Getting Dirty with SOILS Why Care Why Care

Getting Dirty with SOILS

Why Care?

Why Care?

I. Soil Profile the horizons…… O A B C R

R

E

Diagnostic properties (B horizon) • Texture • Structure • Color

Texture

• Structure

Diagnostic properties (B horizon) • Texture • Structure • Color

Munsell Color Chart

R

Soils II. Major Factors Controlling Soil Formation (from Jenny, 1951)

Soils II. Major Factors Controlling Soil Formation (from Jenny, 1951) A. Climate

Soils II. Major Factors Controlling Soil Formation (from Jenny, 1951) A. Climate B. Biota

A. Climate B. Biota

Soils II. Major Factors Controlling Soil Formation (from Jenny, 1951) A. Climate B. Biota C. Parent material

II. Major Factors Controlling Soil Formation (from Jenny, 1951) A. Climate B. Biota C. Parent material 1. Residual soils vs. Transported soils

C. Parent material 1. Residual soils vs. Transported soils

C. Parent material 1. Residual soils vs. Transported soils

Soils II. Major Factors Controlling Soil Formation (from Jenny, 1951) A. Climate B. Biota C. Parent material D. Slope

D. Slope

Soils II. Major Factors Controlling Soil Formation (from Jenny, 1951) A. Climate B. Biota C. Parent material D. Slope E. Time

E. Time

III. Major Soil Types

III. Major Soil Types A. Method: non genetic, based solely on physical properties

III. Major Soil Types A. Method: non genetic, based solely on physical properties

III. Major Soil Types A. Method: non genetic, based solely on physical properties B. Soil Types (Orders) there are 12 total…. . we will examine some of these.

Soil Orders Inceptisols Mollisols Ultisols Oxisols Aridisols Vertisols

Inceptisol Found on steep hillslopes and floodplains

Ultisols Common in forested areas

Oxisol Common in the tropics

Mollisol Common in prairie environments

Vertisol

Aridisols

Engineering Classification of Soils

I. Overview A. Two Systems of Classification 1. Pedological Classifications (soil weathering, texture, chemistry, profile thickness, etc. ) 2. Engineering Classifications – – soil texture degree of plasticity (Atterberg Limits)

B. Overview of Mechanics As water content increases, the shear strength decreases

It’s all about shear strength

C. Liquid Limit • Soil is practically a liquid • Shows minimal shear strength • Defined as the moisture content required to close a distance of 0. 5 inch along the bottom of a groove after 25 blows of the liquid limit device. animation

C. Liquid Limit D. Plastic Limit • Water content at which the soil is a plastic • Less water content than liquid limit • Wide range of shear strengths at plastic limit • Defined as the moisture content % at which the soil begins to crumble when rolled into 1/8” diameter threads animation

C. Liquid Limit D. Plastic Limit E. Plasticity Index (PI) • Difference between Liquid Limit and Plastic Limit • Important measure of plastic behavior

C. Liquid Limit In general…. D. Plastic Limit PI Degree of Plasticity 0 Nonplastic 1 -5 Slightly plastic 5 -10 Low plasticity 10 -20 Medium plasticity 20 -40 High plasticity 40+ Very high plasticity (from Burmister, 1949) E. Plasticity Index (PI) • Difference between Liquid Limit and Plastic Limit • Important measure of plastic behavior

I. Unified System A. Overview A. Arthur Casagrande (USAF) proposed for the construction of Airfields B. Basis -Over half of material retained on #200 sieve, use textural characteristics (gravel and sand) -Over half of material passes the #200 sieve, use plasticity-compressibility characteristics (silt & clay)

II. Unified System B. The classification scheme

II. Unified System C. The procedure 1. Determine the percent passing through the #200 sieve (boundary between sand silt/clay). 1. 2. If less than 50% passes, then it is a coarse grained soil (gravel and sand) If greater than 50% passes, then it is a fine grained soil (silt and clay)

“clayey materials” “silty materials”

Uniformity Coefficient = D 60/D 10, where we use the % finer by weight (% passing through) for the values

“clayey materials” “silty materials”

“It’s all about the permeability of your soil. ”

D. Field Methods for Determining Permeability In one locality: “Perk rates that are less than 15 minutes per inch or greater than 105 minutes per inch are unacceptable measurements. “

D. Field Methods for Determining Permeability 1. Double Ring Infiltrometer

D. Field Methods for Determining Permeability 2. Johnson Permeameter