1.

0 OBJECTIVE
To Determine the Lowest Moisture Content at Which the Soil Behaves
Plastically.
2.0 LEARNING OUTCOME
At the end of this exeriment! students are a"le to#
Conduct the lastic limit exeriment.
$dentify the lastic limit value for soil.
$dentify the imortance and alication of lastic limit test.
3.0 INTRODUCTION
The followin% moisture conditions & li'uid unlit! lastic limit! alon% with
shrin(a%e limit are referred to as the )Atter"er% Limits)! after the ori%inator of the
test rocedures. Semi&Solid .Sta%ySolid State Atter"era Limits and $ndices. The
lastic limit! also (nown as the lower lastic limit! is the water content at which a
soil chan%es from the lastic state to a semisolid state. A lastic limit set is an
aaratus that is used to determine the lastic limit of soil.
The chan%e from a semisolid state to a lastic state of soil is a %radual
rocess. Accordin% to a standard emirical definition! the lastic limit is the water
content at which a soil assin% a *.+,-mm sieve can "e rolled into threads one&
ei%hth inch in diameter without the soil "rea(in% into ieces. .enerally! the terms
lastic limit and li'uid limit are used to%ether for soil identification and
classification.
Definition
The method descri"ed herein is "ased uon A/AS0T1 Desi%nation T23
which has "een modified for 4ew 5or( State Deartment of Transortation
use. The li'uid limit of a soil is the moisture content! exressed as a ercenta%e of
the wei%ht of the oven&dried soil. at the "oundary "etween the li'uid and lastic
states of consistency. The moisture content at this "oundary is ar"itrarily defiled
as the water content at which two halves of a soil ca6Le will flow to%ether! for a
distance of l!& in.76,.8 min9 alon% the "ottom of a %roove of standard dimensions
searatin% the two halves! when the cu of a standard li'uid limit aaratus is
droed ,- times from hei%ht of *.:3:8 in. 76* nun9 at the rate of two
dros;second.
4.0 THEORY
Plastic limit 7 P w 9 of soil is defined as the water content at which a soil
will <ust "e%in to crum"le when rolled into a thread of aroximately : mm in
diameter. $t is water content at the "oundary "etween the lastic and semi&solid
states of consistency of the soil. Plasticity index 7P$ or $P9 is the numerical
difference of the li'uid and lastic limit! and indicates the ran%e of water content
throu%h which the soil remains lastic.
PI = LL PL
=or fine %rained soils! determinin% the natural water content 7the water
content of a soil in an undistur"ed condition in the %round9 and relatin% it to the
lastic and li'uid limits can rovide an indication of the soil>s consistency and;or
sensitivity otential. 1ne such relationshi is the li'uidity index.
PI
PL w
I
L

=
Consistency index is defined as the ratio of the li'uid limit minus the natural
water content to the lasticity index of a soil.
PI
w LL
C
r

=
!"#ti$it% In&e' De()ee of !"#ti$it% T%*e of +oi!
,I o) I-
* 4on&Plastic Sand
? 8 Low&Plastic Silt
8&68 Medium Plastic Silty clay or clayey silt
@ 68 0i%hly Plastic Clay
C!"##ifi$"tion of #oi! "$$o)&in( to *!"#ti$it%.
Li./i&it% In&e' ,IL o) LI- Con#i#ten$%
? *.* Desiccated 7dry9 hard soil
*.*&*.,- Stiff
*.,-&*.-* Medium to soft
*.-*&*.8- Soft
*.8-&6.** Aery soft
@6.** Li'uid s
C!"##ifi$"tion of #oi! "$$o)&in( to !i./i&it% in&i$e#.
4.0 TE+T E0UIMENT+
6. The most imortant iece of aaratus for this test is the hand of oerator!
which should "e clean and free from %rease.
,. Bvaoratin% dish.
:. A searate %lass late reserved for rollin% of threads. This should "e
smooth and free from scratches! and a"out :** mm s'uare and
6*mm thic(. The surface condition of the late can affect the
"ehavior of rolled threads! and the use of unscratched %lass reduces
the li(e lihood of discreancies. An alternative is to reserve
one side of the mixin% late for
thread rollin%! and avoid mixin% the soil on this area.
+. Two alette (nives or satulas.
-. A short len%th 7say 6** mm9 of :mm diameter metal rod.
C. Standard moisture content aaratus 7container! "alance and oven9
1.0 ROCEDURE+
69 =irst of all a soil aste is reared and a art of it is laced on the %lass
mixin% late.
,9 The soil is allowed to dry to such an extent that it "ecomes lastic and can
"e shaed into a "all.
:9 The "all is then moulded "y ressin% %ently "etween fin%ers and alms so
that it dries u and crac(s aear on the soil.
+9 The soil is then divided into two su"&samles and searate determination
rocess is carried out for "oth the samles. Moisture is evenly sread on
"oth soil samles "y ressin% them "etween fin%ers. A thread is formed of
a"out Cmm diameter "etween the first fin%er and thum" of each hand.
-9 The thread is rolled "etween the fin%ers! from the fin%er&ti to the second
<oint! of one hand and the surface of the %lass rollin% late.
C9 The rocess is reeated until the thread shears "oth lon%itudinally and
transversely when it has "een rolled to a"out :mm diameter! as %au%ed "y
a rod.
89 Moisture content measurement #
This is laced in a num"ered moisture content container! which is
wei%hed! oven dried and wei%hed as in the standard moisture
content rocedure accordin% to BS 6:88# Part ,# 633*.
i. Wei%ht the emty moisture content container
ii. Ta(e a moisture content samle of a"out 6* % from the area
enetrated "y the cone! usin% the ti of a small satula.
iii. Wei%ht the wet samle
iv. Dry in the oven for a"out ,+ hours 7overni%ht9
v. Wei%ht the dry samle


(a) (b)
(c)


(d) (e)
)o$e## to t"2e " 3oi#t/)e $ontent.
4.0 RE+ULT+ 5 ANALY+I+ 5 CALCULATION
DATA +HEET
Test Number Units 1 2 3 4
Can Number
Mass of can + moist soil (Mcws) gram 12 12 11.5 11.8
Mass of can + dry soil (Mcs) gram 11.4 11.6 11.0 11.2
Mass of can (Mc) gram 9.0 9.9 9.3 9.0
Mass of dry soil (Ms) gram 2.4 1.7 1.7 2.2
Mass of water (Mw) gram 0.6 0.4 0.5 0.6
Water content % 25 23.53 29.41 27.27
lastic limit % 26.30
Plastic limit D 26.30 E
Li'uid limit D E
Plasticity index D Li'uid Limit F Plastic Limit D E

a9 To &ete)3ine t6e 7"!/e of 3"## of &)% #oi! ,M+-
Te#t N/38e) Unit# 1 2 3 4
C"n N/38e) 6 , : +
M"## of $"n 9 &)% #oi! ,M$#- %ram
11.4 11.6 11.0 11.2
M"## of $"n ,M$- %ram
9.0 9.9 9.3 9.0
M"## of &)% #oi! ,M#- : ;M"## of $"n 9 &)% #oi! ,MC+-< = ;M"## of $"n ,MC-<

i9 Mass of dry soil 7Ms9 D 66.+ & 3.* D 2.4 (
ii9 Mass of dry soil 7Ms9 D 66.C & 3.3 D 1.> (
iii9 Mass of dry soil 7Ms9 D 66.* & 3.:* D 1.> (
iv9 Mass of dry soil 7Ms9 D 66., F 3.* D 2.2 (
"9 To &ete)3ine t6e 7"!/e of 3"## of ?"te) ,M@-
Te#t N/38e) Unit# 1 2 3 4
C"n N/38e) 6 , : +
M"## of $"n 9 3oi#t #oi! ,M$?#- %ram
12 12 11.5 11.8
M"## of $"n 9 &)% #oi! ,M$#- %ram
11.4 11.6 11.0 11.2
M"## of ?"te) ,M@- : ;M"## of $"n 9 3oi#t #oi!< = ;M"## of $"n 9 &)% #oi! <
i9 Mass of water 7MW9 D 6,.* & 66.+* D 0.4 (
ii9 Mass of water 7MW9 D 6,.* F 66.C* D 0.4 (
iii9 Mass of water 7MW9 D 66.- F 66.** D 0.1 (
iv9 Mass of water 7MW9 D 66.2 F 66.,* D 0.4 (
$- To &ete)3ine t6e 7"!/e of ?"te) $ontentA B
Te#t N/38e) Unit# 1 2 3 4
C"n N/38e) 6 , : +
M"## of &)% #oi! ,M#- %ram
2.4 1.7 1.7 2.2
M"## of ?"te) ,M?- %ram
0.6 0.4 0.5 0.6
@"te) $ontentA ? : ' 100B

i9 Water content! w D *.C G 6** D 21B
,.+
ii9 Water content! w D *.+ G 6** D 23.13B
6.8
iii9 Water content! w D *.- G 6** D 2C.41B
6.8
iv9 Water content! w D *.C G 6** D 2>.2>B
,.,
&- To &ete)3ine t6e 7"!/e of *!"#ti$ !i3it "n& *!"#ti$it% in&e'

!"#ti$ !i3it : "7e)"(e of t6e ?"te) $ontent
PL D ,- H ,:.-: H ,3.+6 H ,8.,8
+
D 24.30B

!"#ti$it% in&e' : Li./i& Li3it = !"#ti$ Li3it
D -2.6*E F ,C.:* E
D ,:.:-E
>.0 DI+CU++ION
D .0 CONCLU+ION
C.0 0UE+TION+ #
!U"#T$%N# 1
,"- @6"t i# t6e &efinition of *!"#ti$ !i3itE
The lastic limits is ar"itrarily defined as the water content at which a silt
or clay will <ust "e%in to crum"le when rolled into a thread
aroximately :., mm in diameter 7ASTM D +:62&32! ,***9.
Both of these definitions are "ased on emirical concets.
7"9 A #"3*!e of ?et $!"% "n& it# $ont"ine) ?ei(6 102 (. Afte) o7en &)%in(
t6e #"3*!e "n& t6e $ont"ine) ?ei(6 40 (. @6"t i# t6e ?"te) $ontent
"n& *!"#ti$ !i3it fo) t6e #oi!E
Wet clay soil H container D 6*, %
Dry soil H container D C* %
Container D C %
So! dry soil! M, D C* F C D -+ %
And wet soil! M6 D 6*, F C F -+ D 3C %
E 82 . 88 E 6**
-+
-+ 3C
E 6**
,
, 6
=

=
M
M M
w
T6e)efo)eA *!"#ti$ !i3it fo) t6e #oi! i# >>.>DB
0UE+TION+ 2
,"- @6"t i# t6e &iffe)ent 8et?een !i./i& !i3it "n& *!"#ti$ !i3itE
Different "etween li'uid limit and lastic limit is "ehavior chan%e "etween
the li'uid and lastic states and "etween the lastic and semisolid states of
a silt or clay. Li'uid limit is ar"itrarily defined as the water content at
which a art of soil! cut "y a %roove of standard dimensions and
will flow to%ether for a distance of 6,.8mm under the imact of ,*
"lows in a standard li'uid limit device. Plastic limit is ar"itrarily
defined as the water content at which a silt or clay will <ust "e%in to
crum"le when rolled into a thread aroximately :.,mm in diameter.
,8- A #"3*!e of ?et $!"% ?ei(6# 1>4 (. Afte) o7en &)%in( t6e #"3*!e
?ei(6 40 ( "n& it# $ont"ine) i# >.32 (. @6"t i# t6e ?"te) $ontent "n&
*!"#ti$ !i3it fo) t6e #oi!E
Wet clay soil H container D 68C %
Dry soil H container D C* %
Container D 8.:, %
So! dry soil! M, D C* F 8.:, D -,.C2 %
And wet soil! M6 D 68C F 8.:, F -,.C2 D 66C %
E , . 6,* E 6**
C2 . -,
C2 . -, 66C
E 6**
,
, 6
=

=
M
M M
w
T6e)efo)eA *!"#ti$ !i3it fo) t6e #oi! i# 120.2