Atterberg Limit Tests

1.) Liquid limit Tests

2.) Plastic limit test
3.) Shrinkage limit test

Plasticity Index
Plasticity Index = liquid limit – plastic limit
PI = LL - PL
P.I. = plasticity index
L.L. = liquid limit
P.L. = plastic limit

Liquidity Index
𝜔 − 𝑃𝐿
𝐿. 𝐼. =
𝐿𝐿 − 𝑃𝐿
where :
L.I. = liquidity index
𝜔 = in sity moisture content of soil
P.L. = plastic limit
L.L. = liquid limit

Characteristic of Soil :
When L.I. < 0 - brittle solid
When L.I. < 1 - plastic
When L.I. > 1 – liquid

Consistency Index
𝐿. 𝐿. − 𝜔
𝐶. 𝐼. =
𝐿. 𝐿. − 𝑃. 𝐼,
C.I. = consistency index
L.L. = liquid limit
𝜔 = moisture content
P.I. = plasticity index

Flow Index (lf)

𝝎𝟏 − 𝝎𝟐
𝒍𝒇 =
𝑵
𝒍𝒐𝒈 ( 𝟐 )
𝑾𝟏

𝝎𝟏=𝑚𝑜𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑜𝑖𝑙,𝑖𝑛 𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡,𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑝𝑜𝑛𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡𝑜 𝑁1 𝑏𝑙𝑜𝑤𝑠

𝝎1 = 𝑚𝑜𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑝𝑜𝑛𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡𝑜 𝑁2 𝑏𝑙𝑜𝑤𝑠

Toughness Index
𝑷𝒍𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒙
𝑻𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒙 =
𝑭𝒍𝒐𝒘 𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒙

Shrinkage Limit
(𝑚1 − 𝑚2 ) (𝑉1 − 𝑉2 )
𝑆. 𝐿. = 100 − 𝑃𝑤 (100)
𝑚2 𝑚2
SL = shrinkage limit
M1 = mass of wet soil in the dish in grams
M2 = mass of dry soil in the dish in grams
V1 = initial vol. of wet soil in the dish
V2 = final vol. of dry soil in the dish in cc
𝜌𝑤 = density of water (1 gr/𝑐𝑚3 )
Shrinkage Ratio

𝑀2
𝑆𝑅 =
𝑉2 𝜌𝑊
SR = shrinkage ratio
M2 = mass of dry soil in the dish in grams
V2 = final vol. of dry soil in the dish in cc
𝜌𝑊 = density of water (1 gr/𝑐𝑚3 )

Specific gravity

1
𝐺𝑆 =
1 𝑆𝐿
𝑆𝑅 − 100
Gs = specific gravity
SR = shrinkage ratio
SL = shrinkage limit