Additional descriptive terms based on origin of constituent particles

BIOCLASTIC OOLITE SHELL CORAL ALGAL PISOLITES

NOT DISCERNIBLE
(organic) (Inorganic) (organic) (Inorganic)

qc
c

Rock
Increasing grain size of particulate deposits

Strength

Degree of
Cementation
0.002 mm 0.06 mm 2 mm 60 mm

Cone Resistance
Uniaxial Strength
CARBONATE MUD CARBONATE SILT CARBONATE SAND CARBONATE GRAVEL
90
Clayey CARBONATE MUD Siliceous CARBONATE SILT Siliceous CARBONATE SAND Siliceous CARBONATE GRAVEL

to
to
50

Weak
Very Weak
Calcareous CLAY Calcareous Silica SILT Calcareous Silica SAND Calcareous Silica GRAVEL

Non Cemented
10

Form TP 1.8-GTC-Eng Rev. 2.1 - March 2003

Moderately Cemented
CLAY Silica SILT Silica SAND Silica GRAVEL

CALCILUTITE CALCISILTITE CALCARENITE (carb. sandst.) CALCIRUDITE (carb. congl. or breccia)

5 MPa

35 MPa
90

Clayey CALCILUTITE Siliceous CALCISILTITE Siliceous CALCARENITE Conglomeratic CALCIRUDITE

50

SOIL TO WEA K ROC K

Calcareous CLAYSTONE Calcareous SILTSTONE Calcareous SANDSTONE Calcareous CONGLOMERATE

Well Cemented
Moderately Weak
10
CLAYSTONE SILTSTONE SANDSTONE CONGLOMERATE OR BRECCIA

Fine-Grained LIMESTONE Detrital LIMESTONE CONGLOMERATE LIMESTONE

12.5 MPa

85 MPa
90
Fine-Grained Fine-Grained Siliceous Detrital
Conglomerate LIMESTONE
Argillaceous LIMESTONE Siliceous LIMESTONE LIMESTONE

Increasing Lithification

to
50

Strong
TOTAL CARBONATE CONTENT [%]

Calcareous CLAYSTONE Calcareous SILTSTONE Calcareous SANDSTONE Calcareous CONGLOMERATE

(Well Cemented)
Moderately Strong

Decreasing Porosity
10

Increasing Cementation
CLAYSTONE SILTSTONE SANDSTONE CONGLOMERATE or BRECCIA

Modified after Clark and Walker, 1977 (Technical Note, Geotechnique, vol. XXVII, No. 1, March, pp. 93-99)
100 MPa
ROCK
CRYSTALLINE LIMESTONE OR MARBLE

to
50

Very Strong

Recrystallization
Conventional Metamorphic Nomenclature Applies in this Section

Extremely Strong
CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM FOR CALCAREOUS SOIL