INTRODUCTION TO GEOLOGY AND SOIL MECHANICS (CGSM202)

Classification of Soil
 Learning Objectives
• Understand the textural classification of soil
• Understand how classification by engineering
behavior provides advantages over textural
classification
• Learn about the AASHTO classification system
• Learn about Unified Soil Classification System
• Know the differences and similarities between the
AASHTO and Unified Soil Classification systems
• Learn about the TRH14 classification system
 Classification Systems
● Classification systems are used to describe soils.
● In general soils contain a wide range of particle sizes.
● A means of describing the characteristics of soils with
different proportions of sand/silt/clay.
● Used to develop correlations with engineering
properties such as permeability, strength and
compressibility.
● To determine the suitability of different soils.
● There are several classification systems for soil
grains based on grain size of soil, according to which
soils have been classified as gravel, sand, silt and
clay.
 Classification Systems
● Several soil classification systems have been developed over
the years.
▪ The Unified Soil Classification System (widely used in
engineering) - based on particle size distribution and Atterberg
limits.
▪ The Soil Texture classification – uses a triangular system based
only on the percentage composition of sand, silt and clay in the
soil (not used in engineering).
▪ American Association of State Highway and Transportation
Officials (AASHTO) classification system.
● The TRH14 classification system is widely used In South Africa.
● In the TRH14 system, the untreated or granular materials are
classified as:
 TRH14 Classification System
● Graded crushed stone: G1, G2, G3
● Natural gravels (including modified and processed gravel): G4,
G5, G6
● Gravel-soil: G7, G8, G9, G10
● Waterbound macadam: WM
● Dump rock: DR
● G1 quality material must be produced from sound rock, clean,
sound mine dump rock, or clean, sound boulders. Only fines
from the same sound parent material may be added to achieve
the required grading.
● G2 and G3 quality materials specifications are slightly more
lenient and allow the use of coarse gravel as a parent material,
as well as the additional of non-parent fines.
 TRH14 Classification System
● G4 quality materials are required to fall within a grading
envelope. G5 and G6 gravels have only a maximum size, or
maximum of two thirds of the compacted layer thickness, and a
grading modulus requirement.
● G5 and G6 natural gravels are subject to minimum grading
modulus criteria, which also affects the maximum Plasticity
Index (PI) requirement for these materials.
● Besides the minimum CBR requirement, there is also a
maximum CBR swell requirement for G4, G5, and G6 quality
gravels.
● G7, G8 and G9 quality materials are naturally occurring gravels
and soils and are normally used in the lower layers of the
pavement or in the subgrade.
 TRH14 Classification System
● Typically, G7 quality materials are used in the upper selected
layer, G8 and G9 in the lower selected layer, while G10 quality
material is reserved for use in earthworks.
● The quality of the G7, G8, and G9 is controlled by CBR and
swell values.
● Waterbound Macadam is one of the oldest forms of granular
road bases and essentially consists of large, fairly single sized
rock fragments, which are placed and levelled across the width
of the pavement.
● After initial rolling to orientate the stone particles, fine
aggregate, consisting of either natural sand, crusher sand, or a
mixture of the two, is placed on top of this layer.
 TRH14 Classification System
● The fine aggregate is introduced between the large stone particles
by one or a combination of methods including water jetting,
brooming, and static or vibratory rolling.
● The main aim is to fill the voids between the large stone particles
as far as possible, creating a layer with a high level of mechanical
interlock.
● It is suited to wet conditions because the coarse granular material
interlock is less susceptible to moisture.
TRH14 Classification System
 Unified Soil Classification System (USCS)
▪ The Unified soil classification system is based on both grain size
and plasticity characteristics of soil.
▪ Divides soil into three major groups, coarse grained, fine grained
and organic soils.
▪ Coarse grained soils are those with more than 50% of the material
larger than 0.075mm size.
▪ Coarse grained soils are further classified into gravels (G) and
sands (S). Further divided into four categories according to
gradation, silt or clay content.
▪ Fine grained soils are those for which more than 50% of soil finer
than 0.075 mm sieve size.
▪ They are divided into three sub-divisions as silt (M), clay (C).
Further divided based on their plasticity nature using L and H
symbol. (L- Low Plasticity and H - High Plasticity)
 Unified Soil Classification System (USCS)
❖ Some symbols used in the Unified Soil Classification System
GW – well graded gravel
GP – poorly graded gravel
GM – silty gravel
SW – well graded sand
SP – poorly graded sand
SM – silty sand
SC – clayey sand
CL – clay of low plasticity
CH – clay of high plasticity
ML – silt of low plasticity
MH – silt of high plasticity
OL – organic soils of low plasticity
OH – organic soils of high plasticity
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Unified Soil Classification System (USCS)
● Each soil is given a 2-letter classification (e.g., SW). The
following procedure is used.
– Coarse grained (>50% larger than 75 mm)

● Prefix S if > 50% of coarse is Sand

● Prefix G if > 50% of coarse is Gravel

● Suffix depends on %fines

● if %fines < 5% suffix is either W or P

● if %fines > 12% suffix is either M or C
● if 5% < %fines < 12% Dual symbols are used
– To determine W or P, calculate Cu and Cc
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Unified Soil Classification System (USCS)
 Unified Soil Classification System
(includingUnified
identification and description)
soil classification (including identification and description)

Field identification procedures Group Information required for Laboratory classification

(Excluding particles larger than 75mm and basing fractions on symbols Typical names describing soils criteria
estimated weights) 1

Depending on percentages of fines (fraction smaller than .075mm

D

Bordeline case requiring use of dual symbols

Wide range of grain size and substantial GW Well graded gravels, gravel-
Gravels with Clean gravels

C U = --- 60 Greater than 4

Determine percentages of gravel and sand from grain size curve

Give typical names: indicate ap-
(little or no

amounts of all intermediate particle sand mixtures, little or no proximate percentages of sand D 10
fines)

sizes fines 2
and gravel: maximum size: (D30 )
More than half of coarse

C c = ---------------------
fraction is larger than

Predominantly one size or a range of angularity, surface condition, Between 1 and 3

GP Poorly graded gravels, gravel- D10 x D60

sieve size) coarse grained soils are classified as follows

sizes with some intermediate sizes sand mixtures, little or no and hardness of the coarse
More than half of material is larger than

missing fines grains: local or geological name Not meeting all gradation requirements for GW
2.36mm
Gravels

and other pertinent descriptive

amount of fines)

Use grain size curve in identifying the fractions as given under field identification
Non-plastic fines (for identification GM Silty gravels, poorly information and symbol in
(apreciable

procedures see ML below) graded gravel-sand-silt mixtures parentheses. Atterberg limits below Above "A" line with
fines
The .075mm sieve size is about the smallest particle visible to the naked eye
Coarse grained soils

"A" line or PI less than 4 PI between 4 and 7

.075mm sieve size

Plastic fines (for identification pro- GC Clayey gravels, poorly graded For undisturbed soils add infor- are borderline cases
Atterberg limits above "A" requiring use of dual

GM, GC, SM, SC

cedures see CL below) gravel-sand-clay mixtures mation on stratification, degree

GW, GP, SW, SP

of compactness, cementation, line with PI greater than 7 symbols
Wide range in grain sizes and sub- moisture conditions and drain- D
SW Well graded sands, gravelly
C U =--- 60 Greater than 6
Clean sands
(little or no

stantial amounts of all intermediate age characteristics.

particle sizes sands, little or no fines D 10
fines)
More than half of coarse

(D 30 )2
fraction is smaller than

Example:
Predominantely one size or a range of SP Poorly graded sands, gravelly C c = --------------------- Between 1 and 3
Silty sand, gravelly; about 20% D 10 x D60
sizes with some intermediate sizes missing sands, little or no fines hard angular gravel particles
2.36mm
Sands

12.5mm maximum size; rounded Not meeting all gradation requirements for SW

More than 12%

amount of fines)

Non-plastic fines (for identification pro- SM Silty sands, poorly graded and subangular sand grains
(appreciable

Less than 5%
Sands with

cedures, see ML below) sand-silt mixtures coarse to fine, about 15% non- Atterberg limits below Above "A" line with

5% to 12%
fines

plastic lines with low dry "A" line or PI less than 4 PI between 4 and 7
Plastic fines (for identification pro- SC Clayey sands, poorly graded strength; well compacted and are borderline cases
cedures, see CL below) sand-clay mixtures moist in places; alluvial sand; Atterberg limits above "A" requiring use of dual
(SM) line with PI greater than 7 symbols
Identification procedure on fraction smaller than .425mm
sieve size
Dry strength Toughness
Dilatency (consistency
More than half of material is smaller than

Silts and clays

crushing
less than 50

(reaction
liquid limit

character- to shaking) nearlimit)

plastic
istics
Inorganic silts and very fine sands, Give typical name; indicate degree
None to Quick to rock flour, silty or clayey
None ML
Fine grained soils

and character of plasticity,

.075mm sieve size

slight slow fine sands with slight plasticity 60

amount and maximum size of Comparing soils at equal liquid limit
Medium to None to very Inorganic clays of low to medium coarse grains: colour in wet con- 50 Toughness and dry strength increase
high slow Medium CL,CI plasticity, gravelly clays, sandy dition, odour if any, local or in
e
clays, silty clays, lean clays with increasing plasticity index "l
geological name, and other pert- "A
40

Plasticity index
Slight to Slow Slight Organic silts and organic silt- inent descriptive information, and
medium OL clays of low plasticity symbol in parentheses CH
30 CI
inorganic silts, micaceous or
Silts and clays

Slight to Slow to Slight to For undisturbed soils add infor-

greater than
liquid limit

medium none medium MH dictomaceous fine sandy or mation on structure, stratif- OH

silty soils, elastic silts 20
ication, consistency and undis-
50

High to very Inorganic clays of high or

None High turbed and remoulded states, CL OL
high CH plasticity, fat clays moisture and drainage conditions 10
CL-ML or MH
ML
Medium to None to very Slight to Organic clays of medium to Example 0
high high medium OH high plasticity Clayey silt, brown: slightly plastic: 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Liquid limit
Readily identified by colour, odour small percentage of fine sand:
numerous vertical root holes: firm
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Highly organic soils spongy feel and frequently by fibrous Pt Peat and other highly organic soils Plasticity chart
and dry in places; loess; (ML) for laboratory classification of fine grained soils
texture
 AASHTO Classification System
• Soils are classified into seven major groups: A-1 through A-7
o Groups A-1, A-2, and A-3 are granular materials of which 35% or less of the
particles pass through the No. 200 sieve
o Groups A-4, A-5, A-6, and A-7 are granular materials of which 35% or more
of the particles pass through the No. 200 sieve

• The classification system is based on:

• Grain size
• Gravel: fraction passing the 75-mm sieve and retained on the No. 10 (2-mm) sieve
• Sand: fraction passing the No. 10 (2-mm) sieve and retained on the No. 200 (0.075-
mm) sieve
• Silt and clay: fraction passing the No. 200 sieve
• Plasticity
• Silty: fine fractions of the soil have a plasticity index of 10 or less
• Clayey: fine fractions have a plasticity index of 11 or more
• If cobbles and boulders (size larger than 75 mm) are encountered, they are
excluded from the portion of the soil sample from which the classification is made
AASHTO Classification System
AASHTO Classification System
 AASHTO Classification System

• In order to evaluate the

quality of a soil as a
highway subgrade
material, one must
incorporate the group
index (GI)
• The figure on the right
shows a plot of the range
of the liquid limit and
plasticity index for soils in
groups A-2, A-4, A-5, A-6,
and A-7
 AASHTO Classification System

• The group index is given by the equation:

GI = (F200 -35)[0.2+0.005(LL- 40)]+0.01(F200 -15)(PI -10)
where:
F200 = percentage passing through the No. 200 sieve
LL = liquid limit
PI = plasticity index
• In general, the quality of performance of a soil as a subgrade
material is inversely proportional to the group index
• Soils in groups A-1-a, A-1-b, A-2-4, A-2-5, and A-3 always have
a group index of 0

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 Comparison between the AASHTO and
Unified Systems
• Both the AASHTO and Unified Classification
systems are based on the texture and plasticity of
soil
• Both systems divide the soils into two major
categories, coarse grained and fine grained, as
separated by the No. 200 sieve
• The AASHTO system considers soil fine grained when
more than 35% passes through the No. 200 sieve, and
coarse grained otherwise
• The Unified system considers soil fine grained when more
than 50% passes through the No. 200 sieve, and coarse
grained otherwise
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 Comparison between the AASHTO and
Unified Systems
• The Unified system clearly separates gravelly and sandy
soils, unlike the AASHTO system
• Only the Unified system classifies organic soils such as OL,
OH, and PT
• The Unified system provides more descriptive and specified
soil categories when compared to the AASHTO system

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 References
Sources:
● Das M. B. & Sobhan K., 2018 - Principles of Geotechnical
Engineering, 9th Edition
● Bodo B. & Jones C., 2013 – Introduction to Soil
Mechanics, 1st Edition

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Thank you