Determination of Liquid
Limit and Plastic Limit
Geotechnical Engineering
Experiement 5
Introduction
The Atterberg limit refers to the liquid limit and plastic limit of soil.
These two limits are used internationally for soil identification,
classification, and strength correlations.
When clay minerals are present in fine-grained soil, the soil can be
remolded in the presence of some moisture without crumbling.
This cohesiveness is caused by the adsorbed water surrounding
the clay particles. At a very low moisture content, soil behaves
more like a solid; at a very high moisture content, the soil and
water may flow like a liquid.
Hence on an arbitrary basis, depending on the moisture content,
the behavior of soil can be divided into the four basic states: solid,
semisolid, plastic, and liquid.
Introduction
Introduction
• The percent of moisture content at which the transition
from solid to semi-solid state takes place is defined as the
shrinkage limit (SL).
• The moisture content at the point of transition from semi-
solid to plastic state is the plastic limit (PL), and from
plastic to liquid state is the liquid limit (LL).
• These parameters are also known as Atterberg limits. The
liquid and plastic limits of a soil and its water content can
be used to express its relative consistency or liquidity
index.
• The plasticity index and the percentage finer than 2- μm
particle size can be used to determine its activity number.
Introduction
• The liquid limit of a soil containing substantial amounts
of organic matter decreases dramatically when the soil is
oven-dried before testing.
• A comparison of the liquid limit of a sample before and
after oven-drying can, therefore, be used as a qualitative
measure of the organic matter content of a soil.
Objective
• To determine the liquid limit (LL), plastic limit (PL),
and the plasticity index (PI) of fine-grained cohesive
soils.
Apparatus Required
• Balance
• Casagrande’s liquid limit device
• Grooving tool
• Mixing dishes
• Spatula
• Oven
• Plastic limit rolling device set
Procedure PLASTIC LIMIT
• Determine the mass of each of the three moisture cans (W ). 1
• Calibrate the drop of the cup, using the end of the grooving
tool not meant for cutting, so that there is consistency in the
height of the drop.
• Put about 250 g of air-dried soil through a # 40 sieve into
an evaporating dish and with a plastic squeeze bottle, add
enough water to form a uniform paste.
• Place the soil in the Casagrande’s cup and use a spatula to
smooth the surface so that the maximum depth is about
8mm.
Procedure
• Using the grooving tool, cut a groove at the center line of
the soil cup.
• Crank the device at a rate of 2 revolutions per second until
there is a clear visible closure of 1/2” or 12.7 mm in the soil
pat placed in the cup. Count the number of blows (N) that
caused the closure. (Make the paste so that N begins with
a value higher than 35.)
• If N= 15 to 40, collect the sample from the closed part of
the cup using a spatula and determine the water content
weighing the can + moist soil (W2). If the soil is too dry, N
will be higher and will reduce as water is added.
Procedure
• Perform a minimum of three trials with values of N-15 to 40,
cleaning the cap after each trial.
• Determine the corresponding w% after 24 hours (W3) and
plot the N vs w%, which is called the “flow curve”.
Procedure LIQUID LIMIT
• Mix approximately 20 g of dry soil with water from the
plastic squeeze bottle.
• Determine the weight of the empty moisture can, (W ).1
• Prepare several small, ellipsoidal-shaped masses of soil and
place them in the plastic limit device. Place two fresh sheets
of filter paper on either face of the plates.
• Roll the upper half of the device which has a calibrated
opening of 3.18 mm with the lower half plate.
•
Procedure LIQUID LIMIT
• If the soil crumbles forming a thread approximately the size
of the opening between the plates (around 3 mm diameter),
collect the crumbled sample, and weigh it in the moisture
can (W ) to determine the water content. Otherwise, repeat
2
the test with the same soil, but dry it by rolling it between
your palms.
• Determine the weight of the dry soil + moisture can, (W ).
3
• The water content obtained is the plastic limit.
•
Procedure SHRINKAGE
LIMIT
• A reduction in the amount of moisture past the plastic limit does
not decrease the volume of the soil.
• The sample changes from semi-solid to solid state at the shrinkage
limit (boundary water content). Beyond this point the sample begins
to dry up.
• The figure below depicts the phenomena of volume change.
• Plot point A, using the values of LL and PI determined
experimentally, and extend it to meet O.
• The intercept of the line AO on the X- axis gives the shrinkage limit.
•
Procedure SHRINKAGE
LIMIT
Data
PLASTIC LMIT
Data
LIQUID LIMIT
Data
Data
Data
Conclusion and
Recommendations
References and
Appendix
