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Typical Values of Soil Friction Angle For Different Soils According To USCS

Soil friction angle describes the shear strength and frictional resistance of soils. It is measured as the angle of inclination of the Mohr-Coulomb failure line. Typical friction angle values are provided for different soil types based on the Unified Soil Classification System, ranging from 0 to 50 degrees depending on the soil and compaction. Correlations are also shown between the Standard Penetration Test N-value, friction angle, and relative soil density.

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868 views5 pages

Typical Values of Soil Friction Angle For Different Soils According To USCS

Soil friction angle describes the shear strength and frictional resistance of soils. It is measured as the angle of inclination of the Mohr-Coulomb failure line. Typical friction angle values are provided for different soil types based on the Unified Soil Classification System, ranging from 0 to 50 degrees depending on the soil and compaction. Correlations are also shown between the Standard Penetration Test N-value, friction angle, and relative soil density.

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Geotechdata.info - Updated 14.12.

2013

Soil friction angle is a shear strength parameter of soils. Its definition is derived from the Mohr-
Coulomb failure criterion and it is used to describe the friction shear resistance of soils together
with the normal effective stress.

In the stress plane of Shear stress-effective normal stress, the soil friction angle is the angle of
inclination with respect to the horizontal axis of the Mohr-Coulomb shear resistance line.
Typical values of soil friction angle for different soils according to USCS

Some typical values of soil friction angle are given below for different USCS soil types at
normally consolidated condition unless otherwise stated. These values should be used only as
guidline for geotechnical problems; however, specific conition of each engineering problem often
needs to be considered for an appropriate choice of geotechnical parameters.

Soil friction angle []


Description USCS Specific Reference
min max
value

Well graded gravel, sandy


gravel, with little or no GW 33 40 [1],[2],
fines

Poorly graded gravel,


sandy gravel, with little or GP 32 44 [1],
no fines

(GW,
Sandy gravels - Loose 35 [3 cited in 6]
GP)
(GW,
Sandy gravels - Dense 50 [3 cited in 6]
GP)
Silty gravels, silty sandy
GM 30 40 [1],
gravels
Clayey gravels, clayey
GC 28 35 [1],
sandy gravels
Well graded sands,
gravelly sands, with little SW 33 43 [1],
or no fines
Well-graded clean sand,
gravelly sands - SW - - 38 [3 cited in 6]
Compacted
Well-graded sand,
(SW) 33 [3 cited in 6]
angular grains - Loose
Well-graded sand,
(SW) 45 [3 cited in 6]
angular grains - Dense
Poorly graded sands,
gravelly sands, with little SP 30 39 [1], [2],
or no fines
Poorly-garded clean sand
SP - - 37 [3 cited in 6]
- Compacted
Uniform sand, round
(SP) 27 [3 cited in 6]
grains - Loose
Uniform sand, round
(SP) 34 [3 cited in 6]
grains - Dense
Sand SW, SP 37 38 [7],
Loose sand (SW, SP) 29 30 [5 cited in 6]

Medium sand (SW, SP) 30 36 [5 cited in 6]

Dense sand (SW, SP) 36 41 [5 cited in 6]


Silty sands SM 32 35 [1],
Silty clays, sand-silt mix -
SM - - 34 [3 cited in 6]
Compacted

Silty sand - Loose SM 27 33 [3 cited in 6]

Silty sand - Dense SM 30 34 [3 cited in 6]


Clayey sands SC 30 40 [1],

Calyey sands, sandy-clay


SC 31 [3 cited in 6]
mix - compacted

Loamy sand, sandy clay


SM, SC 31 34 [7],
Loam

Inorganic silts, silty or


clayey fine sands, with ML 27 41 [1],
slight plasticity

Inorganic silt - Loose ML 27 30 [3 cited in 6]

Inorganic silt - Dense ML 30 35 [3 cited in 6]

Inorganic clays, silty


clays, sandy clays of low CL 27 35 [1],
plasticity
Clays of low plasticity -
CL 28 [3 cited in 6]
compacted

Organic silts and organic


OL 22 32 [1],
silty clays of low plasticity

Inorganic silts of high


MH 23 33 [1],
plasticity

Clayey silts - compacted MH 25 [3 cited in 6]

Silts and clayey silts -


ML 32 [3 cited in 6]
compacted

Inorganic clays of high


CH 17 31 [1],
plasticity

Clays of high plasticity -


CH 19 [3 cited in 6]
compacted

Organic clays of high


OH 17 35 [1],
plasticity
ML, OL,
Loam 28 32 [7],
MH, OH
ML, OL,
Silt Loam 25 32 [7],
MH, OH
ML, OL,
Clay Loam, Silty Clay
CL, MH, 18 32 [7],
Loam
OH, CH
OL, CL,
Silty clay 18 32 [7],
OH, CH
CL, CH,
Clay 18 28 [7],
OH, OL

Peat and other highly


Pt 0 10 [2],
organic soils
Correlation between SPT-N value, friction angle, and relative density

Correlation between SPT-N value and friction angle and Relative density (Meyerhoff 1956)

Friction
SPT N3
Relative angle
Soi
Density
packing
[Blows/0.3 m - 1 ft] [%] []

Very
<4 < 20 < 30
loose
4-Oct Loose 20 - 40 30 - 35
Oct-30 Compact 40 - 60 35 - 40
30 - 50 Dense 60 - 80 40 - 45
Very
> 50 > 80 > 45
Dense

REFERENCES

1. Swiss Standard SN 670 010b, Characteristic Coefficients of soils, Association of Swiss Road
and Traffic Engineers

2. JON W. KOLOSKI, SIGMUND D. SCHWARZ, and DONALD W. TUBBS, Geotechnical Properties of Geologic Materials, Engineerin

3. Carter, M. and Bentley, S. (1991). Correlations of soil properties. Penetech Press Publishers,
London.

4. Meyerhof, G. (1956). Penetration tests and bearing capacity of cohesionless soils. J Soils
Mechanics and Foundation Division ASCE, 82(SM1).
5. Peck, R., Hanson,W., and Thornburn, T. (1974). Foundation Engineering Handbook. Wiley,
London.
6. Obrzud R. & Truty, A.THE HARDENING SOIL MODEL - A PRACTICAL GUIDEBOOK Z
Soil.PC 100701 report, revised 31.01.2012
7. Minnesota Department of Transportation, Pavement Design, 2007

Citation :
Geotechdata.info, Angle of Friction, http://geotechdata.info/parameter/angle-of-friction.html (as of
September 14.12.2013).

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