Classification of Soils

Abstract

Living reference work entry First Online: 06 June 2017 Synonyms: Characterization of soils; Description of soils; Properties of soils; Systems for soil description. Definition: An unconsolidated natural set of solid mineral particles that result from physical disintegration and chemical decomposition of the rocks, which may contain organic matter and voids between the particles, isolated or linked, which may contain water and/or air. Introduction: Classification of soils consists on the division of soils into classes based on their genetic, textural, chemical, mineralogical, physical, or geotechnical characteristics. The nature of the parent rock influences the composition of the resulting soil. The weathering processes and type and amount of transport before deposition, as in the case of sedimentary soils , affect the structure of the soils and their engineering properties. Soil has several meanings according to the professional perspective of the person who defines it. The main purpose of the systems for soil classification is to group... This is a preview of subscription content, log in to check access Copyright information © Springer International Publishing AG 2017