Description and Identification of Soils (Visual-Manual Procedure) - Soil Properties: Testing, Measurement, and Evaluation - page 26

(5) Moisture Condition —Describe the moisture condition as dry,
moist, or wet, in accordance with the criteria in Table 3-3.

Table 3-3 Criteria for Describing Moisture Condition [1]

Description Criteria

Dry Absence of moisture, dusty, dry to the touch

Moist Damp but no visible water

Wet Visible free water, usually soil is below water table

(6) HCl Reaction —Describe the reaction with HCl as none, weak,
or strong, in accordance with the criteria in Table 3-4. Since
calcium carbonate is a common cementing agent, a report of its
presence on the basis of the reaction with dilute hydrochloric acid
is important.

Table 3-4 Criteria for Describing the Reaction with HCl [1]

Description Criteria

None No visible reaction

Weak Some reaction with bubbles forming slowly

Strong Violent reaction with bubbles forming immediately

(7) Consistency —For intact fine-grained soil, describe the consis-
tency as very soft, soft, firm, hard, or very hard, in accordance with
the criteria in Table 3-5. This observation is inappropriate for soils
with significant amounts of gravel.

Table 3-5 Criteria for Describing Consistency [1]

Description Criteria

Very soft Thumb will penetrate soil more than 1 in. (25 mm)

Soft Thumb will penetrate soil about 1 in. (25 mm)

Thumb will indent soil about 1 ⁄ 4 in. (6 mm) Firm

Hard Thumb will not indent soil but readily indented

with thumbnail

Very hard Thumbnail will not indent soil

(8) Cementation —Describe the cementation of intact coarse-
grained soils as weak, moderate, or strong, in accordance with the
criteria in Table 3-6.

Table 3-6 Criteria for Describing Cementation [1]

Description Criteria

Weak Crumbles or breaks with handling or little finger pressure

Moderate Crumbles or breaks with considerable finger pressure

Strong Will not crumble or break with finger pressure