Summary of Hydrologic and 

Dhysical Properties of 

^ock and Soil Materials, as 

\nalyzed by the Hydrologic 

^aboratory of the 

J.S. Geological Survey 

[948-60

y D. A. MORRIS and A. I. JOHNSON

ONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HYDROLOGY OF THE UNITED STATES 

EOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 1839-D

<1ITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON: 1967
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

STEWART L. UDALL, Secretary

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

William T. Pecora, Director

For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office 

Washington, D.C. 20402 - Price 25 cents (paper cover)
CONTENTS

Page

Abstract. ______-__________________-_-_----___-_-_-_-__-_______-__ Dl

Introduction. _____________________________________________________ 1

History and function of the Hydrologic Laboratory._______________ 1

Analytical work of the laboratory________________________________ 1

Purpose and scope of report___________________________________ 2

Data storage and retrieval system.______________________________ 3

Laboratory methods of analysis.__________-_--___---_--_-___________ 7

Permeability. _________________________________________________ 7

Dry unit weight.______________________________________________ 10

Specific gravity of solids__-_-___---__---_-_-------___-__________ 11

Porosity__ _ ________--_-______--____-_--_-____-__--__---_______ 12

Centrifuge-moisture equivalent, specific retention, and specific yield. 12

Particle-size distribution._______________________________________ 14

Hydrologic and physical properties of rock and soil materials.____ _______ 15

Igneous rocks.________________________________________________ 15

Sedimentary rocks.___-__-______----___-__---_---___--________- 17

Mechanical origin.________________________________________ 17

Water-laid deposits.___________________________________ 17

Wind-laid deposits______-_-----------------_-___-_____- 21

Ice-laid deposits.______________________________________ 27

Chemical and organic origin._______________________________ 28

Metamorphic rocks____________________________________________ 33

'^ummary_ ______________________________________________________ 34

References cited.__________________________________________________ 39

publications containing analytical data from the Hydrologic Laboratory. 39

ILLUSTRATIONS

FIGURE 1. Edge-notched data card (sample) used to record results of

laboratory analysis. ________-_-________--_-__---_-_ D4

2. Reverse side of edge-notched data card (sample)_________ 6

3. Diagrams and photograph of permeability apparatus...-. 8

4. Photograph of machine for packing disturbed samples

being prepared for permeability or porosity analyses. __ 11

5. Graph showing the relation of porosity to dry unit weight

for various unit weights of solid particles.____________ 13

6-12. Graphs showing typical data on particle-size distribution 

and the hydrologic and physical properties of 

6. Water-laid gravel.___-_____________________ 22

7. Water-laid sand._________________________ 23

8. Water-laid silt and clay--_--------___-_------- 24

9. Loess_____________________________________ 26

10. Eolian sand_ ___________-___-_---_---__-_-___ 27
IV CONTENTS

Page

FIGURE 6-12. Graphs showing typical data on particle-size distribution 

and the hydrologic and physical propert:es Con.

11. Till D31

12. Washed drift-__--___.___..__..__.____.__-____ 32 

13. Graph showing distribution of permeability f"»r repacked

samples of water-laid medium sand___________________ 38

TABLES

Page 

TABLE 1. Chemical analysis of Denver tap water _________________ D10

2-11. Properties of 

2. Weathered granite, weathered gabbro, and basalt-- 16

3. Sandstone______-___--___-___-__-____-_--_--__ 18

4. Siltstone, claystone, and shale________-____---__ 19

5. Sand and graveL ______________________________ 20

6. Silt and clay________-__--__--_______-------__ 21

7. Loess and eolian sand____________-__--__--_--_ 25

8. Tuff___-___-___________________________----__ 25

9. Till and washed drift.. _-___-__--_---_--- - 29

10. Limestone, dolomite, and peat__---___--__--_--- 30

11. Slate and schist_-___-____-__--_---_--_--__-__- 34 

12. Summary of the arithmetic mean of properties for all rock

types_____________________________________________ 36
CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HYDROLOGY OF THE UNITED STATES

SUMMARY OF HYDROLOGIC AND PHYSICAL

PROPERTIES OF ROCK AND SOIL MATERIALS, AS

ANALYZED BY THE HYDROLOGIC LABORATORY

OF THE U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, 1948-60

By D. A. MORRIS AND A. I. JOHNSON

ABSTRACT

The Hydrologic Laboratory was established in 1948 to serve as the central 

testing laboratory for the Water Resources Division of the U.S. Geological Purvey. 

Since then, thousands of samples of rock and soil materials have been analyzed 

: n the laboratory. Analytical data on samples from 42 States and for the period 

1948-60 are summarized in this report.

The data are presented in a form that allows easy comparison of the physical 

and hydrologic properties of many sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic 

~ock and soil materials. Sedimentary rocks the principal water-bearing rocks 

analyzed are discussed in detail.

INTRODUCTION 

HISTORY AND FUNCTION OF THE HYDROLOGIC LABORATORY

In 1948 the Hydrologic Laboratory of the U.S. Geological Survey 

 ^as established at Lincoln, Nebr., for the purpose of determinirg the 

physical and hydrologic properties of rock and soil materials; A. I. 

Johnson was its first chief. The laboratory was moved to Denver, 

Oolo., in 1954, and research facilities were expanded. Since that 

'ime the field offices of the U.S. Geological Survey in all States have 

itilized the analytical services and research facilities for many special 

i tudies. The laboratory was thus established as a central facility, 

contributing to the broad objectives of maximum standardization 

rf data and maximum economy of operation and specializing in 

research on rock and soil properties and analysis.

ANALYTICAL WORK OF THE LABORATORY

Since 1948 the Hydrologic Laboratory has analyzed more than 

10,000 samples of rock and soil materials from all States. Stardard 

analyses made by the laboratory are those for permeability, unit

Dl
D2 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HYDROLOGY OF THE UNITED STATES

weight, specific gravity, total and effective porosity, centrifugemoisture equivalent, specific retention, specific yield, Atterberg 

limits and indices, particle-size distribution (mechanical analysis), 

moisture content, moisture tension (capillary pressure), degree of 

saturation, pore-size distribution, carbonate content, soil pH, formation factor, rate and amount of capillarity, gypsum, content, acid 

solubility, soil conductivity, heavy-mineral analysis, and pore-water 

extraction, among others. The most frequently requested determinations are the first nine jusfenumerated.

The detailed data concerning any particular analyst, sample, area, 

or formation are on file at the laboratory. Some of the data have 

been reported in a variety of publications, and a list through 1965 is 

provided at the end of this report. The list is not necessarily complete, but it does present those reports that are known to the authors.

PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF REPORT

The purpose of this report is to make the results of laboratory 

analyses more readily available to field personne1 by providing 

statistical data on the relationship of the hydrolog; c and physical 

properties to rock and soil types. The present report is the first 

of a series in which the hydrologic and physical properties of rock 

and soil materials are summarized.

For the hydrologic and physical properties of the various rock and 

soil materials, this report summarizes the range, arithmetic mean, 

and number of samples represented. Data relative to all the major 

rock types were not available for the period discussed in this report 

1948-60. Many of the data available relate primarily to sedimentary 

rocks. The extremely diverse types and the large number of data on 

the physical and hydrologic properties of sedimentary rocks made it 

imperative to relate these properties to the predomir ate particle size 

of the rock. No attempt was made to similarly refine or classify the 

data for other than sedimentary rocks. In the period 1948-60, 

samples from 42 States were analyzed.

The method of handling the many data did not allow a correlation 

between individual samples tested in various ways For example, 

some samples were analyzed for both repacked and undisturbed permeability and for repacked and undisturbed porosity. (In this report 

the term "undisturbed" is applied to any core sample that retains 

virtually its original structure and placement of particles.) Some of 

the other samples were analyzed only in undisturbed form or only in 

repacked form. Accordingly, no direct comparisons of structure and 

placement of particles can be made for most samples, and each test 

result should therefore be considered as that derived from a separate 

sample. However, when both horizontal and vertical permeability
PROPERTIES OF ROCK AND SOIL MATERIALS D3

averages are reported, values are given only for those samples on which 

both tests were used; for such samples, a direct comparison can be 

made between these two averages.

The samples were considered to be of random origin in regard to 

location; the sample classifications do not signify either their location 

or the more detailed effects on them caused by their localized geologic 

environment. Also, classifications of samples in this report do not 

include such factors as cementing material, shape of mineral particles, 

and type of clay mineral. Data for samples known to be poor in 

quality or nonrepresentative in character, however, have not been 

included in the summary tables. The data presented are representative of properties of the rock matrix, rather than of the entire rock

mass.

DATA STORAGE AND RETRIEVAL SYSTEM

Use of edge-notched data cards, which were designed in 1959, began 

in 1960 for the recording, filing, and sorting of data used in this 

report. The unnotched card has two rows of holes inset from its 

perimeter. Data are coded onto the card by notching the card between a hole and the edge. Thus, when a needle is inserted through 

one of the holes of a group of notched and unnotched cards, the notched 

cards fall out and the unnotched remain. Holes made in the irargin 

of the card are identified as to code position, code field, or code section. 

A code position is a single hole identified by a number, letter, word, 

or abbreviation of a word. A code field contains more than one code 

nosition, and a code section contains more than one code field. Figure 1 illustrates the front side of the edge-notched card designed for 

'his project. On it the code positions are arranged singly, or as code 

'ields or code sections. The code positions are indicated by a single 

or double row of holes, depending on the space requirements. Most of 

'he code fields are arranged in a linear row, but several are triangular.

One card was used for each sample. In figure 1, the laboratory 

sample number, 57CAL18, is recorded on the upper left hand corner 

of the card. The sequence of coding is discussed in a clockwise 

direction, starting from this point. The first two numerical code 

sections, separated by the triangular State-code field, indicate the 

: ,bove laboratory sample number. The numerical code system used, 

called the double-row cipher selective system, requires that all single 

f gures (7,4,2, and 1) be notched in the inner row and that all corrbinal ion figures (3, 5, 6, 8, and 9) be notched in the outer row. The number 

of ciphers (zeros) are notched in the cipher-code field positioned 

j .head of the year- or number-code sections. The State abbreviation 

h dilineated by two converging tiers of State names, selected by two 

r.ppropriately notched holes. Close observation will indicate two 

i:tate abbreviations in each rhomb. The State abbreviation closer
PERSON REQUESTING ANALYSIS 

SAMPLE TYPE DISTUR

 POROSITY (REPMKEO) , % _ ___

 CENTRIFUGE MOISTURE CONTENT , % by dry wl

 SPECIFIC RETENTION . <&

FIGURE 1. Edge-notched data card (sample) used 
PROPERTIES OF ROCK AND SOIL MATERIALS D5

f:o the inner part of the card is indicated by the inner row of holes; 

'he State abbreviation closer to the outside of the card is indicated 

" >y the outer row of holes. For example, California is coded nearer 

i:o the outside of the card; consequently, two notches in the outer 

"ow of holes record this location.

Continuing clockwise, a code section indicates particle size. This 

°ontains code positions for clay and silt and code fields for sand and 

gravel. By alining notches in these positions (or fields) with the 

oercentage code, as given by notches along the right margin of the 

°,ard, the respective particle sizes of the particle-size-distribution 

:^raph can be recorded to the nearest 2.5 percent. The reverse side 

of the card is sensitized, and the graph showing the particle-size 

distribution may be reproduced on that side of the card by a diazo 

process (fig. 2).

General hydrologic and geologic properties are coded in the regaining spaces at the bottom of the card. Farther clock-wise and 

to the left along the lower margin of the card is a code section con- 

'aining code fields for permeability, specific yield, porosity, and 

i; Decific gravity. These hydrologic properties can thus be indicated by

 lolohes and sorted within these numerical limits. For the triangular 

^ode fields along the lower margin of the card, two appropriate!}7 

notched holes in the outer row of holes indicate the rhomb or category

^eing selected. One notched hole in the inner row of holes indicates 

'he adjacent open rhombohedral or category selected.

At the lower left hand corner of the card is a code section containing 

'nangular code fields for igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary 

"ocks, and for geologic environment and age. These categories, if 

properly indicated by notches, allow the relation between geology and

N ydrologic properties to be compared by sorting. Several directporting code positions (for type of sample) are coded between the 

geologic triangles in the lower left hand corner of the card. Along the 

>ft-hand margin of the card is a code field containing direct-sorting 

<°.ode positions for all the laboratory analyses completed for each 

i ample.

From the previous description, one can see that a much wider

rariety of data storage, sorting, and correlation techniques is available 

: n the cards as designed than was used for this report. The cards 

'^ere designed to be as versatile as possible in anticipation of future

 ises and reports. In more recent years, however, the large number 

of data has made it necessary to convert to an electronic dataprocessing system. Punched cards for such a system are now used 

: n the laboratory (Johnson, 1965).

230-079 O 67 2
D6 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HYDROLOGY OF THE UNITED STATES

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PROPERTIES OF ROCK AND SOIL MATERIALS D7

LABORATORY METHODS OF ANALYSIS

Because the primary analytical work at the laboratory has been 

"hat of the previously mentioned nine principal tests, only these tests 

will be compared and discussed in detail in this report. A brief discussion of the laboratory methods for these analyses will follow. 

'Vherever possible, the standard symbols and terminology of the 

American Society for Testing and Materials (1961) are used. Addi- 

'ional information on theory and methods of analysis can be obtained 

">y referring to publications by Meinzer (1923, 1949), Krumbein and 

^ettijohn (1938), Wenzel (1942), Taylor (1948), and the American 

Society for Testing Materials (1964).

PERMEABILITY

Permeability is a measure of the capacity of a material to transmit 

^rater under pressure. It can be determined in the laboratory by 

observing the rate of percolation of water through a sample of known 

^ngth and cross-sectional area under a known difference in head.

The basic law for flow of fluids through porous materials was estab- 

" :shed by Darcy, who demonstrated experimentally that the rate of 

Tow of water is proportional to the hydraulic gradient. Darcy's 

law can be expressed as:

Q=kiA, 

in which

Q=quantity of water discharged in a unit of time,

A = total cross-sectional area through which the water percolates,

i=hydraulic gradient (the difference in head, h, divided by the 

length of flow, L), and

k=coefficient of permeability of the material for water, or

k=-r^' 7 Q or T-T' QL 

lA hA

The coefficient of permeability, P, used by the Water Resources 

Division of the Geological Survey is defined (Wenzel, 1942, p. 7) as 

the rate of flow of water, in gallons per day, through a cross-sectional 

rrea of 1 square foot under a hydraulic gradient of 1 foot per foot at a 

temperature of 60°F. Because relatively pure water is assumed, 

c ensity is disregarded.

Coefficients of permeability are determined in the laboratory in 

constant-head or variable-head permeameters (fig. 3). The constanthead permeameter is generally used for samples of medium to high 

permeability, and the variable-head permeameter, for samples of 

low permeability.
FIGUEE 3. Permeability apparatus. Left, diagram of variable-head ty

of apparatus. Right, diagram of constant-hea
PROPERTIES OF ROCK AND SOIL MATERIALS D9

The constant-head method requires observations on the rate of 

discharge of water through a sample where the difference in head 

of water at the top and bottom of the sample is maintained at a 

constant value. From Darcy's law, the basic formula for the constant-head permeameter is

where

k=coefficient of permeability, 

Q=volume of percolation, 

L=length of sample, 

A=area of sample cylinder, 

t=length of time of flow,

h=difference in head at the top and bottom of sample, and 

CT=ratio of viscosity of water at observed temperature to 

viscosity at 60°F.

By substituting the units used by the Water Resources Division, 

the above formula becomes

21,200#L

~~ Ath T>

in which P is in gallons per day per square foot, Q is in cubic centimeters, L and h are in centimeters, A is in square centimeters, t is 

in seconds, and C is dimensionless.

The variable-head method requires that measurement of the 

quantity of water percolating through the sample be made indirectly 

by observing the rate of fall of the water level in a manometer connected to the sample. By integrating Darcy's equation, the basic 

formula for use of the variable-head permeameter is

k=2.3 ^rr log y CT, 

where

k=coefficient of permeability, 

/&o=head in manometer at zero time, 

A=head at any given elapsed time, 

t=elapsed time, 

^l=area of sample cylinder, 

a=area of manometer, 

L=length of sample, and 

CT= temperature correction.
D10 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HYDROLOGY OF THE UNITED STATES

By substituting the units used by the Water Resources Division, 

the above formula becomes

in which P is in gallons per day per square foot, A and a are in square 

centimeters, L is in centimeters, t is in seconds, h0 and h are in 

centimeters, and CT is dimensionless.

Entrapped air in a sample may cause considerable plugging of 

pore space and thus reduce the apparent coefficient of permeability. 

A specially designed vacuum system is therefore used by the laboratory to provide the deaired tap water used as the percolation 

fluid. The reported coefficient of permeability is the maximum 

obtained after several test runs and represents the saturation permeability. Chemical analysis of Denver tap water is given in table 1.

TABLE 1. Chemical analysis of Denver tap water

[Results in parts per million except as indicated. Analysis by B. P. Robinson, Quality of Water Laboratory, U.S. Geol. Survey, Denver, Colo.]

Calcium (Ca)-.-. ------------------ 20

Magnesium (Mg) --_-__--_-._ _ _ _ _______ 4

Sodium (Na) + potassium (K) ---------- 3.4

Sulfate (SOO--- -- - 31

Chloride (Cl) --------------- 1.5

Bicarbonate (HCOs).--------------------- 47

Fluoride (F)--.-. ----------- ._ 0. 2

Nitrate (NCh)-- ---- - - -- .6

Dissolved solids.---- - - _------ 99

Hardness (CaCOs)----------. - 66

Specific conductance (micromhos at 25°C)__ 161 

pH- ------ 7.3

Undisturbed cores of unconsolidated materials are retained in the 

cylinder liners of drive-core barrels. Undisturbed cores of consolidated materials are sealed with sealing wax in the percolation cylinders. 

Disturbed samples of unconsolidated materials are packed in the percolation cylinders by means of a specially designed packing machine 

(fig. 4) and are referred to in this report as repacked samples. All 

cylinders are installed directly in the permeameter to serve as the 

percolation cylinder of the apparatus.

DRY UNIT WEIGHT

The dry unit weight is the weight of solids per unit of total volume 

of rock or soil mass. It is generally reported in grams per cubic 

centimeter or in pounds per cubic foot. The dry unit weight decreases 

with an increase in amount of void space. The dry unit weight divided by the unit weight of distilled water at a stated temperature 

(generally 4°C) is known as the apparent specific gravity, which is 

dimensionless.

The volume of the sample is obtained by determining sample dimensions or by mercury displacement. The volume and the oven-dry
PROPERTIES OF ROCK AND SOIL MATERIALS Dll

FIGURE 4. Machine for packing disturbed samples being prepared for permeability or porosity analyses.

weight of this known volume are then used to calculate the dry unit 

weight as follows:

w, Ja=-y>

^vhere

7<z=dry unit weight, in grams per cubic centimeter, 

Ws = weight of oven-dry sample, in grams, and

V= total volume of mass sample, in cubic centimeters. 

The dry unit weight, in grams per cubic centimeter, is multiplied 

by 62.4 to convert to pounds per cubic foot.

SPECIFIC GRAVITY OF SOLIDS

The specific gravity of solids, Gs, is the ratio of (1) the weight in 

air of a given volume of solids at a stated temperature (unit weight of 

the solid particles or particle density) to (2) the weight in air of an 

'<x qual volume of distilled water at a stated temperature, generally 4°C.

The volumetric-flask method is used for determining the specific 

gravity of solids. A weighed oven-dry portion of the sample is dispersed in water in a calibrated volumetric flask. The volume of the 

particles is equivalent to the weight of displaced water. The unit
D12 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HYDROLOGY OF THE UNITED STATES

weight of the solid particles is obtained by dividing the dry weight 

of the sample by the volume of the solid particles. Because the density of water at 4°C equals unity in the metric system, the specific 

gravity of solids is numerically equivalent to this unit weight.

POROSITY

Porosity is defined as the ratio of (1) the volume of the void spaces 

to (2) the total volume of the rock or soil mass. It is usually expressed 

as a percentage. Therefore,

y,(ioo) _(v-- n V V 

then as

7a= ' 

and

* (100),

^ s/ Id

or

n=- f s fd (100), /i r\/"\\

7s

where

n= porosity, in percent, 

Vv = volume of voids, 

V = total mass volume, 

Ws = weight of oven-dry particles, 

7S = unit weight of solid particles (equal numer°ally to specific

gravity of solids in metric system), 

7d = dry unit weight of sample, and 

Vs = volume of solid particles.

After the dry unit weight and the unit weight of solid particles 

have been determined for the sample, the porosity is calculated using 

the above equation. The relation between these three properties 

is illustrated in figure 5.

CENTRIFUGE-MOISTURE EQUIVALENT, SPECIFIC RETENTION, AND

SPECIFIC YIELD

The centrifuge-moisture equivalent of a rock is the amount of 

water, expressed as a percentage of the dry weight, retained by the 

material which has been first saturated with water and then subjected 

to a force equal to 1,000 times the force of gravity for 1 hour. The 

centrifuge-moisture equivalent is multiplied by the dry unit weight
PROPERTIES OF ROCK AND SOIL MATERIALS D13

100

90

60

40

30

20

10

Unit weight of particles 

equals'2.20-

0.4 0.8 1.2 1.6 2.0 2.4 2.8 

DRY UNIT WEIGHT, IN GRAMS PER CUBIC CENTIMETER

FIGURE 5. Relation of porosity to dry unit weight for various unit we'ghts of

solid particles.

(apparent specific gravity) to obtain the moisture equivalent by 

volume. Since 1959 these analyses have been made at a constant 

temperature of 20°C. (See Prill and Johnson, 1960.)

The specific retention of a rock is the percentage of its total volume 

occupied by water that cannot be drained by gravity and that will 

not be yielded to wells.

The specific yield of a rock is the percentage of its total volume 

occupied by water that will drain under gravity to wells. The specific 

yield of a rock is equal to its porosity minus its specific retention.

230-079 O 07 :i
D14 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HYDROLOGY OF THE UNITED STATES

The centrifuge moisture equivalent, by volume, is determined and 

is then adjusted by a correction factor proposed by Piper (1933). 

This adjusted value, considered to be specific retention, is then subtracted from the porosity to obtain*the specific yield. The centrifuge 

test is made on undisturbed samples for consolidated rocks and on 

repacked samples for unconsolidated rocks.

PARTICLE-SIZE DISTRIBUTION

A particle-size analysis, also termed a "mechanical analysis," is the 

determination of the distribution of particle sizes in a sample. Particle sizes smaller than 0.0625 mm (millimeter) are determined by the 

hydrometer method of sedimentation analysis, and sizes larger than 

0.0625 mm are determined by wet-sieve analysis.

Samples are prepared for analysis, after being air (fried, by gently 

but thoroughly separating the lumps of material into individual particles by use of a mortar and rubber-covered pestle. Care is taken to 

prevent crushing of the individual particles.

The hydrometer method of sedimentation analysis consists of (1) 

dispersing a representative part of the prepared sample with sodium 

hexametaphosphate in 1 liter of water, and (2) measuring the density 

of the suspension at increasing intervals of time with a soil hydrometer. At given times, the size of the largest particles remaining in 

suspension at the level of the hydrometer is computed by Stokes' 

Law (Am, Soc. Testing Materials, 1964, p. 104), and the weight of 

particles finer than that size is computed from the density of the 

suspension at the same level.

After the completion of the hydrometer analysis, the sample suspension is poured into a sieve that has openings of 0.0625 mm. The 

sample is then gently agitated and washed over the eieve. The material retained is dried and placed in a set of standard 8-inch sieves, 

which are shaken for 15 minutes on a Ro-Tap mechanical shaker. 

The fraction of the sample remaining on each sieve is weighed.

From the hydrometer analysis and the sieve analysis, the percentage 

of the particles smaller than a given size is calculated and plotted as 

a cumulative-distribution curve. The particle sizes, in millimeters, 

are plotted as abscissas on a logarithmic scale, and the cumulative 

percentages of particles smaller than the size shown, by weight, 

are plotted as ordinates on an arithmetic scale. The percentage 

in each of several size ranges is then determined from this curve.

The analyses are divided into the following groups according to 

their particle-size distribution.
PROPERTIES OF ROCK AND SOIL MATERIALS D15

Particle-size 

description

Silt.. ___________________

Clav-___-_-___-___-_-__

Range of 

particle 

diameter (mm) 

_________ 0.5 -1.0

___ ___ _ .25 - .5

_________ .125- .25

-_-_-_-_- .0625- .125

_________ .004 - .062

_________ <- .0045

Range of

Particle-size particle 

description diameter (mm) 

Very coarse gravel.______________ ______ 32.0-64.0

Coarse gravel___________ _____________ 16.0-32.0

Medium gravel-------_-_-.______ _______ 8.0-16. 0

Fine gravel--__,-----___________________ 4.0- 8.0

Very fine gravel.--__---_______________. 2.0- 4.0

Very coarse sand---__________._________ 1.0- 2.0

This classification system is used officially by the Ground Water 

Branch, U.S. Geological Survey, and is similar to that proposed by 

the National Research Council (1947). Subsequent references to 

sand, silt, and clay in this report will relate to sand-, silt-, ard claysize particles as specified in the preceding table.

HYDRO-LOGIC AND PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF ROCK 

AND SOIL MATERIALS

The outer crust of the earth is composed of rock material, which, 

though not exposed in some places, everywhere underlies the thin 

mantle of soil, vegetation, or water. This naturally formed mineral 

matter, whether or not coherent or consolidated, has a certain constancy of chemical and mineral composition for any particular type 

of material and is therefore considered geologically to be rock.

Rocks can be divided readily according to their mode of origin 

into three principal groups. These groups are the igneous rocks, 

formed by the solidification of molten material derived fron great 

depths below the surface; the sedimentary or bedded rocks, formed 

by the accumulation of sediments in water, from air (eolian), or by 

gravity; and the metamorphic rocks, formed from igneous or sedimentary rocks that have undergone chemical and physical change 

by agencies of heat and pressure subsequent to their original formation.

Igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks differ in mineral 

composition, texture, and structure, with a consequent difference 

in number, size, sha.pe, and arrangement of the interstices. Pronounced differences in both physical properties and water-bearing 

characteristics result. The following discussion will thus be directed 

toward the analyses the laboratory has made of representative 

samples of the three classes of rocks and the comparison of their 

properties.

IGNEOUS ROCKS

Igneous rocks can be divided into three classifications according 

to origin, texture, and composition. Each classification has some 

significance in reference to physical properties and the occurrence 

of ground water. Only three types of rock of igneous origin have 

been analyzed in the laboratory granite, gabbro, and basalt.
D16 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HYDROLOGY OF THE UNITED STATES

Granite, Gabbro and Basalt. Granite is a light-colored granular 

rock composed primarily of feldspar and quartz. It generally contains more than one kind of feldspar and takes its color from the 

predominant one, which is generally orthoclase. Quartz fills the 

interstices between the other minerals. Gabbro is also granular 

but consists chiefly of ferro-magnesian minerals, as well as some 

plagioclase feldspar. Typically, gabbro is dark. Only weathered 

granite and gabbro samples have been tested in the Hydrologic 

Laboratory. Basalt is a fine-textured aphanitic rock l of very dark 

color. The rock fabric is so fine that it cannot be perceived even 

with a lens, and the rock is ordinarily of dull luster. (See table 2 

for a summary of the physical and hydrologic data for weathered 

granite, weathered gabbro, and basalt.)

TABLE 2. Properties of weathered granite, weathered gabbro, and basalt

Test

Permeability,

vertical (gpd per

sqft)___ -

Dry unit weight

Specific gravity of

Porosity, undisturbed (percent) . .

Granite (weathered)

Range

7 -no

1.21- 1.78

2.70- 2.84

34. 3 - 56. 6

Arithmetic

mean

35

2.74

45

Number

of

analyses

8

Gabbro (weathered)

Range

1 - 8

2. 95- 3. 09

41. 7 -45. 0

Arithmetic

mean

4

3.02

43

Number

of

analyses

4

4

5

4

Basalt

J ange

0. 00004- 0. 9

2. 95 - 3. 15

3. 0 -35. 0

Arithmetic

mean

0.2

2.53

3.07

17

Number

of

analyses

93

94

94

94

Water-Bearing Properties of Igneous Rocks. The water-bearing 

properties of granite, gabbro, and basalt depend to eome extent on 

their class. Coarse crystalline rocks such as granite and gabbro are 

usually poor water bearers, especially at depth. Water occurs near 

the surface in the interstices of the weathered rock or in the joints 

that extend to greater depth. In much granite, horizontal joint 

systems increase the water-bearing capacity of the rock. The data for 

granite and gabbro indicate permeabilities that might be expected 

from weathered rocks near the surface.

The laboratory tests, in general, reflect the low permeability of the 

rock matrix but not the influence of joints or weathering on the waterbearing properties of these rocks. This is especially true of the finer 

textured igneous rocks, such as basalt. Although the data indicate a 

low permeability and porosity for the basalt analyzed, basalt ranks 

as one of the major water-bearing rocks of the United States. The

1 For definition of this and any subsequent terminology used in this report, refer to Rice, 1954; Stokes 

and Varnes, 1955; or Am. Geol. Inst., 1960.
PROPERTIES OF ROCK AND SOIL MATERIALS D17

water occurs in large tubelike cavities and in other cavities in the 

basalt and in the interflow zone between successive lava sheets.

SEDIMENTARY BOCKS

Sedimentary rocks may be grouped, according to origin, into three 

classes: clastic deposits of mechanical origin, chemical deposits, and 

organic deposits. Water occurs primarily in clastic rocks; consequently, most of the analyses are of these rocks.

Deposits of clastic rock are composed of fragments mechanically 

derived from older rocks during weathering and from their erosion. 

Such deposits include beds of clay, silt, sand, and gravel, and various 

mixtures of these materials (both unconsolidated and consolidated), 

which are laid down in water. Deposits transported by gravit}T , wind, 

and ice are also included under this heading, largely for convenience. 

These deposits are, in general, closely related to stratified rocks and 

are considered here to be in that category. However, in some publications, gravity, wind, and ice deposits have been described according 

to their close relation to other rock types.

Chemical deposits consist of substances precipitated out of solution 

in water. The organic deposits are composed chiefly of the calcareous 

and carbonaceous remains of animals and plants.

MECHANICAL ORIGIN

Exposure of any type of rock to the action of the atmosphere causes 

it to gradually disintegrate into soil material. A variety of agencies 

are involved. All rock masses are penetrated by joints or planes of 

cleavage. Freeze-and-thaw action of water within these cracks and 

fissures causes the rocks to crumble and reduces them to debris. The 

expansion and contraction of rocks in areas of wide temperature range 

and the effect of many other weathering processes cause the same 

action, but at a much slower rate. All these processes result in rock 

materials being broken up by mechanical means into smaller and 

smaller fragments.

WATER-IAID DEPOSITS

Water-laid deposits include sediments that are derived by disintegration of older rocks and are subsequently laid down in stratified 

form by water currents in seas and lakes and on the flood plains of 

rivers. With time, they generally become indurated or consoMated.

Conglomerate and breccia. Conglomerate is a consolidated clastic 

rock composed of rounded particles of various sizes, cemented together by another mineral substance. Breccia is similar but consists 

of sharp angular rock fragments cemented together by mineral
D18 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HYDROLOGY OF THE UNITED STATES

material. Generally the interstices in conglomerate and breccia are 

completely filled with cement, and the rocks are generally poor 

transmitters of water. Samples of these rocks were not analyzed 

during the period discussed in this report.

Sandstone. Sandstone is a consolidated clastic rock composed, 

usually, of rounded quartz grains (of sand size) that are held together 

by various cementing substances. Sandstone is one cf the principal 

water bearers. It has such a wide range in particle size that samples 

in the following summary (table 3) have been classified into fineand medium-grained groups, according to the primary particle size. 

Although some sandstone beds originated as wind-laid deposits, 

most of them are water laid; all sandstone is therefore discussed in 

the section titled "Water-Laid Deposits of Mechanical Origin."

Siltstone, claystone, and shale. Siltstone, claystone, and shale 

are very fine grained consolidated clastic rocks composed mainly of 

silt- and clay-size particles. Siltstone is composed mostly of siltsize particles, and claystone, of clay-size particles; siltstone and 

claystone are massive. Shale is also composed mostly of clay-size 

particles, but it is thinly laminated. Table 4 summarizes the 

properties of these rocks.

Gravel, sand, silt, and clay. Gravel, sand, silt, and clay are the 

unconsolidated detrital equivalents of the previously described 

consolidated sediments. For the gravel and sand, data have been

TABLE 3. Properties of sandstone 

[Classified by predominant particle size]

Test

Permeability, vertical (gpd per 

sq ft)___ __.-_____

Permeability, horizontal (gpd per 

sq ft)__.__ _______

Dry unit weight

( fy r*pT (*(*}

Specific gravity of 

solids

Porosity, undisturbed (percent) _ _ 

Centrifuge-moisture 

equivalent 

(percent)

Specific retention 

(percent)

Specific yield 

(percent)

Fine grained

Range

0. 008-37

. 01 -48 

1. 34 - 2. 32 

2. 56 - 2. 72 

13. 7 -49. 3

. 2 -18. 5 

1. 2 -30. 8 

2. 1 -39. 6

Arithmetic 

mean

5

7 

1. 76 

2. 65 

33

6 

13

21

Number of 

analyses

20

20 

60 

55 

55

47 

47 

47

Medium grained

Range

0. 05-220

1. 50-186 

2. 64- 2. 69 

29. 7 - 43. 6

.3 -9.1 

5. 2 - 19. 2 

11. 9 - 41. 1

Arithmetic 

mean

77

1. 68 

2. 66 

37

4 

10 

27

Number of 

analyses

13

10 

9 

10

10 

10 

10
PROPERTIES OF ROCK AND SOIL MATERIALS

TABLE 4. Properties of siltslone, claystone, and shale

D19

Test

Permeability, vertical

Dry unit weight

In r\pr f>f>\

Specific gravity of

Porosity, undisturbed

Porosity, repacked

Centrifuge-moisture 

equivalent (percent) . 

Specific retention

Specific yield

Siltstone

Range

0. 00002- 0. 03 

1.35 - 2.12 

2. 52 - 2. 89 

21. 2 -41. 0 

28. 8 -47. 8 

. 9 -39. 4 

5. 4 -44. 8 

. 9 -32. 7

Arithmetic 

mean

0.004 

1.61 

2.65 

35 

43 

14 

29 

12

Number of 

analyses

8 

18 

27 

7 

11 

1C 

15 

13

Claystone

Range

0.002 

1.37 - 1.60 

2. 50 - 2. 76 

41.2 -45.2

Arithmetic 

mean

0.002 

1.51 

2.66 

43

Number of analyses

4 

4 

4

Sha'o

Range

2. 20-2. 72 

2. 47-2. 83 

1.4 -9.7

Arithmetic 

mean

2.53 

2.69 

6

Number of analyses

20 

20 

20

grouped according to predominant particle size into "fine" (very 

fine and fine classifications), "medium" and "coarse" (coarse and 

very coarse classifications) ranges. Tables 5 and 6 summarize the 

properties of these sediments, and figures 6-8 provide typical data 

on hydrologic and physical properties, as related to particle-size 

distribution.

Water-bearing properties of water-laid deposits. Gravel has long 

been considered to be the best water-laid deposit for yielding water. 

A clean gravel has high permeability, high porosity, and high specific 

yield. Most gravel, however, is not clean but contains much fine 

material, which fills the interstices and decreases the water-yielding 

properties of the gravel. Also, the laboratory data indicate trat the 

decrease in water-yielding properties takes place principally in gravel 

that is coarser than the medium-size classification. The presence of 

fine cementing material in consolidated gravel also alters its hydrologic and physical properties, and in some conglomerate the matrix 

is so dense that the rock yields little water.

Sand and sandstone also are good producers of water. Sand generally has a higher porosity than gravel because gravel is normally 

more heterogeneous, but sand will have a porosity comparable to that 

of gravel having the same degree of assortment and uniformity of 

grains. Although the interstices in sand deposits are small, those in 

gravel may even be smaller on the average, and the specific yield of 

sand is in many places more than that of gravel. The laboratory data 

substantiate this relation for sand and also indicate that permeability 

increases as particle size increases. Sandstone, however, has a considerably lower range in hydrologic and physical properties than does 

sand, owing to size of particles, degree of assortment, degree of. cementation, and the resulting decrease in size of interstices. In this
TABLE 5. Properties of sand a

[Classified by predominant particle 

Test

Fine

Range

Arithmetic 

mean

Number 

of

analyses

Range

Sand

Gravel

960 -66, 000

1.60- 1.99

2. 63- 2. 76

25. 1 - 38. 5

. 01- 8. 2

. 06- 16. 7

12. 6 - 39. 9

11,000

1.76

2.68

34

2

28

92

41

19

38

33

33

33

730 -40, 

1. 47- 

2. 65- 

23. 7 - 

. 1 - 

. 6 - 

16. 9 - 

0. 4 - 400

. 1 - 980

1. 13- 1. 99

2. 54- 2. 77

26. 0 - 53. 3

26. 7 - 50. 2

. 1 - 33. 7

. 3 - 43. 2

1. 0 - 45. 9

61

94

1.55

2.67

43

32

4

8

33

159

164

374

356

243

134

288

264

287

2. 0 - 1, 2

1 - 1,

1. 27- 

2. 60- 

28. 5 - 

27. 2 - 

. 1 - 

. 1 - 

16. 2 - 
PROPERTIES OF ROCK AND SOIL MATERIALS

TABLE 6. Properties of silt and clay

D21

Test

Permeability, 

vertical (gpd 

per sq ft)

Permeability, 

horizontal 

(gpd per sq ft) _ _ 

Dry unit weight 

(g per cc) _

Specific gravity

Porosity, undisturbed 

(percent) ______ 

Porosity, 

repacked 

(percent) _..____ 

Centrifuge-moisture equivalent

Specific retention

Specific yield

Silt

Range

0. 0002-15

. 0004-23 

1. 01 - 1. 79

2. 47 - 2. 79

33. 9 -61. 1 

41. 0 -56. 0 

3. 6 -46. 5

3. 2 -45. 0

1. 1 -38. 6

Arithmetic 

mean

0. 6

2

1. 38

2. 62

46 

46 

13

28

20

Number of 

analyses

39

39

374

388

281 

85 

266

266

266

Cla:

Range

0. 00003- 0. 01

. 0002 - . 03 

1. 18 - 1. 72

2. 51 - 2. 77

34. 2 -56. 9 

39. 9 -52. 8 

15. 6 51. 1

24. 6 -46. 9

1. 1 -17. 6

f

Arithmetic 

mean

0. 002

. 005 

1. 49

2. 67

42 

48 

30

38

6

Number of analyses

19

19 

91

104

74 

16

27

27

27

study, however, comparisons were made only on the basis of predominant particle size.

Analysis of individual sample data has indicated that horizontal 

permeabilities for the same sample are generally higher that the vertical permeabilities, and that repacked permeabilities are higher than 

either the horizontal or vertical permeabilities, which seems to be a 

logical relation especially for stratified sedimentary rocks. Data 

also indicate that repacked porosity is generally higher than undisturbed porosity and that the dry unit weight of repacked samples is 

generally lower than that of undisturbed samples.

Silt and clay and their consolidated counterparts siltstone, 

daystone, and shale bear the same relation to one another that 

the coarse-grained rocks exhibit. Clay is the poorest source of water 

isupply, not because it has low porosity and contains no water, but 

because the particles of clay and their interstices are very small. 

Fo, even though the porosity may be comparatively large, the minute 

lores hold water tenaciously and release it slowly.

WIND-IAID DEPOSITS

Wind-laid deposits are generally formed from the particles that 

are derived from weathering of older rocks and are transported by
D22 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HYDROLOGY OF THE UNITED STATES

100

90

c: 40

105

40

100

o .

PARTICLE-SIZE DIAMETER, IN MILLIMETERS

CLAY

<0004

SILT

0 004-0 0625

. .._._ 14

_ _ _ _ 1 p

 .6

SAND

Very

fine

0.0625

0 125

07

.4

.2

Fine Medium Coarse

0 125-

025

0.4

.8

.1

0.25-

05

0.6

.5

.3

05-1

1.1

2.3

.1

Very

coarse

1-2

15 1

2.8

.2

C-RAVEL

Very

fine

2-4

C1 Q

24.1

.9

Fine Medium Coarse

4-8

17.2

57.8

40.6

8-16

0.6

10.1

57.0

16-32

Very

coarse

32-64

HYDROLOGIC AND PHYSICAL PROPERTIES

Lab. No.

59COL54-...

59COL48..-.

59ARK5-...-

Location

Arapahoe County,

Colo.---___-__.__

Douglas County,

Colo. ---- --.--.

Arkansas River

valley, Ark... _.

Depth of

sample

(feet)

47. 5-52. 2

35. 0-37. 5

85.0

Specific

gravity

of

solids

2.61

2.63

2.63

Dry

unit

weight

(gper

cc)

1.62

1.62

1.47

Specific

retention

(percent

of

volume)

0.6

6.5

.6

Total

porosity

(percent

of

volume)

37.9

38 4

44 1

Specific

yield

(percent

of

volume)

31.3

32.9

43.5

Coefficient of

permeability

(gpd per

sqft)

4,100

29,000

40,000

FIGURE 6. Typical data on particle-size distribution and the hydrologic and 

physical properties of water-laid gravel.

wind to the site of deposition. Loess and eolian sand are good examples of these rocks. Tuff is also a wind-transported material, 

although it is a product not of weathering but of violent volcanic 

activity. The fine ash that is ejected into the atmosphere during 

the volcanic activity is carried by winds and subsequently deposited 

in beds.

Loess, eolian sand. Loess is considered to be a nonstratified, 

generally unconsolidated deposit consisting of fin^ homogeneous
PROPERTIES OF ROCK AND SOIL MATERIALS D23

PARTICLE-SIZE DIAMETER, IN MILLIMETERS

CLAY

<0.004

 10.4 

 2.8 

 4.0

SILT

0.004-0.0625

19.6 

8.8 

.2

SAND

Very 

fine 

0 0625- 

0125

57.2

19.2

1.1

.0

Fine 

0 125- 

025

7.2 

64.6

19.4 

.2

Ylediurr 

0.25- 

05

3.4 

4.4 

73.4 

3.5

Coarse 

0.5-1

1.6 

.2 

1.8 

24.3

Very 

coarse 

1-2

0.6 

.1

40.5

GRAVEL

Very 

fine 

2-4

23.7

Fine 

4-8

6.8

Medium 

8-16

0.7

Coarse 

16-32

V>ry 

coarse 

32-64

HYDROLOGIC AND PHYSICAL PROPERTIES

Lab. No.

60GA8...-- 

53OKL6.--

54K Y6. . - .

59COL42..

Location

Brunswick, Ga__.__ 

McCurtain

Gallaway County,

Arapahoe County, 

Colo _----

Depth of 

sample 

(feet)

496. 0-197. 0

33. 5- 34. 0

Specific 

gravity 

of 

solids

2.71 

2.65

2.67

2.61

Dry 

unit 

weight 

(g per 

cc)

1.58 

1.90

1.48

1.67

Specific 

retention 

(percent 

of 

volume)

22.8

1.0

2.9

Total 

porosity 

(percent 

of

volume)

41.7 

28.3

44.6

36.0

Specific 

yield 

(percent 

of 

volume)

18.9 

27.6

43.6

33.1

Coefficient of 

permeability 

(gpd per 

sqft)

13

79

400

0,000

FIGURE 7. Typical data on particle-size distribution and the hydrokmc and 

physical properties of water-laid sand.

buff-colored silt and some clay and fine sand. Loess consists chiefly 

of angular particles of silt-size quartz that is commonly cemented 

by calcareous cement and that weathers to vertical walls. Eolian 

sand also is deposited by wind, but it occurs most commonly as 

sand dunes. The material composing eolian sand is more rounded 

and coarser than that normally composing loess. Both deposits 

occur principally along uplands adjacent to rivers, lakes, or oceans.
D24 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HYDROLOGY OF THE UNITED STATES

PARTICLE-SIZE DIAMETER, IN MILLIMETERS

CLAY

<0004

 52.0 

 24.2

10.0

SILT

0 004-0 0625

28.1

37.3 

46.8 

48.0

SAND

Very 

fine 

00625- 

0 125

0.8 

5.5

20.6 

38.0

Fine 

0 125- 

025

1.2

2.8 

8.2 

.0

i/ledium 

0.25- 

05

1.6 

.2 

.2

Coarse 

05-1

0.7

Very 

coarse 

1-2

0.1

G^VEL

Very 

fine 

2-4

Fine 

4-8

/ediurr 

8-16

Coarse 

16-32

Very 

coarse 

32-64

HYDROLOGIC AND PHYSICAL PROPERTIES

Lab. No.

57TEX125.-.

57CAL2. .

57CAL4 __

57CAL29- 

Locatiou

Univ. Houston,

Tex 

Mendota, Calif 

- .do .- -.

 -do- --.

Depth of

sample

(feet)

800. 5-801. 0

110.5-111.0

773. 0-773. 5

Specific

gravity

of

solids

2.61

2.66

2.70

2.75

Dry

unit

weight

(gper

cc)

1.64

1.56

i *f>

Specific

retention

(percent

of

volume)

37.2

41.4

O7 9

22.9

Total

porosity

(percert

of

volume)

37.2

41.4

43.7

42.9

Specific

yield

(percent

of

volume)

0

0

20.0

Coefficient of

permeaability

(gpd per

sqft)

0.00001

.01

o

o

FIGURE 8. Typical data on particle-size distribution and the hydrologic and 

physical properties of water-laid silt and clay.

Table 7 summarizes the properties of these materials, and figures 

9 and 10 present typical data on hydrologic and physical properties, 

as related to particle-size distribution.

Tuff. Tuff is a fine-textured volcanic rock formed by the compaction of volcanic dust after it settles from the air. The formation 

of tuff is generally aided by the action of percolating water. Tuff 

is generally light in weight and color and is composed of angular 

particles of quartz, feldspar, and other minerals. Table 8 summarizes 

properties of tuff.
PROPERTIES OF ROCK AND SOIL MATERIALS

TABLE 7. Properties of loess and eolian sand

D21

Test

Permeability, vertical (gpd per 

sq ft)

Dry unit weight

f fr npT pf*^

Specific gravity of 

solids. _

Porosity, undisturbed (percent) _ _ 

Porosity, repacked 

(percent)

Centrifuge-moisture 

equivalent

Specific retention 

(percent) _

Specific yield 

(percent)

Loess

Range

0. 1 - 4 

1. 25- 1. 62 

2. 64- 2. 74 

44. 0 -57. 2 

43. 0 -53. 0

13. 2 -28. 7 

21. 8 -29. 8 

14. 1 -22. 0

Arithmetic 

mean

2 

1.45 

2. 67 

49 

46

22

27 

18

Number of analyses

6 

18 

36 

5 

6

13 

5 

5

Eolian sand

Range

22 -1, 500 

1. 33- 1. 70 

2. 63- 2. 70 

39. 9 - 50. 7 

36. 8 - 41. 5

. 1 - 1. 8 

. 5 - 5. 8 

32. 3 - 46. 7

Arithmetic 

mean

500 

1. 58 

2. 66 

45

38

1 

3 

38

Number of analyses

6 

15 

13 

6 

9

14 

14 

14

TABLE 8. Properties of tuff

Test

Permeability, vertical (gpd per sq ft) ______ 

Permeability, horizontal (gpd per sq ft) 

Dry unit weight (g per cc)

Porosity, undisturbed (percent)

Centrifuge-moisture equivalent (percent) __ 

Specific retention (percent)

Range

0. 0001-17 

. 0001-17 

1. 17 - 2. 31

2. 30 - 2. 64

7. 2 -54. 7

2. 5 -30. 0 

5. 6 -38. 2

2. 0 -47. 0

Arithmetic 

mean

_^

5 

1. 48

2. 50

41

13

21

21

Number 

of 

analyses

44 

44 

230

174

180

76 

90

90

Water-bearing properties of wind-laid deposits. Most wind-blown 

materials are not very coarse. Fine material is generally blown 

from sites of aqueous deposition by the wind and deposited as dunes 

or sheets. The coarser deposits of sand therefore have irregular 

stratification and extreme irregularity of crossbedding and other 

structure, owing to the variability of wind direction and alternation 

of scouring and deposition. For any specific sand sample taken from 

one section of a dune, however, the degree of sorting is generally 

good. The hydrologic properties may therefore be somewhat 

different from those of water-laid sand of the same texture. The 

data here presented indicate that both porosity and permeability 

are somewhat higher for eolian sand than for water-laid material 

of the same particle size.
D26 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HYDROLOGY OF THE UNITED STATES

90 

80 

70 

60 

50 

40 

30 

20 

10 

n

 ^

 """""

,/

/

,*'

N

- M~

/ $

' /

'' ,/

t

1

t

f

1

f

,

I

/

x

.

>

- - "

/ i

j

/

'

t 

p 

10 

20 

30 

40 

50 

60 

70 

80

inn

PARTICLE-SIZE DIAMETER, IN MILLIMETERS

CLAY

<0.004

 25.0

°1 fi

 13.1

SILT

0.004-0.0625

72.8 

62.5 

41.6

SAND

Very 

fine 

0.0625- 

0 125 j

1.7 

10.5

30.3

Fine 

0.125- 

0.25

0.5

4.5 

14.8

Mediurr 

0.25- 

0.5

1.3 

.2

Coarse 

0.5-1

0.4

Very 

coarse 

1-2

GRAVEL

Very 

fine 

2-4

Fine 

4-8

Mediun 

8-16

Coarse 

16-32

Very 

coarse 

32-64

HYDROLOGIC AND PHYSICAL PROPERTIES

Lab. 

No.

54KY17.-.

55IDA22..

54KY12....

Location

Henderson County. 

Ky..._. .............

National Reactor 

Testing Station,

Henderson County, 

Ky__. _______-.___.-_

Depth 

of 

sample 

(feet)

Specific 

gravity 

of 

solids

2.74

2.73

2.67

Dry 

unit 

weight 

(gper 

cc)

1.53

1.44

Specific 

retention 

(percent 

of 

volume)

13.0

Total 

porosity 

(percent 

of 

volume)

43.8

44.0

46.1

Specific 

yield 

(percent 

of 

volume)

14.1

33.1

Coefficient 

of permeability (gpd 

per sq ft)

0.02

1

4

FIGURE 9. Typical data on particle-size distribution and the hydrologic and 

physical properties of loess.

Silt transported by the wind may lack all stratification. Loess 

is loosely cemented and generally has interstices of such size that it 

has a high water-retention capacity and a low permeability.

Tuff may be sorted somewhat by water after deposition, but ordinarily the original deposits are loosely packed and poorly sorted. 

After consolidation, some tuff still exhibits to a reduced degree 

a high porosity. Because the heavier and coarser particles fall first, 

tuff particles grade generally from coarse at the bottcm of the deposit
PROPERTIES OF ROCK AND SOIL MATERIALS D27

»n

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

C 

C

-t CN

D C

3 C

J 0 

3 C 

5 C

 ? *= 

3 C

5

D

 - -

Li

0 0

;;=-^

\\

OOC3 C

§s s

X

3 C 

0 C^ 

3 C

/

3 C 

5 ^ 

3 C

'

?S

3C

/

3r ><j

3C

il

/

~** /

-3 

xj L£

D CD -

^

/

^/ ^T-l ~^

/

/a/ /-Si "/'

^

 3 c

^ ^

7-Hr

1

sNJ a

^- 

-> c3 C3 C3 C3 C3 c3 C

10 

20

30

40 

50

60

70

on

90

100

D

O C3 CZ5C3CD

PARTICLE-SIZE DIAMETER, IN MILLIMETERS

CLAY

<0.004

SILT

0.004-0.0625

 7.1 36.1 

 5.3 2.5

___ ± _ ^__ _ i

SAND

Very

fine

0.0625

0 125

10.0

.2

Fine Medium Coarse

0 125-

0.25

17.2

51.8

44.9

0.25-

0.5

9 a

28.4

54.6

0.5-1

0.4 

2.0

.1

Very

coarse

1-2

0.1

GRAVEL

Very

fine

2-4

Fine Medium Coarse

4-8 8-16 16-32

Very

coarse

32-64

HYDROLOGIC AND PHYSICAL PROPERTIES

Lab

No.

58MAS41-.

57MAS9...

56ORE3___

Location

Ipswich River

valley, Mass-..----

Middlesex County,

IVlass__-_ ____-__-----

Florence, Oreg __._-_--

Depth

of

sample

(feet)

2.0

2.5

Specific

gravity

of

solids

2.70

2.68

2.65

Dry

unit

weight

(gper

cc)

1.33

1.61

1.63

Specific

retention

(percent

of

volume)

4.0

1.0

1.5

Total

porosity

(percent

of

volume)

50.7

39.9

38.5

Specific

yield

(percent

of

volume)

46.7

38.9

37.0

Coefficient

o'permeab'lity (gpd

per sq ft)

22

250

630

FIGURE 10. Typical data on particle-size distribution and the hydrolo?ic and 

physical properties of eolian sand.

to fine at the top. However, within the range of any one sample, 

the material can be considered to be fairly homogeneous. The data 

indicate a wide range of hydrologic and physical properties. One 

relation shown by the data indicates that porosity is fairly high, 

even though permeability is low.

ICE-LAID DEPOSITS

Rock debris transported by glacial ice and deposited either directly or in bodies of glacial melt water is called glacial drift. Drift
D28 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HYDROLOGY OF THE UNITED STATES

is separated into nonstratified drift (till) and stratified drift, sometimes referred to as washed drift.

Till and washed drift. Because some melt water is associated with 

most glacial deposition, the dividing line between till and washed 

drift is not sharp. However, till is regarded in this report as being 

primarily unsorted drift, and washed drift is considered as being 

those deposits that have been sorted by the action of melt water.

Till is rock debris directly deposited by glacial ice r,nd has a wide 

range of particle sizes. Till differs widely in composition and textures 

in different places. Most till contains considerable clay and is 

therefore sometimes called boulder clay.

Washed drift can be divided into two classes: proglacial drift 

deposits made beyond the limits of the glacier (outwash) and icecontact deposits, which include eskers, kame terraces, kames, and 

features marked by numerous kettles. These two classes grade 

directly into each other, and for purposes of study, no distinction 

is made between the two.

Table 9 summarizes the properties of ice-laid deposits, and figures 

11 and 12 illustrate the typical hydrologic and physical properties, 

as related to particle-size distribution, of such deposits.

Water-bearing properties of ice-laid deposits. Glacial drift has 

a very wide range in size of materials, containing debris of all sizes 

from clay to boulders. The materials directly deposited by the ice 

are a heterogeneous mixture of these particles and are called till. 

Till differs greatly in composition in different places, depending on 

the source materials. Because it is unsorted, till generally has low 

porosity and permeability and is a poor producer of water, particularly 

if it is compact clay till. However, sandier till (though of lower 

porosity) is more permeable and in some places is F- fair producer 

of water.

Washed drift contains sorted sand and gravel, generally intermingled and interbedded with till. Such deposits differ greatly 

(even in the same locality) in thickness, coarseness of naterial, depth, 

and areal extent, and rarely extend more than a few miles. Laboratory data indicate that the water-bearing properties of washed 

drift compare favorably with those of water-laid sand; that is, the 

washed drift has fairly high porosity and permeability, especially in 

comparison to clay till.

CHEMICAL AND ORGANIC ORIGIN

Chemical origin

Rocks of chemical origin are formed from mineral material that 

was in solution but became insoluble and precipitated. These deposits may form either by direct chemical precipitation in open 

bodies of water or by concentration and precipitation through
PROPERTIES OF ROCK AND SOIL MATERIALS D29

>

O

a

m

VI

O

III

60

a

a

tf

lilt

III

c

III^

111

1

«

Ills

111

o

bo

P.

2

00

o

CO

o

8

CM

Tt< X

ss

IN 00

^5

CC ^

o t>

CC i1

OO O i-H CO O

8§

oo eo

Permeability, repacked (gpdper ft)--_. sn-_---._.-._.--. -...-_

MCC

cc 

cU '

CO CO r-t

M c!

N.OOO

<o ooo

O r-J (N &

^55£<o

o .4 c-i o *

OrHINg

^*"

M

8

o

Permeability, vertical (gpd per

ft) sn______________________

00

CO

c-i

OS 

CO

CD

 *' *'

IN CO

1 1

CO rH

000

<OT)I <O

IT

1

Tf

00 IN

00.4 

(NCC

1 1

INrH

rHrHrH

1O OO CO

C^TJI O

rH CC CO 

(NCC r-l

1 1 1

3-3°

Dry unit weight cc)(gper . _ 

Specific gravity of solids - 

Porosity, (percent). undisturbed Porosity, repacked (percent)..- _ Centrifuge-moisture equivalent 

.nereent)

Specific retention (percent) . 

Specific yield(percent)

drift Washed 

OS

1

s IN"

o 

o

CO X CC CC

O X

1-1 Co-*

00 IO

1-1 coco

CC t^ CO 00 rH 

rH (NCCCCCC

IO ^ IO 1C

lO <D

3

1O

O Or-i M

g t^. 2-^

"? ^ \ 1

IO C< M

Permeability, repacked (gpdper ft)... sn.-.-.--_-_..----.--_._.-.

1

rH rHOOO

1 III

CO rH IO O

1-1 coco ?- 

1010100

X

cc K

SS2

IN rH I1 1

-1

Permeability, vertical (gpd per

ft)_ SQ --.__--___._.___ ^

1

o

M

OS *

CO

OS

1

00

cc

10 10 m

1OOSO

CCXr-l

oco or> T'T'T

r~''*co

cc) Dryweight unit (g per-------- Specific gravity of solids

Porosity, undisturbed (percent). Porosity, repacked (percent )..-... 

Centrifuge-moisture equivalent 

("percent) ...- -. _

Specific retention (percent)-_ __-.. Specific yield (percent) ________ _
TABLE 10. Properties of limestone, dolo

Test

Permeability, vertical

Permeability, horizontal

Dry unit weight (g per cc)___ 

Specific gravity of solids

Porosity, undisturbed

Centrifuge-moisture

Limestone

Range

0. 0003-160

. 0006-540 

1.21 - 2.69 

2. 68 - 2. 88

6. 6 - 55. 7

.7 - 17. 7 

4. 9 - 29. 1 

.2 - 35. 8

Arithmetic 

mean

23

44

1. 94 

2. 75

30

5 

13 

14

Number 

of 

analyses

28

28 

66

74

74

34 

32 

32

D

Range

0. 00008- 0. 

1. 83 - 2. 

2. 64 - 2. 

19. 1 -32. 
PROPERTIES OF ROCK AND SOIL MATERIALS D31

100

90

60

50

40

30

100

PARTICLE-SIZE DIAMETER, IN MILLIMETERS

CLAY

<0.004

Tn r

 21.9 

 5.4

........ 2.1

SILT

0.004-0 0625

38.9 

317 

14.6 

12.8

SAND

Very 

fine 

0 0625 

0 125

9.0

7.7 

6.8 

5.1

Fine 

0125- 

0.25

88 

9.1

9.3 

7.6

rtediurr 

0.25- 

05

6.2

7.4 

9.0 

8.9

Coarse 

05-1

3.8

5.3 

8.7 

9.3

Very 

coarse 

1-2

2.8 

4.7 

8.0 

9.2

GRAVEL

Very 

fine 

2-4

4.9 

9.2 

12.0

Fine 

4-8

4.5 

10.5 

10.1

Mediun 

8-16

22 

18.5 

13.1

Coarse 

16-32

0.6 

9.8

Very 

coarse 

32-64

HYDROLOGIC AND PHYSICAL PROPERTIES

Lab. 

No.

51SD5_____

58OHO5-. 

57MAS11__ 

58MAS19..

Location

Hand County, S. 

Dak___ _____________

Montgomery 

County, Ohio- ______

Middlesex County, 

Mass__ _ _ ______

Depth 

of 

sample 

(feet)

97.0- 

98.0

2.5

Specific 

gravity 

of 

solids

2.69

2.71

2.72 

2.73

Dry 

unit 

weight 

(gper 

cc)

1.62

1.78

2.12

1.78

Specific 

retention 

(percent 

of volume)

33.4

2.5 

.6

Total 

porosity 

(percent 

of volume)

39.8 

33.9

22.1 

34.8

Specific 

yield 

(percent 

of volume)

6.4

19.6 

34.2

Coefficient 

of permeab'lity (gpd 

per sq ft

0.1

.08

2 

97

FIGURE 11. Typical data on particle-size distribution and the hydrolozic and

physical properties of till.

evaporation in isolated bodies of water. One rock of chemical origin 

is chert. Although some tests have been made on chert in the 

laboratory, data are not complete enough to be presented in this report.

Organic origin

Rocks of organic origin may form in many different ways. They 

may form from precipitation or accumulation of calcium carbonate 

from water by organisms, or they may form from accumulations of
D32 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HYDROLOGY OF THE UNITED STATES

on

on

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

c

c 

c

^

-1 C1 i

s c

-J 0

3 C 

3 C 

5 C

 J.

-> ^:

IS

6 c

/

--'.

\ \ 

i- un u

DOC 

DOC 

DOC

^

7

/

... 

\\

300O C 

30C3 C

/

/

3 C

i S

5 C

/

MD C

^

H3C

^

x

U

T(- 

DC

*^

«/

I/

/

/

/

n

SJ IJ

o c 

5 c

f

I

/-

._..-

^^

 5 C

SJ I

Z> C

i

S

-y-

/ -f 

^ 

o

NJ U

=> C

/

/

/ 

/

'

' ""'

-> c 

i

s'

ffs

=> c

-H C

c^'

y

3 C 

sj ^

/

/

''

5 C 

»- c

/

/

= C

O Cj

/ '

3 C 

D c

3 C 

sj -

10

20

30

40

Cfl

60

70

OA

90

= 

 r

PARTICLE-SIZE DIAMETER, IN MILLIMETERS

CLAY

<0.004

-t r

 3.8 

 1.2

C 0

SILT

0.004-0.0625

89.0

9.4 

.0 

4.0

SAND

Very 

fine 

0.0625 

0125

3.2 

46.0

.4 

1.0

Fine 

0.125- 

0.25

0.2

39.6 

6.3 

2.1

dediurr 

0.25- 

0.5

1.2

46.3 

2.3

Coarse 

0.5-1

32.1 

4.2

Very 

coarse 

1-2

11.8 

7.2

GRAVEL

Very 

fine 

2-4

1.6

15.4

Fine 

4-8

0.3 

25.3

dediurr 

8-16

22.5

Coarse 

16-32

9.7

Very 

coarse 

32-64

HYDROLOQIC AND PHYSICAL PROPERTIES

Lab.

No.

57MAS17-

58MAS36..

58MAS44-

59MCH2__

Location

Middlesex County,

Ipswich River

_.__ do

Kalamazoo, Mich---_-

Depth

of

sample

(feet)

15

2

2

1-2

Specific

gravity

of

solids

2.72

2.69

2.67

2.72

Dry

unit

weight

(Rper

cc)

1.12

1.41

1.47

1.78

Specific

retention

(percent

of volume)

13.3

2.8

.9

26.5

Total

porosity

(percent

of volume)

58.8

47.6

44.?

34.6

Specific

yield

(percent

of volume)

45.5

44.8

44.0

8.1

Coefficient

of permeability (gpd

per sq ft)

0

71

1,400

130

FIGURE 12. Typical data on particle-size distribution and the hydro logic and 

physical properties of washed drift.

plant and (or) animal life, which decays and produces carbonaceous 

materials. Limestone, dolomite, and peat are the only materials 

of organic origin considered in this report.

Limestone, dolomite, and peat. Limestone is a coirmon and widely 

distributed calcium carbonate rock. It is fine grained and generally 

gray and will effervesce freely when tested with cold dilute hydrochloric acid. Dolomite differs from limestone in that it contains 

magnesium and will effervesce only slightly when tested with cold
PROPERTIES OF ROCK AND SOIL MATERIALS D33

hydrochloric acid. Peat is a soft, dark-brown to black deposit produced by the partial decomposition of plant and animal life under 

aqueous conditions. Table 10 summarizes the properties of materials 

of organic origin. Only a limited number of samples of peat and 

dolomite have been tested to date.

Water-bearing properties of rocks of chemical and organic origin. 

No rocks differ more radically in their water-bearing character than 

do those of chemical and organic origin. Limestones and dolomites 

are generally dense and massive, and their ability to carry and yield 

water is dependent not on their original texture but on secondary 

structures such as fractures; solution cavities, and joints, all of which 

exist or are produced or enlarged by the solvent action of water.

Limestone and dolomite may, when newly formed, contain many 

interstices. However, during compaction or as the calcareous materials are dissolved and again precipitated, these pores are filled. 

Accordingly, older limestone is generally compact, and the passages 

for water storage and transport form along fractures, joints, and bedding planes, or by solution, mostly along bedding planes and joints. 

If limestone or dolomite that originally occupied a position where 

water actively circulated was subsequently moved below the water 

table, a good water-bearing formation resulted. Dolomite, however, 

differs from limestone in that it is somewhat less soluble thar limestone. The hydrologic properties determined for limestone and dolomite in the laboratory generally indicate the properties of the original 

structure of the rock, and they are consequently very low.

Peat, because of its fibrous nature, is extremely absorbent and has 

a high water-retention capacity. Peat has a very high porosity but 

despite this has poor water-producing characteristics.

METAMOBPHIC BOCKS

Metamorphic rocks are those that have been so changed usually 

in the presence of liquids or gases by heat and pressure that rocks 

having new characteristics are formed. The change occurs in either 

the mineral composition or the texture, or in both. Only a few representatives of this rock class have been analyzed in the Hydrologic 

Laboratory.

Slate and schist. Slate is a very fine textured rock resulting mainly 

from the deep-seated deformation of clay and shale. The cleaved 

surfaces tend to be very smooth because of the fineness of the mineral 

grains. Schist is a crystalline rock with a secondary foliation, but it 

is somewhat coarser grained than slate. It commonly splits along the 

foliation to form irregular plates. Mica schist the common type 

results from the recrystallization of sandstone, shale, or clay, or from 

the excessive shearing of granitoid and porphyritic igneous rocks.
D34 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HYDROLOGY OF THE UNITED STATES

Table 11 summarizes the properties for slate and schist. The 

highest permeabilities, porosities, and specific yields, and lowest 

specific retentions were obtained for samples of weathered schist.

TABLE 11. Properties of slate and schist

Test

Permeability, vertical (gpd

Dry unit weight (g per cc) -

Specific gravity of solids. __._ 

Porosity, undisturbed

Centrifuge-moisture

Range

2. 85 -3. 05

Slate

Arithmetic 

mean

2.94

Number 

of 

analyses

10

£

Range

1. 42 - 2. 69

2. 70 - 2. 84 

4. 4 -49. 3

4. 5 -15. 8

10. 3 -23. 6

21.9 -33.2

^chist

Arithmetic 

mean

1.76

2.79 

38

10

17

26

Number 

of 

analyses

21

21 

18

12

11

11

Quartzite. Quartzite is a compact rock composed of interlocking 

quartz grains. It is formed by the metamorphism of sandstone and 

is distinguished from sandstone by the fact that fractures in quartzite 

pass through the grains of quartz, producing an uneven surface. 

Data on the properties of quartzite are not available ir the laboratory 

at present.

Water-Bearing Properties oj Metamorphic Rocks. Metamorphic 

rocks are generally dense and compact, and the storage and transport 

of water occurs mainly in fractures, joints, cleavage planes, and solution passages. Some weathered rocks of this class contain water at 

their surfaces, although they do not readily yield water because of 

their fine texture. The more crystalline rocks of this class are similar 

in their water-bearing properties to the crystalline igneous rocks. 

Schist, for example, carries water in small openings that form parallel 

to the planes of foliation, but horizontal joint patterns, which are 

prevalent in granite, are scarce. Slate, schist, quartzite, and marble 

have low porosity and permeability when tested in their sedimentary 

form. However, slate yields water through joints and cleavage planes; 

quartzite, through joints; and marble, along bedding or joint planes 

or through solution passages formed along them. The results of 

physical and hydrologic analyses obtained in the laboratory pertain 

to the matrix of the rock and not to the secondary structures.

SUMMARY

Laboratory data presented in this report should be used with caution. Use depends greatly on the source and range of the data and 

on the number of samples or analyses upon which results or conclusions 

are based. The larger the sampling population, the more meaningful
PROPERTIES OF ROCK AND SOIL MATERIALS D35

and useful the data. To allow the reader to assess the reliability of 

the data in this report, the physical and hydrologic data have been 

tabulated for each rock type, and both the number of samples and the 

range of the data are given. Furthermore, for comparative use, the 

arithmetic mean has been calculated for each of the same groups.

Arkin, Herbert, and Colton (1956, p. 17) stated that the arithmetic 

mean is the most commonly used, most easily understood, and most 

generally recognized average; that its computation is relatively simple; 

and that it may be treated algebraically. They also pointed out, 

however, that the arithmetic mean may be greatly distorted by extreme values and therefore may not be typical. Nonetheless, the 

arithmetic mean was used in this report because of the ease cf computation and because of the wide variety of uses to which it can be 

applied.

In addition to the detailed data presented in tables for individual 

rock types, the arithmetic means are summarized in one comprehensive table from which the relation of the rocks to one another can be 

studied (table 12). Again, caution should be used in relating data on 

one type of rock or test to that on another. For example, the reader 

might assume that both the repacked permeability and the undisturbed vertical permeability were determined for the same sample. 

This would be incorrect. For medium sand, as example, the data 

indicate only that the repacked permeability of 255 samples averaged 

about 300, and that the vertical permeability of 112 samples averaged 

about 340. Similarly, data on a particular grain size of sandstone 

cannot be compared directly to that of an unconsolidated sand of the 

same size. To do this, one would have to assume that the samples 

were comparable except for cementation, and this assumption would 

be incorrect. The data were obtained for samples taken from the 

rock matrix, and properties are not necessarily representative of the 

entire geologic formation.

Ordinarily, the arithmetic mean could be used in the field to describe rock for which a laboratory analysis is not available. Ideally, 

the field man should have some idea of the reliability of the value 

applied to the rock in question. Figure 13 graphically illustrates 

the distribution of repacked permeabilities for medium-sand samples. 

About 76 percent of the samples tested fall within the permeability 

class of 100-1,000 gpd per sq ft (gallons per day per square foot). 

The arithmetic mean of permeability for these samples was found to 

'~ie about 300 gpd per sq ft. However, when the distribution of values 

cor a particular property (as shown in figure 13) are known, the field 

man is still unable to definitely use any particular value from the 

'Traph for his rock because that particular rock could have a value 

at either extreme of the full range of values.
TABLE 12. Summary of the arithmetic mean of p

[Classified according to predominant par

Test

Permeability, repacked

Permeability, vertical

Permeability, horizontal

Dry unit weight (g per

Specific gravity of solids. . 

Porosity, undisturbed

Porosity, repacked

Centrifuge-moisture 

equivalent (percent).. _. 

Specific retention

Sedimentar

Water-laid deposits

Sandstone

Fine

5

1. 76 

2.65

33

6

13 

21

Medium

77

I.fi8 

2.66

37

4

10

27

Siltstone

0.004

l.fil 

2.65

35 

43 

14

29 

12

Claystone

0.002

1.51 

2.66

43

Shale

2.53 

2.69

6

Clay

0.002 

.005

1.49 

2.67

42 

48 

30

38 

6

Silt

0.6 

2

1.38 

2.62

46 

46 

13

28 

20

Sa

Fine

61 

94

1.55 

2.67

43 

32 

4

8 

33

Medi

300 

340

1

2

39 

35 

1

4 

32
PROPERTIES OF ROCK AND SOIL MATERIALS D37

0

ft

II! £ i|io

CP2

 o §c0

O 1 1o

t*'Ss

 8

CD 

CO

tf

te

I

t-i

||S6

COO

ft S8

1

5

^->

COs

co

"3

cc B

0

||

»"S

CD 2

^

p-6

o O|

i^r o 

 o1a

CB 1I

"30

 oc

OS

co

co12O

 oi

CO1O

ifc3

c 

cc t^

CN

D1

CC

feft

 o

repacked (gp 1S

OS I

£

8^o

""

<M

C5 *

COo§o

a 3

o

CO

>0

 *

CM

cs!

0" 1-. " ft

s. -s

vertical (gpd horizontal (g]

*>» *>»

2 2

Jefs

!« i I ^*" i

,GN ,

to os

rH MOO 

CO

ss

c^i co 1s-

SSco

ss^ 2 :L

OS

ss

CN

T(«U5

OS t~

 < CM' o> -

S§-H' c'*3! !a

OOM CO r-

-H CM'O>

OS 1^- ! - 04 18

88§

*" co

ooo

co i1 X

»-;

ht cc) (gper . solids ofy . sturbed (pert eked (oercent

.S?--^ S

!§§§

 g^>

A ft° c

c5

1/5

rt«

CO

>o

"S

isture eqiva 0S

ciQtJO c

*° 1 

Q" I

§3

23

CO-H

o> o

CN to

 * CO

85 50

ion (percent) (percent)----.

«2 

S]3

o o"

coco
D38 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HYDROLOGY OF THE UNITED STATES

80

70

50

40

10

Total number of 

samples: 255

10 100 1000

PERMEABILITY FOR REPACKED SAMPLES, IN

GALLONS PER DAY PER SQUARE FOOT

10,000

FIGURE 13. Distribution of permeability for repacked samples 

of water-laid medium sand.

Because a hydrologic or physical property of a rock in the field 

may fall at the extreme limits of the range of values, precise data 

for various properties must depend upon laboratory analysis of a
PROPERTIES OF ROCK AND SOIL MATERIALS D39

sample. If only comparative values for a particular property are 

required and laboratory testing is not possible, the data contained 

in the tables of this report should be useful in the analysis of many 

engineering and geologic problems.

REFERENCES CITED

American Geological Institute, 1960, Glossary of geology and related sciences,

with supplement: 2d ed., Washington. 

American Society for Testing Materials, 1964, Procedures for testing soils: 4th ed.,

540 p.

 1961, Standard definitions of terms and symbols relating to soil mechanics,

pt. 4 of 1961 Book of ASTM standards: p. 1402-1419. 

Arkin, Herbert, and Colton, R. R., 1956, Statistical methods: 4th ed., revised,

New York, Barnes & Noble, Inc., 226 p. 

Johnson, A. I., 1965, Computer processing of hydrologic and geologic data, in

Ground water: Natl. Water Well Assoc. Jour., v. 3, no. 3, p. 15-23. 

Krumbein, W. C., and Pettijohn, F. J., 1938, Manual of Sedimentary petrography:

New York, Appleton-Century-Crofts, Inc., 549 p. 

Meinzer, O. E., 1923, The occurrence of ground water in the United States:

U.S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 489, 321 p.

 1949, Hydrology: New York, Dover Pub. Co., 713 p. 

National Research Council, 1947, Report of the subcommittee on sediment terminology: Am. Geophys. Union Trans., v. 28, no. 6, p. 936-938. 

Piper, A. M., 1933, Notes on the relation between the moisture equivalent &nd the

specific retention of water-bearing materials: Am. Geophys. Union Trans.,

v. 14, p. 481-487. 

Prill, R. C., and Johnson, A. I., 1960, Effect of temperature on moisture contents

as determined by centrifuge and tension techniques; in Papers on soils, 1959

meeting: Am. Soc. Testing Materials Spec. Tech. Pub. 254, p. 340-349. 

Rice, C. M., 1954, Dictionary of geological terms: Ann Arbor, Mich., Edwards

Bros., Inc., 465 p. 

Stokes, W. L., and Varnes, D. J., 1955, Glossary of selected geologic terrrs with

special reference to their use in engineering: Denver, Colorado Sc: . Soc.

Proc., v. 16, 165 p. 

Taylor, D. W., 1948, Fundamentals of soil mechanics: New York, John Wiley &

Sons, 700 p. 

'Venzel, L. K., 1942, Methods for determining permeability of water-bearing

materials: U.S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 887, 192 p.

PUBLICATIONS CONTAINING ANALYTICAL DATA FROM 

THE HYDROLOGIC LABORATORY

Alien, W. B., Hahn, G. W., and Tuttle, C. R., 1963, Geohydrological data for

the upper Pawcatuck River Basin, Rhode Island: Rhode Island Geol. Bull.

13, 68 p. 

"^ack, William, 1957, Geology and ground-water features of the Smith River

plain, Del Norte County, California: U.S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply

Paper 1254, 76 p. 

j'^aker, J. A., Healy, H. G., and Hackett, O. M., 1964, Geology and ground-water

conditions in the Wilmington-Reading area, Massachusetts: U.S. Geol.

Survey Water-Supply Paper 1694, 80 p. 

Pedinger, M. S., 1961, Relation between median grain size and permeability in

the Arkansas River valley, Arkansas, in Geological Survey Research 1961:

U.S. Geol. Survey Prof. Paper 424-C, p. C31-C32.
D40 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HYDROLOGY OF THE UNITED STATES

Bedinger, M. S., Emmett, L. F., and Jeffery, H. G., 1963, Grourd-water potential

of the alluvium of the Arkansas River between Little Rod- and Fort Smith,

Arkansas: U.S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 1669-L, 29 p. 

Bradley, Edward, 1956, Geology and ground-water resources of the upper

Niobrara River basin, Nebraska and Wyoming: U.S. Geol. Survey WaterSupply Paper 1368, 70 p. 

Bradley, Edward, 1964, Geology and ground-water resources of southeastern

New Hampshire: U.S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 1695, 80 p. 

Brown, R. F., and Lambert, T. W., 1963, Reconnaissance of ground-water

resources in the Mississippian Plateau region, Kentucky: U.S. Geol. Survey

Water-Supply Paper 1603, 58 p. 

Brown, S. G., and Newcomb, R. C., 1963, Ground-water resources of the coastal

sand-dune area north of Coos Hay, Oregon: U.S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply

Paper 1619-D, 32 p. 

Cardwell, W. D. E., and Jenkins, E. D., 1963, Ground-water geology and pump

irrigation in Frenchman Creek basin above Palisade, Nebraska: U.S. Geol.

Survey Water-Supply Paper 1577, 472 p. 

Cohen, Philip, 1961, Specific yield of sediments of the Humboldt River valley,

Humboldt County, Nevada, in Geological Survey Research 1961: U.S.

Geol. Survey Prof. Paper 424-C, p. C43-C45. 

 1962, Estimating porosity from specific gravity, in Geological Survey

Research 1962: U.S. Geol. Survey Prof. Paper 450-B, p. B41-B43.

1963, Specific-yield and particle-size relations of Quaternary alluvium,

Humboldt River valley, Nevada: U.S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper

1669-M, 24 p. 

Counts, H. B., and Donsky, Ellis, 1963, Salt-water encroachment, geology,

and ground-water resources of Savannah area, Georgia and South Carolina:

U.S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 1611, 100 p. 

Crandell, H. C., 1962, Geology and ground-water resources of Plum Island,

Suffolk County, New York: U.S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 1539-X,

35 p.

 1963, Geology and ground-water resources of the town of Southold, Suffolk County, New York: U.S. Geol. Survey Water-Suppl;- Paper 1619-GG,

36 p.

Cronin, J. G., 1964, A summary of the occurrence and deve^pment of ground 

water in the southern high plains of Texas: U.S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply 

Paper 1693, 88 p.

Davis, G. H., Lofgren, B. E., and Mack, Seymour, 1964, Use of ground-water 

reservoirs for storage of surface water in the San Joaquin Valley, California: 

U.S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 1618, 125 p.

Butcher, L. C., and Bader, J. S., 1963, Geology and hydrology of Agua Caliente 

Spring, Palm Springs, California: U.S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 

1605, 41 p

Green, J. H., 1964, The effect of artesian-pressure decline on confined aquifer 

systems and its relation to land subsidence: U.S. Geol. Survey WaterSupply Paper 1779-T, 11 p.

Hampton, E. T., 1961, Ground water from Coastal Dune and Beach Sands, 

in Geological Survey Research 1961: U.S. Geol. Survey Prof. Paper 424-B, 

p. B204-B206.

Holt, C. L. R., Jr., 1965, Geology and water resources of Portage County, Wisconsin: U.S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 1796, 77 p.
PROPERTIES OF ROCK AND SOIL MATERIALS D41

Johnson, A. I., and Morris, D. A., 1962, Physical and hydrologic properties of 

water-bearing deposits from core holes in the Los Banos-Kettleman City 

area, California: U.S. Geol. Survey open-file report, 182 p.

Johnson, A. I., and Moston, R. P., 1962, Relation of volumetric shrinkage to 

clay content of sediments from the San Joaquin Valley, California, in Geological Survey Research 1962: U.S. Geol. Survey Prof. Paper 450-B, p. B43- 

B44.

Johnson, A. I., Moston, R. P., and Morris, D. A., 1965, Physical and hydrologic 

properties of water-bearing deposits in subsiding areas in central California: 

U.S. Geol. Survey open-file report, 212 p.

Johnson, A. I., Prill, R. C., and Morris, D. A., 1963, Specific yield Column 

drainage and centrifuge moisture content: U.S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply 

Paper 1662-A, 69 p.

Keech, C. F., 1964, Ground-water conditions in the proposed waterfoyl refuge 

area near Chapman, Nebraska: U.S. Geol. Survey Water-Suppl;T Paper 

1779-E, 55 p.

Koopman, F. C., 1957, Ground water in the Crow Creek-Sand Lake area, Brown 

and Marshall Counties, South Dakota: U.S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply 

Paper 1425, 125 p.

MacCary, L. M., and Lambert, T. W., 1962, Reconnaissance of ground-water 

resources of the Jackson Purchase region, Kentucky: U.S. Geol. Survey 

Hydrol. Inv. Atlas HA-13.

Manger, G. E., 1963, Porosity and bulk density of sedimentary rocks: U.S. Geol. 

Survey Bull. 1144-E, 55 p.

Masursky, Harold, 1962, Uranium-bearing coal in the eastern part of the Red 

Desert area, Wyoming: U.S. Geol. Survey Bull. 1099-B, 152 p.

McGovern, H. E., 1964, Geology and ground-water resources of Washington 

County, Colorado: U.S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 1777, 46 p.

Moulder, E. A., Klug, M. F., Morris, D. A., and Swenson, F. A., 1960, Geology 

and ground-water resources of the lower Little Bighorn River valley, Big 

Horn County, Montana, with special reference to the drainage of waterlogged 

lands: U.S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 1487, 223 p.

Moulder, E. A., and Kohout, F. A., 1958, Ground-water factors affecting drainage 

in the First Division, Buffalo Rapids Irrigation Project, Prairie and Dawson 

Counties, Montana: U.S. Geol. Water-Supply Paper 1424, 198 p.

Moulder, E. A., Torrey, A. E., and Koopman, F. C., 1953, Ground-water factors 

affecting the drainage of Area IV, First Division, Buffalo Rapids Irrigation 

Project, Montana: U.S. Geol. Survey Circ. 198, 46 p.

Xace, R. L., Stewart, J. W., Walton, W. C., and others, 1959, Hydrology and 

water resources, pt. 3 of Nace, R. L., and others, Geography, geology, and 

water resources of the National Reactor Testing Station, Idaho: U.S. Geol. 

Survey open-file report, 253 p.

Newport, T. G., 1959, Ground-water resources of the lower Niobrara River and 

Ponca Creek basins, Nebraska and South Dakota: U.S. Geol. Survey WaterSupply Paper 1460-G, p. 273-323.

Norris, S. E., 1963, Permeability of glacial till, in Geological Survey Research 

1962: U.S. Geol. Survey Prof. Paper 450-E, p. E150-E151.

Pree, H. L., Jr., Walker, W. H., and MacCary, L. M., 1957, Geology and groundwater resources of the Paducah area, Kentucky: U.S. Geol. Survey WaterSupply Paper 1417, 214 p.
D42 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HYDROLOGY OF THE UNITED STATES

Price, W. E., Jr., Mull, D. S., and Kilburn, Chabot, 1962, Reconnaissance of

ground-water resources in the Eastern Coal Field region, Kentucky: U.S.

Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 1607. 

Rapp, T. R., 1953, Reconnaissance of the geology and ground-water resources of

the LaPrele area. Converse County, Wyoming: U.S. Geol. Survey Circ. 243,

33 p. 

Rapp, J. R., Visher, F. X., and Littleton, R. T., 1957, Geology and ground-water

resources of Goshen County, Wyoming: U.S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply

Paper 1377, 145 p. 

Sniegocki, R. T., 1955, Ground-water Resources of the Prairie Creek Unit of the

Lower Platte River basin, Nebraska: U.S. Geol. Survey Water-supply

Paper 1327, 133 p.

 1964, Hydrogeology of a part of the Grand Prairie region, Arkansas:

U.S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 1615-B. 

Stewart, J. W., 1964, Infiltration and permeability of weathered crystalline rocks,

Georgia Nuclear Laboratory, Dawson County, Georgia: U.S. Geol. Survey

Bull. 1133-D, 57 p. 

Stewart, J. W., Callahan, J. T., Carter, R. F., and others, 19^4, Geologic and

hydrologic investigation at the site of the Georgia Nuclear Laboratory,

Dawson County, Georgia: U.S. Geol. Survey Bull. 1133-F, 90 p. 

Stuart, W. T., Brown, E. A., and Rhodehamel, E. C., 1954, Ground-water

investigations of the Marquette Iron-Mining District: Lansing, Michigan

Dept. Conserv. Tech. Rept. 3, 91 p. 

Swartz, J. H., 1962, Some physical constants for the Marshall Islands area:

U.S. Geol. Survey Prof. Paper 260-AA, p. 953-989. 

Visher, F. N., 1952, Reconnaissance of the geology and ground-water resources

of the Pass Creek Flats area, Carbon County, Wyoming: U.S. Geol. Survey

Circ. 188, 19 p. 

Visher, F. N., and Babcock, H. M., 1953, Ground-water conditions in the soil

and moisture conservation demonstration area near ToTington, Goshen

County, Wyoming: U.S. Geol. Survey Circ. 238, 51 p. 

Wait, R. L., 1965, Geology and occurrence of fresh and brackish ground water

in Glynn County, Georgia: U.S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 1613-E,

94 p. 

Weist, W. G., Jr., 1964, Geology and ground-water resources of Yuma County,

Colorado: U.S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 1539-J, 56 p.

 1965, Geology and occurrence of ground water in Otero County and the 

southern part of Crowley County, Colorado: U.S. Geo1 . Survey WaterSupply Paper 1799, 90 p.

Whitcomb, H. A., and Cummings, T. R., 1965, Ground-water resources and 

geology of Niobrara County, Wyoming: U.S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply 

Paper 1788, 101 p.

Whitcomb, H. A., and Morris, D. A., 1964, Ground-water resources and geology 

of northern and western Crook County, Wyoming: U.S. Geol. Survey 

Water-Supply Paper 1698, 92 p.

O