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Plastic Limit Test
Plastic Limit Test
OBJECTIVE
To Determine the Lowest Moisture Content at Which the Soil Behaves
Plastically.
2.0
LEARNING OUTCOME
At the end of this experiment, students are able to:
3.0
INTRODUCTION
The following moisture conditions - liquid unlit, plastic limit, along with
shrinkage limit are referred to as the "Atterberg Limits", after the originator of the
test procedures. Semi-Solid .StagySolid State Atterbera Limits and Indices. The
plastic limit, also known as the lower plastic limit, is the water content at which a
soil changes from the plastic state to a semisolid state. A plastic limit set is an
apparatus that is used to determine the plastic limit of soil.
Definition
The method described herein is based upon A_ASHTO Designation T89
which has been modified for New York State Department of Transportation
use. The liquid limit of a soil is the moisture content, expressed as a percentage of
the weight of the oven-dried soil. at the boundary between the liquid and plastic
states of consistency. The moisture content at this boundary is arbitrarily defiled
as the water content at which two halves of a soil ca1Le will flow together, for a
distance of l,- in.(12.7 min) along the bottom of a groove of standard dimensions
separating the two halves, when the cup of a standard liquid limit apparatus is
dropped 25 times from height of 0.3937 in. (10 nun) at the rate of two
drops/second.
4.0
THEORY
Plastic limit ( P w ) of soil is defined as the water content at which a soil
will just begin to crumble when rolled into a thread of approximately 3 mm in
diameter. It is water content at the boundary between the plastic and semi-solid
states of consistency of the soil. Plasticity index (PI or IP) is the numerical
difference of the liquid and plastic limit, and indicates the range of water content
through which the soil remains plastic.
PI = LL PL
For fine grained soils, determining the natural water content (the water
content of a soil in an undisturbed condition in the ground) and relating it to the
plastic and liquid limits can provide an indication of the soils consistency and/or
sensitivity potential. One such relationship is the liquidity index.
IL
w PL
PI
Consistency index is defined as the ratio of the liquid limit minus the natural
water content to the plasticity index of a soil.
Cr
Plasticity Index
LL w
PI
Degree of Plasticity
Type of Soil
(IP or PI)
0
Non-Plastic
Sand
<7
Low-Plastic
Silt
7-17
Medium Plastic
Silty clay or clayey silt
> 17
Highly
Plastic Clay
Classification of soil according to plasticity.
Liquidity Index (IL or LI)
Consistency
< 0.0
Desiccated (dry) hard soil
0.0-0.25
Stiff
0.25-0.50
Medium to soft
0.50-0.75
Soft
0.75-1.00
Very soft
>1.00
Liquid s
Classification of soil according to liquidity indices.
4.0
TEST EQUIPMENTS
1.
The most important piece of apparatus for this test is the hand of operator,
which should be clean and free from grease.
2.
Evaporating dish.
3.
10mm
behavior of rolled
the like lihood of
5.0
4.
5.
6.
PROCEDURES
1)
First of all a soil paste is prepared and a part of it is placed on the glass
mixing plate.
2)
The soil is allowed to dry to such an extent that it becomes plastic and can
be shaped into a ball.
3)
The ball is then moulded by pressing gently between fingers and palms so
that it dries up and cracks appear on the soil.
4)
The soil is then divided into two sub-samples and separate determination
process is carried out for both the samples. Moisture is evenly spread on
both soil samples by pressing them between fingers. A thread is formed of
about 6mm diameter between the first finger and thumb of each hand.
5)
The thread is rolled between the fingers, from the finger-tip to the second
joint, of one hand and the surface of the glass rolling plate.
6)
The process is repeated until the thread shears both longitudinally and
transversely when it has been rolled to about 3mm diameter, as gauged by
a rod.
7)
content
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
6.0
Test Number
Can Number
Mass of can + moist soil (Mcws)
Mass of can + dry soil (Mcs)
Mass of can (Mc)
Mass of dry soil (Ms)
Units
gram
gram
gram
gram
12
11.4
9.0
2.4
12
11.6
9.9
1.7
11.5
11.0
9.3
1.7
11.8
11.2
9.0
2.2
gram
%
%
0.6
25
Plastic limit
Liquid limit
Plasticity index
26.30
0.4
23.53
0.5
29.41
26.30
%
%
0.6
27.27
Test Number
Units
1
2
3
4
Can Number
1
2
3
4
11.4
11.6
11.0
11.2
Mass of can + dry soil (Mcs)
gram
9.0
9.9
9.3
9.0
Mass of can (Mc)
gram
Mass of dry soil (Ms) = [Mass of can + dry soil (MCS)] [Mass of can (MC)]
i)
= 11.4 - 9.0
= 2.4 g
= 11.6 - 9.9
= 1.7 g
= 11.2 9.0
= 2.2 g
Units
1
1
2
2
3
3
4
4
gram
gram
12
11.4
12
11.6
11.5
11.0
11.8
11.2
Mass of water (MW) = [Mass of can + moist soil] [Mass of can + dry soil ]
i)
Test Number
Can Number
Mass of dry soil (Ms)
Mass of water (Mw)
Units
1
1
2
2
3
3
4
4
gram
gram
2.4
0.6
1.7
0.4
1.7
0.5
2.2
0.6
Water content, w =
x 100%
= 25%
= 23.53%
= 29.41%
= 27.27%
7.0
DISCUSSION
8 .0
CONCLUSION
9.0
QUESTIONS :
QUESTIONS 1
(a)
approximately
(b)
A sample of wet clay and its container weigh 102 g. After oven drying
the sample and the container weigh 60 g. What is the water content
and plastic limit for the soil?
= 102 g
= 60 g
Container
6g
M2 = 60 6 = 54 g
M1 = 102 6 54 = 96 g
M1 M 2
96 54
100%
100% 77.78%
M2
54
QUESTIONS 2
(a)
will flow
blows in a
(b)
A sample of wet clay weighs 176 g. After oven drying the sample
weigh 60 g and its container is 7.32 g. What is the water content and
plastic limit for the soil?
Wet clay soil + container
= 176 g
= 60 g
Container
= 7.32 g
M2 = 60 7.32 = 52.68 g
M1 = 176 7.32 52.68 = 116 g
M1 M 2
116 52.68
100%
100% 120.2%
M2
52.68