CONSISTENCY LIMITS

Experiment No. 3

Leader: Cruz, Francis Angelo B. Date Performed:

November 25, 2009
Members: Date Submitted: December 2,
2009
Carag, Marc
Chua, Henry
Concepcion, Carlo
Correa, Xavier
Delector, Carla
Del Rosario, Sherwin
Geronimo, Kevin

OBJECTIVE:

The objective in running the liquid and plastic limit tests is to determine two
important soil classification properties in a soil specimen--the liquid limit and
the plastic limit. In the early 1900’s, a Swedish soil scientist named Atterberg
created a test that would determine the consistency of fine-grained soils. He
divided fine grain soils into four states: the solid, semi-solid, plastic, and liquid
states.

Atterberg also defined three properties of soils, which depended on the

moisture content: the liquid limit, the plastic limit, and the shrinkage limit. The
four soil states and three properties of the soil can be explained by the following
diagram, which is a plot of the volume of soil with increasing moisture content:

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 Figure 3.1. As the Moisture Content of a Soil Increases, the Volume Remains the
Same Until the Shrinkage Limit is Reached. Then, the Volume Continually Increases
Since Most of the Void Spaces are Filled.
Standard reference:

ASTM D 4318 - Standard Test Method for Liquid Limit, Plastic Limit, and
Plasticity Index of Soils

APPARATUS AND SUPPLIES

Liquid limit device

Porcelain (evaporating) dish
Grooving tool
Eight moisture cans
Balance
Glass plate
Spatula
Drying oven
No. 40 sieve of pan and cover
Mortar and pestle
Gloves

PROCEDURE

Liquid Limit

1. Take roughly 3/4 of the soil and place it into the porcelain dish. Assume
that the soil was previously passed through a No. 40 sieve, air-dried, and
then pulverized. Thoroughly mix the soil with a small amount of distilled
water until it appears as a smooth uniform paste.

2. Weigh six of the empty moisture cans with their lids, and record the
respective weights and can numbers on the data sheet.

3. Adjust the liquid limit apparatus by checking the height of drop of the cup.
The point on the cup that comes in contact with the base should rise to a
height of 10 mm. The block on the end of the grooving tool is 10 mm high
and should be used as a gage. Practice using the cup and determine the
correct rate to rotate the crank so that the cup drops approximately two
times per second.

4. Place a portion of the previously mixed soil into the cup of the liquid limit
apparatus at the point where the cup rests on the base. Squeeze the soil
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 down to eliminate air pockets and spread it into the cup to a depth of
about 10 mm at its deepest point. The soil pat should form an
approximately horizontal surface.

5. Use the grooving tool carefully cut a clean straight groove down the
center of the cup. The tool should remain perpendicular to the surface of
the cup as groove is being made. Use extreme care to prevent sliding the
soil relative to the surface of the cup.

6. Make sure that the base of the apparatus below the cup and the
underside of the cup is clean of soil. Turn the crank of the apparatus at a
rate of approximately two drops per second and count the number of
drops, N, it takes to make the two halves of the soil pat come into contact
at the bottom of the groove along a distance of 13 mm (1/2 in.). If the
number of drops exceeds 50, then go directly to step eight and do not
record the number of drops, otherwise, record the number of drops on the
data sheet.

7. Take a sample, using the spatula, from edge to edge of the soil pat. The
sample should include the soil on both sides of where the groove came
into contact. Place the soil into a moisture can cover it. Immediately
weigh the moisture can containing the soil, record its mass, remove the
lid, and place the can into the oven. Leave the moisture can in the oven
for at least 16 hours.

8. Immediately weigh the dry soil to determine the water content from each
trial by using the same method used in the second experiment.
Remember to use the same balance for all weighing.

Plastic Limit

1. Weigh the remaining two empty moisture cans with their lids, and record
the respective weights and can numbers on the data sheet.

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. Roll the mass between the palm or
the fingers and the glass plate. Use sufficient pressure to roll the mass
into a thread of uniform diameter by using about 90 strokes per minute.
(A stroke is one complete motion of the hand forward and back to the

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 starting position.) The thread shall be deformed so that its diameter
reaches 3.2 mm (1/8 in.), taking no more than two minutes.

4. 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. Continue this alternate rolling, gathering
together, kneading and re-rolling until the thread crumbles under the
pressure required for rolling and can no longer be rolled into a 3.2 mm
threads.

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 5. Gather the portions of the crumbled thread together and place the soil
into a moisture can, then cover it. If the can does not contain at least 6
grams of soil, add soil to the can from the next trial. Immediately
weigh the moisture can containing the soil, record its mass, remove
the lid, and place the can into the oven. Leave the moisture can in the
oven for at least 16 hours.

6. Immediately weigh the dry soil to determine the water content from
each trial by using the same method used in the first laboratory.
Remember to use the same balance for all weighing.

ANALYSIS:

Liquid Limit

1. Calculate the water content of each of the liquid limit moisture cans
after they have been in the oven.

2. Plot the number of drops, N, (on the log scale) versus the water
content. Draw the best-fit straight line through the plotted points and
determine the liquid limit (LL) as the water content at 25 drops.

Plastic Limit

1. Calculate the water content of each of the plastic limit moisture cans
after they have been in the oven.

2. Compute the average of the water contents to determine the plastic

limit, PL. Check to see if the difference between the water contents is
greater than the acceptable range of two results (2.6 %).

3. Calculate the plasticity index, PI=LL-PL. Report the liquid limit, plastic
limit, and plasticity index to the nearest whole number, omitting the
percent designation.

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TABLES AND GRAPH

Table 3.1. Liquid Limit of Soil Sample

Trial 1 2 3 4 5
Weight of can, g 27 26 27 26 25
Weight of can + wet 40 50 36 40 48
soil, g
Weight of can + dry 37 41 34 38 41
soil, g
Weight of dry soil, g 10 15 7 12 16

M.C. , % 30 60 28.57 16.67 43.75

No. of Drops 21 30 18 26 26
LL, graph 44
FI 193.671
LL, formula 29.374
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Figure 3.1. Moisture Content vs. No. Of Blows

Liquid Limit Flow Curve: LL = 34.0%

Table 3.2. Plastic Limit of Soil Sample

Trial 1 2 3
Weight of can, g 27 27 26.5
Weight of can + wet 33 34 34
soil, g
Weight of can + dry 32 32 32
soil, g
Weight of dry soil, g 5 5 5.5
M.C., % 20 40 36.36
PL, % 32.12
PI, % 2.746

COMPUTATIONS:

1. Determining the value of the liquid limit.

LL = wN (%)(N/25)0.121

LL = 30(21/25)0.121 LL (graph) = 44(25/25)0.121

LL = 29.3737266 ≈ 29.374 LL (graph) = 44

2. Determining the value of the plastic limit.

PL = MC1 + MC22

PL = 20 + 40 + 36.363

PL = 32.12

3. Determining the value of the flow index.

FI = w1 (%) – w2 (%)log N2 – log N1

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 FI = 30-60Log 21- Log (30)

FI = 193.6708871 ≈ 193.671

1. Determining the plasticity index.

PI = LL – PL
PI = 29.374 – 32.12
PI = | -2.746|

REMARKS:

Generally, we conducted tests to observe two soil classification

properties, which are the liquid limit and the plastic limit. Each property has
its own way of testing.
We tested the soil’s liquid limit by the use of a “Manual Casagrande
cup” also known as the Liquid Limit device. This equipment gave us enough
data to compute for the soil’s liquid limit base on our observations.
The plastic limit can be tested by Soil Snake test and Oven dry Method.
The soil sample that is currently exhibiting its plastic behavior, is rolled to an
elliptical shape which has a diameter of 3.2mm, then placing it to an empty
moisture can, afterwards it is placed to an oven heating for almost 16hrs.
The dried sample is observed and recorded, and then compute for its plastic
limits.
We can define that the Liquid limit (LL) is the arbitrary limit of water
content at which the soil is about to pass from the plastic state into the liquid
state. Furthermore, the soil possesses a small value of shear strength, losing
its ability to flow as liquid, in other words the LL is the minimum moisture
content at which the soil tends to flow as a liquid.
Plastic limit in the other hand is the arbitrary limit of water content at
which the soil tends to pass from plastic state to the semi-solid state of
consistency. This is the minimum water content (moisture content) at which
the change in shape of the soil is accompanied by visible cracks.

REFERENCE/S:

Geotechnical Engineering, 3rd edition by C. Venkatramaiah

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 Liquid Limit Device or the “Manual Casagrande cup”

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