Scribd
Upload
445 views4 pages

AASHTO Soil Classification Overview

The AASHTO soil classification system categorizes soils into 8 groups based on mechanical analysis, liquid limit, and plasticity index tests. Soils are classified based on grain size, plasticity, and placement in the groups A-1 through A-8, with A-1 through A-3 being coarse-grained soils and A-4 through A-7 being fine-grained soils. The system is used to classify soils for highways, roads, and airfields based on their engineering properties and suitability for subgrade materials.

Uploaded by

Fred Bamwine
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
445 views4 pages

AASHTO Soil Classification Overview

The AASHTO soil classification system categorizes soils into 8 groups based on mechanical analysis, liquid limit, and plasticity index tests. Soils are classified based on grain size, plasticity, and placement in the groups A-1 through A-8, with A-1 through A-3 being coarse-grained soils and A-4 through A-7 being fine-grained soils. The system is used to classify soils for highways, roads, and airfields based on their engineering properties and suitability for subgrade materials.

Uploaded by

Fred Bamwine
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
  • AASHTO Soil Classification System
  • Group Index Calculation
  • Description of Groups & Subgroups
  • Classification Table for Highways

AASHTO Soil Classification System

AASHTO stands for American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.


AASHTO proposed soil classification in 1929 and had undergone several revisions till now.
It is widely used to classify soil for construction of roads, highways, and airfield (runways,
taxiways) especially for subgrade material. Pre-requisites of AASHTO soil classification system
are:
1)                  Mechanical analysis
2)                  Liquid limit
3)                  Plasticity Index.

Grain Size:
1)                  Gravel: Fraction passing 75mm sieve and retained on #10 (2mm) US sieve
2)                  Sand: Fraction passing #10 sieve and retained #200 sieve
3)                  Silt and Clay: Fraction passing #200 sieve

Plasticity:
1)                  Term silty is applied when fine fractions have a PI < 10
2)                  Term clayey is applied when fine fractions have PI > 11

Note:   If cobbles and boulders (larger than 75mm) are encountered, they are excluded from the
portion of the soil sample on which classification is made. However, %age of such material is
recorded.

Groups:
Soils are classified into eight groups, A-1 through [Link] major groups A-1, A-2, and a-3
represent the coarse grained soils and the A-4, A-5, A-6, and A-7 represent fine grained soils. A-
8 are identified by visual inspection. The ranges of the LL and PI for groups A-4, A-5 A-6 and
A-7 are shown in Fig.1.
Figure 1: Ranges of liquid limit and plasticity index for A-4, A-5, A-6 and A-7.
 
Group Index (GI)
For qualitative evaluation of a given soil, a number referred as the Group Index has also been
developed.
GI = ( F200-35 ) [ 0.2 + 0.005 ( LL-40) ] + 0.01 ( F200-15 ) ( PI–10)
Where;
F or F200 is %age passing #200 sieves expressed as whole number (also called as fine fraction)
LL is liquid limit of soil
PI is Plasticity Index of soil

The higher the value of GI the weaker will be the soil and vice versa. Thus, quality of
performance of a soil as a subgrade material is inversely proportional to GI . A soil having GI of
zero is considered as the best. If equation gives negative value for GI, consider it zero. Always
round off the GI to nearest whole number. 
GI = 0 for soils of groups A-1-a, A-1-b, A-2-4, A-2-5, and A-3. For groups A-2-6 and A-2-7 use
partial GI for PI only.

DESCRIPTION OF GROUPS & SUBGROUPS:


·           Group A-1.     The typical material of this group is a well-graded mixture of stone fragments or
gravels, coarse sand, fine sand, and a non-plastic or sligthly plastic soil binder. This group also
includes stone fragments, gravels, coarse sand, volcanic cinders etc, without a well-graded binder
of fine material.
·                    Subgroup A-1-a includes those materials consisting predominantly of stone fragments or
gravel, either with or without a well-graded binder of fine material.
·                  Subgroup A-1-b includes those materials consisting predominantly of coarse sand with or
without a well-graded soil binder.
·         Group A-3.     The typical material of this group is fine beach sand or fine desert blown sand
without silty or clayey fines or with a small amount of non-plastic silt. This group includes also
stream-deposited mixtures of poorly graded fine sand and limited amounts of coarse sand and
gravel.
·        Group A-2.     This group includes a wide variety of “granular” materials, which are at the
borderline between the materials falling in groups A-1 and A-3 and the silty-clay materials of
group A-4 through A-7. It include any materials not more than 35% of which passes a #200 sieve
and which cannot be classified as A-1 or A-3 because of having fines content or plasticity, or
both, in excess of the limitations for those groups.
·          Group A-4.     The typical material of this group is a non-plastic or moderately plastic silty soil
75% or more of which usually passes the #200 sieve. The group also includes mixture of fine
silty soil and up to 64% of sand and gravel retained on the #200 sieve.
·          Group [Link] typical material of this group is similar to that described under Group A-4, but it
may be highly elastic, as indicated by high liquid limit.
·         Group A-6.     The typical material of this group is a plastic clay soil 75% or more of which
usually passes the #200 sieve. The group also includes mixtures of fine clayey soil and up to
64% of sand and gravel retained on the #200 sieve. Materials of this group usually have high
volume change between wet and dry states.
·           Group A-7. The typical material of this group is similar to that described under Group A-6, but
it has the high liquid limits characteristics of the A-5 group and may be elastic as well as subject
to high volume change.
·                     Subgroup A-7-5 includes those materials which have moderate plasticity indexes in
relation to liquid limit and which may be highly elastic as well as subject to considerable volume
change.
·                     Subgroup A-7-6 includes those materials which have high plasticity indexes in relation to
liquid limit and which are subject to extremely high volume change.
·        Group A-8.     The typical material of this group is peat and muck soil ordinarily found in
obviously unstable, swampy areas. Characterized by:
·                     low density
·                     high compressibility
·                     high water content and
·                     high organic matter content.
Table 1.    Classification of Highways subgrade material

Common questions

Powered by AI

Mechanical analysis in the AASHTO classification is significant because it determines the grain size distribution, which is essential for classifying soils. By identifying fractions such as gravel, sand, silt, and clay, mechanical analysis informs the proper classification group, impacting decisions on suitability for construction purposes. It serves as a foundation for assessing other characteristics like placticity index and liquid limit .

Group A-1 soils are characterized as well-graded mixtures of stone fragments, gravel, and sand with a non-plastic or slightly plastic soil binder. This group includes materials like volcanic cinders without a well-graded fine material binder. A-1 soils are ideal for construction projects requiring subgrade material due to their stability and compactness. They have low Groun Index and are often used in roads and airfields .

The AASHTO soil classification system differentiates soils into eight major groups, with Group A-1 to A-3 representing coarse-grained soils and Groups A-4 to A-7 representing fine-grained soils. Coarse-grained soils are characterized by a low percentage of fine fractions passing the #200 sieve, whereas fine-grained soils have a higher fine fraction percentage typically passing the #200 sieve. Additionally, plasticity is assessed through parameters like the plasticity index (PI) for fine-grained soils .

The AASHTO system addresses variability in plasticity and liquid limits within fine-grained soils by creating subgroups (e.g., A-7-5 and A-7-6) specifically defined by their liquid limit and plasticity index. Modifications in these indices lead to different categorizations that reflect expected field behavior, such as elasticity and volume change potential. High PI soils like A-7-6 are identified as subject to extreme volume change, influencing their suitability for particular engineering projects. These stratifications enable a more precise alignment of soil properties with their intended construction use .

AASHTO's Group Index aids decision-making for road construction by evaluating the qualitative performance of soils as subgrade materials. A lower GI indicates better soil with superior load-bearing capacity and reduced maintenance needs. Engineers use GI values to predict long-term behavior under traffic loads, optimizing material selection and resource allocation. This enhances both project efficacy and sustainability by prioritizing soils that minimize construction costs and maximize road durability .

The Group Index (GI) is calculated using the formula: GI = (F200-35) [0.2 + 0.005(LL-40)] + 0.01(F200-15)(PI-10), which factors in the percentage passing #200 sieve, the liquid limit, and the plasticity index of the soil. GI offers a qualitative measure of soil performance as a subgrade material by indicating its quality; the lower the GI, the better the performance. Soils with GI of zero, notably from Groups A-1-a, A-1-b, and A-3, are considered superior, indicating minimal risk for structural subgrade uses .

In the AASHTO system, fine-grained soils in groups A-4 to A-7 are differentiated based on liquid limit (LL) and plasticity index (PI). Group A-4 soils have a moderate LL and non-plastic to moderately plastic PI. A-5 soils are highly elastic, indicated by a high LL. Group A-6 consists of plastic clay soils with a high PI and significant volume changes. Group A-7 is similar to A-6 but with a higher LL, and may be highly elastic. PI and LL help determine the soil's behavior, stability, and suitability for construction .

Group A-8 includes peat and muck soils primarily found in swampy, unstable areas. These are characterized by high organic content, low density, high compressibility, and high water content. Such characteristics make them unsuitable for construction foundations due to their instability and potential for high volume change, leading to structural failure. Hence, they are not recommended for subgrades unless substantially improved or replaced .

The relationship between soil plasticity and volume change is significant in engineering projects as it affects soil stability and structural integrity. Soils with a high plasticity index, such as A-6 and A-7, show considerable volume changes between wet and dry states, posing risks for foundation stability and road durability. Understanding this relationship allows engineers to anticipate and mitigate potential problems, such as cracking or uneven settlement, through soil stabilization techniques or alternate material choices .

The presence of silt and clay fines in soils classified as A-2-6 and A-2-7 is indicated by the plasticity index (PI). While A-2-6 and A-2-7 belong to the broader Group A-2, which contains granular materials at the silty-clay boundary, the finer fraction influences their PI. For A-2-6, they have significant fines with moderate plasticity impacting their classification, whereas A-2-7 typically has higher plasticity, affecting both volume change and soil behavior. Such distinctions guide engineers in determining suitability for specific construction applications based on stability and compaction characteristics .

AASHTO Soil Classification System (http://www.engineersdaily.com/2011/03/aashto-soil-classification-system.html) AASHTO stand
(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JVtvUG8w1EQ/TY7SE4Ga0sI/AAAAAAAAAVU/WOzzlDefiv0/s1600/LLnPL.PNG)Figure 1: Ranges of liquid limit
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3vnnYI8Wgpw/TY7Si6IUxwI/AAAAAAAAAVY/z85cu2MzBXg/s1600/GI.PNG)GI = 0 for soils of groups A-1-a, A-
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uaDaLkpZubI/TY7S-S3fvNI/AAAAAAAAAVg/8D35ng2h5lw/s1600/1.PNG) (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-e7nFVO3Xy

You might also like