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Descriptive Terminology of Soil <br />Standard D 2487 - 00 <br />Classification of Soils for Engineering Purposes <br />(Unified Soil Classification System) <br />Rev. 7/07 <br />DD Dry density, pcf <br />WD Wet density, pcf <br />MC Natural moisture content, % <br />LL Liqiuid limit, % <br />PL Plastic limit, % <br />PI Plasticity index, % <br />P200 % passing 200 sieve <br />OC Organic content, % <br />S Percent of saturation, % <br />SG Specific gravity <br />C Cohesion, psf <br />Angle of internal friction <br />qu Unconfined compressive strength, psf <br />qp Pocket penetrometer strength, tsf <br />Liquid Limit (LL) <br />Laboratory TestsPlasticity Index (PI)Drilling Notes <br />Standard penetration test borings were advanced by 3 1/4” or 6 1/4” <br />ID hollow-stem augers unless noted otherwise, Jetting water was used <br />to clean out auger prior to sampling only where indicated on logs. <br />Standard penetration test borings are designated by the prefix “ST” <br />(Split Tube). All samples were taken with the standard 2” OD split-tube <br />sampler, except where noted. <br />Power auger borings were advanced by 4” or 6” diameter continuous- <br />flight, solid-stem augers. Soil classifications and strata depths were in- <br />ferred from disturbed samples augered to the surface and are, therefore, <br />somewhat approximate. Power auger borings are designated by the <br />prefix “B.” <br />Hand auger borings were advanced manually with a 1 1/2” or 3 1/4” <br />diameter auger and were limited to the depth from which the auger could <br />be manually withdrawn. Hand auger borings are indicated by the prefix <br />“H.” <br />BPF: Numbers indicate blows per foot recorded in standard penetration <br />test, also known as “N” value. The sampler was set 6” into undisturbed <br />soil below the hollow-stem auger. Driving resistances were then counted <br />for second and third 6” increments and added to get BPF. Where they <br />differed significantly, they are reported in the following form: 2/12 for the <br />second and third 6” increments, respectively. <br />WH: WH indicates the sampler penetrated soil under weight of hammer <br />and rods alone; driving not required. <br />WR: WR indicates the sampler penetrated soil under weight of rods <br />alone; hammer weight and driving not required. <br />TW indicates thin-walled (undisturbed) tube sample. <br />Note: All tests were run in general accordance with applicable ASTM <br />standards. <br /> Particle Size Identification <br />Boulders ............................... over 12” <br />Cobbles ............................... 3” to 12” <br />Gravel <br />Coarse ............................ 3/4” to 3” <br />Fine ................................. No. 4 to 3/4” <br />Sand <br />Coarse ............................ No. 4 to No. 10 <br />Medium ........................... No. 10 to No. 40 <br />Fine ................................. No. 40 to No. 200 <br />Silt ....................................... No. 200, PI 4 or <br /> below “A” line <br />Clay ..................................... No. 200, PI 4 and <br /> on or above “A” line <br /> Relative Density of <br /> Cohesionless Soils <br />Very loose ................................ 0 to 4 BPF <br />Loose ....................................... 5 to 10 BPF <br />Medium dense ......................... 11 to 30 BPF <br />Dense ...................................... 31 to 50 BPF <br />Very dense ............................... over 50 BPF <br /> Consistency of Cohesive Soils <br />Very soft ................................... 0 to 1 BPF <br />Soft ....................................... 2 to 3 BPF <br />Rather soft ............................... 4 to 5 BPF <br />Medium .................................... 6 to 8 BPF <br />Rather stiff ............................... 9 to 12 BPF <br />Stiff ....................................... 13 to 16 BPF <br />Very stiff ................................... 17 to 30 BPF <br />Hard ....................................... over 30 BPF <br />a. Based on the material passing the 3-in (75mm) sieve. <br />b. If field sample contained cobbles or boulders, or both, add “with cobbles or boulders or both” to group name. <br />c. Cu = D60 / D10 Cc = (D30)2 <br /> D10 x D60 <br />d. If soil contains 15% sand, add “with sand” to group name. <br />e. Gravels with 5 to 12% fines require dual symbols: <br />GW-GM well-graded gravel with silt <br />GW-GC well-graded gravel with clay <br />GP-GM poorly graded gravel with silt <br />GP-GC poorly graded gravel with clay <br />f. If fines classify as CL-ML, use dual symbol GC-GM or SC-SM. <br />g. If fines are organic, add “with organic fines” to group name. <br />h. If soil contains 15% gravel, add “with gravel” to group name. <br />i. Sands with 5 to 12% fines require dual symbols: <br />SW-SM well-graded sand with silt <br />SW-SC well-graded sand with clay <br />SP-SM poorly graded sand with silt <br />SP-SC poorly graded sand with clay <br />j. If Atterberg limits plot in hatched area, soil is a CL-ML, silty clay. <br />k. If soil contains 10 to 29% plus No. 200, add “with sand” or “with gravel” whichever is predominant. <br />l. If soil contains 30% plus No. 200, predominantly sand, add “sandy” to group name. <br />m. If soil contains 30% plus No. 200 predominantly gravel, add “gravelly” to group name. <br />n. PI 4 and plots on or above “A” line. <br />o. PI 4 or plots below “A” line. <br />p. PI plots on or above “A” line. <br />q. PI plots below “A” line. <br />Poorly graded sand h <br />Peat <br />Well-graded gravel d <br />PI plots on or above “A” line <br />PI 7 and plots on or above “A” line j <br />PI 4 or plots below “A” line j <br />Fine-grained Soils50% or more passed theNo. 200 sieveCoarse-grained Soilsmore than 50% retained onNo. 200 sieveSoils Classification <br />Gravels <br />More than 50% of <br />coarse fraction <br />retained on <br />No. 4 sieve <br />Sands <br />50% or more of <br />coarse fraction <br />passes <br />No. 4 sieve <br />Silts and Clays <br />Liquid limit <br />less than 50 <br />Highly Organic Soils <br />Silts and clays <br />Liquid limit <br />50 or more <br />Primarily organic matter, dark in color and organic odor <br />Group <br />Symbol <br />Criteria for Assigning Group Symbols and <br />Group Names Using Laboratory Tests a <br />Group Name b <br />GW <br />GP <br />GM <br />GC <br />SW <br />SP <br />SM <br />CL <br />ML <br />OL <br />OL <br />SC <br />Poorly graded gravel d <br />Silty gravel d f g <br />Clean Gravels <br />5% or less fines e <br />Gravels with Fines <br />More than 12% fines e <br />Clean Sands <br />5% or less fines i <br />Sands with Fines <br />More than 12% i <br />Fines classify as ML or MH <br />Fines classify as CL or CH Clayey gravel d f g <br />Well-graded sand h <br />Fines classify as CL or CH <br />Fines classify as ML or MH Silty sand f g h <br />Clayey sand f g h <br />Inorganic <br />Organic Liquid limit - oven dried <br />Liquid limit - not dried 0.75 <br />Inorganic <br />Organic <br />PI plots below “A” line <br />Lean clay k l m <br />Liquid limit - oven dried <br />Liquid limit - not dried 0.75 <br />CH <br />MH <br />OH <br />OH <br />Fat clay k l m <br />Elastic silt k l m <br />Organic clay k l m n <br />Organic silt k l m o <br />Organic clay k l m p <br />Organic silt k l m q <br />Cu 6 and 1 Cc 3 C <br />PT <br /> Cu 4 and 1 Cc 3 C <br />Cu 4 and/or 1 Cc 3 C <br />Cu 6 and/or 1 CC 3 C <br />0 10 16 20 <br />30 40 50 60 70 80 <br />90 100 110 <br /> 7 “U” Line“A” Line <br />10 <br />20 <br />30 <br />40 <br />50 <br />60 <br /> 4 <br /> 0 <br />ML or OL <br />MH or OHCL or <br />OL <br />CH or <br />O <br />H <br />CL - ML <br />Silt k l m