1 .

INTRODUCTION
Level 1 laboratory activity refers to condition where the problem and ways & means are
guided and given to the students. However the answers to the assignment are left to the
students to solve using the group creativity and innovativeness. It is hoped that the activity
will slowly introduce and inculcate independent learning amongst students and prepare
them for a much harder task of open-ended laboratory activities.
In this laboratory activity students will be exposed to the usage of Atterberg limit tests to
determine the plastic and liquid limit as well as moisture content of a given soil sample.

2 . OBJECTIVE
The objective of the test is :

To determine the plastic and liquid limit of a soil sample.

3 . APPARATUS

Liquid Limit ( Casagrande Test )

Liquid limit tool

Spatula
Moisture cans
Graduated cylinder 50 ml
Wash bottle (distilled water)
Balance
Glass plate
Drying oven (1050C)
Porcelain dish

Liquid Limit ( Cone Penetration Test )

Cone Penetrometer apparatus
0.425 mm sieve
Glass plate
Sharp knife
2 palettes knife
Airtight containers
Wash bottle containing distilled water
Glass breaker
Glass stirring rod
Balance
Oven

4. PROCEDURES

Liquid Limit ( Casagrande Test )

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1. of the soil was taken roughly and placed into porcelain dish (passed No. 40
sieve). The soil was mixed thoroughly with a small amount of distilled water
until it appears as a smooth uniform paste. The dish has been covered with
cellophane to prevent moisture from escaping.
2. 4 empty moisture cans with lids was labelled and weight .
3. The liquid limit apparatus was adjusted 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
was used as a gage. Practice using the cup and the correct rate was
determined to rotate the crank so that the cup drops approximately two times
per second.
4. A portion has been placed of the previously mixed soil into the cup of the liquid
limit apparatus at the point where the cup rests on the base. Squeezed the soil
down to eliminate air pockets and it was spread into the cup to a depth of about
10 mm at its deepest point. The soil pat should form an approximately
horizontal surface.
5. The liquid limit tool was used carefully cut a clean straight groove down the
center of the cup. The tool was remained perpendicular to the surface of the
cup as groove is being made. Extreme care was carried to prevent sliding the
soil relative to the surface of the cup.
6. Make sure the base of the apparatus below the cup and the underside of the
cup is clean of soil . The crank of the apparatus was turned at a rate of
approximately two drops per second and 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) was counted . If the number of drops
exceeds 50, then go directly to step 8 and do not record the number of drops,
otherwise, the number of drops on the data sheet was recorded.
7. A sample was taken , using the spatula, from edge to edge of the soil pat. The
sample was included the soil on both sides of where the groove came into
contact. The soil has been placed into a moisture can cover it. Weight the
moisture can containing the soil, record its mass, remove the lid, and was
placed into the oven. The moisture was leaved can in the oven for at least 16
hours. Placed the soil remaining in the cup into the porcelain dish. Clean and
dry the cup on the apparatus and the grooving tool.
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8. The entire soil specimen was mixed in the porcelain dish. A small amount of
distilled water has been added to increase the water content so that the number of
drops required to close the groove decrease.
9. Steps six, seven, and eight was repeated for at least two additional trials producing
successively lower numbers of drops to close the groove. One of the trials shall be
for a closure requiring 25 to 35 drops, one for closure between 20 and 30 drops,
and one trial for a closure requiring 15 to 25 drops. The water content from each
trial was determined by using the same method used in the first laboratory. The
same balance for all weighing was used.

1.

Liquid Limit ( Cone Penetration Test )

A sample of the soil of sufficient size was taken to give a test specimen weight
at least 400 g which passed the 0.425 mm test sieve.

2.

Transfered the soil to a flat glass plate.Distilled water was added and mix
thoroughly with 2 palettes knives the mass becomes a thick homogeneous
paste.

3.

More distill water was added so that the first cone penetration reading is about
15 mm.

4.

A portion has been pushed of the mixed soil into the cub with palette knife
taking care not to trap air.

5.

Strike off excess soil with the straightedge to give a smooth level surface.

6.

With the penetration cone locked in the raised position , the supporting
assembly was lowered so that the tip of cone just touches the surface soil.

7.

The stem of the dial gauge has been lowered to contact the cone shaft and
recorded the reading of the dial gauge to the nearest 0.1 mm.

8.

The cone a period 5 + 1s was released . If the apparatus is not fitted with an
automatic release and locking device.

9.

The difference between the beginning and end of the drop cone penetration was
recorded.

10.

Lift out the cone and cleaned it carefully to avoid scratching.

11.

Little more distill water was added to the cub. The difference between first and
second penetration reading is less than 0.5 mm.

12.

Took a moisture content sample of about 10 g from the area penetrated by the
cone.

13.

Step 2 to 12 was repeated at least 3 more time.

The reading of the liquid limit should be around 15 to 30 mm.

Plastic limit
1. Weight the remaining empty moisture cans with their lids, and the respective
weights and can numbers was recorded on the data sheet.
2. The remaining 1/4 of the original soil sample has been taken and added distilled
water until the soil is at a consistency where it can be rolled without sticking to the
hands.
3. The soil was formed into an ellipsoidal mass. Rolled the mass between the palm or
the fingers and the glass plate. Sufficient pressure was used 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 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, the thread was
broke into several pieces. Knead and reformed the pieces into ellipsoidal masses
and re-roll them. Continued 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 diameter thread.
5. The portions of the crumbled thread was gathered together and placed the soil into
a moisture can, then covered it. If the can does not contain at least 6 grams of soil,
soil was added to the can from the next trial (See Step 6). Weight the moisture can
containing the soil, recorded its mass, removed the lid, and the can has been
placed into the oven. Leave the moisture can in the oven for at least 16 hours.

Steps three, four, and five was repeated at least two more times. Determined the water
content from each trial by using the same method used in the first laboratory. The same
balance was used for all weighing.

5. RESULTS
CASAGRANDE TEST

Sample no
Moisture can
MC = Mass of
empty can
MCMS = Mass of
can + moist soil
MCDS = Mass of
can + dry soil
MS = Mass of soil
solids
MW = Mass of pore
water
W = Water content
No. of drops

1
Soil 1
28.4

Liquid Limit
2
Soil 2
28.7

3
Soil 3
30.6

30.5

28.4

36.7

39.6

37.0

39.7

37.3

35.3

37.6

35.7

38.2

36.4

6.8

8.9

5.1

7.7

1.4

2.0

1.3

1.5

0.9

20.59
27

22.47
21

25.49
20

19.48

11.25

Unit

Plastic Limit
4
5

Water Content against Number of Drops

100
90
80
70
60
50

Water Content (%)

40
30
20
10
0
10

100

No. of drops

Summary of results
Liquid limit

: 24

Plastic limit

: 15

Plasticity index

:9

Soil classification

: Silt

CONE PENETRATION TEST

Sample no
Moisture can
MC = Mass of
empty can
MCMS = Mass of
can + moist soil
MCDS = Mass of
can + dry soil
MS = Mass of soil
solids
MW = Mass of pore
water
W = Water content
Penetration (mm)

1
Soil 1
28.2

Liquid Limit
2
Soil 2
28.4

3
Soil 3
31.0

30.6

29.9

49.9

41.3

41.9

38.8

37.6

45.4

38.6

36.4

37.7

36.6

17.2

10.2

8.6

7.1

6.7

4.5

2.7

2.3

1.1

1.0

26.16
16.30

26.47
20.20

26.74
20.75

15.49

14.93

Unit

Plastic Limit
4
5

Penetration against Water Content

25
20
15

Penetration (mm)

10
5
0
26

26.1 26.2 26.3 26.4 26.5 26.6 26.7 26.8 26.9

27

Water Content (%)

Summary of results
Liquid limit

: 26.57

Plastic limit

: 15

Plasticity index

: 11.57

Soil classification

: Clay

6. DISCUSSION

This lab is performed to determine the plastic and liquid limits of a fine grained soil.
The liquid limit is defined as the moisture content at which soil begins to behave as a liquid
material and begins to flow. The liquid limit is determined in the lab as the moisture content
at which the two sides of a groove formed in soil come together and touch for a distance of 1
cm after 25 blows. While, plastic limit is defined as the moisture content at which soil begins
to behave as a plastic material. A plastic material can be moulded into a shape and the
material will retain that shape. If the moisture content is below the plastic limit, it is
considered to behave as a solid, or non-plastic material.
In conducting this experiment, the data is not very accurate because of several
factors of error such as using bare hand during mixing the soiland that cause the moisture
loss due to heat that produced by hand. So, we must use spatula to mixing the soil. A final
source of error called a blunder is an outright mistake. Blunders should not be included in
the analysis of data.
Based on the data ,The plasticity index of Casagrande Test is 9% and the
classification of the soil is SILT of Low Plasticity. The plasticity index of Cone Penetration
Test is11.57% and the classification of the soil is CLAY of Low Plasticity.

7. CONCLUSION

For conclusion, we can conclude that the plastic index of the soil is 15% and the
liquid limit is equal to 26.57% by using Cone Penetration method. From the chart we found
that the types of soil was clay with low plasticity. For the Casagrande Test, the plasticity
index of the soil is equal to 9% and the liquid limit of the soil is equal to 24%. The
classification of the soil silt with low plasticity. From the Casagrande Test, we can classify the
type of soil by measuring the moisture content of the soil and the number of taps while the
cone penetration test, we can classify the soil by measuring the moisture content and the
reading of the cone penetration.

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