UNIVERSITY INSTITUTE OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY

PRACTICAL EXPERIMENT INSTRUCTION SHEET

EXPERIMENT NO. – 04 PAGE:01 OF 05
EXPERIMENT TITLE: (a) To determine liquid limit.
UIET (b) To determine plastic limit.
LABORATORY: SOIL MECHANICSLAB PCC-CE-305G
DEPTT.: CIVIL ENGINEERING SEMESTER: V
Object: (a) To determine liquid limit.
(b) To determine plastic limit.

Theory:-
Liquid limit is the water content at which soil passes from zero strength to an infinitesimal strength, hence the true value of
liquid limit can not be determined . For determination purpose liquid limit is that water content at which a part of soil , cut by a groove
of standard dimensions, will flow together for a distance of 1.25cm under an impart of 25 blows in a standard liquid limit apparatus .
The soil at the water content has some strength which is about 0.17N/cm 2 (17.6g/cm2). At this water content soil just passes from
liquid state to plastic state .
The moisture content at which soil has the smallest plasticity is called the plastic limit . Just after plastic limit the soil
displays the properties of a semi-solid. Change in state at these limits are shown in figure.
For determination purpose , the plastic limit is defined as the water content at which a soil will just begin to crumble when
rolled into a thread of 3mm in dia.
The difference in moisture contents or interval between the liquid and plastic limits is termed the plasticity index. Knowing
the liquid limit and plasticity index, soil may be classified with help of plasticity chart acc to Indian standard on soil classification (IS
1498- 1970,) Fig 1
Fig 2 Plasticity chart *(I.S)
In the plasticity chart following symbols are used:
CL = Clay of low compressibility
CM = Clay of medium compressibility
CH = Clay of high compressibility
ML= Silt of low compressibility
MI = Silt of medium compressibility
MH = Silt of high compressibility
OL = Organic soil of low compressibility
OI = Organic soil of high compressibility
OH = Organic soil of high compressibility

Applications:-
The values of liquid and plastic limit are directly used for classifying the grained cohesive soil soils acc. to the Indian
standard on soil classification . once the soils and selecting the suitable methods of design , construction and maintenance of the
structures made or /and resting on soils.
The values of these limits are also used in calculating the flow index, toughness index, and relative plasticity index which
are useful in giving an ideaabout the plasticity , cohesiveness, compressibility , shear strength , permeability , consistency and state of
cohesive soils. Atterberg (1911) shows the correlation between the plasticity index, soil type, degree of plasticity and degree of
cohesiveness.

Plasticity index Soil type Degree of plasticity Degree of cohesiveness

0 Sand Non-plastic Non-cohesive
<7 Silt Low-plastic Partly-cohesive
7-17 Silt clay Med. plastic Cohesive
>17 Clay High-plastic Cohesive
 UNIVERSITY INSTITUTE OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY
PRACTICAL EXPERIMENT INSTRUCTION SHEET
EXPERIMENT NO. – 04 PAGE:02 OF 05
EXPERIMENT TITLE: (a) To determine liquid limit.
UIET (b) To determine plastic limit.
LABORATORY: SOIL MECHANICSLAB PCC-CE-305G
DEPTT.: CIVIL ENGINEERING SEMESTER: V
Apparatus
Special:
1 Casagrande liquid limit device.
2 A.S.T.M and B.S. grooving tool (Casagrande type)
3 Glass plate 20x 15cm.
4 425 micron I.S sieve
5 3mm diameter rod.

General: Spatula, Balance, crucible, Drying Over, Measuring Cylinder, Dessicator

Procedure
(a) Liquid Limit:
1. Adjust the cup of the liquid limit apparatus with the help of grooving tool gauge and the adjustment plate to give a drop of
exactly 1cm on the point of contact on base.
2. Take about120gm of an air-dried sample passing 425micron sieve.
3. Mix it thoroughly with some distilled water to form a uniform paste.
4. Place a portion of the paste in the cup of liquid limit device, smooth the surface with spatula to maximum depth of 1cm.
Draw the grooving tool through the sample along the symmetrical axis of the cup, holding the tool perpendicular to the
cup.
5. Turn the handle at a rate of 2 revolutions per second and count blows until the two parts of the soil sample come into
contact at the bottom of the groove along a distance of 10mm.
6. Transfer about 15gm of the soil forming the edges of the groove that flowed together to a water content tin, and determine
the water content by oven drying.
7. Transfer the remaining soil in the cup to the main soil sample in the basin and mix thoroughly after adding a small amount
of water (a)
8. Repeat steps 4,5 and [Link] at least four sets of readings in the range of 10 to 40 blows.
(b) Plastic Limit:
1. Take about 30gm of air dried sample passing 425micron sieve.
2. Mix thoroughly with distilled water on the glass plate until it is plastic enough to be shaped into a small ball.
3. Take about 10gm of the plastic soil mass and roll it between the hand and the glass plate to form the soil mass into a thread.
If diameter of threads becomes less than 3mm without cracks, it shows that water added in soil is more than its plastic
limit; hence the soil is kneaded further and rolled into thread again.
4. Repeat this rolling and remolding process until the thread starts just crumpling at a diameter of 3mm.
5. If crumpling starts before 3mm diameter thread in step3, it shows that water added in step 2 is less than the plastic limit of
the soil, hence some more water should be added and mixed to a uniform mass and rolled again, until the thread stats just
crumpling at a diameter of 3mm.
6. Collect the pieces of crumbled soil thread at 3mm diameter in an air tight container and determine moisture content.
7. Repeat this procedure twice more with fresh samples of 10gm each.
Precautions
1. Use distilled water in order to minimize the possibility of iron exchange between the soil and any impurities in the water.
2. Soil used for liquid and plastic limit determinations should not be oven dried prior to testing.
3. In liquid limit test, the groove should be closed by a flow of the soil and not by slippage between the soil and cup.
4. After mixing distilled water to the soil sample, sufficient time should be given to permeate the water throughout the soil
mass.
5. Wet soil taken in the container for moisture content determination should not be left open in the air even for some time, the
containers with soil samples should either be placed in desiccators or immediately be weighed.
6. For each test, cup and grooving tool, should be clean.
 UNIVERSITY INSTITUTE OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY
PRACTICAL EXPERIMENT INSTRUCTION SHEET
EXPERIMENT NO. – 04 PAGE:03 OF 05
EXPERIMENT TITLE: (a) To determine liquid limit.
UIET (b) To determine plastic limit.
LABORATORY: SOIL MECHANICSLAB PCC-CE-305G
DEPTT.: CIVIL ENGINEERING SEMESTER: V

Observations and Calculations

(a) Liquid limit (L.L or wL.L)
1. Use table 1 for recording the number of blows and calculating the moisture contents.
2. Use semi log graph paper, take number of blows on semi log scale (x-axis) and water contents on ordinary scale (y-axis). Plot
all the points and draw a straight line (flow curve) passing through these points.
3. Read the water content at 25 blows which is the value of liquid limit.
(b) Plastic limit (P.L or wP.L) Use table 2 for calculating the plastic limit.
(c) Classification of soil.
1. Calculate plasticity index (P.I. orlb) Ih (4-1)
2. Use plasticity chart for classification of given soil.
Calculate the plasticity index of ‘A’ line (P.I)A = 0.73 (wL.L-20)

Where wL.L is in percentage

If P.I.> (P.I) A the soil is caly
If P.I.< (P.I) A the soil is slit
I. Calculate plasticity index (P.I orlb) Ib =wL.L-wP.L
L.L .=0-35 low compressibility
35-50 medium compressibility
>50high compressibility
(d) Flow Index (F.I or IF)
1. Extend the flow curve at both ends so as to intersect the ordinates corresponding to 10 and 100 blows.
2. Read the water contents at 10 and 100 blows. Difference of these two water contents is equal to flow index.
Or
The flow index may be calculated from the eq.I F =(w1-w2)/ log 10 (N2/N1)
W1= water content in % at N1blows
W2 = water content in % at N2 blows
(d) Toughness Index (T.I. or IT)
Toughness Index IT= Plasticity Index/ Flow Index =IP/IF

Liquid and Plastic Limits

Observations and calculations
Table 1
Soil Sample No. Liquid Limit Date

Determination No. 1 2 3 4 5
1. No. of blows
2. Container No.
3. Mass of container+ wet soil, (gm.)
4. Mass of container + dry soil, (gm.)
5. Mass of water (3) –(4), (gm)
6. Mass of container, (gm.)
7. Mass of dry soil (4)-(6) (gm.)
8. Moisture content (5)/ (7) x 100, (%)
 UNIVERSITY INSTITUTE OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY
PRACTICAL EXPERIMENT INSTRUCTION SHEET
EXPERIMENT NO. – 04 PAGE:04 OF 05
EXPERIMENT TITLE: (a) To determine liquid limit.
UIET (b) To determine plastic limit.
LABORATORY: SOIL MECHANICSLAB PCC-CE-305G
DEPTT.: CIVIL ENGINEERING SEMESTER: V

Table 2
Soil Sample No. Liquid Limit Date:

Determination No. 1 2 3
1. Container No.
2. Mass of container+ wet soil, (gm.)
3. Mass of container + dry soil, (gm.)
4. Mass of water (2) –(3), (gm)
5. Mass of container, (gm.)
6. Mass of dry soil, (3)-(5), (gm.)
7. Plastic Limit, (4./6) x 100, (%)

Average Plastic Limit=

Liquid Limit= Moisture Content at 25 Blows

From the Graph)
Results
Liquid limit L.L. (%) =
Plastic limit P.L. (%) =
Plastic Index P.I =
Classification =
Flow Index IF =
Toughness Index IT =
 UNIVERSITY INSTITUTE OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY
PRACTICAL EXPERIMENT INSTRUCTION SHEET
EXPERIMENT NO. – 04 PAGE:05 OF 05
EXPERIMENT TITLE: (a) To determine liquid limit.
UIET (b) To determine plastic limit.
LABORATORY: SOIL MECHANICSLAB PCC-CE-305G
DEPTT.: CIVIL ENGINEERING SEMESTER: V