Soil Particle Size Distribution

Soil contains four primary components, for engineering purposes: gravel sand silt clay Organic material can be present in surface samples as well but this has no relevance to engineering applications. Gravel and sand are classified as coarse-grained, whereas silt and clay are classified as fine-grained. Various classification schemes exist which attempt to define the grain […]

How to Determine USCS Soil Classification

The Unified Soil Classification System is a method of categorizing soils for use in engineering and geological applications. Soils are classified in USCS groups that are designated by a group symbol and a corresponding group name. The governing standard is ASTM D2487. Classification Groups The following are the soil classifications: Symbol Description GW Well graded, […]