EXPERIMENT NO.

3
ATTERBERG LIMITS
(Liquid Limit, Plastic Limit, and Plasticity Index of Soils)

I. PURPOSE:
 Determine the liquid and plastic limit of soil samples for identification and classification
of dried soil.
 Knowing that the determination of these limits is also used to predict the shear strength
and sediment of soil.

II. STANDARD REFERENCE:

ASTM D4318: Standard Test Methods for Liquid Limit, Plastic Limit, and Plasticity Index of Soils

III. EQUIPMENT:
a) Liquid Limit Test
 Liquid Limit Device (Casagrande Cup)
 Flat Grooving Tool
 Gauge
 Moisture Can
 Mixing and Storage Container
 Balance
b) Plastic Limit Test
 Sieves (Number 40)
 Glass Plate
 Drying Oven
 Containers with Lid

IV. DATE TESTED: OCTOBER 1, 2018

V. TESTED BY: GROUP 4

 Shainee Delle Palmera
 Nhor Jhaica Guisang
 Randy Mandabon
 Jeffrey Masinadiong
 Crestito Emil Cuarteros
 Ronald Cadaa
 Jess Atugan
 VI – A. LIQUID LIMIT TEST

I. TEST PROCEDURE:

1. Calibrate the height of fall of the liquid limit device it will use for a fall exactly 1 cm (not
over ± 0.1mm. Use 1 cm calibration block for making the adjustment.

2. Take about 250 g of air dried soil passing No.40 (425 μm) sieve and place it in a
porcelain mixing dish, add a small amount of water and carefully mix the soil by using
spatula to form a uniform paste.

3. Place a portion of the paste in the brass cup of liquid limit device and level it off to a
maximum depth of about 1 cm, then the surface of the paste should be smoothed off
level and parallel to the base.

4. Draw the grooving tool from back to front through the sample along the symmetrical
axis of the cup with a circular motion keeping the tool normal to the cup surface.

5. Turn the crank handle at a rate of 2 rps (revolution per second) so that the brass cup is
lifted and dropped. Record the number of blows N required closing the groove along a
distance of 13 mm.

6. Remove a quantity of soil (about 10-15 g) from the portions of the sample that have just
flowed together, which is used for determining the water content.

7. Transfer the soil remaining in the cup to the mixing dish, and add a small amount of
water to the porcelain dish of soil and carefully mix the soil by using spatula to form a
uniform color and consistency.

8. Repeat step 3 to 7 for three additional specimens with various water content.

II. TRANSLATED DATA:

CAN + WET CAN + DRY

NO. OF NO. OF EMPTY CAN
SOIL SOIL WEIGHT
TRIALS BLOWS WEIGHT (g)
WEIGHT (g) (g)
1 45 14 29.1 25.7
2 36 14.2 37 31.8
3 19 13.5 37.1 31.6
4 14 14 28.9 25.3

III. CALCULATION/DATA ANALYSIS:

CAN + WET CAN + DRY WEIGHT DRY SOIL MOISTURE

NO. OF NO. OF EMPTY CAN
SOIL SOIL WEIGHT OF WATER WEIGHT CONTENT
TRIALS BLOWS WEIGHT (g)
WEIGHT (g) (g) (g) (g) (%)
1 45 14 29.1 25.7 3.4 11.7 29.06
2 36 14.2 37 31.8 5.2 17.6 29.55
3 19 13.5 37.1 31.6 5.5 18.1 30.39
4 14 14 28.9 25.3 3.6 11.3 31.86
 (𝐶𝐴𝑁 + 𝑊𝐸𝑇 𝑆𝑂𝐼𝐿 𝑊𝐸𝐼𝐺𝐻𝑇) − (𝐶𝐴𝑁 + 𝐷𝑅𝑌 𝑆𝑂𝐼𝐿 𝑊𝐸𝐼𝐺𝐻𝑇)
MOISTURE CONTENT = 𝑋100
𝐷𝑅𝑌 𝑆𝑂𝐼𝐿 𝑊𝐸𝐼𝐺𝐻𝑇

EXAMPLE:
29.1 − 25.7
= 𝑋100
11.7

= 29.06 %

VI – B. PLASTIC LIMIT TEST

I. TEST PROCEDURE:

1. From the 20g sample select a 1.5 to 2 g specimen for testing.

2. Roll the test specimen between the palm or fingers on the ground glass plate to
from a thread of uniform diameter.

3. Continue rolling the thread until it reaches a uniform diameter of 3.2mm or 1/8
in.

4. When the thread becomes a diameter of 1/8 in. reform it into a ball.

5. Knead the soil for a few minutes to reduce its water content slightly.

6. Repeat steps 2 to 5 until the thread crumbles when it reaches a uniform

diameter of 1/8 in.

7. When the soil reaches the point where it will crumble, and when the thread is a
uniform diameter of 1/8", it is at its plastic limit. Determine the water content of
the soil.

Note: Repeat this procedure three times to compute an average plastic limit for the
sample.
II. TRANSLATED DATA:

CONTAINER WEIGHT OF EMPTY WEIGHT OF CAN + WEIGHT OF CAN +

NO. CAN (g) WET SOIL (g) DRY SOIL (g)
1 13.8 26.6 23.8
2 13.3 26.3 23.3
3 13.8 28 24.7

III. CALCULATIONS/DATA ANALYSIS:

CONTAINER WEIGHT OF EMPTY WEIGHT OF CAN + WEIGHT OF CAN + WATER CONTENT

NO. CAN (g) WET SOIL (g) DRY SOIL (g) (%)
1 13.8 26.6 23.8 28
2 13.3 26.3 23.3 30
3 13.8 28 24.7 30.28

MOISTURE CONTENT
(𝑊𝐸𝐼𝐺𝐻𝑇 𝑂𝐹 𝐶𝐴𝑁 + 𝑊𝐸𝑇 𝑆𝑂𝐼𝐿) − (𝑊𝐸𝐼𝐺𝐻𝑇 𝑂𝐹 𝐶𝐴𝑁 + 𝐷𝑅𝑌 𝑆𝑂𝐼𝐿)
= 𝑋100
(𝑊𝐸𝐼𝐺𝐻𝑇 𝑂𝐹 𝐶𝐴𝑁 + 𝐷𝑅𝑌 𝑆𝑂𝐼𝐿) − (𝑊𝐸𝐼𝐺𝐻𝑇 𝑂𝐹 𝐸𝑀𝑃𝑅𝑌 𝐶𝐴𝑁)
EXAMPLE:
26.6 − 23.8
= 𝑋100
23.8 − 13.8

= 28 %

AVERAGE PLASTIC LIMIT or PL

28 + 30 + 30.28
=
2
= 29.4 %

PLASTICITY INDEX:
 From the graph, LL=30.1 %
= 𝐿𝐿 − 𝑃𝐿
= 30.1 − 29.4
= 0.7

VII. RESULT:

LIQUID LIMIT= 30.1%

PLASTIC LIMIT = 29.4
PLASTICITY INDEX=0.7