Origins, formation and mineralogy

• Origins of soils from rocks
• Weathering of rocks
• Clay minerals
• Transportation and deposition
• Loading and drainage history

Grading and composition

• Coarse soils
• Particle size tests
• Simulation
• Typical grading curves
• Grading characteristics
• Sieve analysis example
• Fine soils
• Consistency
• Simulation
• Plasticity index
• Plasticity chart
• Activity
• Specific gravity

Volume-weight properties

• Volume: the soil model
• Simulation
• Degree of saturation
• Air-voids content
• Masses of solid and water
• Densities and unit weights
• Laboratory measurements
• Water content
• Unit weight
• Field measurements

Current state of soil

• Deposition and erosion
• Ageing
• Density index
• Liquidity index
• Predicting stiffness and strength

BS system for description and classification

• BS description system
• Definitions of terms
• British Soil Classification System