ASTM D2487-11

Standard Practice for Classification of Soils for Engineering Purposes (Unified Soil Classification System)

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
This standard classifies soils from any geographic location into categories representing the results of prescribed laboratory tests to determine the particle-size characteristics, the liquid limit, and the plasticity index.  
The assigning of a group name and symbol(s) along with the descriptive information required in Practice D2488 can be used to describe a soil to aid in the evaluation of its significant properties for engineering use.  
The various groupings of this classification system have been devised to correlate in a general way with the engineering behavior of soils. This standard provides a useful first step in any field or laboratory investigation for geotechnical engineering purposes.  
This standard may also be used as an aid in training personnel in the use of Practice D2488.  
This standard may be used in combination with Practice D4083 when working with frozen soils.  
Note 5—Notwithstanding the statements on precision and bias contained in this standard: The precision of this test method is dependent on the competence of the personnel performing it and the suitability of the equipment and facilities used. Agencies that meet the criteria of Practice D3740 are generally considered capable of competent and objective testing. Users of this test method are cautioned that compliance with Practice D3740 does not in itself assure reliable testing. Reliable testing depends on several factors; Practice D3740 provides a means for evaluating some of those factors.
SCOPE
1.1 This practice describes a system for classifying mineral and organo-mineral soils for engineering purposes based on laboratory determination of particle-size characteristics, liquid limit, and plasticity index and shall be used when precise classification is required.  
Note 1—Use of this standard will result in a single classification group symbol and group name except when a soil contains 5 to 12 % fines or when the plot of the liquid limit and plasticity index values falls into the crosshatched area of the plasticity chart. In these two cases, a dual symbol is used, for example, GP-GM, CL-ML. When the laboratory test results indicate that the soil is close to another soil classification group, the borderline condition can be indicated with two symbols separated by a slash. The first symbol should be the one based on this standard, for example, CL/CH, GM/SM, SC/CL. Borderline symbols are particularly useful when the liquid limit value of clayey soils is close to 50. These soils can have expansive characteristics and the use of a borderline symbol (CL/CH, CH/CL) will alert the user of the assigned classifications of expansive potential.  
1.2 The group symbol portion of this system is based on laboratory tests performed on the portion of a soil sample passing the 3-in. (75-mm) sieve (see Specification E11).  
1.3 As a classification system, this standard is limited to naturally occurring soils.  
Note 2—The group names and symbols used in this test method may be used as a descriptive system applied to such materials as shale, claystone, shells, crushed rock, etc. See Appendix X2.  
1.4 This standard is for qualitative application only.  
Note 3—When quantitative information is required for detailed designs of important structures, this test method must be supplemented by laboratory tests or other quantitative data to determine performance characteristics under expected field conditions.  
1.5 This standard is the ASTM version of the Unified Soil Classification System. The basis for the classification scheme is the Airfield Classification System developed by A. Casagrande in the early 1940s. It became known as the Unified Soil Classification System when several U.S. Government Agencies adopted a modified version of the Airfield System in 1952.  
1.6 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this sta...

General Information

• Status: Historical
• Publication Date: 30-Apr-2011
• ICS: 93.020 - Earthworks. Excavations. Foundation construction. Underground works
• Technical Committee: D18 - Soil and Rock
• Drafting Committee: D18.07 - Identification and Classification of Soils

Relations

• Replaces: ASTM D2487-10 - Standard Practice for Classification of Soils for Engineering Purposes (Unified Soil Classification System)
• Effective Date: 01-May-2011
• Replaced By: ASTM D2487-17 - Standard Practice for Classification of Soils for Engineering Purposes (Unified Soil Classification System)
• Effective Date: 15-Dec-2017
• Referred By: ASTM D1452/D1452M-16 - Standard Practice for Soil Exploration and Sampling by Auger Borings
• Effective Date: 01-May-2011
• Referred By: ASTM C1479/C1479M-22 - Standard Practice for Installation of Precast Concrete Sewer, Storm Drain, and Culvert Pipe Using Standard Installations
• Effective Date: 01-May-2011
• Referred By: ASTM D6528-17 - Standard Test Method for Consolidated Undrained Direct Simple Shear Testing of Fine Grain Soils
• Effective Date: 01-May-2011
• Referred By: ASTM D1140-17 - Standard Test Methods for Determining the Amount of Material Finer than 75-μm (No. 200) Sieve in Soils by Washing
• Effective Date: 01-May-2011
• Referred By: ASTM F1668-16(2022) - Standard Guide for Construction Procedures for Buried Plastic Pipe
• Effective Date: 01-May-2011
• Referred By: ASTM D2435/D2435M-11(2020) - Standard Test Methods for One-Dimensional Consolidation Properties of Soils Using Incremental Loading
• Effective Date: 01-May-2011
• Referred By: ASTM D6572-21 - Standard Test Methods for Determining Dispersive Characteristics of Clayey Soils by the Crumb Test
• Effective Date: 01-May-2011
• Referred By: ASTM D5101-12(2017) - Standard Test Method for Measuring the Filtration Compatibility of Soil-Geotextile Systems
• Effective Date: 01-May-2011
• Referred By: ASTM F449-20 - Standard Practice for Subsurface Installation of Corrugated Polyethylene Pipe for Agricultural Drainage or Water Table Control
• Effective Date: 01-May-2011
• Referred By: ASTM E3268-21 - Standard Guide for NAPL Mobility and Migration in Sediment—Sample Collection, Field Screening, and Sample Handling
• Effective Date: 01-May-2011
• Referred By: ASTM D7663-12(2018)e1 - Standard Practice for Active Soil Gas Sampling in the Vadose Zone for Vapor Intrusion Evaluations
• Effective Date: 01-May-2011
• Referred By: ASTM C1821/C1821M-16(2021)e1 - Standard Practice for Installation of Underground Circular Precast Concrete Manhole Structures
• Effective Date: 01-May-2011
• Referred By: ASTM D7608-18e1 - Standard Test Method for Torsional Ring Shear Test to Measure Drained Fully Softened Shear Strength and Stress Dependent Strength Envelope of Fine-Grained Soils
• Effective Date: 01-May-2011

Standards Content (Sample)

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information
Designation:D2487 −11
Standard Practice for
Classification of Soils for Engineering Purposes (Unified
1
Soil Classification System)
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D2487; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision.Anumber in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
This standard has been approved for use by agencies of the U.S. Department of Defense.
2
1. Scope* grande in the early 1940s. It became known as the Unified
Soil Classification System when several U.S. Government
1.1 This practice describes a system for classifying mineral
Agencies adopted a modified version of theAirfield System in
and organo-mineral soils for engineering purposes based on
1952.
laboratory determination of particle-size characteristics, liquid
1.6 This standard does not purport to address all of the
limit, and plasticity index and shall be used when precise
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
classification is required.
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
NOTE 1—Use of this standard will result in a single classification group
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
symbol and group name except when a soil contains 5 to 12% fines or
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.
when the plot of the liquid limit and plasticity index values falls into the
crosshatchedareaoftheplasticitychart.Inthesetwocases,adualsymbol 1.7 This practice offers a set of instructions for performing
is used, for example, GP-GM, CL-ML. When the laboratory test results
one or more specific operations. This document cannot replace
indicate that the soil is close to another soil classification group, the
education or experience and should be used in conjunction
borderline condition can be indicated with two symbols separated by a
withprofessionaljudgment.Notallaspectsofthispracticemay
slash. The first symbol should be the one based on this standard, for
be applicable in all circumstances. This ASTM standard is not
example, CL/CH, GM/SM, SC/CL. Borderline symbols are particularly
usefulwhentheliquidlimitvalueofclayeysoilsiscloseto50.Thesesoils
intended to represent or replace the standard of care by which
can have expansive characteristics and the use of a borderline symbol
the adequacy of a given professional service must be judged,
(CL/CH, CH/CL) will alert the user of the assigned classifications of
nor should this document be applied without consideration of
expansive potential.
a project’s many unique aspects. The word “Standard” in the
1.2 The group symbol portion of this system is based on
title of this document means only that the document has been
laboratory tests performed on the portion of a soil sample
approved through the ASTM consensus process.
passing the 3-in. (75-mm) sieve (see Specification E11).
2. Referenced Documents
1.3 As a classification system, this standard is limited to
3
naturally occurring soils.
2.1 ASTM Standards:
C117Test Method for Materials Finer than 75-µm (No. 200)
NOTE 2—The group names and symbols used in this test method may
Sieve in Mineral Aggregates by Washing
be used as a descriptive system applied to such materials as shale,
claystone, shells, crushed rock, etc. See Appendix X2.
C136Test Method for Sieve Analysis of Fine and Coarse
Aggregates
1.4 This standard is for qualitative application only.
C702PracticeforReducingSamplesofAggregatetoTesting
NOTE3—Whenquantitativeinformationisrequiredfordetaileddesigns
Size
of important structures, this test method must be supplemented by
D420GuidetoSiteCharacterizationforEngineeringDesign
laboratory tests or other quantitative data to determine performance
4
and Construction Purposes (Withdrawn 2011)
characteristics under expected field conditions.
D422Test Method for Particle-SizeAnalysis of Soils (With-
1.5 This standard is the ASTM version of the Unified Soil
4
drawn 2016)
Classification System. The basis for the classification scheme
is the Airfield Classification System developed by A. Casa-
2
Casagrande, A., “Classification and Identification of Soils,” Transactions,
ASCE, 1948 , p. 901.
1 3
This practice is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D18 on Soil and For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
Rock and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D18.07 on Identification and contact ASTM Customer Service at [e-mail]. For Annual Book of ASTM
Classification of Soils. Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
Current edition approved May 1, 2011. Published June 2011. Originally the ASTM website.
4
approved in 1966. Last previous edition approved in 2010 as
...

This document is not an ASTM standard and is intended only to provide the user of an ASTM standard an indication of what changes have been made to the previous version. Because
it may not be technically possible to adequately depict all changes accurately, ASTM recommends that users consult prior editions as appropriate. In all cases only the current version
of the standard as published by ASTM is to be considered the official document.
Designation:D 2487–00 Designation: D2487 – 11
Standard Practice for
Classification of Soils for Engineering Purposes (Unified
1
Soil Classification System)
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D2487; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (ϵ) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
This standard has been approved for use by agencies of the Department of Defense.
1. Scope*
1.1 This practice describes a system for classifying mineral and organo-mineral soils for engineering purposes based on
laboratory determination of particle-size characteristics, liquid limit, and plasticity index and shall be used when precise
classification is required.
NOTE 1—Use of this standard will result in a single classification group symbol and group name except when a soil contains 5 to 12 % fines or when
the plot of the liquid limit and plasticity index values falls into the crosshatched area of the plasticity chart. In these two cases, a dual symbol is used,
for example, GP-GM, CL-ML. When the laboratory test results indicate that the soil is close to another soil classification group, the borderline condition
can be indicated with two symbols separated by a slash.The first symbol should be the one based on this standard, for example, CL/CH, GM/SM, SC/CL.
Borderline symbols are particularly useful when the liquid limit value of clayey soils is close to 50. These soils can have expansive characteristics and
the use of a borderline symbol (CL/CH, CH/CL) will alert the user of the assigned classifications of expansive potential.
1.2 The group symbol portion of this system is based on laboratory tests performed on the portion of a soil sample passing the
3-in. (75-mm) sieve (see Specification E 11E11).
1.3 As a classification system, this standard is limited to naturally occurring soils.
NOTE 2—The group names and symbols used in this test method may be used as a descriptive system applied to such materials as shale, claystone,
shells, crushed rock, etc. See Appendix X2.
1.4 This standard is for qualitative application only.
NOTE 3—When quantitative information is required for detailed designs of important structures, this test method must be supplemented by laboratory
tests or other quantitative data to determine performance characteristics under expected field conditions.
1.5 This standard is theASTM version of the Unified Soil Classification System. The basis for the classification scheme is the
2
Airfield Classification System developed by A. Casagrande in the early 1940’s.1940s. It became known as the Unified Soil
Classification System when several U.S. Government Agencies adopted a modified version of the Airfield System in 1952.
1.6 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility
of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory
limitations prior to use.
1.7 This practice offers a set of instructions for performing one or more specific operations. This document cannot replace
education or experience and should be used in conjunction with professional judgment. Not all aspects of this practice may be
applicable in all circumstances. This ASTM standard is not intended to represent or replace the standard of care by which the
adequacy of a given professional service must be judged, nor should this document be applied without consideration of a project’s
many unique aspects. The word “Standard” in the title of this document means only that the document has been approved through
the ASTM consensus process.
2. Referenced Documents
3
2.1 ASTM Standards:
1
This standardpractice is under the jurisdiction ofASTM Committee D-18 D18 on Soil and Rock and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D18.07 on Identification
and Classification of Soils.
Current edition approved March 10, 2000. Published May 2000. Originally published as D 2487–66T. Last previous edition D 2487–98.
Current edition approved May 1, 2011. Published June 2011. Originally approved in 1966. Last previous edition approved in 2010 as D2487–10. DOI: 10.1520/D2487-11.
2
Casagrande, A., “Classification and Identification of Soils,” Transactions, ASCE, 1948 , p. 901.
3
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 04.02.
3
For referencedASTM standards, visit theASTM website, www.astm.or
...