Transportation

Kentucky Transportation Center Research

Report
University of Kentucky Year 1946

A Survey and Pedological Classification

of Kentucky Soils
Kentucky Highway Materials Research Laboratory

This paper is posted at UKnowledge.

https://uknowledge.uky.edu/ktc researchreports/1313
 Commonwealth of Kentucky
Department of Highways

<1

Proposed Working Plan

for

A SURVEY AND PEDOLOGICAL CLASSIFICNriON OF KENTUCKY SOILS

In Accordance with Highway Engineeri ng Usage

by

The Highway Materials Research Laborator y

·Lexingto n, Kentucky
March, 1946
 INTRODUCTION

At tho meeting of tho Highway Research Board in Oklahoma City this

yoar tho Department of Soils Investigatio ns devoted tho major part of ono

session to a discussion of tho pedologic& method of classifying soils. This

was a marked departure from past policies for heretofore podology in soil

classificat ion was largely a matter for research, and incidont~~ly 1 a contra-

versiru matter.

Basically, podology (9)~ is the science of classifying soils by

di vi sian into typos in e.ccordD.nco with their origin. For ox~mplo, those do··

rived through tho disinto~,ation . of limestone in place are included in ono

category, More detll.ilod differentia tion is th~•n made e.ccording to character-

i sties of tho limestone, its geologic"~ age and forl!k"'tion, topo~aphic posi··

tiona, depth of overburden above tho bed rock, ~.nd other features which arc

considered to bo influential on soil properties,

The development of this system for classificat ion came originally

through scientific curosity and was principally concerned with geologic a~

poets. Later - ncar tho close of tho last century- tho agriculturi sts adopted
'
the methods for preparing maps showing soil distributio n, and for cotrolating

those maps with crops adapta.ble to certain situations and tho yield obtained

therefrom, In tho field of ngriculturo this technique has boon oxtcndod and

intensified by thC\ u. s. Department of Agriculture (19), tho sovoral state

soil surveys, and somotimos both working togethor in tho preparation of re-

ports (24)'. Tho state of Kentucky now has about fiftoon counties mapped end

onalyzed in this way: however, m!'ny ofthouo are obsolete ond only oight aro

now in print and considered up -to~dato.**

~Numbers in paronthosos rofor to bibliograph y at ond of this report.

**Jessamine (1916), Sholby (1919), Logan (1922), Muhlenberg (1924), Garrard

(1924) , Mercer ( 1930), Fn;y·otto (J~31), Callo;n:w (1937) cou.ntios havo boon
mappOdv !{i.,_;
 -2-

In addition• the Agricultural Experiment Station at the University is in the

process of preparing a gen.eral soil map applicable to tho ontiro state.

Only within tho past fow years havo pedological principles boon

adopted in a general way by organizations interested in tho engineering pro-

parties of soils. Tho work has boon dono mainly by highwcy dopnrtmonts, out-

standing examples of which nre Missouri ( 18) 1 ,Michigan ( 8), Indiana ( 4) 1 and
Tennessee (14), During the war the Civil Aeronautics Administration conducted
one extensive project (3) devoted to tho ontiro country and designed to pro-

vid.o information for "~rfiold location and construction. It is significan·~

that tho Highway Resoorch 'Bovrd has roached a point whore open consideration
of tho merits of such a system is considor~d feasible; it is more significant
that opinions relative to tho discussion wore sharply divided emong tho repro-

sontatives from tho numerous states.

POSSIBILITIES AND LIMITATIONS TO PEDoLOGICAL .CLASSIFICATION

Probably the greatest detriment in the use of a pedologic system for

an engineering soil analysis is tho factor of miaroprosontation or over ompha-
sis by those who havo not thoroughly investigated tho limitations as woll as
tho possibilities attendant to its usc. Among those ~~o tho following!
It is a known fact that such a classification can only supplement
rather than supplant tho normal cnginooring procedures now used,

The greatest advantage of tho system is its potonti~l for saving time

and labor in fiold end laboratory analyses. Cort~~n physicel chnractoristics

can bo prodi ctod without going into tho fi old. Howovor, somo to st borings fll'l& •.

required to chock those predictions. This ofton amounts to a situation whore

ten bbrings plannod artd distributed in accordance with pedologic information

will accomplish tho same purpose as one hundrod borings tekon at r~ndom.

An established, basicnlly sound method for soil classification ie

 available, although knowledge of geological aspects and soil mechanics is re-
qui rod to make 1t usable. The logic behind pedological analyses is sound and

closr, for nothing could be more simple than a method of identifying naturv~

materials in accordance with the natural processes of their formation, . Thoro

is ove1•y reason to believe that a rock form~?.tion of given character when. ex-

posed to a certain set of conditions in nature will decompose nnd disintoo..

grato to form a soil having certain characteristics irrespective of googr~~hio

locations. For that reason, tho limestones in tho Shenandoah Valley of Virginia

which aro of tho same ago as those exposed in tho inner bluegrass regions of
Kentucky end tho Nashville basin of Tennessee should be overlain with a mantel
of residual soil whoso general characteristics vary only in acoordanco with

minor influences,
Such is the case according to the agriculturist's point of view
(with certain raservations); for tho Hagorstown and Maury soils in Virginia

aro tho semo as thoso similarly designated in Fa,yotto county Kentucky and

, Davidson county Tennessee. Furthermorol tho ago of the underlying bod rook

is often limited in significance booa.uso Hagerstown soils are recognized in

southern Indiana and southern Missouri whore tho rock formations are somewhat
younger than those previously mentioned.
~he same principles apply to materials derived from other sources

whether they. be of glacial or wind-blown origin or formed by water daposi tion.

Tho loossi~~ or wind-blown matorinls that prevail on tho uplands oast.of tho

Mississippi River aro alike from the Gulf of Mexico to tho Ohio. Further than
that, moro extensive loossinl soils in Missouri, !crwa, e.nd as far west as
Washington- although not so named- are not far different from these despite

differences in present climatic influences.

Engineering characteristics of tllo various pedological groups mu§~ bo
<
dotorminod by tost, Naturally., th"l mora fact that e.gricultural onde aro bost

served by grouping wl.doly ecattorod soils into one category does not moan

that tho onginooring proportios of those materials are so noarly uniform thro-.t

tho sruao gonr.ral difforontiation is prnctic"l for engineering purposes. How~

over, ovidonco accumulated through soil eurvoya mado olsowhoro indicatod that

tho engineering classification c&n be moro einrplo than that roached by tho

agriculturist.

In order. then, to verify or reject the thosis that simibr materials

under similar conditions develop similar soils, a study is proposed whereby

soils from tho different pedologic groups will be srurrplod in many places

throughout tho state and subjected to a variety of laboratory tests. Tho ulti-

mate objective will be to provide engineering significance for pedological de-

signations, and in turn to record tho engineering data by maps or other moans

eo that they will be in a form sui table for field application,

. SCOI?E

All soils of different origin and varied characteristics throughout

tho state will be included in this survey, In addition, samples of materials

'
thought to bo similar to thoso in Kentucky but locl".ted in other states nearby

will bo obtained thro~h corrospondonce , In thRt way, a more thorough and con-

clusi ve study c"n be made "nd the applicnti·'m will be broader,

MATERIALS

Soils of different classifications may bo generally grouped into prin-

cipal categories as follows:

B.e.si_4lll'!J - Tho so derived from: ·

(a) limestone (massi vo)

 (b) sandstone (massive)

(c) interbedded limestone and shale

(d) interbedded sandstone and shale

(e) shale

Soils of the coastalplrd.n- Those materials in the Jackson :Pur-

chase which have not been covered to appreciable depths by

wind-blown soil.

Loess - Wind-blown soils confined mainly to tho Jackson :Purchase

but also occurring in isolgted sections bordering the Ohio

River below Louisville.

Alluvial soils- Those material deposited by flOwing waters in

streams and rivors: subdi vi dod into I-

(a) terraces

(b) recent alluvium

Further subdivision for the purpose of classification will be in accordance

with age differentials among tho bod rocks from which tho soils are derivedt

topographic positions, chernctor of tho rock formation, end simili'-X features.

All these, of courso, merely constitute a moans of classification

and provide vary little infor!llD.tion concerning the Gnginooring charactori sties

of tho materials involved, However, into those difforont classifications

will bo insortod results of engineering tosts in tho laboratory and field ob~

sorvations rolativo to problems concerned with highwoy ·construction and main-

tenance, Tho ond point, of course, is ~ thorough ~~alysis ~md correlation of

data from many different locations to tho oxtont that a givan nama in pedologic

literature will mol'n cortl'.in soil properties in accordance with onginooring

nomenclature.
 -6-
PROCEDURES

With nn ultimate aim of producing one or more soil' maps of tho entire
state, showing the general distribution of the various soil groups the follow-

ing procedure was outlined:

1. Soil Sampling - Soils similar in origin but widely separated

in location will be se~led from timo to time and logged through tho depth

of their profiles for variations observed in tho field and in turn for dif-
fereinces found by means of laboratory tests. As tho records are developed

they will be examined for evidence of similarity in ,engineering character-

istics so that interpretation of soils in tho different groups can bo firmly
established as rapidly as possible, Bocaus,e of tho fact that only a very

limited portion of tho state has boon mapped in detail, i t will be necessary
to project experience from one section to another whore tho soils are known

to be nearly alike because they arc derived from a c~mmon source,

2. Aerial Photographs - Projection of data need not be based en-

tirely on experience, however, since a considerable portion of tho state has

boon photographed from tho air. Those aerial pictures can be usod for recog-

nizing similar patterns and thus identifying the soils in regions which have
not boon mapped, Tho principles of photographic interpretation have boon wall

established (2), (3), howovor• their usc is not merely a matter of tho invosti..
gator becoming familr~ with certain patterns characteristic of certain form~

tions and conveying certain definite information, Reliable interpretation is

dependent upon a thorough knowledge of the various factors of soil formation

as well as soil properties tlk~t would dotermino tho air photo pattorn,

For an example of tho method used in aerial photographs consider a

cond.i tion vmero the upland near a largo stream drains at lower elevations onto
a terrace (a formation of granular mntorial doposi ted by tho river in the dis-

so
 -7-'
tant past during priods of rapid flow), and at still lower elevations onto
alluvium deposited by the sh•eam in relatively recent times• .A.s indicated

by the sketch Figure 1, erosion patterns would result if surface flow from the

upland to the terrace continued to the stream.

Upland
Residual Feoently Trensporte !a'ansported Residual Soils; Fine G-rained
Soils Soils -nne G-rained, Materials; Surface Run-off
Surface Run-o:f'f Granular: ]'redominates
Predominate• ercolation

Fig,

However• the soil on the terrace being granular, infiltration predominates and
there is little or no .surface flow; consequently, little or no erosion would
bo evident in the air photo pattern, Ia the alluvium below the terrace the
soil again is generally fine grained and not so per~eeble; therefore, surface
run-off is evident. Furthermore, alluvial patterns aro unmistakable due to
the outlines characteristic of major stream action.

Similar factors are used in aerial photographs for dotorminif:lg pro-

perties of soils in tho other general classes, Diff'erences in topography re-
sulting from the disintejWe.tten of limestone versus sandstone or shale are
~oadily transmitted to tho interpreter through the features of aerial photo-
graphs. Sometimes, stereoscopic observations are helpful in these dotormina.o.
tions. It should bo kept in mind in dealing with this method of analysis that
there are some limitations on depth and detail which make well planned field
borings and laboratory tosts a necessary correlative. On tho other haad, the
advantages accrui~g through almost unlimited areal coverage and permanency o:f'
record cannot be denied.
 )A Ll).bor~tory Tests - The laboratory tests will include most of the

standard physlrlal tests normally conducted in a soils laboratory: such as,

(a) Gradation (b) Atterburg limits (c) rroctor compaction (d) Permeability

(e) Specific gravity (f) Capillarity, and (g) Shrinkage and bearing values.

It is possible that a few tests may be conducted to determine fundamental in"·

formation on shearing resistance and quantitative measurements of cohesion,

Also of interest may be the chemical and :c>hysical characteristics of the soil

particles ( 23).

After these tests have been conducted, the results will be corr<.llP.ta<',

with the pedological data, and a basis derived for establishing highway pr~·;:,_.

lams that are characteristic of a given soil type.

l!l~UIPMENT

Aside from aerial photographs and incidental soil and geologic mi'!P St

practically all tho equipment necessary for this study is now available in the

Highway Research Laboratory. The DiVision of Planning has a file of aerial

photographs (limited coverage) which have been taken in the past and which may

be drawn Upon for reference or for field correlations. In addition, the Agri-
1
culture Adjustment Agency has photographs of all but eight counties (two coun-

ties, Johnson and Lawrence, are being photographed at present).

BIBLIOGRAPHY

1, Baver, L. D.- "Soil Physics" John Wiley·& Sons, Inc., 194o•

2. Belcher, D, J, - lfThe Engineering Significance of Soil Patterns"

Pro c. Highway Res, Bd,, Vol. 23, P• 569-598, 1943.

). Belcher, D, J,, Gregg, L. E., and.Woods, K. B. - "Origin, Distribution

and Airphoto Interpretation of Soils of the United States." ,Confi-
dential Report to C.A.A. from Joint Highway Res, proj., Purdue
University, June, 1945•

4. Belcher, D. J,, Gregg, L, lil. 1 and Woods, K. B. - "Formation, llistribution

and Engineering Characteristics of Soils It, Purdue Uni varsity Engr,
ExP• Sta, Bul. No. 87, 1943,
 -9-
5• Burt, Frederick A. - "Soil Mineralogy" D. Van Nostrand, 1927.

6, Ekblaw, George E. - "Tho Profile of Soil Weathering and Its Import-

ance in Highway Construction", Pro c. Purdue Conforonce on Soil
Mochanies and Its Applications, p. 381-387, July, lg4o.

7, Fenneman, Nevin M. ~ "Physiography of Western United Statos", McG-raw-

Hill Book Co,, Inc., Now York, 1931,

8, "Field Manual of Soil Engineering" - Michigan State Highway Dept.,

Lansing, Mich., Sept. 10, lg4o.

g. Hobbs, William Herbert - "Earth Features and Their Moaning" Second

Edition 1 The Macmillan Co., New York, 1935•

10, Joffe, J, S. - lfJ:>ed.ology" Rutgers University Press, New Brunswick,

Now Jersey, 1936.

11. Ladd, George Edgar - "Landslides, Subsidences, and Rock Fallsi',Bccl.

American Railway Engineering Association, Vol, 37, No, 377,
July, 1935·

12, %ron-Metallic Materials, Constructional" - The American Soc, for Test-

ing Mat<;!rials, Standards, Part II, Philadelphia, Pa,, 1942,

13, PattetJon, G-, 1!". 1 and Beaumont, A. B, - 11 Soils Manual", Farm Credit
Administration, Fourth District, Louisville, Ky,, June, 194o
(mimeographed)

14, lfJ:>umping of Concrete Pavements in Tennessee", Joint Report by Tennessee

Highway Department and Portland Cement Association, Proc. Highway
Res, :Bd,, Vol, 24, p. 237, 1944, .
15, Schuchart, Charles - 11 Stratigraphy of the Eastern and Central United
Statesw, John Wiley & Sons, New York, 1943.

16, Shepard,· c. H,, and Marshall, H. E, - "The Relation of G-eology to

Soil Mapping in Ohio" Proc,, Purdue Conference on Soil Mechanics
and Its Applications, p. 388-4ol, July, lg4o,
17, 11 Soils and Men 1l - Yearbook of Agriculture, U.S,D,A. Washington, 1938,

18, "Soils Manual II - Missouri State Highway Dept., Bureau of Materials

Division of G- 6 ology, Jefferson City, Missouri June 1941
(mimeographed),

19, 11 Soilsof the United States" -Part III, Atlas of American Agriculture,
U.S,D,A, Washington, 1935•

20. 11 StandardSpecifications for Highway Materials and Methods of Sampling

and Testingtl - .American Association of State Highway Officials
Washington, D. C., Parts I and II, 1942.

21. Twenhoffel, William H. - "Treaties on Sedimentation" Second Edition

The Williams & Wilkins Co,, Baltimore, 1932
,-,1
"
0:.:.,}·/;l_'
 -10-
22. Watkins, W, r. - ftTheUtil ization of Soil Survoy in Road Construct ion",
Report of the Eleventh Annual Meeting of the American Soil Survey
Associati on, Eul. 12, 1931.
Wintotkor n, Hans F. - "Physico-Chemical Testing of Soils and Applicati ons
of the Results in Practice" , Proc, Highway Res. Bd,, Vol, 20, ·
P• 798-806, 194o.
24, Soil Surveys of Jessamine and other counties by the u. S, Department
of Agricultu re and the Kentucky Agricultu ral Experiment Station"

54