DIVISION OF STATE FIRE MARSHAL

BUREAU OF UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANK REGULATIONS

FACT SHEET
www.com.state.oh.us

Bob Taft
Governor

Lt. Governor Jennette Bradley

Director

Stephen K. Woltz
State Fire Marshal

Peter A. Chace
Bureau Chief

SOIL CLASSIFICATION
Effective March 31, 1999, Ohio Administrative Code (OAC) rule 1301:7-9-12 (the closure rule) and rule
1301:7-9-13 (the corrective action rule) were revised and now reference standardized methods for soil
classification. The referenced methods include ASTM D2488-90 (Description and Identification of Soils) and
the Unified Soil Classification System, which is ASTM method D2487-92 (Classification of Soils for Engineering
Purposes). These methods have been superceded by ASTM D2488-00 and ASTM D2487-00, however the
use of any of these methods is acceptable. While quantitative (laboratory) analyses are not required by BUSTR
for soil classification purposes, such analyses may be appropriate as a part of a Tier 2 Evaluation. Information
concerning ASTM methods may be located on their website at www.astm.org.
CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
Although not mandatory, BUSTR strongly recommends that an environmental professional (i.e., geologist,
engineer, or scientist), competent and experienced in soil classification, perform the required field and final site
soil classification activities. The person classifying site soil must complete and sign the BUSTR Soil
Classification Form and submit it as a part of each corresponding report.
SOIL CLASSIFICATION FIELD ACTIVITIES AND DEFAULTS
Soil classification must be based on site specific field data collected in and around the source (release) area.
Such field data may include samples collected from a tank excavation, trench, or a continuously logged soil
boring. If soil classification is not performed, or if shallow bedrock is encountered, then the soil type defaults to
the sand/gravel classification. If site soil contains extensive bedding/layering, then the most appropriate
classification(s) should be made, but with a bias toward the more permeable materials. Site soil classification
may require revision as additional soil data becomes available during the corrective action process.
COMPLETION OF THE BUSTR SOIL CLASSIFICATION FORM
Completion of the BUSTR Soil Classification Form involves the classification of site soil into one or more of the
15 ASTM soil subdivisions (e.g., GW, SP, CL, etc.). Next, the corresponding BUSTR soil classification (e.g.,
sand/gravel, silty/clayey sands, clay/silt) must be selected (see the Soil Classification Form on Page 3).
Finally, the pathway-specific classifications must be completed by identifying the ASTM subdivision (symbol)
that is applicable to each pathway (as necessary) on the lower portion of the form.

Bureau of Underground Storage Tank Regulations

6606 Tussing Road, P.O. Box 687, Reynoldsburg, Ohio 43068-9009 (614) 752-7938
(07/00)

EXAMPLE OF PATHWAY -SPECIFIC SOIL CLASSIFICATION (TIER 1 SCENARIO)

Soil boring logs indicate mainly silty/clayey sands (field data indicates ML) to approximately 10 feet below
ground surface (bgs), grading to sand/gravel (field data indicates GM) and extending to approximately 25 feet
bgs. The majority of soil contamination is located between 10 feet and the ground water interface. Ground
water is located between 18 and 20 bgs, and is classified as drinking water (DW). A building on a concrete
slab (i.e., no basement) exists on the site.
Classification by Pathway
Pathway
Direct Contact
Soil to DW Leaching
Soil to Non-DW Leaching

Soil Type
ML
GM
GM

Pathway
Soil to Indoor Air
GW to Indoor Air
GW Ingestion

Soil Type
GM
GM
N/A

Direct Contact: ML is selected because direct contact is expected to occur within 10 feet of the surface, where
the silty/clayey sand (ML) exists. However, soil classification becomes an issue for this pathway in the Tier 2
Evaluation.
Soil to Drinking Water Leaching: GM is selected because it is the soil type encountered between the
contaminated zone and the ground water interface, where leaching would occur.
Soil to Non-Drinking Water Leaching: The site scenario indicates that ground water is classified as drinking
water, therefore soil classification is not required. However, if ground water had been classified as not being
drinking water, then a determination for this pathway would be necessary and would be the same as that for
the Soil to Drinking Water Leaching pathway.
Soil to Indoor Air: GM is selected because in Tier 1 it is assumed that a building with a basement could be built
over a portion of a UST excavation (or other remedial excavation) previously backfilled with porous material
(e.g., pea gravel). In Tier 2, site-specific data, engineering controls, and/or deed restrictions may be used to
render this pathway incomplete.
Ground Water to Indoor Air: GM is selected for the same reasons as in the Soil to Indoor Air pathway.
Ground Water Ingestion: This pathway does not require that site soil be classified.
FURTHER EVALUATION
As a Tier Evaluation progresses, it may be necessary to more extensively evaluate site soil to secure sitespecific data for parameters such as total organic carbon, permeability, moisture content, porosity, and/or
density. This typically involves collection of soil samples via a shelby tube, and/or the performance of
quantitative testing (sieve analyses). It is important to note that the depth, location, and number of shelby
tubes taken may have a significant impact on the final results of a Tier Evaluation. Data should be collected
from several sampling locations (in both the saturated and unsaturated zones), with the more conservative
results being used in the Tier Evaluation (equations). Please note that data for certain soil parameters (e.g.,
total organic carbon) should not be collected from the source (release) area.

Bureau of Underground Storage Tank Regulations

6606 Tussing Road, P.O. Box 687, Reynoldsburg, Ohio 43068-9009 (614) 752-7938
(07/00)

BUSTR Soil Classification Form

Major Divisions

Letter
Symbol

Typical
Description

GW

Well-Graded Gravels, GravelSand Mixtures, Little or No

Fines

GP

Poorly -Graded Gravels,

Gravel-Sand mixtures, Little
or No Fines

GM

Silty Gravels, Gravel-SandSilt Mixtures

Gravel and

Clean Gravels

Gravelly
Soils

(Little or No Fines)

Coarse
Grained

More than 50% of

Coarse

Gravels With
Fines

Soils

Fraction Retained on
No. 4 Sieve

(Appreciable Amount of
Fines)

GC

Clayey Gravels, GravelSand-Clay Mixtures

Sand and
Sandy Soils

Clean Sand

SW

Well-Graded Sands, Gravelly

Sands, Little or No Fines

More than 50% of

Coarse

Sands with
Fines

Fraction Passing No.

4 Sieve

(Apprec iable amount of

fines)

More than 50% of Material

Fine Grained

Silts and
Clays

Sand/

(Little or no fines)

is Greater than #200 Sieve

Liquid Limit <50

Soils

SP

Poorly -Graded Sands,

Gravelly Sands, Little or No
fines

SM

Silty -Sands, Sand-Silt

Mixtures

SC

Clayey Sands, Sand-Clay

Mixtures

ML

Inorganic Silts and Very Fine

Sands, Rock Flour, Silty or
Clayey Fine Sands or Clayey
Silts with Slight Plasticity

CL
OL
MH

More than 50% of Material

Silts and
Clays

Liquid Limit >50

Pathway
Direct Contact w/soil
Soil to DW Leaching
Soil to Indoor Air

Symbol

Inorganic Clays of Low to

Medium Plasticity, Gravelly
Clays, Sandy Clays, Silty
Clays, Lean Clays

Gravel
Soil

Silty/
Clayey
Sands
Soil

Organic Silts and Organic

Silty Clays of Low Plasticity
Inorganic Silts, Micaceous or
Diatomaceous Fine Sand or
Silty Soils

CH

Inorganic Clays of High

Plasticity, Fat Clays

OH

Organic Clays of Medium to

High Plasticity, Organic Silts

PT

Peat, humus, Swamp Soils

with High Organic Contents

is Smaller than #200 Sieve

Highly Organic Soils

BUSTR
Class

Clay/

Pathway
GW to Indoor Air
GW Ingestion
Soil to Non-DW Leaching

Silt
Soils

Symbol

I have inspected the soil at:_______________________________________________________________ Ohio.

Name (Printed):_____________________________________________________________________________
(Name of Classifier, Title, Firm Name)

Signature:___________________________________________________________Date:__________________

Bureau of Underground Storage Tank Regulations

6606 Tussing Road, P.O. Box 687, Reynoldsburg, Ohio 43068-9009 (614) 752-7938
(07/00)

Bureau of Underground Storage Tank Regulations

6606 Tussing Road, P.O. Box 687, Reynoldsburg, Ohio 43068-9009 (614) 752-7938
(07/00)