Soil and rock terminology for description and classification for engineering purposes - Practical Engineering Geology - page 360

C.3.1.1 Soil

BS 5930:1999 states that soils should be described in the following
order:

A) Mass characteristics
1. density/compactness/

eld strength

2. discontinuities
3. bedding

B) Material characteristics
1. colour
2. composite soil types: particle grading and composition; shape
and size
3. principal soil type (name in capitals, e.g. SAND), based on
grading and plasticity

4. shape

C) Stratum name: geological formation, age and type of deposit;
classi

cation (optional)

Examples presented in BS 5930 are:

Firm, closely- ssured, yellowish-brown CLAY (LONDON CLAY

FORMATION) .
Loose, brown, sub-angular, fine and medium flint GRAVEL

(TERRACE GRAVELS) .

It is advised that materials in interstrati ed beds may be described as

follows:
Thinly interbedded dense yellow fine SAND and soft grey CLAY

(ALLUVIUM) .
and that any additional information or minor details should be placed
at the end of the main description after a full stop, in order to keep the
standard main description concise.

C.3.1.2 Rock
For rock, the BS recommended order is as follows
A) Material characteristics
1. strength
2. structure
3. colour
4. texture