SOIL CLASSIFICATION
There are two soil classification systems in common use for engineering purposes. The Unified
Soil Classification System - USCS (ASTM D 2487-93) (ASTM – American Society for Testing
and Materials) is used for virtually all geotechnical engineering works except highway and road
construction, where the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials -
AASHTO classification system (AASHTO M 145-87) is used. Both systems use the results of
grain-size analysis and determinations of Atterberg limits to determine a soil’s classification.
Soil components may be described as gravel, sand, silt or clay. A soil comprising one or more
of these components is given a descriptive name and a designation consisting of letters or letters
and numbers which depend on the relative proportions of the components and the plasticity
characteristics of the soil.
AASTHO Soil Classification System
The system has been described by AASHTO as a means for determining the relative quality of
soils for use in embankments, subgrades, subbases, and bases.
In the current system, soils are classified into seven groups, A-1 through A-7, with several
subgroups, as shown in Table 17.1. The classification of a given soil is based on its particle size
distribution, LL, and PI. Soils are evaluated within each group by using an empirical formula to
determine the group index (GI) of the soils, given as
GI = (F - 35) [0.2 + 0.005 (LL – 40)] + 0.01 (F - 15) (PI - 10) 1
where
GI = group index
F = percent of soil particles passing 0.075mm (No.200) sieve in whole number based on
material passing 75mm sieve
LL = liquid limit expressed in whole number
PI = plasticity index expressed in whole number
The GI is determined to the nearest whole number. A value of zero should be recorded when a
negative value is obtained for the GI. Also, in determining the GI for A-2-6 and A-2-7
subgroups, the LL part of Eq. 1 is not used – that is, only the second term of the equation is used.
Under the AASHTO system, granular soils falls into classes A-1 to A-3, A-1 soils consist of
well-graded granular materials. A-2 soil contains significant amounts of silts and clays, and A-3
are clean but poorly graded sands.
A soil is a granular material if less than 35% of the soil by weight passes the No. 200 sieve.
Granular materials are classified into groups A-1 through A-3. Soils having more than 35%
passing the No. 200 sieve are silty-clay and fall in groups A-4 through A-7.
Also in the system:
Gravel is a material smaller than 75 mm but retained in No. 10 (2.00 mm) sieve
Coarse Sand is a material passing No. 10 sieve but retained in No. 40 (0.425 mm) sieve
Fine Sand is a material passing No. 40 sieve but retained in No. 200 (0.075 mm) sieve
Silty-Clay is a material passing No. 200 sieve and is classified based on Atterberg Limits.
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(Note that generally speaking Boulders are particles that will not pass 300 mm sieve while
Cobbles are particles that will not pass 75 mm sieve)
Classifying soils under the AASHTO system will consist of first determining the particle size
distribution and Atterberg limits of the soil and then reading Table 17.1 from left to right to find
the correct group. The correct group is the first one on the left that fits the particle size
distribution and Atterberg limits and should be expressed in terms of group designation and the
GI. Examples are A-2-6(4) and A-6(10). The AASHTO plasticity criteria are also illustrated in
Fig. 15.3.
In general the suitability of a soil deposit for use in highway construction can be summarized as
follows:
1. Soils classified as A-1-a, A-1-b, A-2-4, A-2-5, and A-3 can be used satisfactorily as
subgrade or subbase material if properly drained. In addition, such soils must be properly
compacted and covered with an adequate thickness of pavement (base and/or surface
cover) for the surface load to be carried.
2. Materials classified as A-2-6, A-2-7, A-4, A-5, A-6, A-7-5, and A-7-6 will require a layer
of subbase material if used as subgrade. If these are to be used as embankment materials,
special attention must be given to the design of the embankment.
3. When soils are properly drained and compacted, their values as subgrade material
decreases as the GI increases., for example, a soil with a GI of zero (an indication of a
good subgrade material) will be better as a sub grade material than one with a GI of 20
(an indication of a poor subgrade material).
Example 1
Classify the soil whose data is given as follows using AASHTO classification system
The Liquid limit and Plastic Limit are 30 and 20 respectively.
Percent passing No. 4 sieve = 100%
Percent passing No. 10 sieve = 91%
Percent passing No. 40 sieve = 60%
Percent passing No. 200 sieve = 20%
Following the classification Table from left to right, group A-1 is eliminated due to too much
material passing the No. 40 sieve, and group A-3 is eliminated due to too much material passing
the No. 200 sieve. The soil passes the criteria for A-2-4 and is classified. The group index
GI = (F -35)[0.2 + 0.005 (LL – 40)] + 0.01 (F -15) (PI – 10)
where F = 20 (percent passing the No. 200 sieve)
GI = (20 -35)[0.2 + 0.005 (30 – 40)] + 0.01 (20 -15) (10 – 10)
= 2.25
This is rounded to the nearest whole number, 2, and the soil classification is reported as A-2-4(2)
Example 2
A fine grained soil has the following properties:
Percent passing No. 200 sieve = 65%
Liquid limit = 60
Plastic limit = 28
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First one notes that more than 35% passes the No. 200 sieve, so the soil is silty-clay. Entering the
coordinates (60,32) in the AASHTO Plasticity Chart, the classification is A-7-6, GI =20. The
complete classification is A-7-6(20), which indicates a poor quality soil for highway
construction.
Assignment:
The following data were obtained for a soil sample
Mechanical Analysis
Sieve No. Percent Finer Plasticity Tests
4 97 LL = 48 %
10 93 PL = 26 %
40 88
100 78
200 70
Using the AASHTO method for classifying soils, determine the classification of the soil and
state whether this material is suitable in its natural state for use as a subbase material.
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