Soil Identification

Subgroups Classes Subclasses (see notes) Symbol Soil name  

Gravel with Clean gravels with Cu 4 and 1 Cc 3 GW Well-graded  

Sands with Clean sands with Cu 6 and 1 Cc 3 SW Well-graded  

Silts and clays Inorganic PI 7 and plots on or above CL Lean clay  

Silts and clays Inorganic PI plots above A-line CH Fat clay  

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In particular, soil color should be determined on dry and moist samples using Munsell Soil Color Charts (1994). Soil color is usually the first property recorded in a morphological description of soils (and may be the only feature of significance to a layperson) and provides an indicator of redox status because soil color relates to soil aeration and organic matter content (Fitzpatrick, McKenzie, and Maschmedt 1999). Soil color has been found to be extremely useful in forensic soil identification by Sugita and Marumo (1996). 

Sugita, R. and Marumo, Y. (1996). Validity of color examination for forensic soil identification. Forensic Sci. Int. 83,201-210. 

Average coating thickness, 121 rim bOriginal soil identification Sheet specimens... 

Wild, A. and Oke, O.L. (1966) Organic phosphate compounds in calcium chloride extracts of soils identification and availability to plants. Journal of Soil Science 1 7, 356-371. 

The National Technical Committee for Hydric Soils (NTCHS) has developed the following criteria for hydric soil identification (USDA NRCS, 2006) ... 

In upland/drained soils, oxidized forms of chemical species dominate the system, whereas in wetland soils reduced forms dominate the system (Figure 3.6). During flooding or in the absence of molecular oxygen, the oxidized forms are converted into reduced forms, through several microbially mediated catabolic processes. Under drained conditions, many of the reduced forms are converted into oxidized forms through chemical and biological processes. Presence of reduced forms indicates soil wetness or anaerobic soil conditions, which are used as indicators of hydric soil identification. 

List the major criteria developed by the National Technical Committee for hydric soil identification. 

The undisturbed samples obtained are suitable for evaluating engineering properties like strength and compressibUity while the disturbed samples are only suitable for soil identification and classification. 

Soil identification, including Clay, silt, sand 1... 

Physical properties and soil identification. Sedimentary and residual soils ... 

Type of soils Identification of particle sizes Strength and structural properties... 

Initial laboratory test soil identification and classification Unified Soil Classification System (USCS), mineralogical identification (CEC, XRD) Proctor test ... 

Soil identification to locate rock, rock inclusions, gravelly soils, loose deposits, discontinuities and hardpan... 

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