CLASSIFICATION OF

SOIL
CE 411: Geotechnical Engineering I: Soil Mechanics

engr. jose henderson p. gaba

CLASSIFICATION OF SOIL
• 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.
• Two major categories into which classification systems
developed in the past can be grouped.
• Textural Classification – based on the particle-size distribution of the
percent of sand, silt, and clay-size fractions present in a given soil.
• Based on the Engineering Behavior of soil and takes into
consideration the particle-size distribution and the plasticity.
• AASHTO Classification System
• Unified Classification System

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USDA CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM
• The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Classification
System is based on particle-size limits as described under the
USDA System, 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

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USDA CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM
• Soil A: 30% sand,
40% silt, and 30%
clay-size particles
• Soil B: 20% gravel,
10% sand, 30% silt,
and 40% clay

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SAMPLE PROBLEM 1
Classify the following soils according to the USDA textural
classification system
Particle-size Soil
Distribution
(%) A B C D
Gravel 12 18 0 12
Sand 25 31 15 22
Silt 32 30 30 26
Clay 31 21 55 40

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SAMPLE PROBLEM 1
Classify the following soils according to the USDA textural
classification system
% 𝑠𝑎𝑛𝑑
𝑀𝑜𝑑𝑖𝑓𝑖𝑒𝑑 % 𝑠𝑎𝑛𝑑 = × 100
100 − %𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑙

% 𝑠𝑖𝑙𝑡
𝑀𝑜𝑑𝑖𝑓𝑖𝑒𝑑 % 𝑠𝑖𝑙𝑡 = × 100
100 − %𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑙

% 𝑐𝑙𝑎𝑦
𝑀𝑜𝑑𝑖𝑓𝑖𝑒𝑑 % 𝑐𝑙𝑎𝑦 = × 100
100 − %𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑙

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SAMPLE PROBLEM 1
Classify the following soils according to the USDA textural
classification system
Particle-size Soil
Distribution
(%) A B C D
Sand 28.4 37.8 15 25
Silt 36.4 36.6 30 29.5
Clay 35.2 25.6 55 45.5

Classification of Soil
A B C D
Gravelly clay loam Gravelly loam Clay Gravelly clay
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AASHTO CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM
• The American Association of State Highway and Transportation
Officials (AASHTO) classification system was developed in
1929 as the Public Road Administration Classification
System.
• The present version is 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).

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AASHTO CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM
AASHTO Classification System is based on the following criteria:
• Grain Size
• Gravel: fraction passing the 75-mm (3-in.) sieve and retained on the
No. 10 (2-mm) U.S. sieve
• Sand: fraction passing the No. 10 (2-mm) U.S. sieve and retained on
the No. 200 (0.075-mm) U.S. sieve.
• Silt and clay: fraction passing the No. 200 U.S. Sieve
• Plasticity: “silty” for fine fractions of soil have a PI of 10 or less.
“clayey” for fine fractions have a PI of 11 or more.
• If cobbles or boulders (size larger than 75 mm) are
encountered, they are excluded from the portion of soil sample
from which classification is made.
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AASHTO CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM

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AASHTO CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM

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AASHTO CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM

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AASHTO CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM
GROUP INDEX
• This is used to evaluate the quality of a soil as a highway
subgrade material.
• It is written in parentheses after the group or subgroup
designation.

𝐺𝐼 = 𝐹200 − 35 0.2 + 0.005 𝐿𝐿 − 40 + 0.01 𝐹200 − 15 𝑃𝐼 − 10

𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒
𝐹200 = 𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑝𝑎𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡ℎ𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑔ℎ 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑁𝑜. 200 𝑠𝑖𝑒𝑣𝑒
𝐿𝐿 = 𝑙𝑖𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑑 𝑙𝑖𝑚𝑖𝑡
𝑃𝐼 = 𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑖𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑥
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AASHTO CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM
GROUP INDEX
𝐺𝐼 = 𝐹200 − 35 0.2 + 0.005 𝐿𝐿 − 40 + 0.01 𝐹200 − 15 𝑃𝐼 − 10
Group Index Rules:
• If the formula yields a negative value for GI, it is taken as 0.
• The GI is rounded off to the nearest whole number.
• There is no upper limit for the group index
• GI of soils belonging to groups, A-1-a, A-1-b, A-2-4, A-2-5, and
A-3 is always zero.
• When calculating GI for soils that belong to groups A-2-6 and A-
2-7, use the partial group index for PI
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SAMPLE PROBLEM 2
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.

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SAMPLE PROBLEM 2
AASHTO Table Parameters of the
Parameter
Specification (A-1-b) given soil
Percent passing sieve
No. 10 ---
No. 40 50 max 35
No. 200 25 max 20
Plasticity Index 6 max PI = 5

Group index of the soil is 0. The soil is A-1-b (0).

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SAMPLE PROBLEM 3
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.
AASHTO Table Parameters of the
Parameter
Specification (A-7-6) given soil
Percent passing sieve
36 min. 95
No. 200 Sieve
Liquid Limit (LL) 41 min. 60
Plasticity Index (PI) 11 min. 40
PI > 𝐿𝐿 − 30 40 > 60 − 30

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SAMPLE PROBLEM 3
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.
𝐺𝐼 = 𝐹200 − 35 0.2 + 0.005 𝐿𝐿 − 40 + 0.01 𝐹200 − 15 𝑃𝐼 − 10
𝐺𝐼 = 95 − 35 0.2 + 0.005 60 − 40 + 0.01 95 − 15 40 − 10
𝐺𝐼 = 42
The soil is classified as A-7-6 (42).

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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)

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UNIFIED SOIL CLASSIFICATION
SYSTEM
Some or all of the following must be known:
• Percent of Gravel – fraction passing the 76.2-mm sieve and
retained on the No.4 sieve (4.75-mm opening)
• Percent of Sand - fraction passing the No.4 sieve and retained
on the No.200 sieve (0.075-mm opening)
• Percent of Silt and Clay – fraction finer than the No.200 sieve
• Uniformity Coefficient (Cu) and the Coefficient of Gradation
(Cc)
• Liquid Limit and Plasticity Index of the portion of soil passing
the No.40 sieve.
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UNIFIED SOIL CLASSIFICATION
SYSTEM
Most recently, ASTM designation D-2487 created an elaborate
system to assign group names to soils and one needs to
remember that, in a given soil:
• Fine Fraction - percent passing No. 200 sieve
• Coarse Fraction – percent retained on No. 200 sieve
• Gravel Fraction – percent retained on No. 4 sieve
• Sand Fraction – (percent retained on No. 200 sieve) – (percent
retained on No. 4 sieve)

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UNIFIED SOIL CLASSIFICATION
SYSTEM

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UNIFIED SOIL CLASSIFICATION
SYSTEM

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UNIFIED SOIL CLASSIFICATION
SYSTEM

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UNIFIED SOIL CLASSIFICATION
SYSTEM
FIGURE 5.6

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UNIFIED SOIL CLASSIFICATION
SYSTEM
FIGURE 5.6

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AASHTO vs. USCS
AASHTO USCS
• A soil is considered fine • A soil is considered fine
grained when more than 35% grained when more than 50%
passes through the No. 200 passes through the No. 200
sieve sieve
• The No. 10 sieve is used to • The No. 4 sieve is used to
separate gravel from sand. separate gravel from sand.
• Uses the “A” symbol to • More descriptive of the soil
describe soils. properties
• Separates gravelly and sandy
soil clearly.
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SAMPLE PROBLEM 4
The results of the particle-size analysis of a soil are as follows:
• Percent passing the No.10 sieve = 100
• Percent passing the No. 40 sieve = 80
• Percent passing the No. 200 sieve = 58

The liquid limit and plasticity index of the minus No.40 fraction of
the soil are 30 and 10, respectively. Classify the soil by the
Unified Classification System.

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 • Percent passing the No.10 sieve = 100
SAMPLE PROBLEM 4 • Percent passing the No. 40 sieve = 80
• Percent passing the No. 200 sieve = 58
• LL = 30 ; PI = 10

The Group Name for the soil is CL.

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 • Percent passing the No.10 sieve = 100
SAMPLE PROBLEM 4 • Percent passing the No. 40 sieve = 80
• Percent passing the No. 200 sieve = 58
• LL = 30 ; PI = 10

The Group Name for the soil is Sandy Lean Clay.

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