This document provides an overview of the Unified Soil Classification System (USCS) including definitions of key terms, laboratory and field classification procedures, and the parameters used in the system. It describes the tests used to classify soils based on particle size distribution, plasticity, and organic content including sieve analysis, Atterberg limits, and consistency states. Guidelines are given for plotting data on charts to determine soil classifications.

1. Unified Soil Classification System Training

11. Sieve Analyses

12. Sieve Analysis

13. Sieve Designation - Large Sieves larger than the #4 sieve are designated by the size of the openings in the sieve

15. Sieve Designation - Smaller 10 openings per inch # 10 sieve Smaller sieves are numbered according to the number of openings per inch 1-inch

18. Grain-size Distribution % Finer Grain Size, millimeters (log 10 ) Sieve Designation # 20 81

23. Activity 8 Water Content

25. Activity 9 Consistency States

33. LL Test Results Log N water content, % LL= w% Interpolate LL water content at 25 blows 25

34. Activity 10 Liquid Limit Problem

35. LL Values < 16 % not realistic 16 Liquid Limit, % PI, %

36. LL Values > 50 - HIGH Liquid Limit, % PI, % 50 H

37. LL Values < 50 - LOW Liquid Limit, % PI, % 50 L

45. Complete Activity 11

46. Complete Activity 13 Comprehensive Review Terms and Definitions

47. Definition of Plasticity “ A- Line” Plastic soils plot above the A-Line on a Chart Plastic Soils

48. Definition of Plasticity “ A- Line” Non-plastic or slightly plastic soils plot below the A-Line on a Chart Nonplastic Soils

49. U-Line Significance “ U- Line” Correct tests never plot above U-line and LL values are never < 16 Unrealistic 16

50. Plasticity Chart

51. Example Plot of LL, PI Plastic or Not ??