Term Spacing of Discontinuities Table 14: Undrained Shear Strength of Fine Soils

[mm] Term Based on Undrained Shear Strength,

Medium spaced 200 to 600 Measurement su
Widely spaced 600 to 2000 [kPa]
Very widely spaced > 2000 Extremely low strength < 10
Very low strength 10 to 20
Relative Density of Coarse Soils
Low strength 20 to 40
Usually, soil description offers little evidence about the relative Medium strength 40 to 75
density of coarse soils. The reason for this is the substantial High strength 75 to 150
sampling disturbance incurred during conventional sampling Very high strength 150 to 300
operations such as push sampling, percussion sampling, and Extremely high strength > 300
vibrocoring. Complementary investigation techniques, such as
cone penetration tests (CPT), are usually necessary. Relative Tertiary Constituents
density is the ratio of the difference between laboratory index
Tertiary constituents within the soil, such as shell or wood
void ratios of a coarse (cohesionless) soil in its loosest state and
fragments, glauconite grains, plant remains, or small soil
existing in situ state to the difference between its void ratios in
inclusions (such as partings or pockets), can be quantified using
the loosest and densest states. Loosest and densest states are
the terms “with trace”, “with few”, “with” and “with many” (in
relative to laboratory test methods.
increasing order). These terms are usually added at the end of
Relative density is referred to in BS 5930 in terms of N-values the primary soil description (e.g. “with many shell fragments”,
obtained by the standard penetration test (SPT). Results of such “with silt pockets”). These terms are qualitative and no
tests may not be available. Rather than using SPT-based values, it percentage is given. The size of the tertiary constituents can be
is common practice to interpret relative density on the basis of given in mm.
CPT results. Ranges of relative density are given in Table 12.
Mineral constituents are generally reported before the principal
These ranges are in common use in the industry. They were
soil type, using qualitative terms such as “slightly micaceous”,
originally presented in Lambe and Whitman (1979).
“glauconitic” or “very shelly”. For beds of material within a soil
Table 12: Relative Density of Coarse Soils matrix, the terminology for spacing and thickness of beds is used.
For individual particles of soil or material within a soil matrix, the
Relative Density Term Range of Relative Density
terms “partings” and “pockets” may be used.
[%]
Very loose < 15 Soil Odour
Loose 15 to 35
Medium dense 35 to 65 For anthropogenic soils, odour can be described. Terms used to
Dense 65 to 85 describe the odour are for example “H2S”, “musty”, “putrid”, or
Very dense > 85 “chemical”. It is emphasised that soil odour descriptions are
unlikely to be fully consistent, because of factors such as
Consistency and Undrained Shear Strength of Fine Soils variations in sample handling, ambient conditions at time of
sample description, and strong dependence on a person’s ability
The consistency of fine soils can be described according to to detect and identify odour.
Table 13Error! Reference source not found., particularly if no
information is available for description of undrained shear Soil Description and Classification using ASTM D2487 and
strength. When undrained shear strength data are available, D2488
terms can be refined to those given in
The ASTM standards for soil description and classification are
Table 14.
applicable to naturally occurring soils passing a 3 inch (75 mm)
Table 13: Consistency of Fine Soils sieve. The standards identify three major soil types: coarse-
grained, fine-grained, and highly organic soils. The major soil
On-site Definition
types are further subdivided into 15 specific basic soil groups.
Description
Before a soil can be classified according to these standards,
Term
generally the particle size distribution of the minus 3 inch
Very soft Finger can be easily pushed in up to 25 mm
material and the plasticity characteristics of the minus 0.425 mm
Soil exudes between the fingers when
sieve material are determined.
squeezed in the hand
Soft Finger can be pushed in up to 10 mm The identification and description of silica soils in the ASTM
Soil can be moulded by light finger pressure system consists primarily of a group name and symbol, which are
Firm Thumb makes an impression easily based on particle size distribution and plasticity, and the results
Soil cannot be moulded by fingers, but rolls in of other laboratory classification tests.
© Fugro 1996-2019

the hand to 3 mm thick threads without

breaking or crumbling
Stiff Soil can be indented slightly by thumb
Soil crumbles and breaks when rolling to 3 mm
thick threads but is still sufficiently moist to be
moulded to a lump again
Very stiff Soil can be indented by thumb nail
Soil cannot be moulded but crumbles under
pressure
Based on the results of visual observations and prescribed
laboratory tests, a soil is catalogued according to the basic soil
groups, assigned a group symbol(s) and name, and thereby
classified.
Soil Types
The initial classification of soils as coarse-grained or fine-grained
is based on percentage fines. ASTM defines the fine-coarse
boundary as 0.075 mm.

FNLM-GEO-APP-005 | 31 | Soil Description and Classification

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