Lecture # 3 Description of An Assemblage of Particles

Lecture # 3
Description of an Assemblage
of Particles
Soil’s Texture, Size, Shape &

Moisture Content Influence on
Engineering Properties and
Associated Classification
Soil Texture
•The texture of a soil is its appearance or
“feel” and it depends on the relative sizes
and shapes of the particles as well as the
range or distribution of those sizes.
Coarse-grained soils: Fine-grained soils:
Gravel Sand Silt Clay
0.075 mm (USCS)
Sieve analysis Hydrometer analysis

Characteristics (Holtz and Kovacs, 1981)
(Holtz and Kovacs, 1981)

2.2 Grain Size Distribution (Cont.)
0.075 mm (USCS)
(Head, 1992)
Sieve analysis Hydrometer analysis

Grain Size • Sieve size
Distribution
Select a set of sieves (weigh

Each sieve separately); Assemble
Sieves With large openings on top with
descending opening size (increase
number) beneath with bottom
Sieve #200 and closed pan on bottom.
Weigh out representative soil

Sample e.g. 1000 g and pour into sieves
Vibrate for representative time; dissemble
sieves and weigh each sieve with soil
sample; add weights above sieve and
Plot retained (%) vs. sieve opening
--- Grain size Curve--------
(Das, 1998)
Finer
Log scale
Effective size D10: 0.02 mm
D30: 0.6mm D60: 9 mm (Holtz and Kovacs, 1981)
• Describe the • Criteria
shape
D  0.02 mm (effective size )
10 Well  graded soil
• Example: well graded
D 30  0.6 mm
D 60  9 mm
1  C c  3 and C u  4
Coefficien t of uniformity (for gravels )
D 60 9 1  C c  3 and C u  6
Cu    450
D10 0.02 (for sands )
Coefficien t of curvature
(D 30 ) 2 (0.6) 2
Cc   2
(D10 )( D 60 ) (0.02)(9)
Grain Size Distribution (Cont.)
• Engineering applications
- It will help us “feel” the soil texture (what the soil is)
and it will also be used for the soil classification
(next topic).
- It can be used to define the grading specification of
a drainage filter (clogging).
- It can be a criterion for selecting fill materials of
embankments and earth dams, road sub-base
materials, and concrete aggregates.
- It can be used to estimate the results of grouting
and chemical injection, and dynamic compaction.
- The grain size distribution is more important to
coarse-grained soils.
- Effective Size, D10, can be correlated with the hydraulic
conductivity (describing the permeability of soils).
(Hazen’s Equation). (Note: controlled by small particles)
Particle Shape
Subrounded
Coarse- Rounded
grained
soils
Subangular Angular
-Important for granular soils (Holtz and Kovacs, 1981)
· Angular soil particle  higher friction
· Round soil particle  lower friction
· Note that clay particles are sheet-like.
Atterberg Limits
and
Consistency Indices
Atterberg Limits
• The presence of water in fine-grained soils can
significantly affect associated engineering behavior, so
we need a reference index to clarify the effects.
Ip = PI
=ws =wp = wl
In percentage
LI =(w-PL)/PI

4.3 Plastic Limit: PL = Wp
The plastic limit PL is defined as the water content at which

a soil thread with 3.2 mm diameter just crumbles.
ASTM D4318-95a
Casagrande’s LL Method
• Device
N=25 blows
Closing distance =
12.7mm (0.5 in)
The water content, in percentage, required to close a

distance of 0.5 in (12.7mm) along the bottom of the
groove after 25 blows is defined as the liquid limit
4.2.1 Casagrande Method
(Cont.)
wL =LL
w
N Das, 1998
Influence of Clay fraction
On Soils Atterberg Limits
Typical Atterberg Limits

For Different Clay Minerals
Soil Classification
•Classifying soils into groups with similar
behavior, in terms of simple indices, can provide
geotechnical engineers a general guidance
about engineering properties of the soils
through the accumulated experience.
Communicate
between
engineers
Simple indices Classification Estimate Achieve

system engineering engineering
GSD, LL, PI (Language) properties purposes
Use the
accumulated
experience
Classification Systems
• Two commonly used systems:
• Unified Soil Classification System (USCS).
• American Association of State Highway

and Transportation Officials (AASHTO)
System
Unified Soil Classification System
(USCS)
Origin of USCS:
This system was first developed by Professor A.
Casagrande (1948) for the purpose of airfield construction
during World War II. Afterwards, it was modified by
Professor Casagrande, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation,
and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to enable the system
to be applicable to dams, foundations, and other
construction (Holtz and Kovacs, 1981).
Four major divisions:
(1) Coarse-grained
(2) Fine-grained
(3) Organic soils
(4) Peat
Definition of Grain Size
No specific
grain size-use
Atterberg limits
Gravel Sand Silt and

Boulders Cobbles Clay
Coarse Fine Coarse Medium Fine
300 mm 75 mm No.4 No.200

4.75 mm 0.075
19 mm No.10 No.40 mm
2.0 mm 0.425 mm
General Guidance
50 %
50% NO. 4 NO.200
4.75 mm 0.075 mm
• Grain size • PL, LL LL>50

LL <50
distribution • Plasticity chart
• Cu
• Cc Required tests: Sieve analysis
Atterberg limit
Symbols
• Soil symbols: • Gradation symbols:
• G: Gravel • W: Well-graded Well  graded soil
1  C c  3 and C u  4
Coarse • S: Sand • P: Poorly-graded
(for gravels )
• M: Silt
1  C c  3 and C u  6
• C: Clay • Liquid limit symbols: (for sands)
Fine • O: Organic • H: High LL (LL>50)
• Pt: Peat • L: Low LL (LL<50)
Example: SW, Well-graded sand

SC, Clayey sand
SM, Silty sand,
MH, Elastic silt
Plasticity Chart
Fine Grain Soils
• The A-line generally

separates the more
claylike materials
from silty materials,
and the organics
from the inorganics.
• The U-line indicates
the upper bound for
general soils.
Note: If the measured

limits of soils are on
the left of U-line,
they should be
rechecked.
ASTM D2487
Procedures for Classification
No.200
0.075 mm
Passing No.200 sieve 30 % LL= 33 PI= 12
Example: Passing No.4 sieve 70 %; Consider 1000g
Passing No.200 sieve 30 %

Coarse fraction = 100 -30 =70%
0.7 x1000g = 700g
Passing No.4 sieve 70 %

% CF retained No 4 = (100-70%)1000g/700g = 42.9%
LL= 33
PI= 12
PI=
SC 0.73(LL-20), A-line
PI=0.73(33-20)=9.49
(Santamarina et al., 2001)

Borderline Cases – Dual Classification
Coarse Grain: Sands and Gravels
Fine Grain : Silts and Clays
Plasticity Chart
Fine Grain : Organics
American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials system
(AASHTO)
Origin of AASHTO: (For road construction)

This system was originally developed by
Hogentogler and Terzaghi in 1929 as the Public
Roads Classification System. Afterwards, there are
several revisions. The present AASHTO (1978)
system is primarily based on the version in 1945.
4.1 Definition of Grain Size
No specific
grain size-use
Atterberg
limits
Boulders Gravel Sand Silt-Clay
Coarse Fine
75 mm No.4 No.200
4.75 mm 0.075
No.40 mm
0.425 mm
General Guidance
– 8 major groups: A1~ A7 (with several subgroups) and
organic soils A8
– The required tests are sieve analysis and Atterberg
limits.
– The group index, an empirical formula, is used to
further evaluate soils within a group (subgroups).
A1 ~ A3 A4 ~ A7
Granular Materials Silt-clay Materials

 35% pass No. 200 sieve  36% pass No. 200 sieve
Using LL and PI separates silty materials Using LL and PI separates silty materials
from clayey materials (only for A2 group) from clayey materials
– The original purpose of this classification system was

used for road construction (subgrade rating).
Group Index
The first term is determined by the LL
GI  (F200  35) 0.2  0.005(LL  40)

 0.01(F200  15)( PI  10)
The second term is determined by the PI
For Group A-2-6 and A-2-7

GI  0.01(F200  15)( PI  10) use the second term only
F200: percentage passing through the No.200 sieve
In general, the rating for a pavement subgrade is

inversely proportional to the group index, GI.
Classification
Das, 1998
4.4 Classification (Cont.)
Note:
The first group from the left to fit the test data is the Das, 1998
correct AASHTO classification.

Passing No.200 86%
Example: LL=70, PI=32

LL-30=40 > PI=32
Passing No.200 86% GI  ( F200  35) 0.2  0.005( LL  40)
LL=70, PI=32  0.01( F200  15)( PI  10)
LL-30=40 > PI=32  33.47  33 Round off A-7-5(33)
HW # 1 Due Sept 11
Classify:
USC
AASHTO

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Lecture # 3

Soil’s Texture, Size, Shape &

Sieve analysis Hydrometer analysis

(Holtz and Kovacs, 1981)

Sieve analysis Hydrometer analysis

Select a set of sieves (weigh

Weigh out representative soil

(Holtz and Kovacs, 1981)

(Holtz and Kovacs, 1981)

The plastic limit PL is defined as the water content at which

The water content, in percentage, required to close a

Typical Atterberg Limits

Simple indices Classification Estimate Achieve

• Unified Soil Classification System (USCS).

• American Association of State Highway

Gravel Sand Silt and

300 mm 75 mm No.4 No.200

• Grain size • PL, LL LL>50

Example: SW, Well-graded sand

• The A-line generally

Note: If the measured

Passing No.200 sieve 30 %

Passing No.4 sieve 70 %

(Santamarina et al., 2001)

Origin of AASHTO: (For road construction)

Granular Materials Silt-clay Materials

– The original purpose of this classification system was

GI  (F200  35) 0.2  0.005(LL  40)

For Group A-2-6 and A-2-7

In general, the rating for a pavement subgrade is

correct AASHTO classification.

Example: LL=70, PI=32

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