Soil Types Unit 2
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Questions and Answers

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?

  • Loam (correct)
  • Silt
  • Gravel
  • Clay

    • 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)?

    <p>Both A and B</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In the context of soil, what does 'interstitial' mean?

    <p>Occurring between the soil particles or within their pores</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What property of soil is primarily used to categorize soil types?

    <p>Particle size</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What term describes a soil's ability to deform under pressure?

    <p>Plasticity</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following factors can influence soil properties aside from particle size?

    <p>Soil structure</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which clay mineral is known for its swelling properties?

    <p>Montmorillonite</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one of the engineering applications where understanding soil types is critical?

    <p>Roadway embankment</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which soil characteristic is most significant in assessing engineering suitability?

    <p>Plasticity</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How do clay minerals primarily affect soil properties?

    <p>By altering moisture retention</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following describes the classification of soils as cohesive and cohesionless?

    <p>Based on particle size and interaction with water</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which clay mineral is a primary constituent of kaolin?

    <p>Kaolinite</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the definition of 'compressibility' in the context of soil and rock?

    <p>The susceptibility of a soil or rock to decrease in volume under load</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following describes the 'single-grained structure' of soil?

    <p>An arrangement composed of individual soil particles</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the difference between a 'floc' and a 'flocculent structure'?

    <p>A floc is a single, small particle, while a flocculent structure is a larger, aggregated mass</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main difference between 'remolded soil' and 'natural soil'?

    <p>Remolded soil has had its structure disturbed by manipulation, while natural soil has not</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is 'sensitivity' in the context of soil?

    <p>The effect of remolding on the consistency of a cohesive soil</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of these is NOT a characteristic of montmorillonite?

    <p>It is a major component of shales</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following BEST describes the effect of leaching on soil?

    <p>Removes soluble materials from the soil</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following accurately describes the properties of cohesive soil?

    <p>Has significant strength when air-dried, and substantial cohesion when submerged.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the defining characteristic used to classify a soil as 'clay'?

    <p>Ability to exhibit plasticity within a range of water contents.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which characteristic refers to the geometrical aspects of soil particles?

    <p>Texture</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the key difference between 'cohesive' and 'cohesionless' soils?

    <p>Cohesive soils exhibit significant strength when air-dried and cohesion when submerged, while cohesionless soils do not.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the significance of the term 'colloidal particles' in soil science?

    <p>Their surface activity influences the aggregate properties of the soil.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to ASTM 1992, what is the source of soil?

    <p>The physical and chemical disintegration of rocks.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What defines 'silt' as a soil component?

    <p>Particles passing a 0.075 mm sieve, displaying little or no plastic behavior.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is NOT a component of soil texture?

    <p>Color of particles</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following statements accurately describes the particle size characteristic of coarse-grained soil?

    <p>Particles are easily visible without the need for magnification.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following correctly identifies the particle size range for silt, as per the AASHTO classification system?

    <p>0.075 to 0.002 mm</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to the provided text, which organization is NOT mentioned as having established a soil classification system?

    <p>United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What defines the property of plasticity in soil?

    <p>Deformation beyond recovery without cracking</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which term accurately describes soils composed primarily of silt and clay?

    <p>Cohesive Soil</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What size is classified as 'Clay Size' in soil?

    <p>Finer than 0.002 mm</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What characterizes cohesionless soil?

    <p>Little or no strength when air-dried</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which property of soil is influenced by colloidal particles?

    <p>Plasticity</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary characteristic of silt according to the definition given?

    <p>Non-plastic and exhibits little strength</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What distinguishes the texture of soil?

    <p>Size, shape, and arrangement of particles</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which type of soil is considered non-plastic?

    <p>Non-Plastic Soil</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary characteristic used to categorize soil types in engineering applications?

    <p>Particle size</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following factors can significantly influence soil behavior aside from particle size?

    <p>Soil structure</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What role does plasticity play in soil categorization?

    <p>Assesses the soil's ability to deform</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which clay mineral is primarily associated with low shrink-swell capacity?

    <p>Kaolinite</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does soil mineralogy influence its properties?

    <p>It affects water interaction and soil behavior</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following best describes cohesive soils?

    <p>Soils that hold together due to molecular attraction</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the significance of understanding different soil types in engineering?

    <p>It is essential for proper design and construction practices</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which property is primarily evaluated to understand the structure of cohesive soils?

    <p>Plasticity index</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the general formula for Kaolinite?

    <p>Al2(Si2O5)(OH)4</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which clay mineral is characterized by a weakly bonded sheet-like internal structure and undergoes ion exchange?

    <p>Montmorillonite</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does thixotropy refer to in soil properties?

    <p>The capability to stiffen and then become fluid under agitation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Sensitivity in cohesive soil refers to what?

    <p>The effect of remolding on soil consistency</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main characteristic of a dispersed structure in soil?

    <p>Net repulsion leading to face-to-face clay particle orientation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does compressibility of a soil refer to?

    <p>The volume reduction upon applying load</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following describes a honeycomb structure in soil?

    <p>A loose, stable arrangement resembling a honeycomb</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is leaching in the context of soils?

    <p>The removal of soluble materials by percolating water</p> Signup and view all the answers

    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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    Geotechnical Fundamentals - Soil Types PDF

    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.

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