SOIL CLASSIFICATION CHART

SYMBOLS TYPICAL
MAJOR DIVISIONS
GRAPH LETTER DESCRIPTIONS

CLEAN WELL-GRADED GRAVELS, GRAVEL -

GRAVEL GRAVELS GW SAND MIXTURES, LITTLE OR NO FINES
AND
GRAVELLY
SOILS POORLY-GRADED GRAVELS, GRAVEL -
(LITTLE OR NO FINES) GP SAND MIXTURES, LITTLE OR NO FINES

COARSE MORE THAN GRAVELS WITH SILTY GRAVELS, GRAVEL - SAND -

GRAINED 50% OF FINES GM SILT MIXTURES
SOILS COARSE
FRACTION
RETAINED ON (APPRECIABLE CLAYEY GRAVELS, GRAVEL - SAND -
NO. 4 SIEVE AMOUNT OF FINES) GC CLAY MIXTURES

WELL-GRADED SANDS, GRAVELLY

SAND
CLEAN SANDS SW SANDS, LITTLE OR NO FINES
MORE THAN
50% OF AND
MATERIAL IS SANDY
LARGER THAN SOILS POORLY-GRADED SANDS, GRAVELLY
(LITTLE OR NO FINES) SP SAND, LITTLE OR NO FINES
NO. 200 SIEVE
SIZE
MORE THAN SANDS WITH
50% OF FINES SM SILTY SANDS, SAND - SILT MIXTURES

COARSE
FRACTION
PASSING ON (APPRECIABLE CLAYEY SANDS, SAND - CLAY
NO. 4 SIEVE AMOUNT OF FINES) SC MIXTURES

INORGANIC SILTS AND VERY FINE

SANDS, ROCK FLOUR, SILTY OR
ML CLAYEY FINE SANDS OR CLAYEY
SILTS WITH SLIGHT PLASTICITY

SILTS INORGANIC CLAYS OF LOW TO

LIQUID LIMIT MEDIUM PLASTICITY, GRAVELLY
AND LESS THAN 50 CL CLAYS, SANDY CLAYS, SILTY CLAYS,
CLAYS LEAN CLAYS
FINE
GRAINED
SOILS OL ORGANIC SILTS AND ORGANIC SILTY
CLAYS OF LOW PLASTICITY

MORE THAN INORGANIC SILTS, MICACEOUS OR

50% OF MH DIATOMACEOUS FINE SAND OR SILTY
MATERIAL IS SOILS
SMALLER
THAN NO. 200 SILTS
SIEVE SIZE LIQUID LIMIT INORGANIC CLAYS OF HIGH
AND GREATER THAN 50 CH PLASTICITY
CLAYS

ORGANIC CLAYS OF MEDIUM TO HIGH

OH PLASTICITY, ORGANIC SILTS

PEAT, HUMUS, SWAMP SOILS WITH

HIGHLY ORGANIC SOILS PT HIGH ORGANIC CONTENTS

NOTE: DUAL SYMBOLS ARE USED TO INDICATE BORDERLINE SOIL CLASSIFICATIONS