Liquid Limit & Plastic Limit Test

Soil Mechanic
College of Engineering
Water Resources Department
3rd Stage
Group: B

Done by: Sivar Rzgar

Introduction…………………………………………….………….... 3
Aim of Experiment……………………………………….………... 4
Equipment……………………………………………….…………. 4-5
Procedure………………………………………………….………... 6-7
Calculation…………………………………………………….……. 8
Graph…………………………………………………….………..... 9
Discussion..........................…………………………..…………...... 10
Reference........................................................................................... 11
Data Sheet...........................................................................................12

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Introduction

Liquid limit test, the compression index may be estimated, which is used in
settlement analysis. If the natural moisture content of soil is higher than liquid
limit, the soil can be considered as soft and if the moisture content is lesser than
liquid limit, the soil is brittle and stiffer. The value of liquid limit is used in
classification of the soil and it gives an idea about plasticity of the soil. The liquid
limit is the moisture content at which the groove formed by a standard tool into the
sample of soil taken in the standard cup, closes for 12 mm on being given 25 blows
in a standard manner. At this limit, the soil possess low shear strength. Plastic limit
Plastic Limit is as important as Liquid Limit so as to ascertain Plasticity Index, Ip
of the soil. The plastic limit of a soil is the moisture content, expressed as a
percentage of the weight of the oven-dry soil, at the boundary between the plastic
and semi-solid states of consistency. It is the moisture content at which a soil will
just begin to crumble when rolled into a thread ⅛ inch (3 mm) in diameter using a
ground glass plate or other acceptable surface. Plastic limit is a test that involves
rolling out a thread of the fine portion of a soil on a flat, non-porous surface. The
procedure is defined in ASTM Standard D4318. If the soil is at a moisture content
where its behavior is plastic, this thread will retain its shape down to a very narrow
diameter.

3
Aim of the Experiment

The liquid and plastic limit tests are two basic engineering experiments which
characterizes the effect of water content on fine-grained soils that enable to: To
determine the liquid limit, plastic limit, and the plasticity index of the soil sample.
To produce data within the acceptable range of errors as required by the lab
instructor. To analyze the sample using the results of the experiments and
determine its type based on the Unified Soil Classification System (USCS)-
Classify fine-grained soils.

Equipment
Liquid Limit
1-Casagrande liquid limit device
2-Grooving tool
3-Moisture cans
4-Porcelain evaporating dish
5-Spatula
6-Oven
7-Balance sensitive up to 0.01 g
8-Plastic squeeze bottle
9-Paper towels

4
Equipment

Plastic limit
1-Porcelain evaporating dish
2-Spatula
3-Plastic squeeze bottle with water
4-Moisture can
5-Ground glass plate
6-Balance sensitive up to 0.01 g

Equipment of Liquid Limit

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Procedure

Liquid limit
1- First we weighted three cans which were cans No. 7,12, and 82.
2-We had three samples of soil we added water to the samples until the soil began
acting like a paste (plastic budding), we mixed them well together until it appears
uniform and the surface looks creamy.
3- We determined and record the weight of the three samples plus the weight of the
cans that they were in.
4- The grooving tool has a block on the back of it that is 10 mm long the full the
height of the Casa-Grande apparatus.
5- We placed the grooving tool underneath the cup we rotated the handle so that
the can just contacts the grooving tool.
6- We cleaned and dried the can to make sure it was totally clean we spread a
moderate amount of soil into the can to create a soil pat to be tested.
7- By using the grooving tool we created a strait groove through the center of the
soil pat the shoulders of the grooving tool should just scrape the surface of the soil
pat.
8- Once the groove has been made we rotate the handle at a speed of 2 blows per
second and we counted the no of blows it takes to close the groove.
9- We scoop out some of the soil and placed them in the cans to preform water
content test.

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Procedure

Plastic Limit
1- We weighted the can No. S16.
2- We took a sample of soil and we added water to it then we added water to it.
3- The we spread the sample on a plate to dry it out until it gets to a workable state
we started rolling the soil into a thread we rolled soil until the diameter of the
thread is reduced to 3 mm.
4- Using a rod to determine when the soil
has reached 3mm in diameters, if the soil
does not crumble when rolled to 3 mm
diameter we further dry out the soil and
try again.
5- Once the soil has reached 3 mm in
diameter and crumbles we collected
pieces of the soil and placed them in the
can and weighted the can again with the
soil in it. Procedure of Plastic Limit

6- We produced water content test on the soil.

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Calculation

For Liquid Limit

Water Content (%) = (W2 – W3 / W3 – W1) × 100

N1 = 15, N2 = 24, N3 = 37
L.L = WN (%) × (N / 25)0.121
L.L 1 = 40.98 × (15/25)0.121 = % 38.52
L.L 2 = % 39.85
L.L 3 = % 41.16
Average of L.L = ∑ L.L / 3
% 40.98 + % 39.85 + % 41.16 / 3 = % 40.66

For Plastic Limit

P.L = (W2 – W3 / W3 – W1) × 100

8
Discussion

Liquid limit test is used for classification of the fine grain particles of soil the
practical application of the Atterberg limit in geotechnical engineering includes
soil description continues soil classification for correlation to engineering
properties such as shear strength the Atterberg limit index test and they are used to
design to give and idea to indicated how a soil will act under certain conditions.
Liquid limit is defined by the moisture content in which a soil began to act less a
viscous fluid and more as a plastic putty by conventional this is defined as the
water content at the groove cut into a soil particle in the Casa-Grande apparatus.
The plastic is the average of the moisture content when the soil starts to crumble
when it’s been rolled into a 3 mm thread for liquid limit test we have done some
calculations according to the following rules, (1) water content = ω₂ - ω₃/ω₃ -
ω₁×100 Which W₁ is the weight of the can W₂ is the weight of the can + the weight
of the soil with water W₃ is the weight of dry soil + weight of the can. (2) flow
index = WC1 (%) -WC2 (%) /log (b₁) - log (b₂) which (b) is the No. of blows. For
plastic limit we used the following formulas, (1) water content water content = ω₂ -
ω₃/ω₃ - ω₁×100, (2) PL = LL - PL. It is important to take the correct amount of
soil for the plastic limit test. The usual error is to take too large a sample which
may give an incorrect answer. For the liquid limit test, it is important to thoroughly
mix soil and water. Avoid adding dry soil to a mixture which is too wet, dry it by
stirring instead. Another error which we did while doing the test is that the No. of
the blows should be (20-30) but we did (37) blows. The greatest source of error in
both liquid and plastic limit tests is lack of care in performing, operator error,
because these tests are very precise and requires very exact following of
procedures, any mistake and throw off the data substantially. As an example, the
soil must be rolled out to the correct diameter and in plastic test the exact rate of
blows should be performed correctly. From the following data that we found we
draw the graph in which the x-axis is the No. of blows and the y-axis is the water
content and found the flow index from it which we took water content = % 42 and
No. of blows = 17 and No. of blows = 30 and water content = % 39 and got a flow
index = 12.16.
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Reference

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