What type of soil is indicated by the acronym "CL" in classification?

The acronym "CL" in soil classification stands for "Clayey silt soils." This classification comes from the Unified Soil Classification System (USCS), which categorizes soils based on their grain size and plasticity. In the USCS, "C" indicates clay and "L" represents a specific type of silt, thus combining to indicate a soil that is primarily silty with clay characteristics.

Understanding soil classification is essential in various fields including geotechnical engineering and environmental assessments, particularly for activities related to underground storage tanks (USTs). Proper identification of soil types can impact decisions regarding site assessments, contamination containment, and remediation strategies. Clayey silt soils, for example, exhibit unique drainage and retention properties which can influence the behavior of contaminants.