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Questions and Answers
What is the upper limit of particle size for sand, according to the AASHTO classification system?
What is the upper limit of particle size for sand, according to the AASHTO classification system?
- 0.002 mm
- 0.075 mm
- 2 mm (correct)
- 76.2 mm
Which of the following is NOT considered a major category of soil?
Which of the following is NOT considered a major category of soil?
- Loam (correct)
- Silt
- Gravel
- Clay
Based on the information provided, what is the defining characteristic that separates coarse-grained soil from fine-grained soil?
Based on the information provided, what is the defining characteristic that separates coarse-grained soil from fine-grained soil?
- The mineral composition of the soil
- The color of the soil particles
- The ability to retain water
- The size of the soil particles (correct)
Which classification system is used by the United States Agricultural Department (USDA)?
Which classification system is used by the United States Agricultural Department (USDA)?
In the context of soil, what does 'interstitial' mean?
In the context of soil, what does 'interstitial' mean?
What property of soil is primarily used to categorize soil types?
What property of soil is primarily used to categorize soil types?
What term describes a soil's ability to deform under pressure?
What term describes a soil's ability to deform under pressure?
Which of the following factors can influence soil properties aside from particle size?
Which of the following factors can influence soil properties aside from particle size?
Which clay mineral is known for its swelling properties?
Which clay mineral is known for its swelling properties?
What is one of the engineering applications where understanding soil types is critical?
What is one of the engineering applications where understanding soil types is critical?
Which soil characteristic is most significant in assessing engineering suitability?
Which soil characteristic is most significant in assessing engineering suitability?
How do clay minerals primarily affect soil properties?
How do clay minerals primarily affect soil properties?
Which of the following describes the classification of soils as cohesive and cohesionless?
Which of the following describes the classification of soils as cohesive and cohesionless?
Which clay mineral is a primary constituent of kaolin?
Which clay mineral is a primary constituent of kaolin?
What is the definition of 'compressibility' in the context of soil and rock?
What is the definition of 'compressibility' in the context of soil and rock?
Which of the following describes the 'single-grained structure' of soil?
Which of the following describes the 'single-grained structure' of soil?
What is the difference between a 'floc' and a 'flocculent structure'?
What is the difference between a 'floc' and a 'flocculent structure'?
What is the main difference between 'remolded soil' and 'natural soil'?
What is the main difference between 'remolded soil' and 'natural soil'?
What is 'sensitivity' in the context of soil?
What is 'sensitivity' in the context of soil?
Which of these is NOT a characteristic of montmorillonite?
Which of these is NOT a characteristic of montmorillonite?
Which of the following BEST describes the effect of leaching on soil?
Which of the following BEST describes the effect of leaching on soil?
Which of the following accurately describes the properties of cohesive soil?
Which of the following accurately describes the properties of cohesive soil?
What is the defining characteristic used to classify a soil as 'clay'?
What is the defining characteristic used to classify a soil as 'clay'?
Which characteristic refers to the geometrical aspects of soil particles?
Which characteristic refers to the geometrical aspects of soil particles?
What is the key difference between 'cohesive' and 'cohesionless' soils?
What is the key difference between 'cohesive' and 'cohesionless' soils?
What is the significance of the term 'colloidal particles' in soil science?
What is the significance of the term 'colloidal particles' in soil science?
According to ASTM 1992, what is the source of soil?
According to ASTM 1992, what is the source of soil?
What defines 'silt' as a soil component?
What defines 'silt' as a soil component?
Which of the following is NOT a component of soil texture?
Which of the following is NOT a component of soil texture?
Which of the following statements accurately describes the particle size characteristic of coarse-grained soil?
Which of the following statements accurately describes the particle size characteristic of coarse-grained soil?
Which of the following correctly identifies the particle size range for silt, as per the AASHTO classification system?
Which of the following correctly identifies the particle size range for silt, as per the AASHTO classification system?
According to the provided text, which organization is NOT mentioned as having established a soil classification system?
According to the provided text, which organization is NOT mentioned as having established a soil classification system?
What defines the property of plasticity in soil?
What defines the property of plasticity in soil?
Which term accurately describes soils composed primarily of silt and clay?
Which term accurately describes soils composed primarily of silt and clay?
What size is classified as 'Clay Size' in soil?
What size is classified as 'Clay Size' in soil?
What characterizes cohesionless soil?
What characterizes cohesionless soil?
Which property of soil is influenced by colloidal particles?
Which property of soil is influenced by colloidal particles?
What is the primary characteristic of silt according to the definition given?
What is the primary characteristic of silt according to the definition given?
What distinguishes the texture of soil?
What distinguishes the texture of soil?
Which type of soil is considered non-plastic?
Which type of soil is considered non-plastic?
What is the primary characteristic used to categorize soil types in engineering applications?
What is the primary characteristic used to categorize soil types in engineering applications?
Which of the following factors can significantly influence soil behavior aside from particle size?
Which of the following factors can significantly influence soil behavior aside from particle size?
What role does plasticity play in soil categorization?
What role does plasticity play in soil categorization?
Which clay mineral is primarily associated with low shrink-swell capacity?
Which clay mineral is primarily associated with low shrink-swell capacity?
How does soil mineralogy influence its properties?
How does soil mineralogy influence its properties?
Which of the following best describes cohesive soils?
Which of the following best describes cohesive soils?
What is the significance of understanding different soil types in engineering?
What is the significance of understanding different soil types in engineering?
Which property is primarily evaluated to understand the structure of cohesive soils?
Which property is primarily evaluated to understand the structure of cohesive soils?
What is the general formula for Kaolinite?
What is the general formula for Kaolinite?
Which clay mineral is characterized by a weakly bonded sheet-like internal structure and undergoes ion exchange?
Which clay mineral is characterized by a weakly bonded sheet-like internal structure and undergoes ion exchange?
What does thixotropy refer to in soil properties?
What does thixotropy refer to in soil properties?
Sensitivity in cohesive soil refers to what?
Sensitivity in cohesive soil refers to what?
What is the main characteristic of a dispersed structure in soil?
What is the main characteristic of a dispersed structure in soil?
What does compressibility of a soil refer to?
What does compressibility of a soil refer to?
Which of the following describes a honeycomb structure in soil?
Which of the following describes a honeycomb structure in soil?
What is leaching in the context of soils?
What is leaching in the context of soils?
Flashcards
Plasticity
Plasticity
A soil's ability to change shape under pressure and retain that shape after the pressure is removed.
Cohesionless Soils
Cohesionless Soils
Soils that are primarily composed of sand, silt, or a combination of these, and have little or no clay content.
Cohesive Soils
Cohesive Soils
Soils that contain a significant amount of clay, giving them the ability to stick together.
Soil Structure
Soil Structure
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Montmorillonite
Montmorillonite
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Kaolinite
Kaolinite
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Illite
Illite
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Clay Mineralogy
Clay Mineralogy
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Soil
Soil
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Coarse-grained Soils
Coarse-grained Soils
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Fine-grained Soils
Fine-grained Soils
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Clay (Clay Soil)
Clay (Clay Soil)
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Clay Size
Clay Size
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Soil Types
Soil Types
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Soil Classification Systems
Soil Classification Systems
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Thixotropy
Thixotropy
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Sensitivity
Sensitivity
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Leaching
Leaching
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Remolded Soil
Remolded Soil
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Compressibility
Compressibility
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Strength
Strength
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Consistency
Consistency
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Flocculent Structure
Flocculent Structure
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Particle Size
Particle Size
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What is soil?
What is soil?
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What are coarse-grained soils?
What are coarse-grained soils?
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What are fine-grained soils?
What are fine-grained soils?
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Who sets the rules for categorizing soil types?
Who sets the rules for categorizing soil types?
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How is particle size important in classifying soil?
How is particle size important in classifying soil?
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Study Notes
Unit 2: Soil Types
- Soil types are categorized based on particle size and plasticity
- Soil is all material above bedrock, including mineral particles, organic material, sediments or unconsolidated accumulations of solid particles. May or may not contain organic matter.
2.1 Introduction
- Soil behavior depends on its physical properties
- Soil must be categorized for engineering applications.
2.2 Definitions of Key Terms
- Soil: All material above bedrock, including mineral particles, organic material, sediments or unconsolidated accumulations of solid particles. May or may not contain organic matter.
- Soil Structure: Arrangement and state of aggregation of soil particles.
- Coarse-grained: Soils composed of gravel and/or sand.
- Fine-grained: Soils composed of silt and/or clay.
- Clay (Clay Soil): Fine-grained soil exhibiting plasticity (putty-like) within a range of water content.
- Clay Size: The portion of soil with particles finer than 0.002 mm (0.005mm in some cases).
2.3 Soil Types
- Cohesive Soil: Soil with inherent strength when air-dried, and significant cohesion when submerged.
- Cohesionless Soil: Soil with little to no strength when air-dried, and little or no cohesion when submerged.
- Collodial Particles: Particles so small that their surface activity significantly affects the aggregate properties.
- Parent Material: Material from which a soil was derived.
- Plasticity: Soil or rock property allowing deformation beyond recovery without cracking.
- Silt: Material passing a 0.075mm sieve, non-plastic or slightly plastic, with little to no strength.
- Non-Plastic: Soil lacking plasticity.
- Texture: Geometrical aspects of soil particles (size, shape, arrangement) and voids characteristics
- Kaolinite: Common clay mineral with formula Al2(Si2O5)(OH)4, the primary constituent of kaolin.
- Illite: A significant rock-forming mineral, often a major component of shales and argillaceous rocks.
- Montmorillonite: Clay mineral group characterized by weakly bonded sheets of hydrated aluminum or magnesium silicates. Swells with wetting, shrinks with drying.
2.4 Soil Structure
- Cohesionless Soils: Particle arrangement resembles a stable "single-grained" structure, with particles in contact. This arrangement is also known as single-grained.
- Void Ratio: Ratio of volume of voids to volume of soil solids; a lower void ratio indicates higher strength and lower compressibility.
- Cohesive Soils: Clay soils with inherent strength, their particle structure affecting properties; the particle arrangement of cohesionless soils is in a stable arrangement.
2.5 Clay Mineralogy
- Clay soil mineralogy differs from granular soil mineralogy; clay surfaces have a net negative charge, while edges have positive/negative charges.
- Particle surface area to mass ratio is high; thus, electrical forces greatly affect clay behavior.
- Clay structure is determined by mineral composition and interparticle forces. Clay particles have negative charge, water particles have positive/negative charges, creating strong bonds.
- Flocculent Structure: Clay deposits with high void ratios, low density, and high water content; attraction between particles create strength.
- Dispersed Structure: Parallel arrangement/orientation of particles in clay; occurs when salts are leached. There are also layered structures.
2.6 Soil Microstructure
- Soil microstructure describes the arrangement of mineral/rock grains, interstitial water, and air.
- Single-grain: Occurs in clean sands and gravels where grains touch at points of contact.
- Wedge-block: Clay present in quantity. Clay grains coat and bind larger grains, leading to high shearing strength.
- Massive: Clay matrix with coarser grains.
- Layered: Resulting from layer variations in particle size, or regularly interlayered silt/clay; often resulting in planes of weakness.
2.7 Questions and Practical Problems (Examples)
- Questions about soil categories, classification systems, coarse vs. fine-grained soils, important particle size consideration projects, factors affecting soil formation, the difference between silt and clay, and the definition of liquefaction.
2.8 Web Resources
- List of web resources for further study.
2.9 References
- List of references used. Includes books on soil mechanics and foundations.
2.10 & 2.11 Field Pictures
- Visual aids/illustrations demonstrating soil types. Clay and soil types are illustrated.
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Description
Explore the various types of soil in Unit 2, focusing on their classification based on particle size and plasticity. Understand key terms such as soil structure and the distinction between coarse-grained and fine-grained soils. This quiz is essential for engineering applications and determining soil behavior.
