Origin and Formation of Soil

Prof. Basuony El-Garhy

Geotechnical Engineering and Foundations
Civil Engineering Department
Faculty of Engineering

Copyright February, 2011 1

 Soil Formation
In general, soils are formed by weathering of rocks

Parent Rock

Residual soil Transported soil

in situ weathering (by weathered and transported far
mechanical and chemical away
agents) of parent rock
by wind, water and ice

2
 Residual soil

The soils formed by the weathered products at

their place of origin are called residual soils.

An important characteristic of residual soil is the

gradation of particle size. Fine grained soil is
formed at the surface, and the grain size
increases with depth.

3
 Transported soil
The transported soils may be classified into
several groups, depending on their mode of
transportation and deposition.

Transported by Special name

wind Aeolian
sea (salt water) Marine
river Alluvial
Gravity (landslides) Colluvial

4
 Soil Structure
Soil Structure

Coarse grained soil Fine grained soil

or Cohesionless soil or Cohesive soil

Particle diameter greater Particle diameter less

than 0.075 mm than 0.075 mm
Such as silt and clay Such as silt and clay

5
Particle arrangement in coarse grained soil

The structure of a coarse grained soil is governed

by gravitational forces.
In coarse grained soil the contact areas is small
therefore, the voids is large and the surface area
is small
Types of coarse grained soil structures

Dense structure Loose structure

6
 Particle arrangement in fine grained soil
The structure of a fine grained soil is governed by the
electrical forces acting at the surfaces of the particles.

In fine grained soil the contact areas is large

therefore, the voids is small and the surface area
is hight.
Types of fine grained soil structures

Dispersed structure Flocculent structure