What classification represents a mixture of inorganic silt and clay?

The classification that represents a mixture of inorganic silt and clay is correctly identified as ML-CL. In the Unified Soil Classification System (USCS), ML stands for inorganic silt, and CL stands for inorganic clay. When these two types of soil components are mixed together, they fall into the ML-CL category, which indicates that the soil possesses characteristics of both silt and clay, making it important to understand for various civil engineering and geotechnical applications.

Each component plays a significant role in determining the soil's physical properties, such as plasticity, strength, and compaction behavior. This classification is essential for understanding how the soil will behave under load and in different environmental conditions, which is vital for planning and executing construction projects or soil remediation efforts.

In contrast, the other classifications focus on more specific soil types; CL indicates purely inorganic clay, OL pertains to organic silt, and MH designates inorganic silt with high plasticity. The ML-CL classification is essential for scenarios where both silt and clay properties may influence the behavior of the soil and, therefore, informs practitioners on how best to approach engineering challenges related to that soil type.