a 1/8”thread of
soil can be rolled out
but it begins to crack
and cannot then be re-
rolled
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Definition of Plasticity Index
Plasticity Index is the numerical
difference between the Liquid Limit
w% and the Plastic Limit w%

w
PL % LL

PI = LL - PL

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 Organic Definition
• If the ratio of the oven-dried soil’s
LL to the air-dry soil’s LL values is <
0.75, the soil is organic by
definition.
• If the air-dry LL is 50 or more, it is a
HIGH liquid limit
• If the air-dry LL is less than 50, the
soil has a LOW LL value 11
Unified Soil Classification System (USCS)
Definition of Grain Size

Silt and
Boulders Cobbles Gravel Sand Clay
Coarse Fine Coarse Medium Fine

300 mm 75 mm No.4 No.200

4.75 mm 0.075
19 mm No.10 No.40 mm
2.0 mm 0.425 mm

No specific grain size-use

Atterberg limits 12
Unified Soil Classification System (USCS)
% Passing sieve No. 200 (0.075 mm)

< 50% > 50%

Coarse-grained soils Fine-grained soils
Silt (M)
Clay (C)

•Grain size distribution •Use Plasticity chart

•LL, PL

Required tests: Sieve analysis

Atterberg limit 13
Used for Fine grained soils to determine
whether silt (M) or clay (C)

Below A-line is silt – use symbol M LL > 50  High plasticity

Above A-line is clay – use symbol C LL< 50  low plasticity
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 Unified Soil Classification System (USCS)
% Passing sieve No. 200 (0.075 mm)

< 50% > 50%

Coarse-grained soils Fine-grained soils
Silt (M)
% Coarse soil (Co) = 100 - % Passing # 200 Clay (C)
% Gravel (G) = 100 - % Passing # 4

G > 1/2 Co G < 1/2 Co •Use Plasticity chart

Gravel (G) Sand (S) •LL, PL

% Passing sieve No. 200

< 5% GW, GP, SW or SP Use  Cu, Cc W : well graded P: poorly graded

5% -12 % GW-GM, GW-GC, GP-GM, GP-GC, SW-SM, SW-SC, SP-SM, SP-SC
> 12% GM, GC, SM, SC Use  plasticity charts 15
1. Unified Soil Classification System (USCS)
To determine if well graded (W) or poorly graded (P),
calculate Cu and Cc
D60
Coefficient of uniformity Cu 
D10

D302
Coefficient of gradation C c 
( D60  D10 )

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 Unified Soil Classification System (USCS)

D60
Coefficient of uniformity Cu 
D10

D302
Coefficient of gradation Cc 
( D60  D10 )

Conditions for Well-graded soils

For gravels  Cu > 4 and Cc is between 1 and 3
For Sand  W if Cu > 6 and Cc is between 1 and 3

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Unified Soil Classification System (USCS)

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Unified Soil Classification System (USCS)
60
Comparing soils at equal liquid limit
50 Toughness and dry strength increase
l ine
with increasing plasticity index "
"A
40
Plasticity index

CH
30

20 OH
CL or
10 CL OL
CL-ML or MH
ML
0 ML
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Liquid limit
Plasticity chart
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for laboratory classification of fine grained soils
 Organic Soils
• Highly organic soils- Peat (Group symbol PT)
 A sample composed primarily of vegetable tissue in
various stages of decomposition and has a fibrous
to amorphous texture, a dark-brown to black color,
and an organic odor should be designated as a
highly organic soil and shall be classified as peat, PT.

• Organic clay or silt (group symbol OL or OH):

 “The soil’s liquid limit (LL) after oven drying is less
than 75 % of its liquid limit before oven drying.” If the
above statement is true, then the first symbol is O.
 The second symbol is obtained by locating the
values of PI and LL (not oven dried) in the plasticity
chart.

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 Example 1
100

80
% Finer

60

40

20

0
0.0001 0.001 0.01 0.1 1 10 100
Particle size (mm)

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 Example 1

100

80
% Finer

60

40

20

0
0.0001 0.001 0.01 0.1 1 10 100
Particle size (mm)

• %fines (% finer than 75 mm) = 11% - Dual symbols required 22

 Example 1
100

80
% Finer

60

40

20

0
0.0001 0.001 0.01 0.1 1 10 100
Particle size (mm)

• %fines (% finer than 75 mm) = 11% - Dual symbols required

• D10 = 0.06 mm, D30 = 0.25 mm, D60 = 0.75 mm
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 Example 1
100

80
% Finer

60

40

20

0
0.0001 0.001 0.01 0.1 1 10 100
Particle size (mm)

Particle size fractions: Gravel 17%

Sand 73%
Silt and Clay 10% 24
Example 1
Of the coarse fraction about 80% is sand, hence Prefix is S
Cu = 12.5, Cc = 1.38
Suffix1 = W
From Atterberg Tests
LL = 32, PL = 26
Ip = 32 - 26 = 6

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 Example 1
60
Comparing soils at equal liquid limit
50 Toughness and dry strength increase
line
with increasing plasticity index "
"A
40
Plasticity index

CH
30

20 OH
CL or
10 CL OL
or MH
ML
0 ML
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Liquid limit
Plasticity chart
for laboratory classification of fine grained soils 26
Example 1
Of the coarse fraction about 80% is sand, hence Prefix is S
Cu = 12.5, Cc = 1.38
Suffix1 = W
From Atterberg Tests
LL = 32, PL = 26 & Ip = 32 - 26 = 6
From Plasticity Chart point lies below A-line
Suffix2 = M

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Example 1
Of the coarse fraction about 80% is sand, hence Prefix is S
Cu = 12.5, Cc = 1.38
Suffix1 = W
From Atterberg Tests
LL = 32, PL = 26 & Ip = 32 - 26 = 6
From Plasticity Chart point lies below A-line
Suffix2 = M
Dual Symbols are SW-SM
To complete the classification the Symbols should be accompanied by a description
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 Summary of the USCS

coarse grain soils fine grain soils

[>50% larger than 0.075 mm] [>50% smaller than 0.075 mm]
% of fines
0 5 12 CoF 50 FP 100

e.g., SM e.g., CH
CoGr
CoGr - CoF
e.g., GP
e.g., GP-GC

Co: Coarse F: Fines Gr: Gradation P: Plasticity

G = Gravel M = Silts W = well graded H = LL > 50

S = Sands C = Clays P = poorly graded L = LL < 50

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 Symbols
Soil symbols: Liquid limit symbols:
G: Gravel H: High LL (LL>50)
S: Sand L: Low LL (LL<50)
M: Silt
C: Clay Gradation symbols:
O: Organic W: Well-graded
Pt: Peat P : Poorly-graded
Well  graded soil
Example: SW, Well-graded sand
1  C c  3 and C u  4
SC, Clayey sand
(for gravels)
SM, Silty sand, 1  C c  3 and C u  6
MH, Elastic silt (for sands)
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