Experiment No.

7
CONSISTENCY LIMITS OF THE SOIL
1. Objective(s!
The activity aims to impart how the moisture content influences the behavior of fine-grained soils.
". Inten#e# Le$rnin% O&tcomes (ILOs!
The students shall be able to:
Understand the concept of Atterberg limits and how it influences the behavior of the soil.
Determine the liquid limit, plastic limit and shrinage limit of the given soil sample.
Describe the relationship of liquid limit and plastic limit in soil identification.
'. (isc&ssion!
The liquid limit and plastic limit are used internationally for soil identification, soil classification and for
strength co-relation. !t is also helpful in determining consolidation and settlement of soil. The liquid limit is
arbitrarily defined as the moisture content at which a soil pat placed in a brass cup cut with a standard
groove and dropped from a height of "cm will undergo a groove closure of "#.$mm after #% drops.
&lastic limit is the moisture content at which soil threads start to crumble when rolled to 'mm diameter
threads. The difference of the plastic limit and liquid limit is the plasticity inde(. This is the range of water
content wherein the soil will act lie a plastic.
The shrinage limit is the moisture content wherein the volume of the soil will cease to reduce in relation to
reduction of moisture content. )hrinage limit is important in earthwors for predicting the shrinage and
swelling potential of soil.
). *eso&rces!
". *iquid limit device with groove tool
#. Tin can
'. spatula
+. Triple beam balance
%. )oil oven, pan
,. )hrinage dish
$. &araffin wa( with sewing thread
-. )pring balance
+. ,roce#&re!
Liquid Limit Test
". &repare at least #%.g of representative air dry soil sample passing the no. +. sieve. &ulveri/e this
soil sample. 0e sure to brea all lumps to elemental particles.
#. &repare at least ' moisture tin cans. 1i( the prepared sample with a small amount of water. 1i(
the sample of soil thoroughly until it becomes uniform and consistent in appearance 2no lumps3. A
ma4or source of error is poor mi(ing.
'. 5n the liquid limit device cup, place an amount of sol. )mooth the pat surface. Using the grooving
tool, cut a groove at the middle.
+. 6asten the brass cup to the hinge of the liquid limit device.
%. Using the "cm. bloc at the end of the grooving tool, ad4ust the height of the fall to e(actly "
centimeter. 7eight of fall is very critical and as little as .."cm can affect the liquid limit by several
percent.
,. &repare ' different consistencies of soil based on the number of blows in the liquid limit device:
#%-'%, #.-'. and "%-#% blows. This is done carefully by adding water to the soil.
$. 1i( the soil sample until the consistency would require #%-'% blows to close the groove for about
"#.% mm. Tae moisture content near the groove using '.g of soil to determine the moisture
content by placing in the oven. 8eep the temperature at ".%
o
9.
-. Add additional water to test the remaining consistencies of soil. :epeat procedure $.
;. Draw the flow curve wherein the data is recorded with the water content in the domain and the log
< in the abscissa. The water content that would require #% blows to close the groove is the liquid
limit of the sample.
Plastic Limit Test
". Tae a sample of about ".. grams..
#. )tart rolling the soil between the finger and the glass plate with adequate pressure to form a soil
thread appro(imately 'mm with -.-;. stroes per minute. =hen the diameter of the threads of
soil becomes 'mm, brea the threads in smaller pieces, reform into a ball and re-roll. 9ontinue
this re-balling and re-rolling until threads crumble under pressure and soil can no longer be rolled
into threads.
'. =hen the threads crumbles at a diameter greater than 'mm this is satisfactory to define the
plastic limit.
+. &lace the crumbled soil in a tin can until a weight of about '.grams is achieved. Do this until two
2#3 samples are achieved. &lace it in an oven to oven dry. 1aintain the temperature at ".%
o
9.
%. After determining the moisture content, determine its average. The result is the plastic limit of the
soil.
Shinkage Limit Test
". =eigh the shrinage dish 2=
sd
3. 6ill the shrinage dish with water and weigh again 2=
sd>water
3.
Determine the volume 2?3 by getting the difference of =
sd>water
and =
sd
and divide it by the unit
weight of water.
? @ 2=
sd>water
- =
sd
3 A
w
#. Brease the inside surface of the shrinage dish. &lace a small portion of the soil pat and carefully
tap the dish to allow the soil pat to flow at the edges. :epeat again until the whole shrinage dish
is filled. )trie of the e(cess soil using a straight edge. :ecord the mass of the soil and dish.
'. Allow the soil to dry into the air until its color turns from dar to light. 5ven dry the sample to the
oven ept at ".%
o
9. :ecord the mass of the soil and shrinage dish. Determine the weight of the
dry soil 2m
dry
3. Determine its moisture content.
+. )ecurely tie the soil pat in a sewing thread. !mmerse the soil in molten wa(. Allow the wa( coating
to cool. Determine the mass of the soil with wa( 2m
dry>wa(
3. Determine the mass of the wa( 2m
wa(
3.
Determine its volume by dividing the mass with the unit weight of the wa( 2?
wa(
3.
?
wa(
@ 2m
dry>wa(
- m
dry3
A
wa(
%. Using a spring balance, determine the mass of the soil and wa( in air 2m
swa
3. !mmerse the soil and
wa( in water and determine its mass in water 2m
sww
3. Determine the volume of the wa( and soil
using the formula:
?
soil>wa(
@ 2m
swa-
m
sww
3A
w
,. Determine the dry volume of soil 2?
d
3 by the difference of the ?
soil>wa(
and ?
wa(
.
$. 9alculate the shrinage limit of the soil using the formula:
)* @ w C 2?-?
d
3
w
Am
s
Co&rse! Experiment No.!
-ro&p No.! Section!
-ro&p Le$#er! ($te ,er.orme#!
-ro&p Members! ($te S&bmitte#!
". Instr&ctor!
#.
'.
+.
%.
,.
$.
($t$ $n# *es&/ts!
(etermin$tion o. t0e Li1&i# Limit
Description )ample " )ample # )ample '
Range "% C #% #. C '. #% C '%
<o. of 0lows
=t of tin cup 2=
c
3
=t. of tin cup > =et )oil
2=
c>ws
3
=t. of tin cup and dry
soil 2=
c>dc
3
=t. of water 2=
w
3
=t. of dry soil 2=
ds
3
=ater 9ontent 2 3
*iquid *imit
9alculations:
F/o2 C&rve
(etermin$tion o. t0e ,/$stic Limit
Description )ample " )ample #
=t of tin cup 2=
c
3
=t. of tin cup > =et )oil 2=
c>ws
3
=t. of tin cup and dry soil 2=
c>dc
3
=t. of water 2=
w
3
=t. of dry soil 2=
ds
3
=ater 9ontent 2D3
&lastic *imit 2Average3
9alculations:
7. Conc/&sion!
3. 4ssessment (*&bric .or L$bor$tor5 ,er.orm$nce!
C*ITE*I4
6E-INNE*
1
4CCE,T46LE
"
,*OFICIENT
'
SCO*E
I. L$bor$tor5 S7i//s
1anipulative
)ills
1embers do not
demonstrate needed
sills.
1embers occasionally
demonstrate needed
sills
1embers always
demonstrate needed sills.
E(perimental
)et-up
1embers are unable
to set-up the
materials.
1embers are able to
set-up the materials
with supervision.
1embers are able to set-up
the material with minimum
supervision.
&rocess )ills
1embers do not
demonstrate targeted
process sills.
1embers occasionally
demonstrate targeted
process sills.
1embers always
demonstrate targeted
process sills.
)afety
&recautions
1embers do not
follow safety
precautions.
1embers follow safety
precautions most of
the time.
1embers follow safety
precautions at all times.
II. 8or7 H$bits
Time
1anagement A
9onduct of
E(periment
1embers do not finish
on time with
incomplete data.
1embers finish on
time with incomplete
data.
1embers finish ahead of
time with complete data
and time to revise data.
9ooperative
and Teamwor
1embers do not now
their tass and have
no defined
responsibilities.
Broup conflicts have
to be settled by the
teacher.
1embers have
defined
responsibilities most
of the time. Broup
conflicts are
cooperatively
managed most of the
time.
1embers are on tass and
have defined
responsibilities at all times.
Broup conflicts are
cooperatively managed at
all times.
<eatness and
5rderliness
1essy worplace
during and after the
e(periment.
9lean and orderly
worplace with
occasional mess
during and after the
e(periment.
9lean and orderly
worplace at all times
during and after the
e(periment.
Ability to do
independent
wor
1embers require
supervision by the
teacher.
1embers require
occasional
supervision by the
teacher.
1embers do not need to be
supervised by the teacher.
5ther 9ommentsA5bservations:
Total )core
9. *e.erences
1urthy, ?.<.). 2#.""3. Textbook of Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering. )ingapore: Alen
9ompany
American )ociety for Testing and 1aterials 2#...3. Standard Test Methods for Liquid Limit, Plastic Limit
and Plasticity ndex of Soils !"#$%&'(. &ennsylvania: A)T1 !nternational
American )ociety for Testing and 1aterials 2#..#3. Standard Test Methods for Shrinkage Factors of Soils
by the )ax Method !"#$*$%(. &ennsylvania: A)T1 !nternational