CHAPTER TWO - ATTERBERG LIMITS

Four states of Consistency for Cohesive Soil as described by Atterberg

1. Liquid State 3. Semi-solid State
2. Plastic State 4. Solid State

Liquid Limit = water content at which soil changes from liquid state to plastic
state
Plastic Limit = water content at which soil changes from plastic state to semi-
solid state
Shrinkage Limit = water content at which soil changes from semi-solid state to
solid state or the smallest water content at which a soil can be completely
saturated.
Liquidity Index = is used for scaling the natural water content of a soil sample .
 Liquid State

Liquid Limit

Plastic State
Plasticity Index = LL-PL

Plastic Limit

Semi-solid State

Shrinkage Limit

Solid State

Where L.I. = Liquidity Index

W = natural (in situ) water content of the soil
P.L. = Plastic limit of the soil
L.L. = Liquid limit of the soil
 Liquidity Index State

L.I. < 0 Soil will have a brittle fracture when sheared.

0<L.I.<1.0 Soil will behave like a plastic
L.I.>1.0 Water content is greater than L.L.
L.I. = 0 Water content is called plastic limit
L.I. = 1.0 Water content is called liquid limit

Formula for Shrinkage Limit:

Where:
SL = Shrinkage limit expressed as percentage
W = Water content of the soil in the shrinkage dish in %
V = Volume of wet soil pat (same as volume of shrinkage dish) in cm 3
Vo = volume of oven-dried soil pat in cm3
ρw = density of water equal to 1 g/cm3
Mo = mass of oven-dried soil pat in grams
The following data shows the results of the Liquid Limit, and Plastic Limit test.
1. Compute the liquid limit
2. Compute the plastic limit
3. Compute the liquidity index

4. Liquid Limit

TEST NO. 1 2 3 4
No. of Blows 35 21 16 11
Wt. of Wet Soil + Container 22.46g 21.33g 21.29g 26.12g
Wt. of dry soil + Container 19.44g 18.75g 18.78g 22.10g
Wt. of Container 12.76g 13.06g 13.26g 13.27g

2. Plastic Limit

TEST NO. 1 2
Wt. of Wet Soil + Container 22.10g 21.77g
Wt. of dry soil + Container 20.42g 20.19g
Wt. of Container 13.07g 13.18g
3. Natural Water Content
TEST NO. 1 2
Wt. of Wet Soil + Container 17.94g 17.39g
Wt. of dry soil + Container 14.84g 14.36g
Wt. of Container 7.84g 7.5g

Solution:
1. Liquid Limit

Test Wt. of Water Wt. of Dry Soil Water Content No. of

No.
1 22.46-19.44=3.02
2 21.33-18.75=2.58
3 21.29-18.78=2.51
4 26.12-22.10=4.02
Blows
19.44-12.76=6.68 3.02(100)/6.68 = 45.21 35
18.75-13.06=5.69 2.58(100)/5.69=45.34 21
18.78-13.26=5.52 2.51(100)/5.52=45.47 16
22.10-13.27=8.83 4.02(100)/8.83=45.53 11
2. PLASTIC LIMIT
TEST NO. Wt. of Water Wt. of Dry Soil Water Content
1 22.10-20.42=1.68 20.42-13.07=7.35 1.68(100)/7.35=22.86%
2 21.77-20.19=1.58 20.19-13.18=7.01 1.58(100)/7.01=22.54%
3. LIQUIDITY INDEX
TEST NO. 1 2
Wt. of Wet Soil + Container 17.94g 17.39g
Wt. of dry soil + Container 14.84g 14.36g
Wt. of Container 7.84g 7.5g

TEST NO. Wt. of Water Wt. of Dry Soil Water Content

1 22.10-20.42=1.68 20.42-13.07=7.35 1.68(100)/7.35=22.86%
2 21.77-20.19=1.58 20.19-13.18=7.01 1.58(100)/7.01=22.54%