This European Standard defines a common basis for description and classification for use by all parties involved in the design, planning and construction of the earthworks. This European Standard specifies the principles of classification, the processes and properties to be used in the description and classification of earthworks materials. For that, it specifies soil and rock groups as basis of material specifications for earth structure elements. NOTE Informative examples of existing national experience based classification systems and their use are presented in the annexes to prEN 16907-1.