Liquid limit:

Observation table for liquid limit :

Determination No. I II III IV

No. of blows 32 25 20 15
Mass of container + Mass soil (g) 15 26 23.5 17
Mass of container + Oven dry soil
(g) 13.5 22.5 20 15
Mass of water (g) 1.5 3.5 3.5 2
Mass of container (g) 10 16.5 14.5 12
Mass of oven dry soil (g) 3.5 6 5.5 3
Moisture Content (%) 42.86 58.33 63.64 66.67

Figure 1 semi-log graph of moisture content vs no of blows

Liquid limit corresponding to 25 no. of blows= 58.33%
Plastic limit test:

(a) (b)

(c) (d)

Figure 2: (a) soil sample;(b) moulding of sample with water; (c) rolling of the sample; (d)
measurement of weight.
Observation table for plastic limit:

Sl.N
Determination No. I II III IV
O
2 Mass of container (W0)g 20 19.5 10 14
3 Mass of container +wet soil (W1)g 24 23 13 19
Massof container + oven dry soil
4 23 22 12 17
(W2)g

5 Massof water (W1-W2)g 1 1 1 2

6 Massof dry soil (W2-W0)g 3 2.5 2 3

Moisture content(%)= P.L= ((W1-
7 33.333 40 50 66.667
W2)/(W2-W0))*100
8 Average value of P.L 47.5

Average value of P.L=47.5%

Therefore plasticity index (Ip)=Wl-Wp= 58.33-47.5= 10.83%.

So according to the plasticity chart as per IS 1498:

Figure 4 plasticity chart as per IS1498-1970.
The soil is classified as inorganic silt.

 Degree of expansion low.

 High compressibility.
 Medium toughness.

So this means the soil can be made into the desired shapes by decreasing its volume and has the
ability to absorb energy and deform without fracturing.

Mix design:

Mix proportion and design for (12*12*9) cm cube size.

For compressive strength test.

Mixture Proportion (%) Weight(Kg) Relation

soil 100 2.5

fiber 0-6 In relation to total dry mixture

cow dung 20 0.5 In relation to total dry mixture

water 18.33 0.4582 In relation to total dry mixture 

For compressive strength test we used varying fiber percent from 0-6% with varying fiber length from
1cm-5cm.

Mix proportion and design for (24*12*9) cm cube size.

For flexural strength test.

Mixture Proportion(%) Weight(Kg) Relation

soil 100 5

fiber 3 0.15 In relation to total dry mixture

cow dung 20 1 In relation to total dry mixture

water 18.33 0.9165 In relation to total dry mixture 

• For compressive strength test we used fiber percent as constant but the fiber length was varying
from 0 to 5cm. The results also indicates how the fiber reinforced earth brick with fiber length
of 40 mm and with fiber length 50 mm performed the highest stresses with a significant increase
by 50.7% and 52.36% respectively compared to with no fibers.

• Though we observed 5cm length gave highest tensile strength, the fiber length 4cm and above
reduced the compaction efficiency and workability by entangling the fiber.So, optimum sun
grass fiber length found is 3cm.

For water absorption test.

Mixture Proportion (%) Weight(Kg) Relation

soil 100 5

fiber 4 0.2 In relation to total dry mixture

cow dung 20 1 In relation to total dry mixture

water 18.33 0.9165 In relation to total dry mixture 

For water absorption test we used 4% fiber with 3cm fiber length.