Soils in Construction (Engineering) Douglas Kowalewski
Particle Size Distribution SOIL PROPERTIES Particle Size Distribution Gravel, Sand, Silt, Clay Fi = (Ms-ΣMi) / Ms Fi = Fraction of particles with diameter finer than “i” ΣMi = summation of mass of particles with diameter finer than “i”
Atterberg Limits: Soil Plasticity Measure the Following Water Content SOIL PROPERTIES Atterberg Limits: Soil Plasticity Characterize the fine-grained fraction of soils Measure the Following Water Content Plastic Limit (PL) Liquid Limit (LL) Plastic Index (PI) Plastic Index = LL – PL 0: Nonplastic 1-5: Slightly Plastic 5-10: Low Plasticity 10-20: Medium Plasticity 20-40: High Plasticity >40: Very High Plasticity
Grain Size Analysis: FINES GEOTECHNICAL – Unified Soil Classification System Grain Size Analysis: FINES CLAY SILT M = Silt (Plots below the A-line) C = Clay (Plots above the A-line)
>40: Very High Plasticity GEOTECHNICAL – Unified Soil Classification System Fine Soil Plasticity: FINES LOW HIGH Plastic Index = LL – PL 0: Nonplastic 1-5: Slightly Plastic 5-10: Low Plasticity 10-20: Medium Plasticity 20-40: High Plasticity >40: Very High Plasticity H = High Liquid Limit L = Low Liquid Limit
GEOTECHNICAL – Unified Soil Classification System
Reading: Appendix B USCS: pg 1-22
SOIL REPORTS
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