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Appendix B - Geotechnical Investigation Report
CLASSIFICATION OF COARSE AND FINE GRAINED SOILS
Group
Major Divisions Symbol Typical Names Field Classification of Sand and Gravel Laboratory Classification Laboratory Classification Criteria
GRAVEL (more A well graded coarse grained soil is one for which the coefficient of uniformity
GW Gravel and gravel-sand mixtures, Wide range in grain size and substantial amounts of all intermediate sizes, not ≤ 5% fines Cu > 4
Cu > 4 and the coefficient of curvature 1 < Cc < 3. Otherwise, the soil is poorly
Coarse grainedsoil (more than 65%of soil excludingoversize fraction is
than half little or no fines enough fines to bind coarse grains, no dry strength 1 < Cc < 3
of coarse graded. These coefficients are given by:
fraction is larger GP Gravel and gravel-sand mixtures, Predominantly one size or range of sizes with some intermediate sizes missing, ≤ 5% fines Fails to comply
little or no fines, uniform gravels not enough fines to bind coarse grains, no dry strength with above ( )
than 2.36mm = and =
GM Gravel-silt mixtures and gravel- ‘Dirty’ materials with excess of non-plastic fines, zero to medium dry strength ≥ 12% fines, fines Fines behave as
sand-silt mixtures are silty silt Where D10, D30 and D60 are those grain sizes for which 10%, 30% and 60% of
greater than 0.075mm)
the soil grains, respectively, are smaller.
GC Gravel-clay mixtures and gravel- ‘Dirty’ materials with excess of plastic fines, medium to high dry strength ≥ 12% fines, fines Fines behave as
sand-clay mixtures are clayey clay
SAND (more SW Sand and gravel-sand mixtures, Wide range in grain size and substantial amounts of all intermediate sizes, not ≤ 5% fines Cu > 6 NOTES:
than half little or no fines enough fines to bind coarse grains, no dry strength 1 < Cc < 3 1 For a coarse grained soil with a fines content between 5% and 12%,
of coarse the soil is given a dual classification comprising the two group symbols
fraction SP Sand and gravel-sand mixtures, Predominantly one size or range of sizes with some intermediate sizes missing, ≤ 5% fines Fails to comply
separated by a dash; for example, for a poorly graded gravel with
is smaller than little or no fines not enough fines to bind coarse grains, no dry strength with above between 5% and 12% silt fines, the classification is GP-GM.
2.36mm) SM Sand-silt mixtures ‘Dirty’ materials with excess of non-plastic fines, zero to medium dry strength ≥ 12% fines, fines 2 Where the grading is determined from laboratory tests, it is defined by
are silty coefficients of curvature (Cc) and uniformity (Cu) derived from the
N/A particle size distribution curve.
SC Sand-clay mixtures ‘Dirty’ materials with excess of plastic fines, medium to high dry strength ≥ 12% fines, fines 3 Clay soils with liquid limits > 35% and ≤ 50% may be classified as being
are clayey of medium plasticity.
4 The U line on the Modified Casagrande Chart is an approximate upper
bound for most natural soils.
Field Classification of Laboratory
Silt and Clay Classification
Group
Major Divisions Symbol Typical Names Dry Strength Dilatancy Toughness % < 0.075mm Modified Casagrande Chart for Classifying Silts and Clays
according to their Behaviour
SILT and CLAY ML Inorganic silt and very fine sand, rock flour, silty or None to low Slow to rapid Low Below A line
ine grained soils (more than 35%of soil excluding
(low to medium clayey fine sand or silt with low plasticity
plasticity)
oversize fraction is less than 0.075mm)
CL, CI Inorganic clay of low to medium plasticity, gravelly Medium to high None to slow Medium Above A line
clay, sandy clay
OL Organic silt Low to medium Slow Low Below A line
SILT and CLAY MH Inorganic silt Low to medium None to slow Low to medium Below A line
(high plasticity)
CH Inorganic clay of high plasticity High to very high None High Above A line
OH Organic clay of medium to high plasticity, organic Medium to high None to very slow Low to medium Below A line
silt
Highly organic soil Pt Peat, highly organic soil – – – –
February 2019 7
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