Use the USCS to classify the soil associated with the GSD curve shown below. The Atterberg limits of the soil’s finer fraction are 70 and 25. Provide the USCS group symbol. Show all your work and circle your answer
Use the USCS to classify the soil associated with the GSD curve shown below. The Atterberg limits of the soil’s finer fraction are 70 and 25. Provide the USCS group symbol. Show all your work and circle your answer
Chapter2: Loads On Structures
Section: Chapter Questions
Problem 1P
Related questions
Question
Use the USCS to classify the soil associated with the GSD curve shown below. The Atterberg limits of the
soil’s finer fraction are 70 and 25. Provide the USCS group symbol. Show all your work and circle your
answer.

- **X-Axis (Logarithmic Scale):** Sieve diameter in mm, ranging from 0.01 mm to 100 mm.
- **Y-Axis:** Percentage of soil particles finer than the corresponding sieve diameter, ranging from 0% to 100%.
The curve represents the cumulative percentage of particles finer than each sieve size.
#### Definitions
**Atterberg Limits:**
- **Liquid Limit (LL):** The water content at which soil changes from plastic to liquid behavior. For this problem: LL = 70%.
- **Plastic Limit (PL):** The water content where soil transitions from a semi-solid state to a plastic state. For this problem: PL = 25%.
#### Procedure
To classify the soil using USCS, follow these steps:
1. **Plot the Grain Size Distribution:**
- Identify key points on the curve, such as D10, D30, and D60, where D represents the diameter size below which 10%, 30%, and 60% of the soil particles fall.
- For this graph:
- D10 ≈ 0.2 mm
- D30 ≈ 0.6 mm
- D60 ≈ 5 mm
2. **Compute Cu and Cc:**
- **Coefficient of Uniformity (Cu):** \( Cu = \frac{D60}{D10} \)
- Cu = 5/0.2 = 25
- **Coefficient of Curvature (Cc):** \( Cc = \frac{(D30)^2}{D10 \times D60} \)
- Cc = (0.6)^2 / (0.2 * 5) = 0.36 / 1 = 0.36
3. **Determine Soil Type with USCS Criteria:**
- Based on Cu and Cc values:
-](/v2/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcontent.bartleby.com%2Fqna-images%2Fquestion%2F05bb32f4-a25c-4c4f-835f-8dd97a453348%2F40167d70-f074-4c96-8e0e-b53cc5377293%2Foh6o8cn_processed.png&w=3840&q=75)
Transcribed Image Text:### Soil Classification Using the Unified Soil Classification System (USCS)
#### Problem Statement
Use the USCS to classify the soil associated with the Grain Size Distribution (GSD) curve shown below. The Atterberg limits of the soil’s finer fraction are 70 and 25. Provide the USCS group symbol. Show all your work and circle your answer.
#### Grain Size Distribution (GSD) Curve
The graph below displays the grain size distribution of the given soil.

- **X-Axis (Logarithmic Scale):** Sieve diameter in mm, ranging from 0.01 mm to 100 mm.
- **Y-Axis:** Percentage of soil particles finer than the corresponding sieve diameter, ranging from 0% to 100%.
The curve represents the cumulative percentage of particles finer than each sieve size.
#### Definitions
**Atterberg Limits:**
- **Liquid Limit (LL):** The water content at which soil changes from plastic to liquid behavior. For this problem: LL = 70%.
- **Plastic Limit (PL):** The water content where soil transitions from a semi-solid state to a plastic state. For this problem: PL = 25%.
#### Procedure
To classify the soil using USCS, follow these steps:
1. **Plot the Grain Size Distribution:**
- Identify key points on the curve, such as D10, D30, and D60, where D represents the diameter size below which 10%, 30%, and 60% of the soil particles fall.
- For this graph:
- D10 ≈ 0.2 mm
- D30 ≈ 0.6 mm
- D60 ≈ 5 mm
2. **Compute Cu and Cc:**
- **Coefficient of Uniformity (Cu):** \( Cu = \frac{D60}{D10} \)
- Cu = 5/0.2 = 25
- **Coefficient of Curvature (Cc):** \( Cc = \frac{(D30)^2}{D10 \times D60} \)
- Cc = (0.6)^2 / (0.2 * 5) = 0.36 / 1 = 0.36
3. **Determine Soil Type with USCS Criteria:**
- Based on Cu and Cc values:
-
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