LECTURE – 4 Shrinkage Limit – is defined as the water content at

ATTERBERG'S LIMIT AND SOIL which the soil changes from a semi-solid to a solid state.
CONSISTENCY

SOIL CONSISTENCY – provides a means of describing

the degree and kind of cohesion and adhesion between the
soil particles as related to the resistance of the soil to
deform or rupture.

Soil Behave Like:

 SOLID at very low moisture content
 LIQUID at very high moisture content

Shrinkage Limit – water content at which the soil

volume remains constant.
Plastic Limit – water content at which the soil begins to
crumble when rolled to 1/8” thread. Liquidity Index

Liquid Limit – is defined as the moisture content at Sensitivity indicator:

which soil begins to behave as a liquid material and begins
to flow.
Liquid Limit – water content at which a groove cut into
a soil pad in liquid limit device close over 0.5” width in
exactly 25 blows.
Plasticity Index – the difference between liquid limit and
plastic limit.
CASAGRANDE PLASTICITY CHART
 U-line: upper limit of all known soil
 A-line: separates clay from silts and inorganic
clays from organic clays
Soil sensitivity is defined as the ratio of peak to re-molded
shear strength. Problem soil materials are those that show
large strength losses on disruption, resulting in
catastrophic failure, liquefaction and long run-out
distances.
If a fine-grained soil has LL > 1, it can be a good indicator
that the soil is sensitive.
Strength Characteristic
 Liquid State: the soil has the lowest strength and
the largest deformation
 Solid State: the soil has the largest strength and
the lowest deformation

Values of
Description of soil strength
LI
Semisolid state – High strength,
LI < 0
Brittle, fracture is expected
Plastic state – Intermediate strength,
0 < LI < 1
soil deforms like a plastic material
Liquid state – Low strength, soil
Plasticity Index – is the difference between the liquid LI > 1
deforms like a viscous fluid
limit and plastic limit.

PI = LL – PL
 LECTURE – 5
SOIL CLASSIFICATION

TYPES OF CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM

There are may types of system, but we will focus on:

1) American Association of State Highway and
Transportation Officials system (AASHTO)
2) Unified Soil Classification System (USCS)

Definition of Grain Size

Coarse Grained

AASHTO

Group Index

Fine Grained

USCS System