Module 4

Classification of Soil
 Classification of Soil
Textural Classification
In a general sense, texture of soil refers to its surface appearance. Soil texture is influenced
by the size of the individual particles present in it.
Figure 4.1 shows the textural classification systems developed by the U.S. Department of
Agriculture (USDA). This classification method is based on the particle-size limits as described
under the USDA system in Table 1.3; 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
 Classification of Soil

Figure 4.1 U.S. Department of Agriculture Textural Classification Chart

 Classification of Soil
Example 4.1
Classify the following soils according to the USDA textural classification system.

Particle-size distribution Soil

(%) A B C D
Gravel 10 21 0 12
Sand 20 12 18 22
Silt 41 35 24 26
Clay 29 32 58 40
 Classification of Soil
Classification by Engineering Behavior

• The textural classification of soil is based solely on the particle-size distribution.

• They do not take plasticity into account and are not totally indicative of many important soil
properties.
• They are inadequate for most engineering purposes.
• The amount and type of clay minerals present in fine-grained soils dictate to a great extent
their physical properties
• Hence, the soils engineer must consider plasticity, which results from the presence of
clay minerals, to interpret soil characteristics properly.
Currently, two more elaborate classification systems are commonly used by soils engineers.
Both systems take into consideration the particle-size distribution and Atterberg limits.
1. American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO)
classification system
2. Unified Soil Classification System (USCS).
 Classification of Soil
AASHTO Classification System

This classification system is based on the following criteria:

[Link] size:
a. Gravel: fraction passing the 75-mm sieve and retained on the No. 10 U.S. sieve
b. Sand: fraction passing the No. 10 U.S. sieve and retained on the No. 200 U. S. sieve
c. Silt and clay: fraction passing the No. 200 U.S. sieve

2. Plasticity:

a. The term silty is applied when the fine fractions of the soil have a plasticity index of 10 or
less.
b. The term clayey is applied when the fine fractions have a plasticity index of 11 or more.
 Classification of Soil
3. If cobbles and boulders (size larger than 76.2 mm) are encountered, they are excluded from
the portion of the soil sample from which classification is made. However, the percentage of
such material is recorded.

To classify a soil according to Table 4.1, one must apply the test data from left to right. By
process of elimination, the first group from the left into which the test data fit is the correct
classification.
Classification of Soil
Classification of Soil
 Classification of Soil
To evaluate the quality of a soil as a highway subgrade material, one must also incorporate a number called the group
index (GI) with the groups and subgroups of the soil.

GI = (F200 – 35)[0.2 + 0.005(LL – 40)] + 0.01(F200 – 15)(PI – 10) (4.1)

where: F200 = percentage passing through the No. 200 sieve

LL = liquid limit
PI = plasticity index
(F200 - 35)[0.2 + 0.005(LL - 40)] = the partial group index determined from the liquid limit.

0.01(F200 - 15)(PI - 10) = the partial group index determined from the plasticity index.

1. If Eq. (4.1) yields a negative value for GI, it is taken as 0.

[Link] group index calculated from the above equation is rounded off to the nearest whole number.
[Link] is no upper limit for the group index.
[Link] group index of soils belonging to groups A-1-a, A-1-b, A-2-4, A-2-5, and A-3 is always 0.
[Link] calculating the group index for soils that belong to groups A-2-6 and A-2-7, use the partial group index for PI.

In general, the quality of performance of a soil as a subgrade material is inversely proportional to the group index .
 Classification of Soil
Example 4.2
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 AASHTO system.
 Classification of Soil
Example 4.3
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.

Example 4.4
Classify the following soil by the AASHTO Classification System:
• Percentage passing No. 10 sieve = 90
• Percentage passing No. 40 sieve = 76
• Percentage passing No. 200 sieve = 34
• Liquid limit (–No. 40 fraction) = 37
• Plasticity index (–No. 40 fraction) = 12
 Classification of Soil
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.

This system classifies soils into two broad categories:

1. Coarse-grained soils that are gravelly and sandy in nature with less than 50% passing through the
No. 200 sieve. The group symbols start with a prefix of G or S. G stands for gravel or gravelly soil, and
S for sand or sandy soil.

2. Fine-grained soils are with 50% or more passing through the No. 200 sieve. The group symbols
start with prefixes of M, which stands for inorganic silt, C for inorganic clay, or O for organic silts and
clays.
The symbol Pt is used for peat, muck, and other highly organic soils.
Other symbols used for the classification are:
• W—well graded
• P—poorly graded
• L—low plasticity (liquid limit less than 50)
• H—high plasticity (liquid limit more than 50)
Classification of Soil
 Classification of Soil

Figure 4.2 Plasticity chart

 Classification of Soil
For proper classification according to this system, the following information
must be known:

1. Percent of gravel - the fraction passing the 76.2-mm sieve and retained
on the No. 4 sieve (4.75-mm opening)
2. Percent of sand - the fraction passing the No. 4 sieve (4.75-mm
opening) and retained on the No. 200 sieve (0.075-mm opening)
3. Percent of silt and clay - the fraction finer than the No. 200 sieve (0.075-mm
opening)
4. Uniformity coefficient (Cu) and the coefficient of gradation (Cc)
5. Liquid limit and plasticity index of the portion of soil passing the No. 40 sieve
 Classification of Soil
Example 4.5
For a given soil, the following are known:
• Percentage passing No. 4 sieve = 70
• Percentage passing No. 200 sieve = 30
• Liquid limit = 33
• Plastic limit = 12
Classify the soil using the Unified Soil Classification System. Give the group
symbol and the group name.