Beirut Arab University

Faculty of Engineering
Civil Department

__________________________________________________

Soil Mechanics
CVLE 333

Atterberg Test
ASTM-D-4318

Report #3

Submitted to:
Eng. Meriana M. Othman
Eng. Ghida hakim

Prepared by:
Hadi El chami, ID#201802016, Sec. D4
Farid Saab, ID#201802372, Sec. D4
Ali Abdullah, ID#201900290, Sec. D1
Shadi Mohti, ID#201800551, Sec. D4

Date: 12/10/2021
 Experiment 1 : Liquid Limit Test
I. Introduction:
The liquid limit is the point at which the soil begins to behave like a liquid. A clay
sample is placed in a standard cup and a separation (groove) is made using a
spatula to determine the liquid limit. This sample is used to determine the soil's
water content.

II. Equipments:
1) Casagrande device fig (1)
2) Spatula fig (2)
3) Grooving tool fig (3)
4) Soil specimen fig (4)
5) Moisture cans fig (5)

Fig (1) Fig (2) Fig (3)

Fig (4) Fig (5)

III. Procedure:
1) Using a digital balance (M), determine the mass of each empty dish.
2) Use a steel plate beneath the cup to calibrate the Casagrande device.
The cup is raised, then lowered.
3) Make the soil paste sample by mixing a soil passing sieve #40 in a dish
with an unknown amount of water.
4) The soil paste sample is placed in the Casagrande device's metal cup
and stretched over the cup.
5) Cut the paste vertically in the center using a groove tool with a 2cm
head, leaving a gap of 2cm.
6) The cup is lifted and dropped from a height of 10mm using the crank
operator cam. The device records the amount of blows. The moisture
content necessary to close at a distance of 12.7 mm at the bottom of
the groove after 25 blows.
7) Make three distinct soil paste samples that have closed 12.7mm in a
range of 15-35 blows, adding water to rejected samples that close at
more than 35 blows and soil to rejected samples that close at less than
15 blows.
8) Accepted samples are placed in numbered dishes and their mass is
measured with a digital balance (M1).
9) The meals are baked for 24 hours in the oven.
10) The dishes are weighed again using a digital balance after 24
hours (M2).
 IV. Calculations and analysis:
dish (M) (M1) (M2) (Mw) (Ms) W N
number

1 49.3 62.1 57.8 4.3 8.5 50.588 18

2 55.6 72.4 67.2 5.2 11.6 44.827 22

3 57.2 77.6 71 6.6 13.8 47.82 33

Where:
 M=Mass of empty dish (g)
 M1=Mass of dish+wet soil (g)
 M2=Mass of dish+dry soil (g)
 Mw=Mass of water (M1-M2) (g)
 Ms=Mass of soil(M2-M) (g)
 W=Water content (Mw/Ms) x100 in (%)
 N=Number of blows
Finding the Liquid Limit by calculation using the formula:

If=(w1-w3)/log(N3/N1)

Where IF is the flow index

So, for LL,

If=(w1-LL)/log(25/N1)

If= -0.184

-0.184=50-LL/log (25/18)

LL=50.026
 Experiment 2 : Plastic Limit Test
I. Introduction:
One of the laboratory procedures used globally to categorize or classify soils into
groups is the plastic limit test. The soil's plastic-solid state boundary refers to the
point at which the soil begins to behave as a plastic.

II. Equipment:
1) Cans Fig (1)
2) steel rod Fig (2)
3) Oven Fig (3)
4) Soil sample Fig (4)
5) Distilled water Fig (5)
6) Digital balance Fig (6)
7) Glass plate Fig (7)

Fig (1) Fig (2) Fig (3) Fig (4)

Fig (5) Fig (6) Fig (7)

 III. Procedure:
1) Find out how much each of the two empty cans weigh (M)
2) Gradually mix soil passing sieve # 100 with an unknown amount of distilled
water until you have a soil paste.
3) Squeeze and roll a sample of the paste onto the glass plate with your palm
into an ellipsoidal form.
4) Continue rolling the soil sample until it is the same thickness as the 4.2mm
steel rod. At 4.2mm, the paste should start crumpling (cracking). If the sample
contains fractures before it reaches that diameter, discard it and dilute the
paste with water. Reject and add soil if it has cracks after 4.2mm.
5) The two cans are filled with two accepted samples. With the wet soil,
calculate the weight of the can. (M1)
6) Bake the cans for 24 hours in the oven.
7) Weigh it after it has been dried. (M2)

IV. Calculations and analysis:

A 9.7 12.3 11.6 0.7 1.9 36.842

B 9.8 12.6 11.9 0.7 2.1 33.333

Where
 (M)= Mass of can (g)
 (M1) =Mass of can +wet soil (g)
 (M2) =Mass of can + dry soil (g)
 (Mw)=Mass of water (M1-M2) (g)
 (Ms)=Mass of soil(M2-M) (g)
 (PL)=(W)=Water content (Mw/Ms) x 100 (%)
PL (avg) = (PLA+ PLB) / 2 = 36.842+33.333/2 =35.0875

Plasticity index = L.L - P.L = 50.026-35.0875

=14.951

V. Conclusion:
The water content was determined, and because no instrument was used and no
readings were made other than the wet and dry mass of the soil sample used, this
test has a very small margin of error.

LL=50.026
PL = 35.0875
Plasticity index =14.951