DETERMINATION OF LIQUID LIMIT

PROCEDURE
1. A sample weighing about 100 g shall be taken from thoroughly mixed
material passing the 0.425 mm sieve which has been obtained in accordance
with standard procedures in Preparation of Disturbed Soil Sample for Test.
Mix the sample with 15 to 20 ml of distilled water. Mix it thoroughly by
alternately stirring and kneading with spatula. Further addition of water shall
be made by 1 to 3 ml increments.
2. Place a portion of the paste in the brass cup of the liquid limit device, level off
the surface with a spatula to a maximum depth of 10 mm and divide the soil
pat into segments by means of the standard grooving tool.
3. Mount the brass cup to the carriage such that it can be raised allowed to drop
sharply on the base through a height of 10 mm by rotating the crank at an
approximate rate of two rotations per second until the closure of the groove
about 13 mm from the bottom. The closure should be by flow of the soil and
not by slippage on the cup.
4. Take a slice of approximately the width of the spatula extending from edge to
edge of the soil cake at right angles to the groove. Place the sample in a
drying can for moisture content determination.
5. Repeat Steps (2) to (4) with different moisture contents of the soil in the
range of 15 to 35 blows. A total of 4 determinations should be made.
6. Plot moisture content against log number of blows and draw the flow curve.

CALCULATION
1. Calculate the percentage moisture the nearest whole percent.
W 1−W 2
% Moisture = ×100
W2

W1 = weight/mass of wet sample

W2 = weight/mass of oven-dried sample
2. 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”.
3. The liquid limit is expressed as the moisture content corresponding to 25
blows.
 WORK SHEET FOR LIQUID AND PLASTIC LIMIT TEST

LIQUID LIMIT PLASTIC LIMIT

Determination
Number
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4

Container
number

Container &
wet soil, g
Container &
dry soil, g
Moisture loss,
g
Container, g
Dry soil, g
Moisture
content, %
Number of
blows

Average: ___________________
Sieve Analysis

Sieve Size % Passing Liquid Limit: ____________________

No. 10 Plastic Limit: ____________________

No. 40 Plasticity Index: __________________

No. 200 Group Index: ____________________

Group Classification: ______________