Abstract:
The study and classification of soil has in the past been undertaken by engineers and agriculturists who have confined themselves to those soil properties and materials in which they have a special interest. The soils have also been studied by geologists, but the geological description of an area does not include the information required by soil users. The appreciation of soil made in this way has been restricted by the limited standpoint from which it has been investigated. A classification designed by one soil user has tended to be of limited value to others because, it has been designed to serve a specific and limited purpose. Soil classification is largely a 20th century concept, although, work in this area started in the preceding century. Numerous systems of soil classification have been developed and many are in use in various parts of the world.
