Type B soils are typically described as which?

• A. Clay
• B. Sand
• C. Silt
• D. Silt or loam

Answer: (D)

Type B soils cover materials with moderate stability—neither highly cohesive like clay nor purely granular like sand. Silt and loam fit this middle ground well because they have some cohesion and fine-grained content without the strong stability of clay or the almost non-cohesive behavior of sand. So, soils described as silt or loam are categorized as Type B, whereas clay is typically Type A and sand is typically Type C. This classification guides excavation safety measures and slope/shoring requirements for different soil conditions.