What are the Features for Engineering Classification of Soil?

Requirements for effective and ideal system for soil classification are as follows:

a. A scientific approach is developed for this system

b. The system should be simple

c. Subjective element should be removed as far as possible in rating soil

d. Based on only few identical properties, a limited No. of different groups should be formed

e. In making such group, the selected properties, upon which grouping is done, should be useful in practical engineering applications.

f. A fair accuracy is obtained, in indicating probable performance under particular field condition of soil.

g. The classification terminology should be based on well known and accepted soil terminology. This helps one to understand and use the terms easily.

h. The tests required to classify soil, to belong to certain category, should be of manual test and also they should be simple visual test. It is expected to limit tests as few as possible.

i. The group definition in soil classification should have such boundary that significant variation in properties of soil is identified clearly. j. The classification system should be such that all engineers accept it.

Now do you think all requirements can be fulfilled? if expect this, it will be very ambitious about these requirements for soil classification, as soil is at a time complex and heterogeneous material and it is not possible to group it in simple classification. So system of soil classification is likely satisfactory for only the specific type of project considering which system is developed.