GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING

(MIDTERM)

CONSISTENCY OF SOIL

ASTM D - 4318

SOLID SEMI- SOLID PLASTIC LIQUID

Moisture content increasing ------------

ATTERBERG LIMIT TESTS

1. Liquid Limit Test
Liquid Limit:
Moisture content required to close a distance of 12.7 mm along the bottom of the groove after 25
blows.

 Casa Grande Device

 A soil is place in the grooving tool consists of a brass cup and rubber base. A groove is cut at
the center of the soil using Standard grooving tool (Casagrande Tool or ASTM Tool).
 Take 120 g of air-dried soil passing 425 micron or No. 40 sieve.
 Dropped from a height of 10 mm until 12.7 mm closure.
 Soil is at its Liquid Limit if 25 drops are req’d to close into 12.7 mm (1/2”)
 15-35 blows it must close and repeated 4 times.

 Fallcone Test (Cone Penetration Method)

 Cone Petrometer
 BS 1377
 35 mm height
 W= 0.78N
 20 mm penetration must be achieved in 5s
 At least 4 test results

2. PLASTIC LIMIT
Plasticity: Important index property of grained soil
Plastic State: Soil can be rolled into threads.
 30 grams of sieved soil passing through No. 40 sieve.
 Roll into 3.2 mm diameter or 1/8 “re-roll until it crumbles.
 80-90 strokes are recommended
 NO cracks means it is in aplastic state.
 If it breaks at smaller diameter it is wet and larger diameter it is dry.
*Fall Cone Test can also be used with 2.35 N weight of Cone Penetrometer.

3. SHRINKAGE LIMIT
Shrinkage Limit: The moisture content in percent at which the soil mass ceases to change.

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 GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING

(MIDTERM)

1. Plasticity Index: (range of moisture content that encompasses the plastic state)

P.I. = L.L. – P.L

2. Liquid Index: (ratio w/c signifies the relative consistency of cohesive soil in a natural state)
𝑤−𝑃𝐿
L.I =
𝐿𝐿−𝑃𝐿

LI < 0 – brittle soil

LI < 1 – plastic
LI > 1 - liquid

3.

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