2.

Soil Classification

Soil Mechanics
2010 - 2011

Soil Classification
‡ Is the arrangement of different soils with similar
properties into groups reflects soil’s physical
and mechanical properties important for all
design and construction purposes.

‡ Soil is classified according to characteristic properties

such as:
„ Cohesion: cohesive soils (silt, clay) versus non-cohesive
soils (sand, gravel, boulder).
„ Grain size: fine-grained soils (silt, clay) versus coarse-
grained soils (sand, gravel, boulder).

Dr. Manal A. Salem – Soil Mechanics

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Grain-Size Analysis
‡ By laboratory tests:
1. Sieve analysis test
2. Hydrometer test

Dr. Manal A. Salem – Soil Mechanics

Sieve Analysis Test

Dr. Manal A. Salem – Soil Mechanics

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Sieve Analysis Test
‡ Stack a set of sieves on top of each other with
openings of decreasing sizes from top to bottom (a
pan is placed below the stack).
‡ Sieves numbers and opening sizes:
Sieve No. 3 in 1 ½ in ¾ in 3/8 in 4 10
Opening Size 75 38 19 9.5 4.75 2
(mm)

Sieve No. 20 40 60 100 140 200 PAN

Opening Size 0.85 0.425 0.25 0.15 0.106 0.075

(mm)

‡ Shake the sieves, manually or mechanically.

‡ After the soil is shaken, the mass of soil retained on
each sieve is determined.
Dr. Manal A. Salem – Soil Mechanics

Sieve Analysis Test

Soil Sample, W (gm)

w1
w2
w3
w4
w5
w2
w6
w3 Sieves
w7
w8
w9
w10
w3
w11
w12
w13 Pan
Dr. Manal A. Salem – Soil Mechanics

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Sieve Analysis Test
Weight of sample = W gm

Sieve No. 3 in 1 ½ in 140 200

Opening size =
75 38 ------------ 0.106 0.075
Particle size (mm)

Weight Retained on
w1 w2 ------------ w11 w12
each sieve (gm)

Total weight w1 + ---+ w1 + ---+

w1 w1 + w2 ------------
Retained (gm) w11 w12

% Retained { }x100/W { }x100/W ------------ { }x100/W { }x100/W

%Passing 100 - 100 - ------------ 100 - 100 -

Dr. Manal A. Salem – Soil Mechanics

Sieve Analysis Test

‡ Plot % Passing versus Particle size (mm)
“Grain-Size Distribution Curve, GSD”

100
90
80
70
% Passing

60
50
40
30
20
10
0
100 10 1 0.1 0.01 0.001
Particle size (mm)

‡ For coarse-grained soils, particle size > 0.075mm

Dr. Manal A. Salem – Soil Mechanics

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Hydrometer Test

Hydrometer
Dr. Manal A. Salem – Soil Mechanics

Hydrometer Test
‡ For fine-grained soils, particle size < 0.075mm.
‡ Soil sample is mixed with water and additives in a
graduated cylinder soil suspension.
‡ Larger (heavier) particles settles faster than smaller
(lighter) particles.
‡ The density of the suspension is indirectly measured
at determined time intervals, which varies with time
as particles settle.
‡ Computations are based on Stoke’s formula.
‡ Indirect measurement of particle size.

Dr. Manal A. Salem – Soil Mechanics

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 Grain Size Distribution Curve
sieves hydrometer

Sieve No.
3 in 4 10 20 60 100 200
Particle size
(mm) 75 4.75 2.0 0.85 0.25 0.15 0.075 0.04 0.02 .01

%Passing 100.0 90.0 70.8 56.8 36.4 17.2 5.2 3.0 1.8 0.5

Arithmetic
scale

Dr. Manal A. Salem – Soil Mechanics

Grain Size Distribution Curve

sieves hydrometer

Sieve No.
3 in 4 10 20 60 100 200
Particle size
(mm) 75 4.75 2.0 0.85 0.25 0.15 0.075 0.04 0.02 .01

%Passing 100.0 90.0 70.8 56.8 36.4 17.2 5.2 3.0 1.8 0.5

GSD plotted on semi-log

scale

100

Dr. Manal A. Salem – Soil Mechanics

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Semi-Log Paper

Dr. Manal A. Salem – Soil Mechanics

Grain Size Distribution

%Passing = 60

%Passing = 30

%Passing = 10

100 D30
D60 D10

Dr. Manal A. Salem – Soil Mechanics

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Grain Size Distribution
‡ D60 is the diameter in the GSD curve corresponding
to 60% passing.
‡ D30 is the diameter in the GSD curve corresponding
to 30% passing.
‡ D10 is the diameter in the GSD curve corresponding
to 10% passing “effective grain size”.
‡ Uniformity coefficient (Cu) = D60/D10
‡ Curvature coefficient (Cc) = (D30)2/(D60D10)

Dr. Manal A. Salem – Soil Mechanics

Grain Size Distribution

Poorly graded
Well graded
Uniformly
graded

Gap graded

‡ Well graded sand, Cu > 6 and Cc = (1-3), otherwise, poorly

graded
‡ Well graded gravel, Cu > 4 and Cc = (1-3) ), otherwise,
poorly graded
Dr. Manal A. Salem – Soil Mechanics

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 Consistency of Cohesive Soil
‡ Depends on the water content of the soil.
‡ At very low water contents, cohesive soil sample
behaves more like a solid.
‡ At very high water contents, the same sample may
flow like a liquid.
‡ Therefore, based on soil water content, cohesive soil
may be divided into 4 basic states: solid, semi-solid,
plastic, and liquid.
‡ The water contents separating these 4 states are
named “Atterberg Limits”

Dr. Manal A. Salem – Soil Mechanics

Atterberg Limits
Volume Adding water

Liquid
limit
Plastic
limit
Shrinkage
limit W
Dry soil
W
A
A W
W

S S S S S
Water content
Sh.L. P.L. L.L.
Solid state Semi-solid state Plastic state Liquid state

Dr. Manal A. Salem – Soil Mechanics

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Atterberg Limits

b
b

Dr. Manal A. Salem – Soil Mechanics

Atterberg Limits
‡ Shrinkage Limit (Sh.L., wSh):
„ Is the water content separating solid and semi-solid states
„ Is the maximum water content in solid sate
„ Is the minimum water content in semi-solid state

‡ Plastic Limit (P.L., wP):

„ Is the water content separating semi solid and plastic states
„ Is the maximum water content in semi solid sate
„ Is the minimum water content in plastic state

‡ Liquid Limit (L.L., wL):

„ Is the water content separating plastic and liquid states
„ Is the maximum water content in plastic sate
„ Is the minimum water content in liquid state

‡ Plasticity Index (P.I., IP) = L.L. – P.L.

‡ Atterberg limits are determined through laboratory tests.

Dr. Manal A. Salem – Soil Mechanics

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Liquid Limit Test

Liquid limit device

Grooving tool

Dr. Manal A. Salem – Soil Mechanics

Liquid Limit Test

Liquid limit device

Grooving tool

Dr. Manal A. Salem – Soil Mechanics

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 Liquid Limit Test
‡ The liquid limit is the water content at which a
standard V-shaped groove cut in the soil will just
close (0.5 inch) after 25 drops.

Water Water
content content

wL wL

25 25
No. of blows Log No. of blows

Dr. Manal A. Salem – Soil Mechanics

Plastic Limit Test

‡ The plastic limit is defined as the water content at
which soil crumbles when rolled into threads 3 mm in
diameter.

Dr. Manal A. Salem – Soil Mechanics

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Shrinkage Limit Test
‡ Put soil sample in oven until it is completely dry, and get
its weight (Ws).
‡ Shrinkage limit is the water content of this sample if it is
saturated with water at the same volume.
‡ Measure the total volume of the oven-dried sample (VT):
„ Submerging the sample in water after insulating it with
paraffin wax
„ Submerging the sample in mercury (Gs,mercury = 13.6) Shrinkage
‡ Calculations: Dry soil limit
„ Vs = Ws/(Gsγw)
„ Vv = VT – Vs A W
„ Ww = Vvγw
„ Sh.L. = Ww/Ws
S S

Dr. Manal A. Salem – Soil Mechanics

Consistency Index of Cohesive Soil

wL − w
CI =
wL − wP
CI Soil Consistency

0 – 0.5 Very soft

0.5 – 0.625 Soft

0.625 – 0.75 Medium stiff

0.75 – 1.00 Stiff

1.00 – w=wsh Very stiff

w>wsh Hard

Egyptian Code

Dr. Manal A. Salem – Soil Mechanics

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Relative density of coarse-grained soil

Loose Dense

‡ Depends on the void ratio (e) of the soil.

‡ emax is the maximum possible void ratio, loosest packing.
‡ emin is the minimum possible void ratio, densest packing.

Dr. Manal A. Salem – Soil Mechanics

Relative density of coarse-grained soil

emax − e
Dr (%) = ×100
emax − emin

Dr (%) Soil Density

0 – 15 Very loose

15 – 35 Loose

35 - 65 Medium dense

65 – 85 Dense

85 - 100 Very dense

Egyptian Code

Dr. Manal A. Salem – Soil Mechanics

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Soil Classification Systems
1. MIT Classification System
2. Unified Soil Classification System (USCS)

Dr. Manal A. Salem – Soil Mechanics

MIT Soil Classification System

‡ Based exclusively on grain size.
‡ Determined by performing sieve analysis and
hydrometer tests.
‡ Gives each soil a “group name”.

Boulders Gravel Sand Silt Clay

C M F C M F C M F
20mm 6mm 0.6mm 0.2mm 0.02mm 0.006mm
60 mm 2 mm 0.06 mm 0.002 mm

C: Coarse
M: Medium
F: Fine

Dr. Manal A. Salem – Soil Mechanics

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MIT Soil Classification System
60 mm 2 mm 0.06 mm 0.002 mm
Gravel Sand Silt Clay

100

Dr. Manal A. Salem – Soil Mechanics

MIT Soil Classification System

% Boulder = 100 - % Passing 60mm = 100 - 97 = 3 %
% Gravel = % Passing 60mm - % Passing 2mm = 97 – 70.8 = 26.2 %
% Sand = % Passing 2mm - % Passing 0.06mm = 70.8 – 6.0 = 64.8 %
% Silt = % Passing 0.06 mm - % Passing 0.002 mm = 6.0 – 0.0 = 6.0 %
% Clay = % Passing 0.002mm = 0.0 % 60 mm 2 mm 0.06 mm 0.002 mm
Gravel Sand Silt Clay

100

Dr. Manal A. Salem – Soil Mechanics

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MIT Soil Classification System
‰Soil Group Name:
‰ 50 – 35 % : and
‰ 35 – 15 % : adjective
‰ 15 – 5 % : some
‰ < 5 % : trace of

% Boulder = 3%
% Gravel = 27.2 % Group Name:
Gravelly SAND, some silt,
% Sand = 65.8 % trace boulders
% Silt = 5.0 %
% Clay = 0.0 %

Dr. Manal A. Salem – Soil Mechanics

Unified Soil Classification System

‡ Based on grain size and/or plasticity of soil.
‡ Need to have grain-size distribution curve and/or
Atterberg limits.
‡ Gives each soil a “group symbol”.
‡ Classifies soil into two main categories:
1. Coarse-grained soil: with less than 50% passing
through sieve No. 200.
2. Fine-grained soil: with 50% or more passing through
sieve No. 200.

Dr. Manal A. Salem – Soil Mechanics

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Unified Soil Classification System
‡ Some or all of the following information must be
known:
1. % Fine grained soil (silt and clay) = % passing the No.
200 sieve.
2. % Coarse grained soil (gravel and sand) = 100 - %
passing the No. 200 sieve.
3. % Gravel = 100 - % passing the No. 4 sieve.
4. % Sand = % passing the No. 4 sieve - % passing the
No. 200 sieve.
5. Uniformity (Cu) and curvature (Cc) coefficients.
6. Liquid and plastic limits of fine-grained soil (portion).

Dr. Manal A. Salem – Soil Mechanics

Unified Soil Classification System

‡ The following symbols are used:
‡ G = Gravel
‡ S = Sand
‡ M = Silt
‡ C = Clay
‡ W = well graded
‡ P = poorly graded
‡ L = low plasticity (L.L. < 50%)
‡ H = high plasticity (L.L. > 50%)

Dr. Manal A. Salem – Soil Mechanics

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USCS Summary Table

Use plasticity chart to determine M or C

Use plasticity chart to determine M or C

Use Plasticity Chart oo

oo
bbbbbbbbbbbbb

Dr. Manal A. Salem – Soil Mechanics

Unified Soil Classification System

% Passing sieve No. 200

< 50% > 50%

Coarse-grained soil Fine-grained soil

Use Plasticity Chart (A-line)

LL & PI

CH, CL
ML, MH

Dr. Manal A. Salem – Soil Mechanics

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 Unified Soil Classification System
‡ Plasticity Chart (A-Line):
60

50
CH
Plasticity Index (%)

40
CL Ip = 0.73(w L-20)
30

20
MH
10
CL-ML ML
ML
0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Liquid Limit (%)

Dr. Manal A. Salem – Soil Mechanics

Unified Soil Classification System

% Passing sieve No. 200

< 50% > 50%

Coarse-grained soil Fine-grained soil

% Passing sieve No. 4

Sand Gravel
%Sand > % Gravel %Gravel > % Sand
% Passing sieve No. 200

< 5% 5% - 12% > 12%

Care for gradation Dual symbol Care for fines
Inspect Cu, Cc Inspect L.L., P.I., A-line
SW-SC
SW, SP SP-SM SC, SM
GW, GP GW-GM GC, GM
GP-GC

Dr. Manal A. Salem – Soil Mechanics

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 USCS Summary Table
% Passing sieve No. 200

< 50% > 50%

Coarse-grained soil Fine-grained soil

% Passing sieve No. 4

Use Plasticity Chart (A-

Sand Gravel
line)
% Passing sieve No. 200
LL & PI

< 5% 5% - 12% > 12%

Care for gradation Dual symbol Care for fines
SW-SC
SW, SP SC, SM CH, CL
SP-SM
GW, GP GC, GM ML, MH
GW-GM
GP-GC
Dr. Manal A. Salem – Soil Mechanics

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