CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT

SESSION II: 2021/2022

DCC30112 – GEOTECHNICAL AND HIGHWAY ENGINEERING

LABORATORY

NAME
REGISTRATION
PROGRAM / GROUP
PRACTICAL WORK
DATE

Displays correct procedures for investigating the

problems
Select and uses Tools
Displays the usage of the tools/ apparatus/ machine/
CLO1 to run the study/ laboratory work
PRACTICAL Measures the data with accuracy and quality
(P3) Measurement
Displays performance of data measurement
Time management Follows time management
Housekeeping Displays cleanliness and neatness
𝟎
TOTAL P3 (60%) × 𝟔𝟎% =
𝟑𝟎
CLO2 Safety procedure Adhere to safety procedure during laboratory
SAFETY Personal Protective
(A4) Adhere to safety protocols
Equipment (PPE)
TOTAL A4 (10%)

Result Presentation
(Raw Data/Value/ Plan/ Graph, etc) *if any

Report Analysis Calculation

CLO3 Result Discussions
REPORT
Conclusions
(C4)
Apply a standard format of report
Report Standard (Cover page, title, presentation and tidiness)
Completion of report within the time given

TOTAL C4 (30%)

TOTAL SCORE (P3) + (A4) + (C4) /100

 EXPERIMENT 4: ATTERBERG LIMIT

1.0 OBJECTIVE

1) To determine liquid limit and plastic limit of the soil.

2.0 LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of the course, students should be able to apply the knowledge and skills they have
learned to:
a. Understand the concept of atterberg limit.
b. Understand the methods of cone penetrometer to determine liquid limit of the soil

3.0 THEORY

When clay minerals are present in fine-grained soil, the soil can be remolded in the presence of
some moisture without crumbling. This cohesive nature is caused by the adsorbed water
surrounding the clay particles. At very low moisture content, soil behaves more like a solid.
When the moisture content is very high, the soil and water may flow like a liquid. Hence, on an
arbitrary basis, depending on the moisture content, the behavior of soil can be divided into four
basic states – solid, semisolid, plastic and liquid. The moisture content at which the transition
from solid to semi-solid state takes place is defined as the shrinkage limit. The moisture content
at the point of transition from semisolid to plastic state is the plastic limit, and from plastic to
liquid state is the liquid limit. These parameters are also known as Atterberg limits.
The liquid limit of a soil can be determined using the cone penetrometer or the Casagrande
apparatus (BS 1377:1990:part 2, clauses 4.3, 4.5). One of the major changes introduced by the
1975 British Standard (BS 1377) was that the preferred method of liquid limit testing became
the cone penetrometer. This preference is reinforced in the revised 1990 British Standard which
refers to the cone penetrometer as the ‘definitive method’.
4.0 EQUIPMENTS

Dial b. Balance of at least 2kg capacity

gauge readable to 0.01g.

c. Mixing bowl, approximately

150mm diameter.
Manual cone
release and
cone locking device d. Spatula.
Heavy base
Metal cup (55m e. 425 µm mesh sieve
dia. 40mm deep)
f. Wash bottle or beaker containing
Fig 1 : a. Cone Penetrometer distilled or de-ionized water.

5.0 PROCEDURES

1. Take about 200gm of the air dried sample passing 425 µm mesh sieve.
2. Place the test portion in the mixing bowl and thoroughly mix with an increment of distilled
or de-ionised water using a spatula. Continue adding increments of water until the test
portion becomes a thick homogeneous paste (Note a).
(Note a: The consistency of the test portion should be such that when tested, a penetration
in the range of 9 to 12mm is obtained.)
3. Then a test portion placed in the metal cup. Care must be taken not to entrap air bubbles.
4. Completely fill the metal cup in this manner and then level off the surface of the cured soil
with the spatula with the blade held almost flat.
5. After placing the cup on the base of stand, the cone is lowered so that it just touches and
marks the surface of the soil paste; the dial gauge is then set and the reading noted.
6. The cone is released to penetrate the soil paste for exactly 5s and relocked in its new
position; a second dial readings gives the amount of cone penetration. The mean between
the first and second dial readings gives the amount of cone penetration (mm).
7. After readings taken, a small portion of the soil is taken and its water content is
determined.
8. The whole procedure of the penetration procedure is then repeated with paste mixes having
different water contents, 5 or 6 times in all
6.0 RESULT

6.1 LIQUID LIMIT

Test no 1 2 3 4 5

Gauge First
(mm)
Second

Mean

Mass of container (g)

Wet soil + container (g)

Dry soil + container (g)

Mass of water (g)

Water content (%)

6.2 PLASTIC LIMIT

Container no 1 2

Mass of empty container (M1)

Mass of container + wet soil (M2)

Mass of container + dry soil (M3)

Mass of water, Mw = M2 – M3

Mass of solid, Ms

Water content

W = Mass of water x 100%

Mass of solid
7.0 QUESTIONS AND DISCUSSION

1. Plot the moisture contents against their corresponding penetration values on a linear graph
with the percent moisture content on the horizontal axis and the penetration value on the
vertical axis. Draw a straight line of best fit through the plotted points.
2. Determine the moisture content corresponding to the intersection of the line of best fit and
the 20mm penetration ordinate. This moisture content is then Liquid Limit of the soil.

3. Describe the soil according to the British Soil Classification System using the plasticity
chart.
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4. Calculate the Plasticity Index.

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