TYPES OF SOIL (VISUAL-MANUAL PROCEDURE)

1. Cobbles - particles of rock that will pass a 12-in.

(300-mm) square opening and be retained on a 3-in. (75-
mm) sieve.

2. Boulders - particles of rock that will not pass a 12-in. (300-mm) square
opening.

3. Clay - soil passing a No. 200 (75-µm) sieve that can be

made to exhibit plasticity (putty-like properties) within a
range of water contents, and that exhibits considerable
strength when air-dry.

4. Gravel - particles of rock that will pass a 3-in. (75- mm) sieve and be retained
on a No. 4 (4.75-mm) sieve with the following subdivisions:
a. Coarse - passes a 3-in. (75-mm) sieve and is retained
on a 3⁄4-in. (19-mm) sieve.

b. Fine - passes a 3⁄4-in. (19-mm) sieve and is retained

on a No. 4 (4.75-mm) sieve.

5. Organic clay - a clay with sufficient organic content to influence the soil
properties. For classification, an organic clay is a soil that would be classified as a
clay, except that its liquid limit value after oven drying is less than 75 % of its
liquid limit value before oven drying.
6. Organic silt - a silt with sufficient organic content to influence the soil
properties.
7. Peat - a soil composed primarily of vegetable
tissue in various stages of decomposition usually
with an organic odor, a dark brown to black
color, a spongy consistency, and a texture
ranging from fibrous to amorphous.

8. Sand - particles of rock that will pass a No. 4 (4.75- mm) sieve and be retained
on a No. 200 (75-µm) sieve with the following subdivisions:
a. coarse—passes a No. 4 (4.75-mm) sieve
and is retained on a No. 10 (2.00-mm) sieve.
b. medium—passes a No. 10 (2.00-mm) sieve
and is retained on a No. 40 (425-µm) sieve.
c. fine—passes a No. 40 (425-µm) sieve and is
retained on a No. 200 (75-µm) sieve.

9. Silt - soil passing a No. 200 (75-µm) sieve

that is non-plastic or very slightly plastic and
that exhibits little or no strength when air
dry.

Soil Testing Methods | Visual and Manual Soil

Testing Methods
1. Visual Soil Test

Visual tests are an important part of soil testing and can provide valuable insight
into the condition of the soil. Visual tests involve examining a sample of soil’s
appearance and physical characteristics. They can identify problems with soil
texture, colour, compaction, drainage, surface crusting, salinity levels, nutrient
levels, pH and more.
Visual testing involves looking at the soil and the area around the excavation site
for signs of instability. The competent person might do visual tests such as the
following:

 Observe the soil as it is excavated. Soil that remains in large clumps when
excavated may be cohesive. Soil that breaks up easily is granular.
 Examine the particle sizes of excavated soil to determine how they hold
together.
 Look for cracks or fissures in the faces of the excavation.
 Look for layers of different soil types and the angle of the layers in the face of
the excavation that may indicate instability.
 Look for water seeping from the sides of the excavation.
 Look for signs of previously disturbed soil from other construction or
excavation work. Consider vibration from construction activity or highway
traffic that may affect the stability of the excavation.

2. Manual Soil Test

Manual testing involves evaluating a soil sample from the excavation to determine
qualities such as cohesiveness, granularity, and unconfined compressive strength.
Soil can be tested on-site or off-site but should be tested as soon as possible to
preserve its natural moisture.

Manual soil test methods are widely used to determine soil samples’ physical and
chemical properties. These tests indicate a soil sample’s composition, fertility, pH,
etc. Manual tests can be done on-site with basic tools such as trowels and spoons
or in a laboratory using specialized equipment.

Manual Test Examples

 Plasticity test: This is sometimes called the “pencil test.” Shape a moist soil
sample into a ball and try to roll it into threads about 1/8-inch in diameter.
Cohesive soil will roll into 1/8-inch threads without crumbling.
 Dry strength test: Hold a dry soil sample in your hand. If the soil is dry and
crumbles on its own or with moderate pressure into individual grains or fine
powder, it’s granular. If the soil breaks into clumps that are hard to break into
smaller clumps, it may be clay combined with gravel, sand, or silt.
 Thumb penetration test: This test roughly estimates the unconfined
compressive strength of a sample. Press your thumb into the soil sample. If
the sample resists hard pressure, it may be type A soil. If it’s easy to
penetrate, the sample may be type C.
 Pocket penetrometers: offer more accurate estimates of unconfined
compressive strength. These instruments estimate the unconfined
compressive strength of saturated cohesive soils. When pushed into the
sample, an indicator sleeve displays an estimate in tons per square foot or
kilograms per square centimetre.