United States Department of Agriculture
Natural Resources Conservation Service
West Central Glaciated Soil Survey Region #10 Go to Accessibility Information
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AASHTO

The AASHTO classification system identifies two general classifications: (1) granular materials having 35 percent or less by weight smaller than 0.074 mm and (2) silt-clay materials having more than 35 percent by weight smaller than 0.074 mm.

Allowable Entries:

Enter up to four classes. Acceptable entries are: A-1, A-1-A, A-1-B, A-2, A-2-4, A-2-5, A-2-6, A-2-7, A-3, A-4, A-5, A-6, A-7, A-7-5, A-7-6, and A-8.

Determination:

  1. Use (NSSH Exhibit 618-4) Classification of soils and soil-aggregate mixtures for AASHTO system. Or use comparable reference Guide Sheet 1, (see below) to estimate the AASHTO classification.
  2. The classification may be further modified by addition of a group index. The group index is calculated from an empirical formula. [See NSSH 618.20(b)(3)]

Guide Sheet 1 - General relationship of systems used for classifying soil samples

[This table may be used as a guide in classifying soils for which no engineering test data are available. The symbol > means "greater than;" the symbol < means "less than."]

USDA texture class and symbol Unified symbol AASHTO symbol Soil properties related to classifications

Clay; silty clay

c; "sic"

CH A-7 High shrink-swell clays.
MH A-7 Mica, iron oxide, kaolinitic clays.
CL A-7 Low LL. Generally < 45 pct clay.

Silty clay loam

"sicl"

CL A-7 Low LL. Plastic. (A-6 if clay < 30 pct).
CL-ML A-7 Low LL. Mod. plastic. (A-6 if clay < 30 pct).
CH A-7 High LL. High shrink-swell clays.
MH A-7 High LL. Mica, iron oxide, kaolinitic.

Clay loam

"cl"

CL A-6 or A-7 Low LL. Plastic.
CL-ML A-6 Low LL. Moderately plastic.
CH A-7 High LL. High shrink-swell clays.
MH A-7 High LL. Mica, iron oxide, kaolinitic.

Loam

"l"

CL-ML A-4 Moderately plastic (A-6 if clay > 21 pct).
CL A-6 Plastic (A-4 if clay < 22 pct).
ML A-4 Low plasticity (A-7 if clay > 21 pct).

Silt loam

"sil"

CL-ML A-4 Moderately plastic (A-6 if clay > 21 pct).
ML A-6 Low plasticity (A-7 if clay > 21 pct).
CL A-6 Plastic.
Silt "si" ML A-4 Low plasticity.

Sandy clay loam

"scl"

CL A-7 Fines > 50 pct.
SC A-7 Fines 50 pct or less.

Sandy loam

"sl"

SM A-2-4orA-4 Low plasticity.
SC A-2=4 Plastic.
SM-SC A-2-4 Moderately plastic.

Fine sandy loam

"fsl"

SM A-4 Nonplastic. Fines 50 pct or less.
ML A-4 Nonplastic. Fines > 50 pct.
CL-ML A-4 Moderately plastic. Fines > 50 pct.
SM-SC A-4 Moderately plastic. Fines 50 pct or less.

Very fine sandy

loam "vfsl"

CL-ML A-4 Moderately plastic.
ML A-4 Low plasticity.

Loamy sands

ls; "lfs"

"lvfs"

SM A-2-4 Nonplastic. Fines 35 pct or less.
SM-SC A-2-4 Moderately plastic. Fines 35 pct or less.
SM A-4 Low plasticity. Fines > 35 pct.
ML A-4 Little or no plasticity.

Sand; fine sand

"s"; "fs"

SP-SM A-3 Fines approx. 5-10 pct.
SM A-2-4 Fines approx. > 10 pct.
SP A-3 Fines < 5 pct.

Very fine sand

"vfs"

SM A-4 Low plasticity.
ML A-4 Little or no plasticity.

Coarse sand

"cos"

SP; GW A-1 Fines < 5 pct.
SP-SM A-1 Fines 5-12 pct.
SM A-1 Fines 13-25 pct.
SM A-2-4 Fines > 25 pct.

Gravel, "G"

50 pct passes #200

50 pct of coarse

passes #4 sieve

GP; GW A-1 Fines < 5 pct.
GMorGC A-1 Fines 5-25 pct.
GMorGC A-2 Fines 26-35 pct.
GC A-6 Fines > 35 pct.

Contact Mike Walker for additional assistance.


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