Soil Mechanics I April

16, 2011

Soil classification systems serve two purposes:

1. They help to properly classify the soils.
2. They identify the suitability of soils for various purposes.
Points to Remember About Soil Classification Systems:

Grain size for demarcation of soil types

Different classification systems choose different grain sizes, rather arbitrarily, to demarcate the
soil type.
It must be pointed out the clay type of soils cannot be identified by particle size alone. Their
behavior is controlled by the nature of clay minerals. While coarse grained soils can be
effectively separated and identified by sieve, the fine grained soils are distinguished by means of
plasticity characteristics.
Errors in classification
Different classification systems use different criteria as distinguishing boundaries between
various soil types. Naturally, one can expect that the same soil may be classified differently by
different systems. But this error is tolerable, for soil classification can help only in a qualitative
appreciation or evaluation of the general behavior of the soil.
Use in design
Soil classification is never a suitable for detail investigation like laboratory or field testing.
Design should never be based on soil classification alone. Soil classification indicates the further
direction in which the detail investigations must be carried out. In the initial phases of project
design in preliminary designs, soil classification plays an important role in effective decision
making.

Worked Example

1. From the results of sieve analysis and Atterberg limits experiments the following data obtained.
Total weight of sieved = 250g
Sieve Size Cumulative weight retained
(mm) (g)
4.75 40
0.075 190
D60 = 2mm; D30 = 0.1 mm; D10 = 0.06 mm
From Atterberg limits: wL = 35; wp = 27.
Classify the soil according to:
a. USC and indicate the suitability of soil as “foundation for structures”.
b. AASHTO and find its suitability for use in “subgrade”.

Soln:
a. According to Unified Soil Classification System (USC)
From sieve analysis results:
Weight of soil finer than 0.075 mm = 250 – 190
= 60 g

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16, 2011

60
% finer than 0.075 mm = ×100
250

= 24 %
Soil belongs to group of “Course grained soils” since more than half of soil particles are larger than 0.075
mm. from laboratory classification criteria, since percentage fines (fraction smaller than 0.075 mm) is
more than 12 %, the soil belongs one of the groups GM, GC, SM, SC.

Total weight of soil particles larger than 0.075 mm size = 190 g

Within this coarse fraction % larger than 4.75 mm,
40
% gravel size = ×100 = 21 %
190
% sand size = 100 – 21 = 79 %
Since more than half of coarse fraction is finer than 4.75 mm, the soil belongs to category of “sands” and
possible group symbols narrow down to SM and SC.

Again from Atterberg limit results:

Ip = 35 – 27 = 8
In the plasticity chart, the point connects the values wp = 35 and Ip = 8 is below ‘A-Line’. With the
Atterberg limits below this line the classification symbol for soil is ‘SM’.
Data about D60, D30 & D10 sizes have not been used since the soil groups identified in this particular
example are not governed by index properties Cc and Cu.

Suitability for foundation

The soil SM can be rated as “average” in suitability if seepage is no consideration, since it is given a
rating of 7 on a scale of 14. But if seepage is an important consideration, the soil can be rated as “good”
since it has a better rating of 3 on scale 10.

b. According to AASHTO classification.

Since % finer than 0.075 mm is only 24 (which is < 35) the soil belongs to one of the groups of A-1, A-2
and A-3.
Again from the same consideration that 24 % is finer than 0.075 mm, the soil groups narrow down to A-
1-b and sub groups of A-2, since for A-3 and A-1-a the maximum %finer than 0.075 mm is only 10 and
15 respectively.

From the plasticity chart, since the plasticity index is 8 (>6) the soil now belongs to one of the sub groups
A-2. For wL = 35 and Ip = 8 the group to which the soil belongs is A-2-4.

Suitability for subgrade

The general rating as subgrade is excellent to good. But since the soil is towards last in the order of
arrangement of groups for such a rating, the rating for use in subgrade can be considered as “good”.

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 Soil Mechanics I April
16, 2011

Examples on Stress and Consolidation

1.

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 Soil Mechanics I April
16, 2011

2.

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 Soil Mechanics I April
16, 2011

3. Boring at foundation site shows 6m of fine sand having density of 17.658kN/m 3 over 6m thick
clay layer which has density of 15.696kN/m3. The clay layer lies over dense sand. The boring was
continued up to 20m below ground surface. The water table was located at a depth of 5m below
ground level. Consolidation test gave the following relationship b/n e and

e = 1.3 - 0.48log
The foundation of a building is to be placed at 3m below ground level due to which effective stress
increases at top and bottom layer of the clay layer will be 78.48kN/m 2 and 14.715kN/m2
respectively. Estimate the settlement expected due to the construction of the building. The stress

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 Soil Mechanics I April
16, 2011

release due to excavation for foundation may be taken as 24.525kN/m2 and 11.772kN/m2
respectively at top and bottom of the clay layer.

Soln:
The total effective stress (σ’= σ –u)
At the top of clay layer = 17.658*6-9.81 *1= 96.138kN/m2
At bottom of clay layer = 17.658*6+15.696* 6- 9.81*7= 131.454kN/m 2

To get the effective stress at the center of the clay layer we may take average of the two.

96.138+131.454
= 2 = 113.796kN/m2
eo = 1.3-0.48log113.796 = 0.313

When the construction will taken place,

effective stress ( σ ' ) =overburden stress+increase∈stress due ¿ structure load −release∈stress due ¿ excavatio

At the top of clay, σ ' = 96.138 + 78.48 - 24.525

= 150.093kN/m2

At the bottom of clay, σ ' = 131.454+14.715 - 11.772

= 134.397kN/m2
Average effective stress at the center of clay layer,
150.093+ 134.397
¿ =142.245kN/m2
2
e = 1.3-0.48log142.245
= 0.266
The required settlement, sp
ΔeHo
Sp = ΔH = 1+e o

( 0.313−0.266 )∗6
=
1+ 0.313
Sp = 0.2148m ………………….. (ANS)
4.

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 Soil Mechanics I April
16, 2011

Sol n

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