Earthworks - Geotechnical Investigation and Design Tables - page 147

Table 12.16 Field characteristics of materials used in earthworks (adapted from BS 6031 - 1981).
Bulk density
Before excavation

Boulders
and
cobbles

Boulder
gravels

Good to
excellent

- Good - - -

Almost
none

Hard broken
rock

Very good
to excellent

Excellent

- - - 20-60

Other
materials

Fair to
practically
impervious

Almost
none to
slight

Soft rocks,
rubble

Good to
excellent

1,10 to
2.00

0.65 to
1.25

- 40

1.90 to
2.10

1.15 to
1.30

Well graded GW Excellent

Almost
none

Excellent

1.60 to
2.00

0.90 to
1.25

Poorly graded GP Good

Gravels
and
gravelly
soils

Fair to
practically
impervious

Almost
none to
slight

Good to
excellent

1.80 to
2.10

1.10 to
1.30

Silty GM

10-20

Practically
impervious

Very
slight

2.00 to
2.25

1.00 to
1.35

Clayey GC Excellent

Good to
excellent

1.80 to
2.10

1.05 to
1.30

Well graded SW

Almost
none

Excellent

1.45 to
1.70

0.90 to
1.00

Poorly graded SP

Sands
and
sandy
soils

5 to15

Fair to good

Fair to
practically
impervious

Almost
none to
medium

1.70 to
1.90

1.00 to
1.15

Silty SM

Practically
impervious

Very
slight

Good to
excellent

1.90 to
2.10

1.15 to
1.30

Clayey SC

Fair to
poor

Slight to
medium

1.70 to
1.90

1.00 to
1.15

20 to
40

Low plasticity ML Fair to poor

Inorganic
silts

High plasticity MH Poor High Poor 1.75 1.00 -

1.60 to
1.80

20 to
40

Low plasticity CL Medium Fair to poor

Inorganic
clays

Practically
impervious

Poor to very
poor

High plasticity CH High -

with silts/clays
of low
plasticity

Medium
to high

1.45 to
1.70

0.90 to
1.00

20 to
40

OL

Poor

Practically
Impervious

Organic

with silts/clays
of high
plasticity

OH High Very poor 1.50 0.50 -

highly organic
soils

Fair to
poor

Very
high

Extremely
poor

Peat Pt 1.40 0.40 -