Experiment No.

4a
LIQUID LIMIT OF SOIL

Scope

This method describes a procedure of determining the water content at which a soil will just
begin to flow when jarred 25 times in a liquid limit device.

Apparatus

1. Liquid limit device and grooving tool

2. Balance, sensitive to 0.01 gram
1. Oven with temperature control
2. No. 40 sieve and pan
3. Mortar and pestle
4. Spatula
5. Evaporating dish
6. Water supply

Procedure

1. Mix thoroughly about 150-200 grams of moist soil passing the No. 40 sieve with distilled
water to form a uniform paste.
2. Place a portion of the paste in the brass cup of the liquid limit device, smooth the surface
off to a maximum depth of T.27 cm and divide the soil pat into two segments by means
of the standard grooving tool.
3. Mount the brass cup to the carriage such as it can be raised and allowed to drop sharply
on the base through a height of 1 cm., by rotating the crank at an approximate rate of two
revolutions per second, and count the blows necessary to close the groove by a flow of
the soil and not by slippage between the soil and the cup.
4. Take a sample from the portion, which flowed, and place in a drying can for water
content determination.
5. Repeat steps 2 and 4 with different water contents of the soil in the range of 10 to 40
blows. A total of 4 determinations should be made.
6. Plot water content against log number of blows and draw the "flow curve".
 (aa)

(b) (c)

(d) (e)

Figure 3 Liquid d limit test: (a) liquid limit deevice; (b) flat grooving
g tool; (c) wedge grooving tool; (d)) soil pat before
teest; (e) soil patt after test (Froom Principles of Geotechnicaal Engineeringg by Braha M. Das and Khaled Sobhan, 8tth
E
Edition, Copyrig ght 2014)
Calculations

a) Plot the relationship between the water content W, and the corresponding number of drops, N,
of the cup on a semi-logarithmic graph with the water content as ordinates on the arithmetical
scale, and the number of drops as abscissas on the logarithmic scale. Draw the best straight line
through the plotted points.
b) Take the water content corresponding to the intersection of the line with the 25-drop abscissa
as the liquid limit of the soil
c) Computational methods may be substituted for the graphical method for fitting a straight line
to the data and determining the liquid limit.

The liquid limit for each water content specimen can be determined using one of the following
equations:

0.121
⎛N⎞
LL = wn ⎜ ⎟
⎝ 25 ⎠

or

LL = k ( wn )

where:
N = the number of blows causing closure of the groove at water content,
wn = natural water content, and
k = a factor given in table 7

The liquid limit is the average of the two trial liquid limit values.

If the difference between the two trial liquid limit values is greater than one percentage point,
repeat the test.

Plot the percent moisture as ordinate on an arithmetic scale against the number of blows as
abscissa on a logarithmic scale. Draw a straight line connecting these points, the plot is called the
"flow curve".
 Number of Drops Factor for Liquid
(N) Limit (k)
20 0.974
21 0.979
22 0.985
23 0.990
24 0.995
25 1.000
26 1.005
27 1.009
28 1.014
29 1.018
30 1.022

Table 7 Factors for obtaining Liquid Limit from Water Content and Number of Drops Causing
Closure of Groove

Questions

1. What is the purpose of the liquid limit test?

2. How do you define liquid limit?
3. Why do you use a special cup and cranking device to determine the liquid limit? Why not
use another shape for the cup?
4. Should you add or remove water to obtain a lower blow count?
5. What is the minimum number of data points required to determine the liquid limit?
6. What is the purpose of calibration of the Atterberg device?
7. Under what conditions would you use seawater to moisten a clay sample?
8. Is there is a typical value for the liquid limit for clean fine sand? Justify your answer.
 PRELIMINARY DATA SHEET

Name: ________________________________ Group No. ______________________

Course/Section: _________________________ Date: __________________________

Experiment No. 4a
LIQUID LIMIT OF SOIL
Trial No. 1 2 3 4 5
Weight of Wet Soil + Can (grams)
Weight of Dry Soil + Can (grams)
Weight of Can (grams)
Weight of Wet Soil (grams)
Weight of Dry Soil (grams)
Moisture Loss (grams)
Moisture Content (%)
Number of Blows, N
Liquid Limit, LL (from formula)
Liquid Limit, LL (from graph)

Graphical Solution

_____________________________ ____________________________
Student’s Signature Instructor’s Signature
 FINAL DATA SHEET

Name: ________________________________ Group No. ______________________

Course/Section: _________________________ Date: __________________________

Experiment No. 4a
LIQUID LIMIT OF SOIL
Trial No. 1 2 3 4 5
Weight of Wet Soil + Can (grams)
Weight of Dry Soil + Can (grams)
Weight of Can (grams)
Weight of Wet Soil (grams)
Weight of Dry Soil (grams)
Moisture Loss (grams)
Moisture Content (%)
Number of Blows, N
Liquid Limit, LL (from formula)
Liquid Limit, LL (from graph)

Graphical Solution

_____________________________
Student’s Signature