LIQUID LIMIT TEST

APPARATUS
 Liquid Limit Device and grooving tool
 Spatula
 Oven with the temperature control
 Balance sensitive to at least 0.01 g.
 Drying cans
 Procedure
 Mix thoroughly about 100 gms. Of dry soil
sample with water, preferably distilled, to a
uniform paste.
 Place a portion of the paste in the brass cup

of the liquid limit device, level off the surface

with a spatula to a maximum depth of ½ “
and divide the soil. Pat into two segments by
means of standard grooving tool.
 Mount the brass cup to the carriage such that
it can be raised and allowed to drop sharply
on the base through the height of 1 cm. by
rotating the crank at an approximate rate of
two rotations per second.
 Record the number of blows to “close the

groove” in the soil a distance of ½”. The

closure should be by flow of the soil and not
by slippage on the cup.
 Take a sample from the portion which flowed
and place in a drying can for water content
determination.
 Repeat steps (2) to (4) with different water

contents of the soil in the range of 10 to 40

blows. A total of 4 determinations should be
made.
 Plot water content against log number of
blows and draw in the flow curve. The liquid
limit is the moisture content in the
percentage of the dry soil corresponding to
25 blows.

 Note: Sample must be air-dried in an oven of

temperature not exceeding 60°C and passing
the 0.425mm (#4) sieve.
Plastic Limit
 Apparatus
◦ Glass Plate
◦ Drying cans
◦ Oven with temperature control
◦ Balance sensitive to at least 0.01 g.
 Procedure
◦ Mix thoroughly about 15 gms. Of the moist soil
until the mass is plastic enough to be shaped into
thin ball.
◦ Roll the ball of soil between the palm of the hand
and the plastic glass until it is 1/8” diameter.
Continue this until the 1/8” thread shows sign of
crumbling and the thread begins to break into
pieces.
 Take some of the crumbled soil and place in a
drying can for water content determination.
 Repeat steps (2) and (3) and get the average

water content which is the plastic limit.

 Note: Sample must be air-dried or oven-dried

in an oven at temperature not exceeding 60°C
and passing the 0.425 mm. (#4) sieve.
Significance
 This test determines whether the material
passing the 0.075 mm sieve is clayey or silty.
 Plasticity Index indicates the compressibility

and permeability of the soil.

 Used in the soil classification. AASHTO 145 is

used in soil classification and group index.

THANQ