ATTERBERG LIMIT TESTS LIQUID AND PLASTIC

NAME: SHIVAUN SEECHARAN

ID#:56055
STATUS: PART-TIME
COURSE: GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING 1
COURSE CODE: GEOT2005
LAB 1: ATTERBER LIMIT
LECTURER: S.MOHAMED

Atterberg limits

Purpose:
The purpose of the Atterberg Limit Lab was to calculate plastic and liquid limits
and the plasticity index of fine-grained. These experiments were all based on the amount
of water in the soil.
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ATTERBERG LIMIT TESTS LIQUID AND PLASTIC

Theory:
The liquid limit (LL) is arbitrarily defined as the water content, in percent, at which a pat
of soil in a standard cup and cut by a groove of standard dimensions will flow together at
the base of the groove for a distance of 13 mm (1/2 in.) when subjected to 25 shocks from
the cup being dropped 10 mm in a standard liquid limit apparatus operated at a rate of
two shocks per second. The plastic limit (PL) is the water content, in percent, at which a
soil can no longer be deformed by rolling into 3.2 mm (1/8 in.) diameter threads without
crumbling

Scope:
The soil that was used in this experiment was Assume that passed though the 40
sieve. The soil was then air died and prepared for the liquid and plastic tests. The
Casagrande Liquid Limit Device was used during this experiment. The liquid and plastic
limits were determined in accordance with the ASTM D 4318 and ASSHTO T89 and
T90.

Equipment:

Liquid limit device

Porcelain (evaporating) dish
Flat grooving tool with gage
Eight petri dish,
Balance
Glass plate
Spatula
Wash bottle filled with distilled water
Drying oven set at 105C.

Procedure:
Liquid Limit
1. Obtain a soil sample and Take roughly 3/4 of the soil and place it onto glass plate.
2. Mix the soil thoroughly with a small amount of distilled water until it appears as a
smooth uniform paste.

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ATTERBERG LIMIT TESTS LIQUID AND PLASTIC

3. Weigh four of the empty petri dish record the respective weights and can

numbers on the data sheet

4. Adjust the liquid limit apparatus by point on the bottom of the cup should rise

to a height of 10 mm by using the block on the end of the grooving tool to use
as a gauge.
5. Place a portion of the previously mixed soil. Squeeze the soil down to

eliminate air pockets and spread it into the cup to a depth of about 10 mm at
its deepest point.
6. Use the grooving tool carefully cut a clean straight groove down the center of

the cup.
7.

Turn the crank of the apparatus at a rate of approximately two drops per
second and count the number of drops N, until it takes to make the two halves
of the soil pat come into contact at the bottom of the groove along a distance.

8.

Take a sample using a spatula from edge to edge of the soil pat Place the
soil into petri dish. Immediately weigh soil, record its.

9.

Remix the entire soil by Add a small amount of distilled water to increase
the water content so that the number of drops required to close the groove
decrease.

Plastic Limit:
1. Weigh the remaining empty petri dish, and record the respective weights
and can numbers.
2. Take the remaining 1/4 of the original soil sample and add distilled water
until the soil is at a consistency where it can be rolled without sticking to
the hands.
3. Form the soil into an ellipsoidal mass
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ATTERBERG LIMIT TESTS LIQUID AND PLASTIC

4. Roll the mass between the palm or the fingers and the glass plate mass into
a thread of uniform diameter by using about 90 strokes per minute.
(forward and back)The thread shall be deformed so that its diameter
reaches 3.2 mm
5. When the diameter of the thread reaches the correct diameter, break the
thread into several pieces. Knead and reform the pieces into ellipsoidal
masses and re-roll them until the thread crumbles under the pressure
required for rolling and can no longer be rolled into a 3.2 mm diameter
thread.
6. Gather the portions of the crumbled thread together and place the soil
into a petri dish.
7. Immediately weigh the petri dish containing the soil, record its mass and
place the petri dish into the oven. Leave the petri dish in the oven for at
least 16 hours.
8. Repeat steps three and four more times

Result
WEIGHT
WEIGH
SAMP
LE

OF WET

T OF

NUMBE

SOIL

PETRI

R OF

SAMPLE

DISH

BLOWS

AND

(g)

PETRI
DISH (g)

3.465

37

12.81

WEIGH
WEIG

T OF

WEIGH

HT OF

DRIED

T OF

WET

SAMPL

DRY

PORE

SOIL

E AND

SOIL

WATER

SAMP

PETRI

SAMPL

LE (g)

DISH

E (g)

9.345

(g)
11.275

7.81

1.535

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WATER
CONTE
NT

19.65%

ATTERBERG LIMIT TESTS LIQUID AND PLASTIC

2
3
4
5

3.797
3.44
3.783
3.763

30
18
17
15

12.983
12.333
19.706
16.531

9.186
8.893
15.923
12.768

WEIGH
T OF

SAMP
LE

WEIGH

WET

T OF

SOIL

PETRI

SAMPL

DISH

E AND

(g)

PETRI
DISH

1
2
3

52.555
19.437
50.01

(g)
54.258
21.461
51.619

11.314
10.35
16.125
13.541

7.517
6.91
12.342
9.778

1.669
1.983
3.581
2.99

22.20%
28.70%
29.01%
30.58%

WEIGH
WEIGH

T OF

WEIGH

T OF

DRIED

T OF

WET

SAMPL

DRY

PORE

SOIL

E AND

SOIL

WATER

SAMPL

PETRI

SAMPL

E (g)

DISH

E (g)

WATER
CONTE
NT

(g)
1.703
2.024
1.609

54.036
21.192
51.406

1.481
1.755
1.396

0.222
0.269
0.213

14.99%
15.33%
15.26%

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ATTERBERG LIMIT TESTS LIQUID AND PLASTIC

Calculation
From the graph, Liquid Limit = 25
PLASTIC LIMIT:

Found by taking the average of the plastic limit water contents

(PL) = Average of Moisture Content (w %)

= ((14.99+15.33+15.26)/3)
= 15.19%
Plasticity index:

Found by subtracting the Plastic Limit from the Liquid limit

Plastic Index = 25-15.19 = 9.81%
Discussion
This lab shows Atterberg limits is a basic measure of the critical water contents of a
fine-grained soil, such as its shrinkage limit, plastic limit, and liquid limit. As a dry,
clayey soil takes on increasing amounts of water, it undergoes dramatic and distinct
changes in behavior and consistency. Depending on the water content of the soil, it may
appear in four states: solid, semi-solid, plastic and liquid. In each state, the consistency
and behavior of a soil is different and consequently so are its engineering properties.
Thus, the boundary between each state can be defined based on a change in the soil's
behavior. The Atterberg limits can be used to distinguish between silt and clay, and it can
distinguish between different types of silts and clays. .
Conclusion
On obtaining results from this lab it was determine that the soil has a liquid limit of 25%
and plastic limit of 15.19% which give a plastic index of 9.81%. Therefore the soil is
classified as a high plasticity clay soil.

Bibliography
1. Essentials of Soil Mechanics and Foundations, McCarthy, David, Fifth Edition
1998 Prentice Hall.
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ATTERBERG LIMIT TESTS LIQUID AND PLASTIC

2. Soil Properties, Liu, Cheng and Evett, Jack, Fourth Edition 2000, Prentice
Hall.
3. Manion, William P. (wmanion@maine.edu). "Soil Mechanics Laboratory Course
CIE 366." University of Maine, Civil and Environmental Engineering
Department, Orono, Maine. http://www.umeciv.maine.edu/cie366/.

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