Chapter Outlines

 Importance of Soil Classification

 Atterberg Limits
 Grain Size Distribution
 Sieve Analysis
 Hydrometer Analysis
 Unified (USCS) and AASHTO Classification of Soil
 1. Importance of Soil Classification
 Main types of soil i.e., Clay, Silt, Sand, Gravels,
Boulders are seldom exist separately in nature.

 Natural soil deposits comprise mixture of above

types in varying proportions

 Soil classification means to arrange soil in groups

and label them based on their properties and
behaviour.

 Soil Classification Systems have been developed by

different organizations.
 Basis for Soil Classification
 Classification is based on the following physical
properties:
 Grain Size Distribution (GSD)
 Liquid limit (LL)
 Plasticity Index (PI)

 Classification systems give some idea about the

general behaviour of soil.

 However to predict true behaviour additional

information based on geotechnical properties are
yet required.
 Basis for 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
 Soil Classification System
 Classification systems developed by different
organizations.

 Unified soil classification system.

 AASHTO (American Association of state Highway and
Transportation Officials) soil classification system.
 USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture) soil
classification system.
 FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) soil
classification system.
 Textural soil classification system.
 Soil Classification System
 Two commonly used systems:

 Unified Soil Classification System (USCS).

 Most widely used to classify soil for use in foundation
& dam engineering.

 American Association of State Highways and

Transportation Officials (AASHTO) System
 Most widely and exclusively used for highways
and airfields
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

 Four major divisions:

1. Coarse-grained
2. Fine-grained
3. Organic soils
4. Peat
Unified Soil Classification System (USCS)
 In order to use the classification system, the following
points must be kept in mind.
 The classification is based on material passing a 75mm (3 in.)
sieve.
 Coarse fraction = percent retained above No. 200 sieve = 100 –
F200 = R200
 Fine Fraction = percent passing N0. 200 sieve = F200
 Gravel fraction = percent retained above No. 4 sieve = R 4.

 Broad Classification includes the following two types;

 Coarse-grained soils that are gravelly (G) and sandy (S) in nature
with less than 50% passing through the No. 200 sieve
 Fine-grained soils with 50% more passing through the No. 200
sieve i.e., F200 ≥ 50. Group symbols are M for inorganic silt, C
for inorganic clay and O for organic silts and clays.
Unified Soil Classification System (USCS)

 Tests required for classification of soil are;

1. Particle size analysis test.
2. Liquid and plastic limit tests.

 The soil is classified in to 15 groups.

 Each group is designated a symbol consisting of two
capital letters
 The first letter is based on main soil type
 The second letter is based on gradation and plasticity
Unified Soil Classification System (USCS)

 Symbols for main soil types:

 Coarse-grained soil is subdivided into two subgroups based on gradation.

 W-- for well-graded soil
 P -- for poorly-graded soil

 Fine-grained soil is subdivided in two subgroups based on their plasticity

characteristics.
 L-- for low plasticity soil (liquid limit < 50)
 H-- for high plasticity soil (liquid limit > 50)
Classification Group Symbols
Unified Soil Classification System (USCS)
 Soils possessing characteristics of two groups are known as
borderline soils and designated by dual symbols e.g.,
 GC-GM, GW-GM, GW-GC, GP-GM, GP-GC, SC-SM, SW-SM, SW-SC,
SP-SM, SP-SC, CL-ML.

 Total number of groups in USC system, therefore are 26.

 The Unified Soil Classification System is based on the

following:
 Textural characteristics of coarse-grained soils with such small
amount of fines, that fines do not affect the behaviour.
 Textural characteristics are evaluated by particle-size analysis.

 Plasticity characteristics of fine-grained soils where the fines affect

the engineering behaviour.
 Plasticity characteristics are evaluated by the plasticity chart.
Unified Soil Classification System (USCS)
 To classify a soil, following information based on particle size
analysis and Atterberg limits should be available.
 %age of gravel, that is, the fraction passing 3-in. (76.2mm) sieve and retained
on the No.4 (4.75mm) sieve.

 %age of sand, that is, the fraction passing No.4 sieve (4.75mm) and retained
on the No.200 (0.074mm) sieve.

 %age of silt and clay, that is, the fraction finer than the No.200 (0.075mm)
sieve.

 Uniformity coefficient (Cu) and the coefficient of gradation (Cc), which

actually depend on the shape of particle-size-distribution curve.

 Liquid limit and plasticity index of the fraction of soil passing No.40 sieve,
plotted on the plasticity chart
 Unified Soil Classification System (USCS)

 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

19 mm 4.75 mm 0.075 mm
No.10 No.40
2.0 mm 0.425 mm
Unified Soil Classification System (USCS)

 General Guidance:
50 % 50 %
Coarse-grained soils: Fine-grained soils:
Gravel Sand Silt Clay
NO. 4 NO.200
4.75 mm 0.075 mm

•Grain size distribution •PL, LL LL>50

•Cu •Plasticity chart LL <50
Required Tests: Sieve analysis
•Cc
Atterberg
Unified Soil Classification System (USCS)

 Symbols:
 Soil symbols: Liquid limit symbols:
G: Gravel H: High LL (LL>50)
S: Sand L: Low LL (LL<50)
M: Silt
C: Clay
Gradation symbols:
O: Organic W: Well-graded
Pt: Peat P: Poorly-graded
Example: SW, Well-graded Sand Well  graded soil
SC, Clayey Sand 1  C c  3 and C u  4
(for gravels)
SM, Silty Sand,
1  C c  3 and C u  6
MH, Highly Plastic Silt
(for sands)
Unified Soil Classification System (USCS)

 Plasticity Chart:
• 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.
Unified Soil Classification System (USCS)

 Procedures for
Classification:

Coarse-grained material
Grain size distribution

Fine-grained material
LL, PI
 Example: USCS

Passing No.200 sieve 30%

Passing No.4 sieve 70%
LL= 33, PI= 12

PI= 0.73(LL-20), A-line

PI=0.73(33-20)=9.49

SC ( ≥ 15% gravel)
Clayey sand with gravel
 Unified Soil Classification System (USCS)

Auxillary Laboratory Identification Procedure:

Unified Soil Classification System (USCS)

 Borderline Cases (Dual Symbols):

 For the following three conditions, a dual symbol should be used.
 Coarse-grained soils with 5% - 12% fines.
 About 7 % fines can change the hydraulic conductivity of the coarse-
grained media by orders of magnitude.
 The first symbol indicates whether the coarse fraction is well or poorly
graded. The second symbol describe the contained fines. For example:
SP-SM, poorly graded sand with silt.
 Fine-grained soils with limits within the shaded zone. (PI
between 4 and 7 and LL between about 12 and 25).
 It is hard to distinguish between the silty and more claylike materials.
 CL-ML: Silty clay, SC-SM: Silty, clayey sand.
 Soil contain similar fines and coarse-grained fractions.
 possible dual symbols GM-ML
 Unified Soil Classification System (USCS)

Guideline for Borderline Cases of USCS:

 Table: Group Symbols for Gravelly Soil
Major Division Laboratory Classification Criteria Group Symbol Typical Names

1 2 3 4 5
- No.200 < 5%; Cu ≥ 4 and 1 ≤ Cc ≤ 3 GW Well-graded gravels, gravel-sand
mixtures with little or no fines.
- No.200 > 5%; and not meeting both GP
criteria for GW. Poorly-graded gravels, gravel-sand
mixtures with little or no fines.

- No.200 > 12%; Atterberg’s limits GM

Coarse soil-- Gravel-- plot below “A” line and plasticity Silty gravels, gravel-sand-silt
More than More than index less than 4. mixtures.
half of soil is half of coarse
retained on soil is - No.200 > 12%; Atterberg’s limits GC
No.200 sieve. retained on plot above “A” line and plasticity Clayey gravels, gravel-sand-clay
No.4 sieve index greater than 7. mixtures.

- No.200 > 12%; Atterberg’s limits GC-GM

fall in hatched area marked CL-ML. Clayey-silty gravels, Gravel-silt-
clay mixtures.

- No.200 is 5-12%; and meets the GW-GM Well-graded gravels with silt,
criteria for GW and GM. Gravel-sand-silt mixtures.
- No.200 is 5-12%; and meets the GW-GC Well-graded gravels with clay
criteria for GW and GC. binder, Gravel-sand silt clay
mixtures.
- No.200 is 5-12%; and meets the GP-GM Poorly-graded gravels with silt,
criteria for GP and GM. Gravel-silt mixtures
- No.200 is 5-12%; and meets the GP-GC Poorly-graded gravels with clay,
criteria for GP and GC. Gravel-clay mixtures.
 Table: Group Symbols for Sandy Soil
Group
Major Division Criteria for Classification Typical Names
Symbol

1 2 3 4 5
Coarse soil-- Sand--More - No.200 < 5%; Cu ≥ 6,and 1 ≤ Well-graded sands, gravelly sands
More than half than half of SW
Cc ≤ 3 with little or no fines.
of soil is coarse soil
retained on passes No.4 - No.200 < 5%; and not meeting both Poorly-graded sands, gravelly sands
SP
No.200 sieve. sieve. criteria for SW. with little or no fines.

- No.200 > 12%; Atterberg’s limits

plot below “A” line in the plasticity SM Silty sands, sand-silt mixtures.
chart or plasticity index less than 4.

- No.200 > 12%; Atterberg’s limits

plot above “A” line in the plasticity
SC Clayey sands, sand-clay mixtures.
chart or plasticity index greater than
7.

- No.200 > 12%; Atterberg’s limits

Clayey-silty sand, sand-silt-clay
fall in hatched area marked CL-ML SC-SM
mixtures.
on the plasticity chart.

- No.200 is 5-12%; and meets the Well-graded sand with silt, sand-silt
SW-SM
criteria for SW and SM. mixtures.

- No.200 is 5-12%; and meets the Well-graded sand with clay, sand-
SW-SC
criteria for SW and SC. silt-clay mixtures.

- No.200 is 5-12%; and meets the Poorly-graded sand with silt, sand-
SP-SM
criteria for SP and SM. silt mixtures.

- No.200 is 5-12%; and meets the Poorly-graded sand with clay, sand-
SP-SC
criteria for SP and SC. clay mixtures.
 Table: Group Symbols for Silty and Clayey Soil
Group
Major Division Criteria for Classification Typical Names
Symbol
1 2 3 4 5
Inorganic; LL < 50; PI> 7; and Inorganic clays of low to
plots on or above “A” line (see CL CL medium plasticity, gravelly clay,
zone in plasticity chart) sandy clay, silty clay, lean clays.
Inorganic silts and very fine
Inorganic; LL < 50; PI < 4, or plots
sands, rock flour, silty or clayey
below “A” line ML
Silt & fine sands or clayey silts with
(see ML zone in plasticity chart)
Clay, LL slight plasticity.
<50 Inorganic; (LL for oven dried
sample)/(LL for non dried sample) Organic silts and organic silty
OL
< 0.75; and LL < 50 clays of low plasticity.
Fine grained soil-- (see OL zone in plasticity chart)
More than half of
Inorganic; plot in the hatched zone
the soil passes CL-ML Silty clay of low plasticity
in the plasticity chart.
No.200 sieve.
Inorganic; LL ≥ 50; and PI plots
Inorganic clays of high plasticity,
above “A” line CH
fat clays.
(see CH zone in plasticity chart)
Inorganic; LL ≥ 50; and PI plots Inorganic silts, micaceous or
Silt &
below “A” line MH diatomaceous fine sandy or silty
Clay, LL
(see MH zone in plasticity chart) soils, elastic silts.
>50
Organic;(LL-oven-dried)/(LL-not
dried) < .75 Organic clays of medium to high
OH
And LL ≥ 50 ( see OH zone in plasticity, organic silts.
plasticity chart)
Peat, muck, and other highly Peat and other highly organic
Highly Organic Soils Pt
organic soils soils.
Range of material %-age for coarse grained soil (ASTM-1986)
Group Symbols % Limits Group Names
< 15% sand Well-graded gravel
GW
≥ 15% sand Well-graded gravel with sand
< 15% sand Poorly graded gravel
GP
≥ 15% sand Poorly graded gravel with sand
< 15% sand Well-graded gravel with silt
GW-GM
≥ 15% sand Well-graded gravel with silt and sand
<15% sand Well-graded gravel with clay (or silty clay)
GW-GC ≥ 15% sand Well-graded gravel with clay and sand
(or with silty clay and sand)

< 15% sand Poorly graded gravel with silt

GP-GM
≥ 15% sand Poorly graded gravel with silt and sand
< 15% sand Poorly graded gravel with clay (or silty clay)
GP-GC ≥ 15% sand Poorly graded gravel with clay and sand
(or with silty clay and sand)

< 15% sand Silty gravel

GM
≥ 15% sand Silty gravel with sand
< 15% sand Clayey gravel
GC
≥ 15% sand Clayey gravel with sand
< 15% sand Silty clayey gravel
GC-GM
≥ 15% sand Silty clayey gravel with sand
Range of material %-age for coarse grained soil (ASTM-1986)
 Description of USCS Groups
1. Coarse Grained Soil:
 GW and SW groups:
 Well-graded gravelly and sandy soils with little or no fines (≤ 5%).
 Fines must not change the strength & free-draining characteristics
 In areas prone to frost action, they should not contain > 3% of grains
smaller than 0.02 mm.

 GP and SP groups:
 Poorly graded gravels and sands with little or no fines.
 Poorly or Gap-graded materials are non-uniform mixtures of very
 Coarse material and very fine sands with intermediate sizes lacking.

 GM and SM groups:
 Silty gravel & silty sand with fines (>12%) of low or no plasticity.
 These lie below the “A” line on the plasticity chart.
 Both well and poorly-graded materials are included in these groups.
 Description of USCS Groups
1. Coarse Grained Soil:
 GMd and SMu groups:
 Suffices “d” and “u” mean desirable and undesirable base materials
 This subdivision applies to roads and airfields only
 Subdivision is based on the liquid limit and plasticity index
 Suffix “d” is used when LL is 25 or less and the PI is 5 or less;
 Suffix “u” is used otherwise.

 GC and SC groups:
 Gravelly or sandy soils with fines (> 12 %) that are more clay-like.
 The fines range in plasticity from low to high.
 The LL and PI of these groups plot above “A” line on plasticity chart.
 Both, well and poorly-graded soils are included in these groups.
 Description of USCS Groups
2. Fine Grained Soil:
 ML and MH groups:
 Sandy silts, clayey silts, or inorganic silts with relatively low plasticity.
 Loess-type soils, rock flours, micaceous and diatomaceous soils are also
included.
 Some types of kaolinite and illite clays also fall under these groups.
 Suffices L & M means low and high
 Micaceous and diatomaceous soils generally fall within the MH group but
may extend into the ML group when their LL is less than 50.
 CL and CH groups:
 The CL and CH groups include clays with low and high liquid limits
 They are primarily inorganic clays.
 The medium and high plasticity clays are classified as CH and include fat
clays, gumbo clays, bentonite, and some volcanic clays.
 The low plasticity clays are classified as CL and usually include lean clays,
sandy clays, or silty clays.
 Description of USCS Groups
2. Fine Grained Soil:
 OL and OH groups:
 These groups are characterized by the presence of organic matter.
 Organic silts and clays are included in these two groups, and they have
a plasticity range corresponding to the ML, and MH groups.

 Highly Organic Soils:

 These soils are designated by group symbol (Pt).
 They are usually very compressible and have undesirable engineering
characteristics.
 These includes peat, humus, and swamp soils with a high organic
texture.
 Common components of these soils are particles of leaves, grass,
branches, or other fibrous vegetable matter.
 Group Symbols & their Characteristics
related to Roads & Airfields

Value as Value as Base

Drainage
Subbase When When Not Potential Compressibility and
Symbol Value as Subgrade When Not Subject to Frost Action Character
Not Subject to Subject to Frost Action Expansion istics
Frost Action Frost Action

None to very
GW Excellent Excellent Good Almost none Excellent
slight

None to very
GP Good to excellent Good Fair to good Almost none Excellent
slight

Slight to Fair to
D Good to excellent Good Fair to good Very slight
medium poor

GM
Poor to
Poor to not Slight to
U Good Fair Slight practically
suitable medium impervious

Poor to
Poor to not Slight to
GC Good Fair Slight practically
suitable medium impervious

None to very
SW Good Fair to good Poor Almost none Excellent
slight

Poor to not None to very

SP Fair to good Fair Almost none Excellent
suitable slight
 Group Symbols & their Characteristics
related to Roads & Airfields

Value as Value as Sub- Value as Base Potential Compressibility

Subgrade When base When Not When Not Drainage
Symbol Not Subject to Subject to Frost Subject to
Frost and
Characteristics
Frost Action Action Frost Action Action Expansion

D Fair to good Fair to good Poor Slight to high Very slight Fair to poor
SM
Poor to practically
U Fair Poor to fair Not suitable Slight to high Slight to medium
impervious
Poor to practically
SC Poor to fair Poor Not suitable Slight to high Slight to medium
impervious

Medium to very
ML Poor to fair Not suitable Not suitable Slight to medium Fair to poor
high

CL Poor to fair Not suitable Not suitable Medium to high Medium Practically impervious

OL Poor Not suitable Not suitable Medium to high Medium to high Poor

Medium to very
MH Poor Not suitable Not suitable High Fair to poor
high

CH Poor to fair Not suitable Not suitable Medium High Practically impervious

OH Poor to very poor Not suitable Not suitable Medium High Practically impervious

Pt Not suitable Not suitable Not suitable Slight Very high Fair to poor
 American Association of State Highway and
Transportation Officials (AASHTO) system
 Origin of AASHTO: (For road construction)
 Terzaghi and Hogentogler developed one of the first engineering
soil classification system in 1928.
 It was intended specifically for use in highway construction. It
rates soil according to the suitability for support of roadway
pavements.
 The AASHTO classification system uses both particle size
distribution and Attreberg limit data to assign a group
classification and a group index to the soil.
 The group classification ranges from A-1 (best soil) to A-8 (worst soil).
 Group index values near zero indicate good soils, whereas values of 20 or
more indicate very poor soils.
 However, it is important to remember that a soil that is good for
use as a highway subgrade might be very poor for some other
purpose.
 AASHTO Soil Classification System
 Soil classified under groups A-1, A-2 and A-3 are granular
materials of which 35% or less of the particles pass
through the sieve No. 200.
 Soils of which more than 35% pass through the sieve No.
200 are classified under groups A-4, A-5, A-6 and A-7.
These soils are mostly silt and clay-type materials.

 Gravel: fraction passing the 75-mm (3-in.) sieve and retained on

the No. 10 (2-mm) US sieve.
 Sand: fraction passing the No. 10 (2-mm) sieve and retained on
the No. 200 (.075-mm) US sieve.
 Silt and Clay: fraction passing the No. 200 (.075-mm) sieve.
 Plasticity: The term silty is applied when the fine fraction of the soil
have a plasticity index of 10 or less. The term clayey is applied when the
fine fractions have a plasticity index of 11 or more.
 If cobbles and boulders (size larger than 75-mm) are encountered, they
are excluded from the soil sample.
AASHTO Soil Classification System
 Definition of Grain Size

No specific grain size

Use Atterberg limits

Boulders Gravel Sand Silt-Clay

Coarse Fine

75 mm No.10 No.200
2.00 mm No.40 0.075 mm
0.425 mm
 AASHTO Soil Classification System
 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).

Using LL and PI separates silty materials Using LL and PI separates silty

from clayey materials (only for A2 group) materials from clayey materials

 The original purpose of this classification system is used for road

construction (subgrade rating).
AASHTO Soil Classification System
 Group Index:
GI  (F200  35)0.2  0.005(LL  40)
 0.01(F200  15)(PI  10)

 For Group A-2-6 and A-2-7

GI  0.01(F200  15)(PI  10) use the second term only

 In general, the rating for a pavement

subgrade is inversely proportional to the
group index, GI.
 AASHTO Soil Classification System
 Group Index:
Following are some rules for determination of group index:
 If the equation for group index gives a negative value for GI, it is taken as zero.

 The group index calculated from the equation is rounded off to the nearest
whole number (for example, GI = 4.4 is rounded off to 4; and GI = 4.5 is rounded
off to 5).

 There is no upper limit for the group index.

 The group index of soils belonging to groups A-1-a, A-1-b, A-2-4, A-2-5, and A-3
will always be zero.

 When calculating the group index for soils belonging to groups A-2-6, and A-2-
7, the partial group index equation related to plasticity index (as given below)
should be used.
GI = 0.01(F200 – 15)(PI – 10)
 Classification of Soil-Aggregate Mixtures
(with Suggested Subgroups)

General Granular Materials Silt-Clay Materials

Classification (35% or less passing No. 200) (More than 35% passing No. 200)

A-1 A-3 A-2 A-4 A-5 A-6 A-7

Group
Classification A-7-5;
A-1-a A-1-b A-2-4 A-2-5 A-2-6 A-2-7
A-7-6

Sieve Analysis:
% Passing:
No. 10
50 Max.
No. 40
30 Max. 50 Max. 51 Min.
No.200
15 Max. 25 Max. 10 Max. 35 Max. 35 Max. 35 Max. 35 Max. 36 Min. 36 Min. 36 Min. 36 Min.

Fraction passing
No.40:
Liquid Limit 40 Max. 41 Min. 40 Max. 41 Min. 40 Max. 41 Min. 40 Max. 41 Min.
Plasticity Index
6 Max N.P.
10 Max. 10 Max. 11 Min. 11 Min. 10 Max. 10 Max. 10 Min. 11 Min.

Group Index 0 0 0 4 Max. 8 Max. 12 Max. 16 Max. 20 Max.

Usual Types of
Significant Stone Fragments Silty or Clayey Silty Clayey
Fine Sand
Constituent Gravel and Sand Gravel Sand Soils Soils
Materials

General Rating
Excellent to Good Fair to Poor
as Subgrade
AASHTO Soil Classification System
Classification of Soil-Aggregate Mixtures
(Granular Materials)
Classification of Soil-Aggregate Mixtures
(Silt-clay Material)
Example: AASHTO

Passing No.200 86%

GI  (F200  35)0.2  0.005(LL  40)
LL=70, PI=32  0.01(F200  15)(PI  10) A-7-5(33)
 33.47  33 Round off

LL-30=40 > PI=32

 Comparison of AASHTO and Unified soil
classification systems
AASHTO system Unified system
1. It is based on texture and 1. It is based on texture and
plasticity of soil. plasticity of soil.
2. The soil is divided into two 2. The soil is divided into two
major categories i.e., coarse major categories i.e., coarse
grained and fine grained, as grained and fine grained, as
separated by the No. 200 separated by the No. 200
sieve. sieve.
3. A soil is considered fine 3. A soil is considered fine
grained when more than grained when more than
35% passes the No. 200 50% passes the No. 200
sieve. sieve.
A coarse-grained soil having about 35% fines behaves like a fine-grained material, since there
are enough fines to fill the voids between the coarse grains and hold them apart. In this respect
AASHTO system is more appropriate.
 Comparison of AASHTO and Unified soil
classification systems
AASHTO system Unified system
4. No. 10 sieve is used to separate 4. No. 4 sieve is used to separate
gravels from sand. The No. 10 sieve gravels from sand.
is more accepted as upper limit for
sand. (Therefore AASHTO system
is more appropriate.)
5. Gravelly and sandy soils are not 5. Gravelly and sandy soils are clearly
clearly separated. The A-2 group in separated.
particular, contains a larger variety
of soil.
6. The symbols A-1, A-2, etc., of this 6. The symbols such as GW, SM, CH,
group are not well descriptive of and others are more descriptive of
the soil properties. the soil properties.
7. Organic soils are not well discussed 7. The classification of organic soils
in this system. such as OL, OH and Pt has been
provided in this system.
 Comparison of AASHTO and Unified soil
classification systems
Soil group in AASHTO system Most probable group in USCS
A-1-a GW, GP
A-1-b SW, SP, GM, SM
A-3 SP
A-2-4 GM, SM
A-2-5 GM, SM
A-2-6 GC, SC
A-2-7 GM, GC, SM, SC
A-4 ML, OL
A-5 OH, MH, ML, OL
A-6 CL
A-7-5 OH, MH
A-7-6 CH, CL
Comparison of AASHTO and Unified soil classification systems

Soil group in Most Probable groups in

Unified system AASHTO system
GW A-1-a
GP A-1-a
GM A-1-b, A-2-4, A-2-5, A-2-7
GC A-2-6, A-2-7
SW A-1-b
SP A-3, A-1-b
SM A-1-b, A-2-4, A-2-5, A-2-7 A-2-6, A-2-7
SC A-2-6, A-2-7
ML A-4, A-5
CL A-6, A-7-6
OL A-4, A-5
MH A-7-5, A-5
CH A-7-6
OH A-7-5, A-5
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