Types of Soil

Based on Particle Size

Engr. Hanif Ullah

Types of Soil
Types of soil based on engineering *
considerations depends on particle size
As engineering properties of soil change with *
change in particle size, different names are
assigned to particular range of particle sizes
The range of particle size specified for each soil *
type vary among the agencies

Soil types Based On MIT Classification

:Clay
Composed of very fine particles, less than 0.002mm <
in size
Flaky in shape thus having considerable surface <
area
Have high inter particle attraction and thus having <
sufficient cohesion
Susceptible to swelling and shrinkage, have low <
permeability
Commonly have brown colour<

Soil types Based On MIT

Classification
:Silt
Composed of particles ranging in size from 0.002 to
0.06mm
Have high capillarity and very low dry strength
Particle size intermediate between clay and sand
thus possessing properties of both sand and clays
i. e. it show slight cohesion and also friction
The colour of silty soil is mostly brown

Soil types Based On MIT Classification

:Sand
Particle size ranging from 0.06 to 2 mm, may be
rounded to angular in shape, grey in colour
No plasticity, high strength in confined state and
has considerable frictional resistance
Angular particles have high frictional resistance
than rounded ones
It has high permeability and low capillarity

Soil types Based On MIT Classification

:Gravel
Particle size ranging from 2 to 60 mm
Form good foundation material
Show high frictional resistance
Angular particles have high frictional resistance
than rounded ones
The gravels produced by crushing of rocks are
angular in shape while those taken from
riverbeds are sub-rounded to rounded

Soil types Based On MIT Classification

:Cobbles or Boulders
Particles larger than gravels are commonly
known as cobbles or boulders
Cobbles range in size from 60 to 200mm
The material larger than 200mm are designated
as boulders

Soil types According to ASTM and

AASHTO
Soil Type

Range of Sizes
ASTM

AASHTO

Gravel

to 4.75mm 75

Larger than 2mm

Coarse sand

to 2mm 4.75

2mm to 0.425mm

Medium Sand to 0.425mm 2

------

Fine sand

0.075m -- 0.425

0.075mm 0.425

Silt

to 0.005mm 0.075

0.002mm0.075

Clay

mm 0.005>

mm 0.002>

Colloids

mm 0.001>

mm 0.001>

Index Properties of Soil

The soil properties on which their
classification and identification are based are
known as index properties. The index
:properties which are used are
Grain Size Distribution
Liquid Limit
Plasticity Index

Grain Size Distribution (Sieve Analysis)

The sieves are arranged, keeping the finest below
and the coarser above it
A definite quantity of soil is dried in an electric oven
(for 24 hrs at 105C) and put in the top sieve. The
cover is placed over the top sieve and a pan below
.the lowest sieve
Then the sieves are placed in the sieve shaker and
. are shacked for few minutes
Then the weight of soil retained on each sieve is
determined and is converted into percentage

Atterberg or Consistency limits