Which of the following is not a characteristic of cohesionless soil?

Cohesionless soils, typically categorized as granular soils such as sand and gravel, have distinct characteristics that differentiate them from cohesive soils, like clays. Among these characteristics, the option indicating that cohesionless soil is "practically impermeable" is inaccurate.

Cohesionless soils exhibit high permeability, allowing water to flow through them relatively easily. This property stems from the larger soil grain sizes and the void space between particles, making them highly permeable compared to cohesive soils, which tend to retain water. The other characteristics of cohesionless soils include high compressibility, meaning they tend to settle under load, and a granular texture, which is indicative of the individual soil particles’ ability to resist being held together cohesively.

Additionally, while cohesionless soils can be stable under load, this stability is often context-dependent. They may require appropriate compaction to achieve stability depending on factors such as moisture content and the presence of external loads. Overall, highlighting that cohesionless soil is not practically impermeable reinforces the essential properties of this type of soil, presenting a clear distinction from cohesive soils.