SOIL CLASSIFICATIONS

BY ENGR. RACELLE DJMZ LIZARDO

CLASSIFICATION OF SOIL

— Soil classification systems provide a standardized way to express soil

characteristics for engineering purposes. Most systems are based on simple
properties like particle-size distribution and plasticity. These systems can be
grouped into two main categories:

1. Textural Classification: Focuses on the distribution of sand, silt, and clay

particles in the soil. An example is the system developed by the USDA.

2. Engineering Behavior Classification: Considers particle-size distribution

and plasticity properties (like liquid limit and plasticity index). The two main
systems in this category are the AASHTO classification system and the
Unified Soil Classification System (USCS).
CLASSIFICATION OF SOIL: USDA
Textural Classification
The table divided soils into gravel, sand, silt, and clay
categories based on particle size. In the textural
classification system, the soils are named after their
principal components, such as sandy clay, silty clay,
and so forth.

USDA Textural Classification System

This classification method is based on the particle-size
limits as described under the USDA system, where:
Sand size: 2.0 to 0.05 mm in diameter
Silt size: 0.05 to 0.002 mm in diameter
Clay size: smaller than 0.002 mm in diameter

Modification
The chart is based on only the fraction of soil that
passes through the No. 10 sieve (2 mm opening).
Hence, if the particle-size distribution of a soil is, such
that a certain percentage of the soil particles, is larger
than 2 mm in diameter, a correction will be necessary.
CLASSIFICATION OF SOIL: AASHTO
AASHTO Classification System
The AASHTO system of soil classification was developed
in 1929 as the Public Road Administration classification
system. It has undergone several revisions, with the
present version proposed by the Committee on
Classification of Materials for Subgrades and Granular
Type Roads of the Highway Research Board in 1945
(ASTM designation D-3282; AASHTO method M145).

The AASHTO classification in present use is given in the

table. According to this system, the soil is classified into
seven major groups: A-1 through A-7.

➢ Soils classified under 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.

➢ Soils of which more than 35% pass through the No.

200 sieve are classified under groups A-4, A-5, A-6,
and A-7. These soils are mostly silt and clay-type
materials.
CLASSIFICATION OF SOIL: AASHTO
AASHTO Classification System

This classification system is based on the following

criteria:
1. Grain size:
a. Gravel: fraction passing the 75-mm sieve
and retained on the No. 10 (2-mm) U.S.
sieve
b. Sand: fraction passing the No. 10 (2-mm)
U.S. sieve and retained on the No. 200
(0.075-mm) U.S. sieve
c. Silt and clay: fraction passing the No. 200
U.S. sieve
2. Plasticity: The term silty is applied when the fine fractions of the soil have a plasticity index of 10 or less. The
term clayey is applied when the fine fractions have a plasticity index of 11 or more.

3. If cobbles and boulders (size larger than 75 mm) are encountered, they are excluded from the portion of the
soil sample from which classification is made. However, the percentage of such material is recorded.
CLASSIFICATION OF SOIL: AASHTO
AASHTO Classification System
To classify soil according to the table, one must apply the
test data from left to right. By process of elimination,
the first group from the left into which the test data fit is
the correct classification. The figure below shows a plot
of the range of the liquid limit and the plasticity index for
soils that fall into groups A-2, A-4, A-5, A-6, and A-7.
CLASSIFICATION OF SOIL: AASHTO
AASHTO Classification System
For the evaluation of the quality of soil as a highway subgrade material, a number called the group index (GI) is also
incorporated with the groups and subgroups of the soil. This number is written in parentheses after the group or
sub-group designation. The group index (GI) is given by the equation:
Determined from plasticity index

where: Determined from liquid limit

F = percent passing the No. 200 sieve
LL = liquid limit
PI = plasticity index
Following are some rules for determining the group index:
1. If the equation yields a negative value for GI, it is taken as 0.
2. The group index calculated from the equation is rounded off to the nearest whole number
Example: GI = 3.4 is rounded off to 3
GI = 3.5 is rounded off to 4
3. There is no upper limit for the group index.
4. The group index of soils belonging to groups A-1-a, A-1-b, A-2-4, A-2-5, and A-3 is always 0.
5. When calculating the group index for soils that belong to groups A-2-6 and A-2-7, use the partial group index for
PI, or
CLASSIFICATION OF SOIL: USCS
Unified Soil
Classification System
The original form of this
system was proposed
by Casagrande in 1942
for use in the airfield
construction works
undertaken by the
Army Corps of
Engineers during World
War II. In cooperation
with the U.S. Bureau of
Reclamation, this
system was revised in
1952. At present, it is
used widely by
engineers (ASTM Test
Designation D-2487).
CLASSIFICATION OF SOIL: USCS
Unified Soil Classification System

For proper classification according to this system,

some or all of the following information must be
known:

1. Percent of gravel-that is, the fraction passing the

76.2-mm sieve and retained on the No. 4 sieve
(4.75mm opening)
2. Percent of sand-that is, the fraction passing the No.
4 sieve (4.75-mm opening) and retained on the No.
200 sieve (0.075-mm opening)
3. Percent of silt and clay-that is the fraction finer
than the No. 200 sieve (0.075-mm opening)
4. Uniformity coefficient (Cu) and the coefficient of
gradation (Cc)
5. Liquid limit and plasticity index of the portion of
soil passing the No. 40 sieve
CLASSIFICATION OF SOIL: USCS
Unified Soil Classification System
USCS is a soil classification system used in engineering and geology to describe the texture
and grain size of a soil. The classification system can be to most unconsolidated applied
materials and is represented by a two-letter symbol.
Symbol Description
This system classifies soils into two broad categories:
G Gravel
1. Coarse-grained soils that are gravelly and sandy in nature with less S Sand
than 50% passing through the No. 200 sieve. The group symbols start
M Inorganic Silt
with a prefix of G or S. G stands for gravel or gravelly soil, and S for sand
or sandy soil. C Inorganic Clay
O Organic Silt and Clay
2. Fine-grained soils with 50% or more passing through the No. 200
sieve. The group symbols start with prefixes of M, which stands for
inorganic silt, C for inorganic clay, or O for organic silts and clays. The Symbol Description
symbol Pt is used for peat, muck, and other highly organic soils. W Well Graded
P Poorly Graded
The group symbols for coarse-grained gravelly soils are GW, GP, GM,
GC, GC-GM, GW-GM, SW, SP, and SC. L Low Plasticity
Similarly, the group symbols for fine-grained soils are CL, ML, OL, CH, H High Plasticity
MH, OH, and CL-ML.
CLASSIFICATION OF SOIL: USCS
Note:
Fine fraction = percent passing No. 200 sieve
Coarse fraction = percent retained on No. 200 sieve
Gravel fraction = percent retained on No. 4 sieve
Sand fraction = (percent retained on No. 200 sieve)
- (percent retained on No. 4 sieve)
CLASSIFICATION OF SOIL: USCS
CLASSIFICATION OF SOIL: USCS
Problem 1
Classify the following soils according to the USDA textural classification system.
Particle-Size Soil
Distribution (%) A B C D
Gravel 0 12 12 18
Sand 15 22 25 31
Silt 30 26 32 30
Clay 55 40 31 21
Problem 2
A sample of inorganic soil has the following grain size characteristics.
a. Compute the percentage of gravel, sand, clay and silt.
b. Classify the soil using USDA.
Size (mm) Percent Finer
2 100
0.075 70
0.05 65
0.005 32
0.002 15
Problem 3
Classify the following soils by the AASHTO classification system.
Problem 4
95% of soil passing through the No. 200 sieve has a liquid limit of 60, and a plasticity index of 40.
Classify the soil using AASHTO.
Problem 5
The results of the particle-size analysis of a soil are as follows:
Percent passing through the No. 10 sieve = 100
Percent passing through the No. 40 sieve = 80
Percent passing through the No. 200 sieve = 58
The liquid limit and plasticity index of the minus No. 40 fraction of the soil are 30 and 10, respectively.
Classify the soil by the Unified classification system. Give the group symbol and group name.
Problem 6
The results of the particle-size analysis of a soil are as follows:
Percent passing through the No. 4 sieve = 70
Percent passing through the No. 200 sieve = 30
The liquid limit and plasticity index of the minus No. 40 fraction of the soil are 33 and 12, respectively.
Classify the soil by the Unified classification system. Give the group symbol and group name.