Discussion

After the penetration values are obtained, the moisture content sample of about 10g is
taken from the area penetrated by the cone and placed in a dish. The masses of dish and masses
of dish with each wet soil sample are recorded. They are then placed in oven at least 1 day to
obtain the masses of dish with dry soil sample after all the moisture in the soil had evaporated.
These data is used to calculate the moisture content in the soil sample.
For liquid limit test, the water content value are plotted against number of blows. By
drawing a best fit line in accordance the graph data, the liquid limit is defined as the water
content of the soil sample when number of blows is 25, which is 43.8%.
Liquid limit of a soil are widely used as an integral part of several engineering
classification systems to characterize fine-grained soils. These classification systems characterize
fine-grained soils into groups on the basis of their position on the Casagrandes plasticity chart
(Casagrande 1948) (Figure 1) and A-line chart. A wide variety of engineering properties of
soils have also been correlated to the liquid limit, plastic limit, and plasticity index of soils (i.e.
Compressibility, Permeability, and Strength).
In addition, these limits are used directly in specifications for controlling soil for use in
fills, and in semi-empirical methods of design. They are used to determine the suitability of wet
cohesive fill for use in earthworks, and to determine the thickness of sub-base required beneath
highway pavements (Road Research Laboratory 1970). The results of wrong decisions in the
latter two cases are likely to be much more serious than in the former case; Moreover, it is too
important in civil engineering awareness of soil science for seismic mitigation of structure placed
on soil foundation consists of soft soil.
For liquid limit test, the majority of error is was due to operator technique. Operator technique
can affect this test, particularly since it has been observed that long resting periods, after initially
mixing the soil approximately to its liquid limit stage and before carrying out the test, tend to
give higher results. (BS 1377:part 2 1990, clause 4.3 Note Three attempts to eliminate this effect
by specifying a 24 h rest period between initial mixing of the soil with water, and carrying out
the liquid limit test.) The requirement that each part of the test must be repeatable within fixed
limits (if observed) however, leads to a much improved result.
The extensive use of plasticity testing can be most rewarding, however the low levels of
accuracy coupled with high cost tend to discourage use. At the present time liquid and plastic
limit tests carried out to the British Standard in the preferred manner will normally take 4872h
to complete, allowing only for resting periods after mixing, and for oven-drying. The result of
attempts to improve reproducibility has been a complexity of procedure which has increased
expenses.