Soil texture Soils that have a high percentage of sand, such as sandy loam, or sandy clay, have a gritty texture. Soils that have a high percentage of silt, such as silty loam or silty clay, feel smooth. Soils that have a high percentage of clay, such as clay loam, have a sticky feel. Although the texture by feel method takes practice, it is a useful way to determine soil texture, especially in the field. The hydrometer method of determining soil texture is a qualitative measurement providing estimates of the percent sand, clay, and silt in the soil. The hydrometer method was
Soil cement wear. In comparison with granular bases, soil cement bases can be thinner for the same road load, owing to their slab-like behavior that distributes load over broader areas. In-place or nearby located materials can be used for construction - locally found soil, stone, or reclaimed granular base from a road being reconstructed. This conserves both material and energy. The strength of soil-cement bases actually increases with age, providing good long-term performance. A cement-treated base is a mix of granular soil aggregates or aggregate material with Portland cement and water. It is similar in use and performance to soil-cement base. Developed