<br />Descriptive Terminology
<br />
<br />~ ~l~ Designation 0 2487 - 83
<br />
<br />Standard Test Method for
<br />CLASSIFICATION OF SOILS FOR ENGINEERING PURPOSES
<br />
<br />I
<br />I
<br />
<br />CRITERIA. fOR ASSIGNING GROUP SYMBOLS AND
<br />GROUP NAMES USING LABORATORY TESTS a
<br />
<br />SOIL ClAS$lf ICATlQN
<br />~OUP
<br />SYMBOL GROUP NAME b
<br />
<br />~ 0
<br />~e
<br />;h
<br />z -
<br />~ ~ g
<br />~""N
<br />~;~
<br />tQ~
<br />~ .
<br />o c
<br />U 0
<br />E
<br />
<br />GRAVELS
<br />!>'ore than 50% of
<br />coarse frilct ion
<br />retained on
<br />No. 4 sieve
<br />
<br />les;L~~:n G~~Vi~~es c I Cu > 4 and 1 iCe i 3 e
<br />Cu < 4 and/or 1 > Cc > 3 e
<br />
<br />fines classifv as ML or MH"
<br />fines classify as Cl or CH
<br />
<br />Well~graded gravel (
<br />
<br />Poorly graded gravel f
<br />
<br />Siltv oravel f,9.h
<br />Clayey gravel f.9.h
<br />Well-graded sand i
<br />
<br />Poorly graded sand 1
<br />
<br />Si ltv sand 9.h. i
<br />Clayey sand 9th,;
<br />Lean clay k,l,m
<br />
<br />GW
<br />
<br />GP
<br />
<br />G!AVElS WITH FINES
<br />i More than 12% fines C
<br />
<br />SANDS I CLEAN SANDS Cu ) 6 and 1 i Cc < 3 e
<br />50% or more of _ jless than 5% fines d
<br />coarse fractIon i Cu < 6 and/or 1 ) Cc ) 3 e
<br />~f~~~S No.4 I SANDS WITH FINES Fines classifv as Ml or MH
<br />Il-tJre than 12'; fines d fines classify as Cl or CH
<br />
<br />! , PI ,,~./ I ~~~ ~lots on or above
<br />SILTS AND CLAYS I 1norganic __
<br />liquid limit I PI < 4 or plots below "A" hne j
<br />less than 50%
<br />
<br />I o'ganic liquid limit - oven dried < 0 75
<br />llqU1d 11m1t ~ not dr1ed .
<br />
<br />GM
<br />GC
<br />SW
<br />
<br />SP
<br />
<br />SM
<br />SC
<br />Cl
<br />
<br />Ml
<br />
<br />Silt k,l,m
<br />
<br />~
<br />~
<br />~
<br />
<br />Organic clay k, 1, m, n
<br />Organic silt k, 1, m, 0
<br />
<br />Ol
<br />
<br />~
<br />
<br />!
<br />SILTS AND CLAYS
<br />
<br />CH
<br />
<br />Fat clay k,l,m
<br />
<br />PI plots on or above "A" line
<br />
<br />Liquid limit
<br />SOl or more
<br />
<br />inorgilnic
<br />
<br />MH
<br />
<br />[Jastic sill k,l,m
<br />
<br />PI plots below "A" 1 ine
<br />
<br />organic
<br />
<br />t~Q~:~ ~~~~~ : ~~rnd~~~~d < 0.75
<br />
<br />Organic clay k, 1, m, p
<br />OrQanic silt k, 1, m, q
<br />Peat
<br />
<br />Highly organic soils
<br />
<br />Primarily organic matter, dark in color, and
<br />org<ln ic odor
<br />
<br />OH
<br />PT
<br />
<br />a. Based on the material passing the 3-in (7S-1Tfll) sieve.
<br />b. If field sample contained cobbles and/or boulders, add "with cobbles iJnd/or boulders" to group nilTle.
<br />c. Gravels with 5 to 12% fines require dual symbols
<br />GW-GM well graded gravel with silt
<br />GW-GC well graded gravel with clay
<br />GP-GM poorly graded gravel with silt
<br />
<br />d. sa~~~G;i thosr ~~ 1~id~1 n~~a;:~u7~;hd~~ ~y S)1llbO 1 s
<br />SW-SM well graded sand with sill
<br />SW-SC well graded sand with clay
<br />SP.SM poorly graded sand with si It
<br />SP.SC poorly graded sand with clay
<br />C _ (030)2
<br />Cu = 060/010 c - ~
<br />f. If soil contains> 15'; sand, add "with sand" to group niWlle.
<br />g. If fines Classify-as Cl-Ml, use dual symbol GC-GM, SC-$M.
<br />h. If fines are organic, add "with organic fines" to group nilTle.
<br />i. If soil contdins ~ 15% gravel, add "with gravel" to group name.
<br />j. If Atterberg limits plot in hatched area, soil is a Cl--Ml, silty clay.
<br />k. If soil contains 15't0291 plus No. 200, add "with sand" or "with gravel" lOtlichever is predexnindnt.
<br />1. If soil contains> 30% plus No. 200, predCl'llinantly sand. add "sandy" to group n<<lle.
<br />m. If soil contains)" 301 plus No. ?OO, predOOlinantly gravel, add "gravelly" to group name.
<br />n. PI > 4 and plots on or above "A" line.
<br />o. PI '( 4 or plots below "A" line.
<br />p. PI plots on or above "A" line.
<br />q. PI plots below "A" 1 ine.
<br />
<br />60
<br />
<br />
<br />H 50
<br />a..
<br />X
<br />IJJ
<br />o 40
<br />Z
<br />
<br />For clasSlflcatron of flne-grolned SOII~
<br />and flne-grOlned fract Ion of coarse-gramed
<br />~
<br />tQuotronof "A--Ilne
<br />HOrlzontol ot PI=4 to ll~25 5.
<br />then PI=O.73 ill-201
<br />
<br />EquatIon of"U"-lrne
<br />Vertlcol ot II = 16 to PI=7
<br />then PI = 09 ill-S)
<br />
<br />~
<br />f-
<br />
<br />U
<br />f-
<br />Ul
<br />< 20
<br />..J
<br />"a..
<br />
<br />30
<br />
<br />MH OR OH
<br />
<br />10
<br />7 --
<br />4--
<br />
<br />c
<br />
<br />00
<br />
<br />I
<br />16 20
<br />
<br />100
<br />
<br />10
<br />
<br />30
<br />
<br />40 50 60 70
<br />LIQUID LIMIT (LL)
<br />
<br />80
<br />
<br />90
<br />
<br />LABORATORY TESTS
<br />
<br />DO Dry Density, pcf
<br />WD Wet Density, pcf
<br />MC Natural Moisture Content, %
<br />LL Liquid Limit, %
<br />PL Plastic Limit, %
<br />PI Plasticity Index, %
<br />
<br />OC
<br />S
<br />SG
<br />C
<br />(Zl
<br />qu
<br />
<br />Organic Content, %
<br />Percent of Saturation. %
<br />SpecifiC Gravity
<br />Cohesion
<br />Angle of Internal Friction
<br />Unconfined Compressive Strength
<br />
<br />PARTICLE SIZE IDENTIFICATION
<br />
<br />Boulders
<br />Cobbles
<br />Gravel
<br />Coarse. , . . . . . , . . , . . .
<br />Fine........, .
<br />Sand
<br />
<br />Coarse , . . . . . , . . . . . . . , . . . . .
<br />Medium ,....,.,.......,..".,.,..
<br />R~................,....."......
<br />Silt. ......... ... ,. """""""""
<br />Clay........".....,.,.,..."..... .
<br />
<br />over 12"
<br />3'" to 12'
<br />
<br />3/,,"-3"
<br />No.4 - +:,"
<br />
<br />NO.4 - No 10
<br />No. 10 - No 40
<br />No. 40 - No 200
<br />No. 200 - .005 mm
<br />less than .005 mm
<br />
<br />RELATIVE DENSITY OF
<br />COHESIONLESS SOILS
<br />
<br />very loose ............,.,..."..,...........,. 0 -- 4 BPF
<br />
<br />loose.. .. .. .., .. ... . ,. , .. . .... , . " , .... , .. ." . 5 - 10 BPF
<br />medium dense """"""""""""""'" 11 - 30 BPF
<br />
<br />dense. . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . , . . . . . . . . . . , . , . . . . . 31 - 50 BPF
<br />very dense. . . . , . . . . . . , . , . , . . . . . . , . . . . . . . , . . . , , , . . 50+ BPF
<br />
<br />CONSISTENCY OF COHESIVE SOILS
<br />
<br />very soft. . . . . . . . . . , . . . , . . . , . , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , .0 - 1 BPF
<br />
<br />soft. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , . . , . . . . . . . . 2 - 3 BPF
<br />rather soft ....,............................... 4 - 5 BPF
<br />
<br />medium. . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 - 8 BPF
<br />rather stiff. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , . . . . . . . . . . . . . , , . . 9 - 12 B PF
<br />
<br />stiff...........,.....,......,................ 13 - 16 BPF
<br />very stiff.. ..... .. .. .. ... .... ....... ...... .... 17 - 30 BPF
<br />
<br />hard .......................,......,..,..,....... 30+ BPF
<br />
<br />DRILLING NOTES
<br />
<br />110
<br />
<br />Standard penetration test borings were advanced by 3'/," or 6'.,"
<br />1.0, hollow-stem augers unless noted otherwise. Jetting water was
<br />used to clean out auger prior to sampling only where indicated on
<br />logs. Standard penetration test borings are designated by the
<br />prefix "ST" (Split Tube).
<br />
<br />Power auger borings were advanced by 4" or 6" diameter.
<br />continuous-flite, solid stem augers. Soil classification and strilin
<br />depths are inferred from disturbed samples augered to the surface
<br />and are therefore somewhat approximate. Power auger borings
<br />are designated by the prefix "B".
<br />
<br />Hand probings were advanced manually with a 1 '.,." diamelW
<br />probe and are limited to the depth from which the probe Ciln be
<br />manually withdrawn. Hand probings are indicated by tlw pref"
<br />"H".
<br />
<br />SAMPLING - All samples are taken with the standard 2" 0 D
<br />split tube sampler, except where noted. TW indicates thin-Willi
<br />(undisturbed) sample.
<br />
<br />BPF - Numbers indicate blows per foot recorded in slanda,(1
<br />penetration test. also known as "N" value. The sampler is set 6
<br />into undisturbed soil below the hollow-stem auger. Dnvu1q
<br />resistances are then counted for second and third 6" increments
<br />and added to get BPF. Where they differ significantly, they are
<br />reported in the following form -. 2/12 for the second and third 6"
<br />increments respectively.
<br />
<br />WH - WH indicates that sampler penetrated soil under weiCjil! (II
<br />hammer and rods alone. driVing not required.
<br />
<br />NOTE - All tests run in accordance with applicable AST1v1
<br />standards.
<br />
<br />lUMunl
<br />
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