Standard Practice for Classification of

Soils for Engineering Purposes.

(Unified Soil Classification System)
[ASTM:D 2487 00]

Prepared by: Sitti Aminah

CONTENT

Scope
Terminology
Significance
Apparatus
Sampling

Examples

SCOPE

describes a system for classifying mineral and organo-mineral soils

for engineering purposes based on laboratory determination of
particle-size characteristics, liquid limit, and plasticity index and shall
be used when precise classification is required.
The group symbol portion of this system is based on laboratory tests
performed on the portion of a soil sample passing the 3-in. (75-mm)
sieve
This standard is the ASTM version of the Unified Soil Classification
System.

TERMINOLOGY
Clay

soil passing a No. 200 (75-m) U.S. standard sieve that can be made to exhibit
plasticity (putty-like properties) within a range of water contents and that exhibits
considerable strength when air dry.

Gravel

Particles of rock that will pass a 3-in. (75-mm) sieve and be retained on a No.4
(4.75mm) U.S. standard sieve.
Two types:
> Coarse: passes 3-in. (75-mm) sieve and retained on 34-in. (19-mm)
sieve;
> Fine: passes 34-in. (19-mm) sieve and retained on No. 4 (4.75-mm)
sieve.

Organic
clay

A soil that would be classified as a clay except that its liquid limit value after oven
drying is less than 75 % of its liquid limit value before oven drying.

Organic silt
Peat

an organic silt is a soil that would be classified as a silt except that its liquid limit value
after oven drying is less than 75 % of its liquid limit value before oven drying.
a soil composed of vegetable tissue in various stages of decomposition usually with
an organic odor, a dark-brown to black color, a spongy consistency, and a texture
ranging from fibrous to amorphous.

Sand

Particles of rock that will pass a No.4 (75-mm) sieve and be retained on a
No.200 (75-m) U.S. standard sieve.
Three types:
Coarsepasses No. 4 (4.75-mm) sieve and retained on No.10 (2.00-mm)
sieve,
Mediumpasses No. 10 (2.00-mm) sieve and retained on No. 40 (425-m)
sieve, and
Finepasses No. 40 (425-m) sieve and retained on No. 200 (75-m) sieve.

Silt

a silt is a fine-grained soil, or the fine-grained portion of a soil, with a

plasticity index less than 4 or if the plot of plasticity index versus liquid limit falls
below the A line.

Soil classification chart

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE

classifies soils from any geographic location into categories representing the
results of prescribed laboratory tests to determine the particle-size
characteristics, the liquid limit, and the plasticity index.
The assigning of a group name and symbol(s) can be used to describe a soil
to aid in the evaluation of its significant properties for engineering use.
provides a useful first step in any field or laboratory investigation for
geotechnical engineering purposes.

APPARATUS
Plasticity Chart

cumulative particle-size distribution

curve

SAMPLING AND SPECIMEN

Where only the particle-size analysis of the sample is required, specimens

having the following minimum dry weights are required:

*Whenever possible, the field samples should

have weights two to four times larger than
shown.
When the liquid and plastic limit tests must also be performed, additional material
will be required sufficient to provide 150 g to 200 g of soil finer than the No. 40 (425m) sieve.

Examples
Example 1

Preliminary classification
Procedure
1)FINE GRAINED:
>= 50% pass No.200 sieve
2) COARSE GRAINED:
> 50% retained No. 200 sieve

* In this case, (100-15.2=84.8%),hence >50% retained at No. 200 sieve, COARSE GRAINED

If Coarse- grained soil

Sand or gravel?

Check % of fines
(passing No 200)

Retained No 4 (Gravel) = 100 - 76.5= 23.5% of the total

soil or (23.5/84.8)(100) = 27.7% of the coarse-grained soil
Therefore, Sand = 100 - 27.7= 72.3% of the coarsegrained soil.
Since sand is more than 50% > go to Sands (Primary
letter S)

If % fines < 5% Clean sands

If % fines between 5-12% Duallynamed
If % fines > 12% Sands with fines

*in this case, % fines (passing No 200) = 15.2%, Sands with fines,

10

Check Plasticity chart

(type of fines)

PI = LL- PL = 18, LL = 30
Check plasticity chart CL (clay with low
LL)
Thus, fines are predominantly CLAY
Hence the Secondary letter is C

* soil is classified as SC(Clayey Sand)

11

12
Example 2

Given:

Solution:

Sieve No

Sieve Opening
(mm)

Sieve Opening (mm)

Mass of soil retained on each sieve (kg)

4.75

0.425

0.5

0.075

0.3

pan

0.2

Mass of soil retained on

each sieve (g)

Percent mass
retained
(%)

Cumulative percent
retained

% passing

4.75

60

60

40

20

80

20

35

0.425

0.5

10

90

10

200

0.075

0.3

96

0.2

100

Pan

13

Preliminary classification
Procedure
1)FINE GRAINED:
>= 50% pass No.200 sieve

Fine or coarse?

2) COARSE GRAINED:
> 50% retained No. 200 sieve
* In this case, (100-4=96%),hence >50% retained at No. 200 sieve, COARSE GRAINED

Sand or gravel?

Check % of fines
(passing No 200)

Retained No 4 (Gravel) = 60% of the total soil or (60/96)

(100) = 63% of the coarse-grained soil
Therefore, Sand = 100 - 63= 37% of the coarse-grained
soil.
Since gravel is more than 50% > go to Gravel (Primary
letter G)
If % fines < 5% Clean gravel
If % fines between 5-12% Duallynamed
If % fines > 12% Gravel with fines

*in this case, % fines (passing No 200) = 4%, Clean gravel

Well Graded (W) or

Poorly Graded (P)?

Plot the distribution curve, determine

Cu and Cc

Find D60, D30, D10,then determine the Cu and Cc

14

*D10, D30, and D60 = the particle-size diameters corresponding

to 10, 30, and 60 %, respectively, passing on the cumulative
particle-size distribution curve.
Well-graded gravel must conforming to following conditions:

*For this case, Cu = 2.3, Cc =1.3, Poorly graded gravel GP

15

Example 3

Given:

Sieve No

Mass of soil retained on each sieve

35

200

Pan

PL =21, LL = 35

Solution:
Sieve No

Sieve Opening

Mass of soil retained on

each sieve

Percent mass
retained

Cumulative percent
retained

%
passing

4.75

20

20

80

20

40

60

35

0.425

30

70

30

200

0.075

20

90

10

10

100

Pan

16

17

Preliminary classification
Procedure
1)FINE GRAINED:
>= 50% pass No.200 sieve

Fine or coarse?

2) COARSE GRAINED:
> 50% retained No. 200 sieve
* In this case, (100-10=90%),hence >50% retained at No. 200 sieve, COARSE GRAINED

Sand or gravel?

Check % of fines
(passing No 200)

Retained No 4 (Gravel) = 20% of the total soil or (20/90)

(100) = 22% of the coarse-grained soil
Therefore, Sand = 100 - 22= 78% of the coarse-grained
soil.
Since gravel is more than 50% > go to Sand (Primary
letter S)
If % fines < 5% Clean sand
If % fines between 5-12% Duallynamed
If % fines > 12% sand with fines

*in this case, % fines (passing No 200) = 10%, Dually named

Well Graded (W) or

Poorly Graded (P)?

Plot the distribution curve, determine

Cu and Cc

Find D60, D30, D10,then determine the Cu and Cc

18

*D10, D30, and D60 = the particle-size diameters corresponding

to 10, 30, and 60 %, respectively, passing on the cumulative
particle-size distribution curve.
Well-graded gravel must conforming to following conditions:

*For this case, Cu = 2.8, Cc =1.3, Poorly- graded sand SP

19

20
Therefore,

the first half of the dual name is SP-SX

Check plasticity chart for the x

LL =35, PI = 35-21 = 14

From the plasticity chart,

x located at CL. Hence,
the soil is classified as
SP-SC(Poorly Graded
sand with clay).

Example 4

21

Preliminary classification
Procedure

22

1)FINE GRAINED:
>= 50% pass No.200 sieve

Fine or coarse?

2) COARSE GRAINED:
> 50% retained No. 200 sieve
* In this case, (100-2=98%),hence >50% retained at No. 200 sieve, COARSE GRAINED

Sand or gravel?

Check % of fines
(passing No 200)

Retained No 4 (Gravel) = (100-48)=52% of the total soil or

(52/98)(100) = 53% of the coarse-grained soil
Therefore, Sand = 100 - 53= 47% of the coarse-grained
soil.
Since gravel is > 50% go to Gravel (Primary letter G)

If % fines < 5% Clean gravel

If % fines between 5-12% Duallynamed
If % fines > 12% gravel with fines
*in this case, % fines (passing No 200) = 2%, Clean gravel

Well Graded (W) or

Poorly Graded (P)?

Plot the distribution curve, determine

Cu and Cc

Find D60, D30, D10,then determine the Cu and Cc

23

*D10, D30, and D60 = the particle-size diameters corresponding

to 10, 30, and 60 %, respectively, passing on the cumulative
particle-size distribution curve.
Well-graded gravel must conforming to following conditions:

*For this case, Cu = 4.8, Cc =2.2, Well- graded gravel GP

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25

Example 5
Sieve Opening

Mass of soil retained on each sieve

4.75

0.425

0.1

0.075

0.2

LL = 62, PL= 44

0.7

Sieve No

Sieve Opening

Mass of soil retained on each

sieve

Percent mass
retained

Cumulative percent
retained

% passing

4.75

60

60

40

10

20

80

20

40

0.425

0.1

82

18

200

0.075

0.2

86

14

0.7

14

100

Pan

26

% passing No. 200 = 14%

LL = 62, PI = 62 -44 = 18, MH.
Hence, GM Silty Gravel

Example 6

PI = 42 16 = 36;
PI plotted above A
line with LL <50,
CL (Lean Clay)

27

Example 7

PI = 63 38 = 25;
PI plotted above A
line with LL >50,
MH (Elastic silt)

28

Example 8

PI = 70 25 = 45;
PI plotted above A
line with LL >50,
CH (Fat Clay)

29

Example 9

PI = 28 22 = 6;
PI plotted below A
line with LL <50, CLML (Silty Clay)

30

Example 10

PI = 46 43 = 3
(less than 4)
PI plotted below A line
with LL <50, ML
(Silt)

31

Thank you