Soil Gradation

Soil gradation - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Page 1 of 4
Soil gradation
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Soil gradation is a classification of a coarse-grained soil that

ranks the soil based on the different particle sizes contained
in the soil.[1] Soil gradation is an important aspect of
geotechnical engineering and is an indicator of other
engineering properties such as compressibility, shear
strength, and hydraulic conductivity. In a design, the
gradation of the in situ or on site soil often controls the
design and ground water drainage of the site. A poorly graded
soil will have better drainage than a well graded soil. [2]
Soil is graded as either well graded or poorly graded. Poorly

graded soils are further divided into uniformly-graded or gap- Soil Gradation Categories
graded soils. [3]
Soil gradation is determined by analyzing the results of a sieve analysis [4] [5] or a hydrometer
analysis. [1]
The process for grading a soil is in accordance with either the Unified Soil Classification System or
the AASHTO Soil Classification System. Gradation of a soil is determined by reading the grain size
distribution curve produced from the results of laboratory tests on the soil. Gradation of a soil can
also be determined by calculating the coefficient of uniformity, Cu, and the coefficient of curvature,
Cc, of the soil and comparing the calculated values with published gradation limits.[1][6]
Contents
1 Soil Gradations
1.1 Well Graded
1.2 Poorly Graded
2 Process of Grading a Soil

2.1 Data Collection
2.2 Calculating the Coefficients of Uniformity and Curvature
2.3 Criteria for Grading Soils
3 Importance
4 References
Soil Gradations
Soil gradation is a classification of the particle size distribution of a soil. Coarse-grained soils,
mainly gravels or sands, are graded as either well graded or poorly graded. Poorly graded soils are
further divided into uniformly-graded or gap-graded soils. Fine-grained soils, mainly silts and clays,
are classified according to their Atterberg limits.[1][6]
Well Graded
A well graded soil is a soil that contains particles of a wide range of sizes and has a good
representation of all sizes from the No. 4 to No. 200 sieves.[3] A well graded gravel is classified as
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soil_gradation 18/10/2010
GW while a well graded sand is classified as SW. [1]
Poorly Graded
A poorly graded soil is a soil that does not have a good representation of all sizes of particles from
the No. 4 to No. 200 sieve. Poorly graded soils are either uniformly graded or gap-graded. [3] A
poorly graded gravel is classified as GP while a poorly graded sand is classified as SP. Poorly graded
soils are more susceptible to soil liquefaction than well graded soils. [1]
A uniformly graded soil is a soil that has most of its particles at about the same size. [1] An example
of a uniformly graded soil is one in which only sand of the No. 20 size is present. [3]
A gap-graded soil is a soil that has an excess or deficiency of certain particle sizes or a soil that has
at least one particle size missing. [3][1] An example of a gap-graded soil is one in which sand of the
No. 10 and No. 40 sizes are missing, and all the other sizes are present. [3]
Process of Grading a Soil
The process of grading a soil is in accordance with either the Unified Soil Classification System or
the AASHTO Soil Classification System. The steps in grading a soil are data collection, calculating
coefficients of uniformity and curvature, and grading the soil based on the grading criteria given in
the used soil classification system. [1]
Data Collection
Soil gradation is determined by analyzing the results of a sieve analysis or a hydrometer analysis.[4]
[5]
In a sieve analysis, a coarse-grained soil sample is shaken through a series of woven-wire square-
mesh sieves. Each sieve has successively smaller openings so particles larger than the size of each
sieve are retained on the sieve. [4][5] The percentage of each soil size is measured by weighing the
amount retained on each sieve and comparing the weight to the total weight of the sample. The
results of a sieve analysis are plotted as a grain size distribution curve, which is then analyzed to
determine the soil gradation of the particular soil.[1]
In a hydrometer analysis, a fine-grained soil sample is left to settle in a viscous fluid. This method is
used based on Stoke's Law which relates terminal velocity of fall of a particle in a viscous fluid to
the grain diameter and density of the grain in suspension.Grain diameter is calculated from a known
distance and time of the fall of the particle. This is used to classify fine-grained soils. [1]
Calculating the Coefficients of Uniformity and Curvature
Calculating the coefficients of uniformity and curvature requires grain diameters. The grain diameter
can be found for each percent of the soil passing a particular sieve. This means that if 40% of the
sample is retained on the No. 20 sieve then there is 60% passing the No. 20 sieve. [1]
The coefficient of uniformity, Cu is a crude shape parameter and is calculated using the following
equation:
where D60 is the grain diameter at 60% passing, and D10 is the grain diameter at 10% passing
The coefficient of curvature, Cc is a shape parameter and is calculated using the following equation:
where D60 is the grain diameter at 60% passing, D30 is the grain diameter at 30% passing, and D10 is
the grain diameter at 10% passing
Once the coefficient of uniformity and the coefficient of curvature have been calculated, they must
be compared to published gradation criteria. [1]
Criteria for Grading Soils
The following criteria are in accordance with the Unified Soil Classification System:
For a gravel to be classified as well graded, the following criteria must be met:
Cu > 4 & 1 < Cc < 3
If both of these criteria are met, the gravel is classified as well graded or GW. If both of these criteria
are not met, the gravel is classified as poorly graded or GP.
For a sand to be classified as well graded, the followinng criteria must be met:
Cu > 6 & 1 < Cc < 3
If both of these criteria are met, the sand is classified as well graded or SW. If both of these criteria
are not met, the sand is classified as poorly graded or SP.[1]
Importance
Soil gradation is very important to geotechnical engineering. It is an indicator of other engineering

properties such as compressibility, shear strength, and hydraulic conductivity.
In a design, the gradation of the in situ or on site soil often controls the design and ground water
drainage of the site. A poorly graded soil will have better drainage than a well graded soil because
there are more void spaces in a poorly graded soil.
When a fill material is being selected for a project such as a highway embankment or earthen dam,
the soil gradation is considered. A well graded soil is able to be compacted more than a poorly
graded soil. These types of projects may also have gradation requirements that must be met before
the soil to be used is accepted.
When options for ground remediation techniques are being selected, the soil gradation is a
controlling factor.[2]
References
1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Holtz, R. and Kovacs, W. (1981), An Introduction to Geotechnical
Engineering, Prentice-Hall, Inc. ISBN 0-13-484394-0

2. ^ a b "ASTM D6913 - 04(2009)".ASTM International. ASTM International. 1996-2009.
October 13, 2009.
3. ^ a b c d e f “Soil Gradation”. Integrated Publishing. Integrated Publishing. 2003-2007.
October 13, 2009.
4. ^ a b c “Sieve Analysis and Particle Analysis”. Grand Solution Manual. SJ Soft Technologies.
2008. October 13, 2009.
5. ^ a b c “Sieve Analysis”. Integrated Publishing. Integrated Publishing. 2003-2007. October 13,
2009.
6. ^ a b Coduto, Donald P. Foundation Design Principles and Practices (2nd Edition). 02nd ed.
Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall, 2000. Print. ISBN 0-13-589706-8
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soil_gradation"
Categories: Sedimentology | Geotechnical engineering | Soil
This page was last modified on 10 March 2010 at 13:29.

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Soil gradation - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Page 1 of 4

Soil gradation is a classification of a coarse-grained soil that

Soil is graded as either well graded or poorly graded. Poorly

2 Process of Grading a Soil

GW while a well graded sand is classified as SW. [1]

Process of Grading a Soil

Calculating the Coefficients of Uniformity and Curvature

Criteria for Grading Soils

Cu > 4 & 1 < Cc < 3

Cu > 6 & 1 < Cc < 3

Soil gradation is very important to geotechnical engineering. It is an indicator of other engineering

Engineering, Prentice-Hall, Inc. ISBN 0-13-484394-0

This page was last modified on 10 March 2010 at 13:29.

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