Material Properties

Material Types
Unbound (soil)

Natural (i.e., subgrade)

Select (i.e., subbase, base)

Asphalt concrete
Portland cement concrete
Stabilized materials

Cement stabilized
Bituminous stabilized

Bedrock
Recycled

Material Properties Needed for Design

Pavement response model material inputs

Modulus (stiffness)
Poissons ratio

Materials-related pavement distress criteria

Permanent deformation resistance

Fatigue resistance
Strength

Other materials properties

Density
Permeability
Thermal expansion coefficient

Material Models

(Yoder and Witczak, 1974)

Material Models
Linear elasticity

Asphalt
Stabilized layers
Unbound layers

Linear viscoelasticity

Asphalt

Nonlinear (all materials, to some extent)

Nonlinear elasticity
Plasticity
Nonlinear viscoelasticity
Viscoplasticity

Soil Classification
Systems

Soil Classification

The separation of soil into classes or

groups each having similar characteristics

and potentially similar behaviour

Few simple (routine) tests are used to

classify soils.
Gradation
Atterberg Limits

Soil Classification Systems

MIT
AASHTO
USCS
FAA

MIT Classification
Material
Boulder
Gravel

Sand

Silt
Clay

Size (mm)
> 60

Fine

26

Medium

6 20

Coarse

20 60

Fine

0.06 0.2

Medium

0.2 0.6

Coarse

0.6 2

Fine

0.002 0.006

Medium

0.006 0.02

Coarse

0.02 0.06
< 0.002

AASHTO Classification
AASHTO: American Association of State Highways
and Transportation Officials

Used mainly for subgrade rating for highway

purposes.

Requires:
Gradation

LL

PI

AASHTO Classification (Granular Materials)

AASHTO Classification (Fine Materials)

AASHTO Classification

(Coduto, 1999)

Group Index (GI)

GI is used to classify the fine grained soils within
one group and for judging their suitability as
subgrade materials.

GI = 0.2 a + 0.005 a.c + 0.01 b.d

a = %P#200 35

(0 to 40)

b = %P#200 15

(0 to 40)

c = LL 40

(0 to 20)

(0 to 20)

d = LL 10 (0 to 20)

GI to the nearest whole number (integer)

High GI low quality material
EX: A-7-6(5), A-7-6(18)

USCS Classification

USCS: United Soil Classification

System

Used mainly for geotechnical purposes

Requires:

Gradation
LL
PI

USCS Classification
Soil

Symbol Property

Symbol

Gravel

Well Graded

Sand

Poor Graded

Clay

High LL (High Plasticity)

Silt

Low LL (Low Plasticity)

Peat

Pt

Clay

Organic soil

silt

EX: SC Clayey Sand

GW Well Graded Gravel
CL Clay with low plasticity

EX: Dual Symbol: SP-SM

poorly graded sand
with silt

Computing CU and CC

Coefficient of Uniformity
High Values Indicate WellGraded Soil

Coefficient of Curvature
Values Between 1-3 Indicate
Well-Graded Soil

A-Line Chart
Separates Clays and Silts

OH &
MH
ML &
OL

USCS Classification

USCS Classification (Coarse-Grained)

CoarseGrained
Soils

% P #4 <
50%
(Gravel)

Less than
5% Fines

Cu>4, Cc = (1-3)

GW

Not satisfying GW

GP

More than
12% Fines

Below A-Line

GM

PI>7& Above ALine

GC

Less than
5% Fines

Cu>6, Cc = (1-3)

SW

Not satisfying GW

SP

More than
12% Fines

Below A-Line

SM

PI>7& Above ALine

SC

50% or
less pass
#200

% P #4 >
50%
(Sand)

USCS Classification (Fine-Grained)

ML
FineGrained
Soils

CL

LL<50%

OL
MH

More
than 50% LL>50%
pass
#200

OH & MH

CH
OH

ML
&
OL

Dual Symbols

USCS

For the following conditions a dual symbol should be

used:
a) Coarse grained soils with % fines between 5% and 12%
The first symbol is indicative of the gradation (W or P), the
second symbol is indicative of the fines.
EX: SP-SM poorly graded sand with silt
b) Fine grained soils within the shaded zone in the A-line
chart (PI between 4 and 7, LL between 12 and 25).
EX: CL-CM, Silty clay with Low LL

Comparison between the AASHTO and

Unified Systems

Both systems are based on the texture and plasticity

of the soil.

Both systems divide the soils into two major

categories: Coarse grained and Fine grained based

on %P#200 SI sieve.

AASHTO:

%P#200 < 35% Coarse grained

%P#200 > 35% Fine grained

Unified:

%P#200 < 50% Coarse grained

%P#200 > 50% Fine grained

Comparison between the AASHTO and

Unified Systems (Contd)

AASHTO: #10 sieve separates gravels and sand

Unified: #4 sieve separates gravels and sand
AASHTO : There is no organic soil
Unified : There is organic soil
AASHTO: gravely and sandy soils are not clearly
separated

Unified: gravely and sandy soils are clearly separated

(NCHRP 1-37A. 1999)

(Das, 1990)

FAA Classification
FAA: Federal Aviation Administration
Used mainly for soil classification for airport
construction.

Requires:
Gradation
LL
PI

FAA Classification

(Yoder & Witczak 1975)

Soil
Group

% R#10

%P#10,
R#60

%P#60,
R#270

%P#270

LL

PI

E-1

0-45

40+

60-

15-

25-

6-

E-2

0-45

15+

85-

25-

25-

6-

E-3

0-45

25-

25-

6-

E-4

0-45

35-

35-

10-

E-5

0-55

45-

40-

15-

E-6

0-55

45+

40-

10-

E-7

0-55

45+

50-

10-30

E-8

0-55

45+

60-

15-40

E-9

0-55

45+

40+

30-

E-10

0-55

45+

70-

20-50

E-11

0-55

45+

80-

30+

E-12

0-55

45+

80+

E-13

Muck and Peat Field Examination

FAA Classification Chart for Fine-Grained

Soils
Plasticity Index
100

10

20

30

40

50

10

60

70

90
E-12

liquid Limit

80

E-11

70
60

E-9
E-8

50

E-7

40
30
20
10

E-10

E-6
(Yoder & Witczak 1975)

It is Hard to be
an engineer!