Several certain minimum requirements must be satisfied in order to classify soils adequately.

A true classification must be basic and take into account the potential use. Some of the more elaborate methods do not do this. For example, if soil and all its potential uses are considered, such factors as strength, ability to support plant growth, alkalinity, grain size, and plasticity should be considered. To consider all these factors of soli in a structural classification for engineering purpose would defeat the purpose of classification. A true and accurate soil-classification system, therefore, must take into account the exact, potential use of that soil. Idealized soli conditions rarely exist; therefore, an all-inclusive system may give misleading results. Furthermore, most classification systems are based upon the standard test constants (liquid and plastic limits), which tests are made on disturbed samples. Strength properties inferred from the test constants do not apply to the in situ case. Sensitivity of clay soils is important, if an undisturbed sample of clay is tested in simple compression applied so rapidly that no moisture changes occur during the test, it will have a certain compressive strength. If the same soil is reworked and recompacted to the same moisture content and dry density and then retested, it may have a much lower compressive strength. The loss in strength is attributed to several factors, including breakdown in soil structure. The ratio of the unconfined compressive strength in an undisturbed state to that after remolding is known as sensitivity. Thus, the sensitivity can be expressed as in equation Unconfined compressive strength, undisturbed / unconfined compressive strength, remolded

A clay is sensitive when the values of sensitivity range between 4 and 8, and extra sensitive when values of 8 or more are encountered. It should, therefore, be apparent that test on disturbed samples should be supplemented with information concerning the consistency and structure of the soil. In addition, an understanding of the geological sequence of development of a soil will aid in the interpretation of the test results. Minimum requirements for soil classification the first step in the classification process should be a field identification of all soils encountered during the soil- boring program. The data should include the visual description regarding color consistency, relative moistness, and relative compactness. the exact lateral and vertical position of the soil in the field should be determined. geological data regarding type of parent material, climatic conditions, and topographic position should be included in this descriptions. Each sample of soil should be visually described on the basis of soil components Descriptive data regarding the soil are most useful as an aid to interpreting test results. tests made for classification include liquid and plastic limits. Natural moisture contents should also be determined for each soil. Atterberg limits. If a soil is mixed with enough water to produce thick slurry and permitted to dry out, it will pass through several states of consistency. These states of consistency are shown in figure 7.4. First, the soil will be a liquid and then pass from there into a plastic state. The standard liquid limit is the moisture content at which the soil will just begin to flow when lightly jarred in a

standard manner. The plastic limit is defined as the moisture content at which a soil will just begin to crumble when rolled into threads 1/8 inch in diameter. This presents the point where the soil passes from the plastic to semisolid state. The plastic limit test has also been standardized. Because the liquid and plastic limit test are arbitrary and have been standardized, identical procedures must be followed at all times in order to obtain reproducible results. In the standard liquid limit test, a soil water slurry is placed in a metal cup and a grove cut through the soil with a small tool. the liquid limit is defined as the moisture content at which this grove will close for a distance of inch, when the cup is dropped from a height of 1 centimeter twenty five times on a hard rubber base ( see reference 4 for details of the test). The standards for determining the liquid and plastic limits of a soil require that the soil first be air dried and then made to pass through a N 40 mesh sieve. The liquid limit test, in particular, is sensitive to initial moisture content. If the test are made at any moisture content other than air dry, this information should be submitted along with the test results.

Aasho The public roads administration soil classification system was revised by a Highway Research Board Committee in 1945 (14). Since 1945 it has become known variously as the highway board, American association of state Highway officials or modified bureau of public roads system. This system is the most widely known and used method for classifying soils for highway purposes. The details of this system are shown in table 7.2 and in figure 7.5 Soils are divided into two major groups, granular material containing 35 percent or less material passing a N 200 mesh sieve, and clay and silt-clay materials, containing more than 35 percent passing a N 200 mesh sieve. The soil components as recognized by this system are as follows: Gravel material passing a 3 inch sieve and retained on a N 10 sieve Coarse sand- material passing an N 10 sieve and retained on an N 40 sieve. Fine sand- material passing an N 40 sieve and retained on an N 200 sieve. Combined silt and clay- material passing the N 200 sieve The group index for a soil is obtained by means of equation 7.2. GI= 0.2a + 0.005ac + 0.01bd eq.(7.2) Where A: that portion of the percentage passing N 200 sieve greater than 35 percent and not exceeding 75 percent, expressed as a positive whole number ( 0 to 40) B: that portion of the percentage passing N 200 sieve greater than 15 percent and not exceeding 55 percent, expressed as a positive whole number (0 to 40) C: thet portion of the numerical liquid limit greater than 40 and not exceeding 60, expressed as a positive whole number (0 to 20)

D : that portion of the numerical plasticity index greater than 10 and not exceeding 30, expressed as a positive whole number (0 to 20)

The group- index value is useful for correlation purposes. It is placed in parentheses after the classification symbol. For example an A-6 soil with a groups index of 8 is written 4-6(8) Figure 7.5 contains charts that can be used to solve equation 7.2 FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION CLASSIFICATION The federal aviation administration classification system(8) is given in table 7.3 and figure 7.6. soils, according to this classification system, are grouped from 1 to 13 and are designated as E1 to E- 13. This classification is based on sieve analysis of that portion of the sample passing the N 10 sieve. In addition, the n 200 mesh sieve is used to distinguish fine fractions of the soil from the coarse fractions. The soil components are designated as follows

Coarse sand- pass a N 10 sieve, retained on a N 40 sieve Fine san- pass a N 40 sieve, retained on a N 200 mesh sieve. Silt and cly- pass a N 200 mesh sieve. As was the case for the Highway Research Board classification system, the liquid and plastic limits are used to distinguish between silty and clayey fractions of soil.

Problems and questions

1. 7.1 classify each of the following material by the AASHO (calculate group index). FAA, and Unified systems. Describe each in detail estimating their probable behavior for sub grades and base courses, compaction characteristics, etc. 2. 7.2 A sample of soil was compacted in a roadway. Its dry density by test was 105 pcf and its specific gravity (Ss) was 2.67 estimates what its saturated moisture content would be.

3. 7.3. A soil sample has specific gravity (Ss) equal to 2.74 and a moisture content of 25 percent when completely saturated. Calculate its dry and wet densities. 4. 7.4. In each of the following, indicate which parent soil should result in (a) deeper developed profiles and (b) the most plastic B horizon Soil A occurs on a relatively flat topography, whercas soil B occurs on a steep solpe

5. 7.5 give the primary limitations of soil classification by standard method; the advantages. 6. 7.6 tests on borrow area for a highway sub grade yielded the following soil test results for a fine grained material:

Dry density: 100 pcf Moisture content 25 % Specific gravity: 2.65 Liquid limit: 30% Plastic limit: 18% Tests show that it should be placed in the sub grade at 115 pcf dry density at a moisture content of 14 percent. Estimate the properties of this soil relative to frost action, ease of compaction, drainage characteristics, compaction equipment best suited. Estimate the percent shrinkage on a volume basis, assuming no spillage, from cut to fill.