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Soil
Very coarse
soils
BOULDERS
> 200 mm
COBBLES
60 - 200 mm
G
GRAVEL
Coarse
soils
S
SAND
Fine
soils
M
SILT
coarse
20 - 60 mm
medium
6 - 20 mm
fine
2 - 6 mm
coarse
0.6 - 2.0 mm
medium
0.2 - 0.6 mm
fine
0.06 - 0.2 mm
coarse
0.02 - 0.06 mm
medium
0.006 - 0.02 mm
fine
0.002 - 0.006 mm
C CLAY
< 0.002 mm
Natural soils are rarely the same from one point in the ground to
another. The content and nature of grains varies, but more
importantly, so does the arrangement of these.
The arrangement and organisation of particles and other features
within a soil mass is termed its structure or fabric. This includes
bedding orientation, stratification, layer thickness, the occurrence of
joints and fissures, the occurrence of voids, artefacts, tree roots and
nodules, the presence of cementing or bonding agents between
grains.
Structural features can have a major influence on in situ properties.
Vertical and horizontal permeabilities will be different in
alternating layers of fine and coarse soils.
The presence of fissures affects some aspects of strength.
The presence of layers or lenses of different stiffness can affect
stability.
The presence of cementing or bonding influences strength and
stiffness.
Bibliography
Davison, D. L. (2000, May). University of The West of The England. Retrieved 09
15, 2015, from Soil Description and Classification:
http://environment.uwe.ac.uk/geocal/SoilMech/classification/soilclas.htm#
CLASSSTATE
Khan, H. J. (2014). Composition And Bitumen Properties. Retrieved 09 15, 2015,
from Civil Engineering Portal: www.abotcivil.org