Jordan University of Science and Technology

Civil Engineering Department

CE463-GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING LAB

Student Name: Abdulaziz Essa

ID : 159145

Exp Name : Liquid and plastic limit test

Exp No. 4

Instructor: Eng. Maysa Khasawneh

Submission Date: April 3,2023

Sec : 1 group :1

Evaluation Elements Max Grade

Grade
1 Title Page (evaluation form) and Overall Appearance -

2 Abstract 15

3 Introduction 5

4 Objective 5

7 Results and Data Analysis 25

8 Discussion 30

9 Conclusion 20

10 Total 100
Nomenclature:
SL= Shrinkage Limit.

PL= The Plastic Limit.

LL= The Liquid Limit.

Ww = Weight of water.

Ws = Weight of dry soil.

W%= Water content.

g = gram.

mm = millimeters.

Abstract:
We will test a sample of fine-grained soil in this lab to find its liquid limit, plastic limit, and
plasticity index. Using a Casagrande cup, the Atterberg Limit test will be run to ascertain these
results. The exercise's first section focuses on determining the liquid limit (LL), making sure that
the moisture content is modified to meet a closure at 25 blows. The plastic limit may also be found
in the Casagrande cup, but with less penetration. The plastic limit (PL), or the moisture content at
which a cylinder of rolled soil with a 3 mm diameter begins to disintegrate, is the subject of part
two of the experiment. From the plasticity curve, the type of the soil sample is organic clay.

Introduction:
The Atterberg limits are basic measures of the critical water contents of the fine-
grained soil: its shrinkage limit, plastic limit, and liquid limit. As a dry soil takes on
increasing amount of water it undergoes obvious changes in behaviour and
consistency. In this experiment we will study the plastic and liquid limits in order to
find a classification for the fine sized soil. The heavier of soil can be classified in 4
phases depending on the moisture content of the sample:

• Solid.
• Semi-solid.
• Plastic.
• Liquid.

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Objective:
• Obtain the Atterberg plastic and liquid limits only.
• Classify the fine soil type whether silt, or clay, or a mixture of both silt and clay

Experimental details:

Apparatus:
• Plastic limit test:
o Glass plate.
o Oven.
o Balance.
o Cans.
3mm diameter rod.
Figure (1): Set of apparatus used for plastic limit test
B. Liquid limit test:

o Dish.
o Grooving tool.
o Oven.
o Balance.
o Spatula.
o Liquid limit device

figure (2): Liquid limit device

Procedure:
A. Plastic limit test:

1. Get an air dried, fine sample that passed sieve no. 40, and cure it for 24 hrs.
2. Use the glass plate to roll the sample in order to reach a 3mm diameter and compare it to the
rod, add water if the soil dries out.
3. Take the 3mm sample and weight it with the can
4. Oven dry the sample for 24 hours. Repeat for 4 samples.
5. Perform the calculations to get the plastic limit P.L.

B. Liquid limit:

1. Get an air dried, fine sample that passed sieve no. 40, cure it for 24 hours.
2. Add water to increase the water content, and mix
3. Place the sample in the standard liquid limit device and use the grooving tool to make sure
its 1 cm of thickness.

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 4. Use the device and apply a different no. of blows, with different water contents, till the
sample reaches the required specifications.
5. Perform the calculations and plot the graph to the get the liquid limit.

Results and Calculations:

M𝑑 = 250 g (LL)
M= 50g (PL)
Can No. Wt of can,W1(g) Wt of can +wet Wt of can +dry No. of blows ,N Moisture
soil,w2 (g) soil,w3 (g) content,𝜔 (%)
1 21.48 71.31 56.93 34 40.5641749
2 21.02 56.65 45.6 28 44.9552482
3 21.69 68.20 52.84 22 49.3097913

Can No. Wt of can,W1(g) Wt of can +wet Wt of can +dry Plastic limit,𝜔

soil,w2 (g) soil,w3 (g) (%)
1 8.35 12.24 11.5 23.4920635

Moisture content VS.No. of blows

60
y = -0.7288x + 65.35
50
Moisture content,𝜔 (%)

40

30

20

10

0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40
No. of blows ,N

liquid limit (LL) 47.13

Plastic limit (PL) 23.4920635
Plasticity index (PI) 23.637936
Type of clay CL
Flow index (FI) 20.90

Sample calculations:
𝑊 −𝑊 71.41−56.93
𝜔 = 𝑊2 − 𝑊3 ∗ 100 = 56.93−21.48 ∗ 100 = 40.5641749 %
3 1
PI = LL – PL = 47.13 -23.4920635 = 23.637936
y = -0.7288*25 + 65.35 = 47.13
LL = 47.13
𝑊1 %−𝑊3% 40.5641749−49.3097913
Flow index = log(𝑁3)−log(𝑁1) = = 20.90
ln(22)−ln(34)

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 CL

Discussions:
From the last data and results, we observed the following:

1. Plastic limit experiment:

The soil is at a moisture content where its behaviour is plastic. So, it will retain its
shape down to a very narrow diameter.

2. Liquid limit experiment:

The moisture content corresponding to the intersection of the flow curve with 25-
blow ordinate is the liquid limit of the soil. The flow curve representing the
relationship between water content and corresponding number of drops of the cup.

From the plasticity chart:

we got the point (47.13, 23.637936) which represents the intersection between liquid
limit and plastic index. As we can see, our point is below A-line which means our
sample could be either silt or organic clay. We can differentiate between them by
physical properties.

The physical properties that can be used are:

• If the surface shine —>silt

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 • If the surface smooth —> clay
• If the water become clear within 10 min —> silt
• Shake a spot of soil in your hand, if the surface become shine —> silt
• Mix small portion of the sample with water, if the water become clear

within 10min —> silt

And here after checking the physical properties. The sample has a dark and
smooth surface, so we can obtain that our soil sample is organic clay.

Conclusion:
As we see this experiment is about Atterberg limits, and our aims are to obtain these
limits and classify the soil.

From the previous pages we concluded that:

• From table : PL = 23.4920635%

• From the flow curve: LL =47.13%
• The plasticity index: PI = LL-PL =23.637936%
• The point coordinates for the plasticity chart: (LL, PI) = (47.13, 23.637936)
• From the plasticity curve, the type of the soil sample is organic clay.

References:
-Baraja M. Das, “soil Mechanics Laboratory Manual “, (6th edition, 2002) Soil Lab
Manual.

- ASTM D-4318 Standard Test Method for Liquid, Plastic, and Plasticity Index of
Soil.