How to Classify a Soil Using the AASHTO Classification System: Created by Tarzaghi and Hogentogler in 1928, it was one

of the first engineering classification systems. Intended specifically for use in highway construction, it still survives as the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) system. It rates soils for their suitability for support of roadway pavements, and is still widely used in 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). Group index values near 0 indicate good soils, while values of 20 or more indicate very poor soils. However, a soil that may be "good" for use as a highway subgrade might be "very poor" for other purposes, and vice versa. The system itself requires only that a portion of soil to pass through a 3-inch sieve. If any material does not pass the 3-inch sieve, its percentage by weight should be recorded and noted with the classification. The table below can be used to determine the group classification. Begin on the left side with A-1-a soils and check each of the criteria. If all have been met, then this is the group classification. If any criterion is not met, move to the right and repeat the process, continuing until all the criteria have been satisfied. Do NOT begin at the middle of the chart.

The group index can be found by using the following equation: ( 5.1 page 140 in text): Group Index = (F-35) [0.2+0.005(wL - 40)] + 0.01(F-15)(IP - 10) Where: F= fines content (expressed as a percentage)

wL= liquid limit IP= plasticity index

When evaluating the group index for A-2-6 or A-2-7 soils, use only the second term in equation 5.1. For all soils, express the group index as a whole number. Computed group index values of less than zero should be reported as zero. Finally, express the AASHTO soil classification as the group classification (A-1 through A-8), followed by the group index in parentheses. For example, a soil with a group classification of A-4 and a group index of 20 will be reported as A-4(20). -Caduto,D. (1998), "AASHTO Soil Classification System," Soil Classification, Chapter 5 in Geotechnical Engineering, pp139-140, ALAN APT.

AASHTO Soil Classification System (from AASHTO M 145 or ASTM D3282) General Classification Granular Materials (35% or less passing the 0.075 mm sieve) A-1 A-1-a A-3 A-1-b Silt-Clay Materials (>35% passing the 0.075 mm sieve) A-5 A-6 A-7 A-7-5 A7-6

Group Classification

A-2 A-4 A-2- A-2- A-2- A-24 5 6 7

Sieve Analysis, % passing 2.00 mm (No. 10) 0.425 (No. 40) 0.075 (No. 200)

50 max 30 max 50 max 51 min 15 max 25 max 10 max

36 min

36 min

36 min

35 35 35 35 36 max max max max min

Characteristics of fraction passing 0.425 mm (No. 40) Liquid Limit

40 41 40 41 max min max min Plasticity Index 6 max N.P. 10 10 11 11 max max min min Usual types of significant stone fragments, fine silty or clayey gravel constituent materials gravel and sand sand and sand General rating as a excellent to good subgrade

40 41 max min 10 10 max max silty soils fair to poor

40 41 min max 1 11 11 min min clayey soils

eg. 5.2 (text p. 141) A soil sample is given: LL=44, PL=21, therefore pasticity index :23 ( 44-21=23) 92% passing #10 sieve, 74% passing # 40 sieve 54% passing #200 sieve , since more than 35% passes (A1-A2-7) A-4: LL too high A-5: Ip too high A-6: LL too high A-7: all criteria met, yay! A-7-6 because Ip is greater than LL minus 30... Group Index # per formula above(5.1, pg 140) 9=(54-35) [0.2+0.005(44-40)] + 0.01(54-15)(23-10) A-7-6 (9)