SOIL CLASSIFICATION FOR GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERS

Soil Properties and Classification

Soil Formation Soil Types Particle Size Analysis and Grading Characteristics Consistency Indices Engineering classification of soils Physical Properties of Soils Engineering use of soils.

SOIL FORMATION
What is the main difference between soil and rock Geological Processes active in soil formation Physical and Chemical Weathering Weathering (+ Biological) Residual or Transported Importance of Mode of Transportation Gravity, Wind, Water, Ice. Particle Size, Shape, Sorting, packing

GRANITE

RESIDUAL SOIL

WIND HONG KONG VOLCANICS

RESIDUAL VOLCANIC SOIL

GRAVITY

GLACIAL TILL

OUTWASH SANDS AND GRAVELS

SOIL TYPES

PARTICLE SHAPE

Soil Type Sands, gravels

Term
Loose Dense Slightly cemented

Field test
Can be excavated with a spade; 50mm wooden peg can be easily driven Requires a pick for excavation; 50mm wooden peg is hard to drive Visual examination; pick removes soil in lumps which can be abraded Easily moulded or crushed in the fingers. Can be moulded or crushed by strong pressure in the fingers Exudes between the fingers when squeezed in the hand Moulded by light finger pressure Can be moulded by strong finger pressure Cannot be indented by the thumbnail Can be indented by the thumbnail Fibres already compressed together Very compressible and open structure Can be moulded in the hand and smears the fingers

Silts Clays

Soft or loose Firm or dense Very soft Soft Firm Stiff Very stiff

Organic,Peat

Firm Spongy Plastic

IMPORTANT CLAY MINERALS

Mineral name

Structure

Between layers

Approx. size (m)

Specific surface( m2/g)

Approx. exchange capacity (me/100g)

Kaolinite

H-bond linkage

l = 0.2-2.0 t= 0.05-0.2

10-30

Halloysite

G G

H2 O

tubular l = 0.5 t= 0.05

40-50

15

CLAY MINERALS Structure and its engineering importance

Illite

G
K K

K+ linkage
Weak crosslinkage between Mg/Al ions

l = 0.2-2.0 t= 0.001-0.01

50-100

30

Montmorillonite

G G

l = 0.1-0.50 t= 0.001-0.01

200-800

100

Vermiculite

Mg

Mg2+ linkage

l = 0.15-1.0 t= 0.01-0.1

20-400

150

THE THREE MOST IMPORTANT CLAY MINERALS

Problems

Kaolinite Single sheet of silica tetrahedra (T) combined with single sheet of alumina octahedra (O). Very limited isomorphous substitution

Illite Sheets of alumina octahedrons between and combined with two silica tetrahedrons. (TOT:TOT) Substitution of Al by Mg and Iron in Octahedral sheet and partial substitution of Silicon by Al in tetrahedral sheet.

Montmorillonite Same basic structure as illite.

Partial substitution of Al by Mg in the octahedral sheet. Water molecules and (exchangeable) cations other than potassium present in space between combined TOT sheets. Very weak bond between combined TOT sheets due to these ions. Extremely high water absorption between TOT sheets, swelling and shrinkage potential.

KAOLINITE

ILLITE

MONTMORILLONITE

TO:TO sheets held fairly tightly together by hydrogen bonding (1 particle = 100+ stacks). Absorb little water. Low swelling and shrinkage potential,

Combined TOT:TOT sheets held together by fairly weak bonding due to potassium ions. Absorb more water than kaolinites and have higher swelling/shrinkage potential.

Clay Structure

PARTICLE SIZE ANALYSIS

Coarse Grained soils
Sieve Analysis

a) Undisturbed Salt water deposit

b) Undisturbed Fresh water deposit

Fine Grained soils

Hydrometer method

Grading Characteristics

c) Remoulded

Boulders (>350mm or >12in)

Cobbles 75-350mm or 3-12in))

45mm Coarse sand

Coarse gravel Medium sand

Fine gravel

Fine sand

Hydrometer Size Analysis

PARTICLE SIZE DISTRIBUTION

100
100

PARTICLE SIZE DISTRIBUTION CURVE

Percentage passing

60 40 20 0 .0006 .002 .006 .02 .06 .2 .6 2 6 20 60 200

Sa nd

60 40 20 0

We l l Gr ade dS

y ilt

0.002 0.006

Clay

m c f Silt fraction

m c m c f f stone Sand fraction gravel fraction

Clay

M Silt

0.02

0.06

0.2

M Sand

0.6

e ll

Gr ad e
2 6

Ve

dG ra ve

80

yS ilt ry Sa nd yS ilt

80

Percentage finer

Cl

ay

and

M Gravel

20

60 mm

Particle size (mm)

USCS PARTICLE SIZE RANGES

Sieve Size Particle Diameter

Sieve Identification 3in 2in

Opening Size (in) 3.00 2.00 1.50 1.00 0.75 0.375 0.187 0.929 0.0787 0.0465 0.0335 0.0236 0.0167 0.0118 0.00984 0.00591 0.00417 0.00295

Opening Size (mm) 76.2 CG 50.8 CG 38.1 CG 25.4 CG 19.0 CG 9.52 FG 4.75 FG 2.36 CS 2.00 CS 1.18 MS 0.850 MS 0.600 MS 0.425 MS 0.300 FS 0.250 FS 0.150 FS 0.106 FS 0.075 S & C

Passes

Retained on 12in >12 3-12

(in)

(mm)

Soil Classification Boulder Cobble Coarse gravel Rock Fragments Soil

11/2 1

>350 75.0-350 19.0-75.0

3/8 #4 #8

12in 3in

3in 3/4in

0.75-3

#10 #16

3/4in #4 #10

#4 #10 #40

0.19-0.75 0.079-0.19 0.016-0.079

4.75-19.0 2.00-4.75 0.425-2.00

Fine gravel Coarse sand Medium sand

STANDARD SIEVE SIZES USED IN UNIFIED SOIL CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM

#20 #30 #40 #50 #60

#40 #200

#200

0.0029-0.016 <0.0029

0.075-0.425 <0.075

Fine sand Fines (silt + clay)

#100 #140 #200

PARTICLE SIZE DISTRIBUTION

FINES

100 90 80 % passing by weight 70 60

#200

SAND

#4

GRAVEL

76.2

Well Graded wide range of particle sizes. (Fine sand to Coarse gravel)
Soil A Soil B Soil C

50 40 30 20 10 0 0.001 0.01 0.1 1 10 100

Poorly Graded narrow range of particle sizes. (Pea gravel)

Log grain size (mm)

SIGNIFICANCE OF GRAIN SIZE DISTRIBUTION CG Soils

Well Graded Mixtures (poorly sorted)
More stable Less Compressible Less Permeable

PARTICLL SIZE CURVE: GRADING COEFFICIENTS

100

Coefficient of Uniformity
grading curve
CU = D60 D10

% Finer

60 30 10

Coefficient of Curvature
CZ = D 2 30 D60 D10

> 10% Clay - dominates permeability > 30% Clay - dominates strength

d10

d30 d60

Particle Size (mm)

Consistency Indices
Clays and silts are characterized by the variation in behavior with change in water content Particularly important is their plastic behavior.

Consistency indices (Atterberg Limits)

Plasticity Index (PI)

Total Soil Volume

Natural water content

Va Vd Vs

Semiplastic Solid solid

Plastic

Liquid

ws

wp

wL

% Water Content

LI =

w PL PI

= Liquidity Index

THE PLASTIC LIMIT TEST

PI% Volume change potential(Swelling/ Shrinkage) >35 2248 1232 Very High High Medium Low

SOIL PROPERTIES IMPORTANT IN SUMO WRESTLING?

<18

THE LIQUID LIMT TEST

Casagrande grooving tool Brass cup

10mm gauge for checking height of fall of cup

Remoulded soil sample

LIQUID LIMIT TEST (1)

Height of fall of cup

Hard rubber base

Sieve Analysis

Wc

LIQUID LIMIT (2): CONE PENETRATION

Log. No.Blows

30o Cone 3
Casagrande Cup Part of soil used for hydrometer analysis
Repeat test several times at different water contents

LIQUID LIMIT DETERMINATION USING THE CONE PENETRATION TEST

Cone Penetration (mm) 24

Linear Shrinkage and Shrinkage Limit

20

14

LL = 55% 50 55 Moisture Content (%) 60

550mm

SOIL CLASSIFICATION AND CONSISTENCY INDICES (ASTM)

SOIL CLASSIFICATION AND CONSISTENCY INDICES Low 60 40 20 0 ML 20 MI 40 CI CL MV MH 60 80 100 120 Int. Plasticity High V. high Ext. high CV CE CH ME A-LINE

PLASTICIY INDEX (LL-PL) %

60 40 20
CL-ML

7 0. I=

3(

LL

CH

A-LINE

CL

MH or OH

0 0

ML or OL

PLASTICIY INDEX (LL-PL) %

0)

20

40

60

80

100

120

LIQUID LIMIT %

LIQUID LIMIT %

PLASTICITY OF SOILS
Class 1 2 3 4 5 PI% <1 1-7 7-17 17-35 >35 Description Non Plastic Slightly Plastic Mod Plastic Highly Plastic Extremely Plastic

TYPICAL ATTERBERG LIMITS FOR SOILS

Soil Type Sand Silt Clay WLL % Non 30 - 40 WPL % P la s 20 - 25 Ip % t i c 10 15 15 100

Plasticity according to Liquid Limit

Description Lean or Silty Intermediate Fat Very Fat Extra Fat Plasticity Low High Very High Extra High Range of LL <35 50-70 70-90 >90

Intermediate 35-50

40 - 150 25 - 50

Silts and Clays

TEST Grittiness Toughness METHOD Rub particles between fingers or taste Take pat of soil, moist enough to be plastic but not sticky and roll it to a thread 3mm in size in your palm. Fold and reroll thread repeatedly until it crumbles. Lump pieces together and knead to measure toughness Stroke soil with a blade Allow soil to dry then squeeze SILT Gritty texture CLAY Smooth texture

IN THE FIELD
Fine Sand Individual partciles visible Exhibits dilatancy Easy to crumble and falls off hands when dry Feels gritty No plasticity Silt Some particles visible Exhibits dilatancy Easy to crumble and can be dusted off hands when dry Feels rough Some Plasticity Clay No particles visible No dilatancy Hard to crumble and sticks to hands when dry Feels smooth Plasticity

Soil Soil is crumbles tough or high silt stiff content high clay content

Shine Dry strength Shaking (Dilatancy)

Dull Powders

Shiny Hard to break

Squeeze a moistened sample, Moisture No open hand, then shake or tap your film comes moisture hand to surface, film glistens

SOIL CLASSIFICATION
AASHTO SYSTEM
Used in highways

Table 1. AASHTO Classification for Coarse-Grained Soils

Soil Group
(1)

Grain size
Passing Passing #10 sieve #40 sieve (2) (3) Passing #200 sieve (4)

Liquid Limit*
(5)

Plasticity Index*
(6)

Material type
(7) Stone fragments, gravel and sand Fine sand

Subgrade rating
(8)

7 major groups 8 subgroups Soil designated using Group/subgroup and a group index (GI) UNIFIED SOIL CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM
Most common in North America Soils divided into coarse/fine based on grain size
Coarse soils divided into gravels and sands Full designation based on grading(Well/Poor using Cu and Cc) and percentage of fines Fine soils divided into inorganic silts and clays based on use of Casagrande chart (PI and LL)

A-1

A-1-a A-1-b

50max.

30max. 50max. 51min.

15max. 25max. 10max. 35max. 35max. 35max. 35max. 40max. 41min. 40max. 41min.

6max. 6max. Nonplastic 10max. 10max. 11min. 11min.

A-3 A-2-4 A-2-5 A-2 A-2-6 A-2-7

Excellent to good

Silty and clayey gravel and sand

Peat treated as separate soil type.

* Based on fraction passing #40 sieve

Table 2. AASHTO Classification for Fine-Grained Soils

Plasticity Index %
Soil Group
(1) Passing #200 sieve (2)

Liquid Limit and Plasticity Index for 9 AASHTO Soil Groups

80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 0 10
A-4 A-2-4 A-5 A-2-5 A-6 A-2-6 A-7-6

LL*
(3)

PI*
(4)

Material type
(5)

Subgrade rating
(6)

A-4 A-5 A-6 A-7-5 A-7-6

36min 36min 36min 36min 36min

40max. 41min 40max. 41min 41min

10max. 10max. 11min 11min and PL<=LL-30 11min and PI>LL-30

Silty soil Silty soil Clayey soil Clayey soil Clayey soil

Fair to poor Fair to poor Fair to poor Fair to poor Fair to poor

A-7

A-7-5 A-2-7

* Based on fraction passing #40 sieve

20 30 40 50 60 70 80 Liquid Limit %

90

100

AASHTO PROCEDURE
%Passing #4 #1 #4 #20 LL 0 0 0

From Table 1

UNIFIED SOIL CLASSIFICATION

Subdivides soil based on the % passing No. 200 sieve into Coarse grained Fine grained Coarse grained soils subdivided into Gravels and Sands based on %
passing No. 4 sieve. (% of fines (passing No 200 sieve) is use to further describe coarse grained soils.) Fine grained soils are subdivided into Inorganic and Organic Inorganic and Organic clays are subdivided in to silts and clays of high and low plasticity using the a plasticity chart (% of coarse-grained sand or gravel used to further describe silts and clays)

PL PI Group/ GI Name Subgroup

Soil A Soil B

98

90

76 86

34 58

38 49

26 12 A-2-6 28 21 A-7-6

A-2-6(0)

100 98

10 A-7-6(10)

<35%

Coarse grained Fine grained

GI=0.01(F200-15)(PI10) = 0.01(34-15)(1210)=0.38 ~0

From Table 2

>35%

GI = (F200-35)[0.2 + 0.005(LL-40)] + ( 0.01(F200-15)(PI-10) = (58-35)[0.2 + 0.005(49-40)] + 0.01(58-15)(21-10) = 10.37 ~10

Following Tables show detailed breakdown of the USC which will be used in lab exercise

UNIFIED SOIL CLASSIFICATION: FINE GRAINED SOILS: LL50

Criteria for Group Name

Criteria for Group Group Symbol Symbol

LL 50
and PI 0.73(LL-20)

CH

R200 SF/GF GF SF <15

15 to 29 30 1 <1 1 1 <1 <1

Group Name
Fat clay Fat clay with sand Fat clay with gravel

<15
15

Sandy fat clay

Sandy fat clay with gravel

<15 Gravelly fat clay 15 Gravelly fat clay with sand

Elastic silt Elastic silt with sand Elastic silt with gravel

LL 50
and PI< 0.73(LL-20)

MH

<15 15 to 29
30

1 <1 1 1 <1 <1

<15
15 15

Sandy elastic silt

Sandy elastic silt with gravel

<15 Gravelly elastic silt

Gravelly elastic silt with sand

UNIFIED SOIL CLASSIFICATION: GRAVELLY SOILS: R4>0.5R200

UNIFIED SOIL CLASSIFICATION: SANDY SOILS: R40.5R200

Criteria for Group Symbol F200 <5 Cu

4

Cc
1Cc 3 Cu <4 and/or 1>Cc>3

Relation between LL and PI

Group Group Name Symbol

Criteria for

Group Name

Criteria for Group Symbol F200 Cu

6

SF

Cc
1Cc 3 Cu <6 and/or 1>Cc>3

Relation between LL and PI

Group Group Name Symbol

Criteria for

Group Name Well graded sand Well graded sand with gravel Poorly graded sand
Poorly graded sand with gravel

GF

GW GP
PI<4 or PI<0.73(LL-20)

GM

>12

4 1Cc 3

PI>7 and PI GC 0.73(LL-20) 4 PI 7 and GC-GM PI0.73(LL-20) PI<4 or PI<0.73(LL-20) GW-GM PI>7 and PI GW-GC 0.73(LL-20) PI<4 or GP-GM PI<0.73(LL-20) PI>7 and PI GP-GC 0.73(LL-20)

<15 15 <15 15 <15 15 <15 15 <15 15 15 <15 15 <15 15 <15 15

Well graded gravel Well graded gravel with sand Poorly graded gravel
Poorly graded gravel with sand

<5

SW SP
PI<4 or PI<0.73(LL-20)

<15

Silty gravel Silty gravel with sand Clayey gravel Clayey gravel with sand Silty, clayey gravel Silty, clayey gravel with sand Well graded gravel with silt
Well graded gravel with silt and sand

SM

>12

6 1Cc 3

PI>7 and PI SC 0.73(LL-20) 4 PI 7 and SC-SM PI0.73(LL-20) PI<4 or PI<0.73(LL-20) SW-SM PI>7 and PI SW-SC 0.73(LL-20) PI<4 or SP-SM PI<0.73(LL-20) PI>7 and PI SP-SC 0.73(LL-20)

<15 15 <15 15 <15 15 <15 15 <15 15 15 <15 15 <15 15 <15 15

Silty sand Silty sand with gravel Clayey sand Clayey sand with gravel Silty, clayey sand

Silty, clayey sand with gravel

<15

Well graded sand with silt

Well graded sand with silt & gravel

Well graded gravel with clay

Well graded sand with clay

5F200 12
Cu <4 and/or 1>Cc>3

Well graded gravel with clay and sand

Poorly graded gravel with silt

Poorly graded gravel with silt and sand

5F200 12
Cu <6 and/or 1>Cc>3

Well graded sand with clay & gravel

Poorly graded sand with silt

Poorly graded sand with silt and gravel

Poorly graded gravel with clay

Poorly graded gravel with clay and sand

Poorly graded sand with clay

Poorly graded sand with clay and gravel

SENSITIVITY OF SOILS