CE

242: Civil Engineering Materials

Soil ClassicaGon

Arghya Das
Department of Civil Engineering
IIT Kanpur
E: arghya@iitk.ac.in
T:~6978

U.S. Department of Agriculture textural classification

Soil Textural ClassicaGon based on the size of parGcles only

Soil Frac6on
Gravel

Size (diameter) in mm
>2.00

Sand

2.00 0.05

Silt

0.05 0.002

Clay

<0.002

% of parGcles higher than sand size is subtracted and classicaGon is done based on
the remaining soil.
*chart does not always correctly express the physical characterisGcs of the soil,
parGcularly for the clays.

U.S. Department of Agriculture textural classification

30% sand
40% silt
30% clay
Clay - loam

American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials

(AASHTO)

q Also known as Highway Research Board ClassicaGon in 1945 (ASTM designaGon

D-3282; AASHTO method M145).
q Developed for dierent layers of pavement design.
q Seven (7) groups are there: A-1 to A-7.
q A-1 to A-3: Granular materials, 35% or less parGcles pass through No. 200 sieve.
q A-4 to A-7: Clay-silt, more than 35% parGcles pass through No. 200 sieve.
q A 1 and A 2 are further subdivided in subgroups

q US No. 10 2 mm
q US No. 40 0.425 mm
q US No. 200 0.075 mm

American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials

(AASHTO)

American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials

(AASHTO)
Group Index (GI) - In general, the quality of performance of a soil as a subgrade
material is inversely proporGonal to the group index.
GI = 0
GI = 0.01(F200 15)(PI - 10)
GI = (F200 35)(0.2 + 0.005(wL 40)) + 0.01(F200 15)(PI - 10)

For A-1-a to A-2-5

For A-2-6 to A-2-7
For A-4 to A-7

q NegaGve GI is zero.
q GI is rounded o to nearest whole number
q Example:
- No. 10 passing 95%
- No. 200 passing 75%
- Liquid limit 56%
- PlasGc limit 31%

- A-4 to A-7
- A-5 or A-7
PlasGcity index = 56 31 = 25 - A-7
Liquid limit 30 = 26 > PlasGcity index = 25 - A-7-5
GI = 20

- A-7-5(20)

Unified soil classification system (USCS)

q U.S. Bureau of ReclamaGon (ASTM designaGon D-2487).
q Developed for most of the geotechnical construcGon work.
q Two major groups are there based on percent (50%) passing No. 200 sieve
q Total 15 subgroups are there.
q Subgroups are named with two lelers, rst one main soil, second gradaGon or
plasGcity

G Gravel
S Sand
C Clay
M Silt
O organic clay or silt
Pt - Peat

W well graded
P poorly graded
L low plasticity
H high plasticity
C Clay
M Silt

q US No. 4 4.75 mm
q US No. 200 0.075 mm

Plasticity chart for unified soil classification system

Indian Standard (Soil) Classification System (IS:1498 1970)

q Modied over USCS by adding another subgroup for ne grained soil,

q Two major groups are there based on percent (50%) passing 0.075 mm sieve
q Total 18 subgroups are there.
G Gravel
S Sand
C Clay
M Silt
O organic clay or silt
Pt - Peat
W well graded
P poorly graded
L low plasticity
I intermediate plasticity
H high plasticity
C Clay
M Silt

Problem 1:
Mechanical analysis on four dierent samples designated as A, B, C and D were carried
out in a soil laboratory. The results of tests are given below. Hydrometer analysis was
carried out on sample D. A, B, and C are non-plasGc.
Sample D: liquid limit = 42, plasGc limit = 24, plasGcity index =18
Classify the soils per the Unied Soil ClassicaGon System.

100

Sample A:
More than 50% gravel
size (4.75 mm)
Less than 5% nes
(0.075 mm) GW

80
60

Sample D:
More than 50% or
more passes 4.75 mm.
Liquid limit less than
50%
Plots above A line CL

40
20
0
0.001

0.01

Sample

D10

D60

D30

Cu = (D60/D10)

Cc = (D30)^2/(D60*D10)

0.47

16

3.5

34

1.6

B
C

0.1

10

100