A Python Based Application for Automated Soil Classification Using the Unified Soil Classification System (USCS)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51137/wrp.ijmat.370Keywords:
Unified Soil Classification System (USCS), Python, Graphical User Interface (GUI), Automation, Sieve Analysis, PI ChartAbstract
Soil being a natural material can behave in any way as it suffers from intrinsic spatial variability that results from natural phenomenon and their influence on the soil. It became controversial and debated how to estimate its classification to obtain a reliable geotechnical design with low cost and effort. Classifying soils is one of the most essential steps in geotechnical engineering since it guides how foundations are designed, structures are built, and land is developed. The Unified Soil Classification System (USCS) is widely used for this purpose because of its clarity and acceptance worldwide, but in practice, the process is still carried out manually in most cases. Manual classification takes time, requires experience, and is prone to errors, which can affect both learning and fieldwork. In this study, a desktop application was developed using Python to automate USCS soil classification. The program is supported by a graphical user interface (GUI) that allows users to input sieve analysis results and Atterberg limits and then automatically calculates D10, D30, D60, the coefficient of uniformity (Cu), and the coefficient of curvature (Cc), while also generating gradation curves and plasticity charts in real time. Testing against standard soil problems showed that the results closely matched those from textbooks, confirming the accuracy of the application. The application, in its combination of rigorous technical competence and easy-to-operate format, obviates calculation mistakes, saves time, and improves understanding of soil characteristics, and thus also functions as a helpful engineering assistant and an efficient teaching resource in geotechnical education.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Ibrahim Muhammad, Zeeshan Ahmed, Basit Ali Khan (Author); Ihsan Ullah, Umar Malik (Translator)
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