8
Plastic Limit Test
8.1 Introduction
ASTM Standard: D-4318
The fundamental concept of plastic limit was introduced in Section 6.1 (see Fig. 6–1).
Plastic limit is defined as the moisture content, in percent, at which a cohesive soil will
change from a plastic state to a semisolid state. In the laboratory the plastic limit is defined
as the moisture content, in percent, at which a thread of soil will just crumble when rolled to
a diameter of 1/8 in. (3.2 mm). This test might be seen as somewhat arbitrary and, to some
extent, the result may depend on the person performing the test. With practice, however,
fairly consistent results may be obtained.
8.2 Equipment
1. Porcelain evaporating dish
2. Spatula
3. Plastic squeeze bottle with water
4. Moisture cans (two)
5. Ground glass plate
6. Balance sensitive to 0.01 g
7. Oven
The equipment (except for the oven) is shown in Fig. 8–1.
65
66 SOIL MECHANICS LABORATORY MANUAL
Figure 8–1. Equipment for plastic limit test.
8.3 Procedure
1. Put approximately 30 g of a representative air-dry soil sample, passed through a U.S.
No. 40 sieve, into a porcelain evaporating dish.
2. Add water from the plastic squeeze bottle to the soil and mix thoroughly.
3. Determine the mass M1 of two moisture cans in grams and record it on the data sheet
(see line 1 of Table 8–1).
4. From the moist soil prepared in Step 2, prepare several ellipsoidally shaped soil masses
by squeezing the soil with fingers.
5. Take one of the ellipsoidally shaped soil masses (Step 4) and roll it on a ground glass
plate using the palm of your hand (Fig. 8–2). The rolling should be done at the rate
of about 80 strokes per minute. Note that one complete backward and one complete
forward motion of the palm constitute a stroke.
6. When the thread being rolled in Step 5 reaches 1/8 in. (3.2 mm) in diameter, break it
up into several small pieces and squeeze one piece with your fingers to form again an
ellipsoidal mass.
7. Repeat Steps 5 and 6 until the thread crumbles into several pieces when it reaches a
diameter of 1/8 in. (3.2 mm). It is possible that a thread may crumble at a diameter
larger than 1/8 in. (3.2 mm) during a given rolling process, whereas it did not crumble
at the same diameter during the immediately previous rolling.
Plastic Limit Test 67
Figure 8–2. Ellipsoidal soil mass being rolled in a thread on a glass plate.
8. Collect the small crumbled pieces in the first moisture can and put the cover on
the can.
9. Take the other ellipsoidal soil masses formed in Step 4 and repeat Steps 5 through 8.
10. Determine the mass of the moisture can plus the wet soil, M2 , in grams (see line 2 of
Table 8–1). Remove the cap from the top of the can and place the can in the oven (with
the cap at the bottom of the can).
11. Repeat Steps 4 through 10 by collecting the small crumbled pieces in the second
moisture can.
12. After about 24 hours, remove the cans from the oven and determine the mass of the
cans plus the dry soil, M3 , in grams (see line 3 of Table 8–1).
8.4 Calculations
Calculate the plastic limit PL,
mass of moisture M2 − M 3
PL = = × 100 (8.1)
mass of dry soil M3 − M1
Calculate the average value of PL based on the results obtained from the two moisture
cans (line 4 of Table 8–1). The results may be presented in tabular form, as shown in
Table 8–1. If the liquid limit of the soil is known, calculate the plasticity index PI
PI = LL − PL (8.2)
68 SOIL MECHANICS LABORATORY MANUAL
Table 8–1. Plastic Limit Test
Description of soil Gray clayey silt Sample no. 3
Location
Tested by Date
Can No.
Item 103 110
1. Mass of can, M1 (g) 13.33 14.23
2. Mass of can + moist soil, M2 (g) 23.86 24.81
3. Mass of can + dry soil, M3 (g) 22.27 23.19
M2 − M3 17.78 18.08
4. PL = × 100
M3 − M1
Plasticity index PI = LL − PL = 35.2 − 17.93 = 17.27 Av. = 17.78 + 18.08 = 17.93
2
8.5 General Comments
1. Table 8–2 lists the approximate ranges for the plastic limits of some clay minerals.
The liquid limit and the plasticity index of cohesive soils are important parameters
for classifiction purposes. The engineering soil classification systems are described in
Chapter 9. The plasticity index is also used to determine the activity A of a clayey soil,
Table 8–2. Range of Plastic Limits
Clay Mineral PL
Kaolinite 20–40
Illite 35–60
Montmorillonite 50–100
Chlorite 35–40
Hydrated halloysite 40–60
Plastic Limit Test 69
Table 8–3. Range of A Values
Clay Mineral A
Kaolinite 0.3–0.5
Illite 0.5–1.2
Montmorillonite 1.5–7.0
Hydrated halloysite 0.1–0.2
which is defined as
PI
A = (8.3)
% clay-size fraction (by weight)
The range of activity A of some clay minerals is given in Table 8–3. The clay-size
fraction is the fraction in a soil mass with grain sizes equal to or smaller than 0.002 mm.
2. Liquidity index LI is a term that defines the relative consistency of a clayey soil in its
natural state. It can be expressed as
w − PL
LI = (8.4)
LL − PL
where w is the natural moisture content.
For sensitive clays LI may be greater than 1. Heavily overconsolidated clays may
have LI < 0.
3. Liquid limit and plasticity index have been used extensively by engineers for corre-
lation of several physical soil parameters as well as for soil identification. Casagrande
(1932) studied the relationship of the plasticity index to the liquid limit of a wide variety
of natural soils. On the basis of the test results, he proposed a plasticity chart as shown
in Figure 8–3 (also see Fig. 9–2). The important feature of this chart is the empirical
A-line that is given by the equation PI = 0.73(LL − 20). The A-line separates the
inorganic clays from the inorganic silts. Plots of plasticity indexes against liquid lim-
its for inorganic clays lie above the A-line, and those of inorganic silts lie below the
A-line. Organic silts plot in the same region (below the A-line and with LL ranging
from 30 to 50) as the inorganic silts of medium compressibility. Organic clays plot in
the same region as inorganic silts of high compressibility (below the A-line and with
LL greater than 50). The information provided in the plasticity chart is of great value
and is the basis for classification of fine-grain soils in the Unified Soil Classification
System (Chapter 9).
Note that there is a line called the U-line above the A-line. The U-line is approxi-
mately the upper limit of the relationships of the plasticity index to the liquid limit. The
70 SOIL MECHANICS LABORATORY MANUAL
70
Inorganic 8)
–
60 clays of high ine LL
U-
l 9(
plasticity 0.
PI=
50
2 0)
Plasticity index
e L L–
40 Inorganic clays lin 3(
A- 0.7
of medium =
plasticity PI
30 Inorganic silts of high
Inorganic compressibility
20 clays of low and organic clays
plasticity
Inorganic silts of medium
10 compressibility and
Cohesionless organic silts
soil
0
20 40 60 80 100
Liquid limit
Inorganic silts of low
compressibility
Figure 8–3. Plasticity chart.
60
Plasticity index
40
e
lin e
U- A-
lin
20 A
C
0
0 8 20 40 60 80 100 120
Liquid limit
B LL = – 43.5
PI = – 46.5
Figure 8–4. Estimation of shrinkage from plasticity chart.
equation for the U-line can be given as
PI = 0.9(LL − 8) (8.5)
4. There is another use for the A-line and the U-line. Casagrande suggested that the
shrinkage limit (defined in Chapter 6) of a soil can be approximately determined if
Plastic Limit Test 71
its plasticity index and liquid limit are known (see Holtz and Kovacs, 1981). This can
be done in the following manner with reference to Figure 8–4.
a. Plot the plasticity index against the liquid limit of a given soil such as point A in
Figure 8–4.
b. Project the A-line and the U-line downward to meet at point B. Point B will have
the coordinates of LL = −43.5 and PI = −46.5.
c. Join points B and A with a straight line. This will intersect the liquid limit axis as
point C. The abscissa of point C is the estimated shrinkage limit.
8.6 Laboratory Report
The laboratory report should contain the following:
• Cover page
• Equipment used
• Description of test procedure
• Results—data sheet and sample calculations
• Discussion—If the hydrometer test (Chapter 5) was conducted on the same soil and
percent passing 0.002 mm in size is available, calculate and report the activity (A)
of the soil [see Eq. (8.3)].
