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STANDARD 18-1 <br />sification. Example: A gravel with 10 percent fines, a C„ of 20, a <br />Cz of 2.0, and a plasticity index of 6 would be classified as <br />GW -GM rather than GW -GC.) <br />SECTION 18.107 — PROCEDURE FOR <br />CLASSIFICATION OF FINE-GRAINED SOILS <br />(50 PERCENT OR MORE PASSING) <br />From the material passing the 3 -inch (76 mm) sieve, select a test <br />sample for the determination of the liquid limit and plasticity in- <br />dex. The method for wet preparation shall be used for soils con- <br />taining organic matter or irreversible mineral colloids. <br />Determine the liquid limit and the plasticity index of a portion <br />of the test sample passing the No. 40 (425 µm) sieve. <br />Classify the soil as inorganic clay, C, if the plot of liquid limit <br />versus plasticity index falls above the "A" line and the plasticity <br />index is greater than 7. <br />Classify the soil as inorganic clay of low to medium plasticity, <br />C1, if the liquid limit is less than 50 and the plot of liquid limit ver- <br />sus plasticity index falls above the "A" line and the plasticity in- <br />dex is greater than 7. See area identified as CL on the Plasticity <br />Chart of Table 18-1-A. <br />Classify the soil as inorganic clay of high plasticity, CH, if the <br />liquid limit is greater than 50 and the plot of liquid limit versus <br />plasticity index falls above the "A" line. In cases where the liquid <br />limit exceeds -100 or the plasticity index exceeds 60, the plasticity <br />chart may be expanded by maintaining the same scales on both <br />axes and extending the "A" line at the indicated slope. See areas <br />identified as CH on the Plasticity Chart, Table 18-1-A. <br />Classify the soil as inorganic silt, M, if the plot of liquid limit <br />versus plasticity index falls below the "A" line or if the plasticity <br />index is less than 4, unless it is suspected that organic matter is <br />1997 UNIFORM BUILDING CODE <br />present in sufficient amounts to influence the soil properties, then y <br />tentatively classify the soil as organic silt or clay, O. <br />If the soil has a dark color and an organic odor when moist and <br />warm, a second liquid limit test should be performed on a test sam- <br />ple which has been oven dried at 110'C:t 5°C for 24 hours. <br />Classify the soil as organic silt or clay, O, if the liquid limit after <br />oven drying is less than three fourths of the liquid limit of the origi- <br />nal sample determined before drying. <br />Classify the soil as inorganic silt of low plasticity, ML, or as or- <br />ganic silt of low plasticity, ML, or as organic silt or silt -clay of low <br />plasticity, OL, if the liquid limit is less than 50 and the plot of liq- <br />uid limit versus plasticity index falls below the "A" line or the <br />plasticity index is less than 4. See area identified as ML and OL on <br />the Plasticity Chart, Table 18-1-A. <br />Classify the soil as inorganic silt of medium to high plasticity, <br />MH, or as organic clay or silt -clay of medium to high plasticity, <br />OH, if the liquid limit is more than 50 and the plot of liquid limit <br />versus plasticity index falls below the "A" line. See atea identified <br />as MH and OH on the Plasticity Chart of Table 18-1-A. <br />In order to indicate their borderline characteristics, some <br />fine-grained soils should be classified by dual symbols. <br />If the plot of liquid limit versus plasticity index falls on or prac- <br />tically on the "A" line or above the "A" line where the plasticity <br />index is in the range of 4 to 7, the soil should be given an appropri- <br />ate borderline classification such as CI. ML or CH -OH. . <br />If the plot of liquid limit versus plasticity index falls on or prac- <br />tically on the line liquid limit = 50, the soil should be given an ap- <br />propriate borderline classification such as CL CH or MUMH. (In <br />doubtful uses the rule for classification is to favor the more plas- <br />tic classification. Example: a fine-grained soil with a liquid limit <br />of 50 and a plasticity index of 22 would be classified as CH -MH <br />rather than CLrML.) <br />TABLE 18-1-A—SOIL CLASSIFICATION CHART <br />!Based on the material passing the 3 -inch (76 mm) sieve. <br />3-328 <br />.MAJOR DIVISIONS - <br />GROUP <br />SYMBOLS TYPICAL NAMES <br />CLEAN <br />GW Well -graded gravels and gravel -sand mixtures, little or no fines <br />COARSE- <br />GRAINED <br />SOILS <br />GRAVELS <br />50% or more of coarse fraction <br />retained on No.4 (4,75 min) sieve <br />_ <br />GRAVELS <br />GP Poorly graded gravels and gravel -sand mixtures, little or no fines <br />GRAVELS <br />WITH FINES <br />GM Silty gravels, gravel -sand -silt mixtures <br />GC aayey gravels,' gravel -scud -lay ini i -es . <br />More -than 50% <br />CLEAN <br />'SW = Welt -graded sands and gravelly sands, little or no fines <br />retained <br />anj s> o.200 <br />. <br />SANDS <br />Moro then 50% of eoarse.lractlon <br />passes No.4 (4.75 mm) sieve <br />SN <br />SP Poorly graded sands and gravelly and sands, little or no fines <br />- <br />SANDS <br />WR'H FINES <br />SM Silly Sands, Sand -Silt mixtures ' <br />•SC -Clayey sands, sand=clay mixtures <br />ML Inorganic silts, very fine sands, rock flour, silty of clayey fine <br />FINE-GRAINED SOILS <br />SILTS AND CLAYS <br />Liquid limn 50% or lessCL <br />Inorganic blays of low to medium plasticity, gravel) clays, sandy <br />clays, silty clays, lean clays <br />50%or more passes <br />OL Organic silts and organic silty clays of low plasticity <br />Na: 200 (75 tool <br />SILTS AND CLAYS <br />Liquid limit greater than 50% <br />Inorganic silts, micaceous or diatomaceous fine sands or silts, <br />elastic sills <br />CH Inorganic clays of high plasticity, fat clays <br />OH Organic clays of medium to high plasticity <br />Highly organic soils <br />PT Peat, muck and other highly organic soils <br />!Based on the material passing the 3 -inch (76 mm) sieve. <br />3-328 <br />