Experimennt No.

4b
PLAST
TIC LIMIT
T AND PLA ASTICITY INDEX OF SOIL

Scope

This method describes a procedure

T p off determininng the lowestt water conteent at which a soil can bee
roolled into thrreads 3.2 mm
m in diameteer without crrumbling.

A
Apparatus

1. Glass platee
2. All listed in
n Experimennt 4a except in no. 1

P
Preparation of Test Speecimen

Select a 2A-gg portion of soil from thhe material prepared

p forr the liquid limit
l test, eitther after thee
seecond mixinng before thee test, or from
m the soil reemaining afteer completioon of the testt. Reduce thee
w
water contentt of the soil to a consistency at whicch it can be rolled withoout sticking to the hands
byy spreading and mixing continuouslly on the glaass plate. Thhe drying proocess may bee acceleratedd
byy exposing the
t soil to thhe air currentt from an eleectric fan, orr by blotting with paper that
t does noot
addd any fiber to the soil, such
s as hardd surface papper toweling or high wet--strength filtter paper.

P
Procedure

1. From the 20 g. mass,

m selectt a portion of 1.5 to 2..0g from the test specimen into ann
ellipso
oidal mass.
2. Roll the
t ball of sooil between the palm off the hand annd the glasss plate until it is 3.2 mm
m
inch in diameter as
a shown in figure 3. Reepeat this unntil a 3.2 mm m diameter thread
t shows
sign of
o crumblingg and the threead begins too break into pieces.
3. Take some of the t crumbleed soil andd place in a drying can for water contennt
determmination.
4. Repeaat steps 2 andd 3 and get the
t average water
w contennt, which is the plastic limit.

FIGURE 4 Plastic Limitt Test (From Principles

P of Geotechnical
G Enngineering by Braha
B M. Das and Khaled
Sobhhan, 8th Editionn, Copyright 20014)
Calculation

Compute the average of the two water contents. If the difference between the two water contents
is greater than two percentage points, repeat the test. The plastic limit is the average of the two
water contents.

Calculate the plasticity index, PI as follows:

PI = LL - PL

where:

LL =the liquid limit,

PL =the plastic limit

Both LL and PL are whole numbers. If either the liquid limit or plastic limit could not be
determined or if the plastic limit is equal to or greater than the liquid limit, report the soil as non-
plastic, NP.

Questions

1. How important is the hand pressure applied to the soil thread?

2. When do you know, that the soil is plastic enough to be formed into thin threads?
3. How will you compare the strength and properties of a soil in plastic state to their soils in
liquid, semisolid and solid states?
4. What measures the range of plastic deformation of soils and what is its importance in the
study of soil mechanics?
 PRELIMINARY DATA SHEET

Name: ________________________________ Group No. ______________________

Course/Section: _________________________ Date: __________________________

Experiment No. 4b
PLASTIC LIMIT AND PLASTICITY INDEX OF SOIL

Trial No. 1 2 3 4
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 (%)
Plastic Limit, PL, (Average Moisture Content, %)
Plasticity Index, PI (%)

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

Name: ________________________________ Group No. ______________________

Course/Section: _________________________ Date: __________________________

Experiment No. 4b
PLASTIC LIMIT AND PLASTICITY INDEX OF SOIL

Trial No. 1 2 3 4
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 (%)
Plastic Limit, PL, (Average Moisture Content, %)
Plasticity Index, PI (%)

_____________________________
Student’s Signature