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Soil Mechanics I CE-222

SOIL PLASTICITY ATTERBERG LIMITS

FIGURE 3.8 ATTERBERG LIMITS

CLASSIFICATION OF FINE-GRAINED SOILS

The Unified Soil Classification System uses the term fines to describe everything that passes through a No. 200 sieve (<0.075 mm). No attempt to distinguish between silts and clays in terms of particles sizes since the biggest difference between silt and clay is not their particle sizes, but their physical and chemical structures. The soil consistency is used as a practical and an inexpensive way to distinguish between silts and clays. Plasticity property is important because it describes the response of a soil to change in moisture content.

Plasticity

Water Content significantly affects properties of Silty and Clayey soils (unlike sand and gravel).
Strength decreases as water content increases Soils swell-up when water content increases Fine-grained soils at very high water content possess properties similar to liquids As the water content is reduced, the volume of the soil decreases and the soils become plastic

If the water content is further reduced, the soil becomes semisolid when the volume does not change

ATTREBERG LIMITS

Atterberg limits are important to describe the consistency of fine-grained soils. The knowledge of the soil consistency is important in defining or classifying a soil type or predicting soil performance when used as a construction material. A fine-grained soil usually exists with its particles surrounded by water. The amount of water in the soil determines its state or consistency. Four states are used to describe the soil consistency; solid, semi-solid, plastic and liquid.

ATTREBERG LIMITS
Wetting

Volume, v or e

Solid Solid State

Semi Solid

Plastic

Liquid

S = 100 %

vf

SL

PL PI Drying

LL

Water content, w %

Attreberg Limits
Fluid soil-water mixture Increasing water content Liquid State

Liquid Limit, LL Plastic State


Plastic Limit, PL

Semisolid State
Shrinkage Limit, SL Solid State

Dry Soil

ATTERBERG LIMITS

Shrinkage Limit (SL) is defined as the moisture content at which no further volume change occurs with further reduction in moisture content (SL represents the amount of water required to fully saturate the soil, i.e., S = 100%). Plastic Limit (PL) is defined as the moisture content at which soil begins to behave as a plastic material. Liquid Limit (LL) is defined as the moisture content at which soil begins to behave as a liquid material and begins to flow (LL of a fine-grained soil gives the moisture content at which the shear strength of the soil is approximately 2.5kN/m2).

PLASTICITY CHART

LIQUID LIMIT (LL)


Liquid limit (LL) is the dividing line between the liquid and plastic states.
Fluid soil-water mixture
Increasing water content

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Liquid State Liquid Limit, LL Plastic State Plastic Limit, PL Semisolid State Shrinkage Limit, SL Solid State

Dry Soil

Liquid Limit (LL)


In the lab, the LL is defined as the moisture content (%) required to close a 2-mm wide groove in a soil pat a distance of 0.5 in along the bottom of the groove after 25 blows.

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Standard: ASTM D 4318.

Soil sample size: 150g passing No. 40 sieve.


Equipment: Casagrande liquid limit device.

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LIQUID LIMIT (PROCEDURE)


150g air dry soil passing No. 40 sieve. Add 20% of water - mix thoroughly.

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Place a small sample of soil in LL device (deepest part about 8-10 mm). Cut a groove (2mm at the base). Run the device, count the number of blows, N. Stop when the groove in the soil close through a distance of 0.5 inch. Take a sample and find the moisture content. Run the test three times [N~(10-20), N~(20-30) and N~(35-45)] and Plot number of blows vs moisture content and determine the liquid limit (LL) (moisture content at 25 blows)

Liquid Limit
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Flow Curve

Water content (%)

48 y = -7.55Ln(x) + 70.69 46.39 46

25 44 1 10 Number of drops 100

LL values <16% (not realistic)

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PI, %

16

Liquid Limit, %

LL values 50 (high)

16

PI, %

Liquid Limit, %

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LL values <50% (Low)

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PI, %

Liquid Limit, %

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Plastic Limit
The moisture content (%) at which the soil when rolled into threads of 3.2mm (1/8 in) in diameter, will crumble. Plastic limit is the lower limit of the plastic stage of soil. It is the dividing line between the plastic and semisolid states. Plasticity Index (PI) is the difference between the liquid limit and plastic limit of a soil.
Fluid soil-water mixture
Increasing water content

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Liquid State Liquid Limit, LL Plastic State

Plastic Limit, PL
Semisolid State Shrinkage Limit, SL Solid State

Dry Soil

Plastic Limit

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Plastic Limit (Procedure)

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Take 20g of soil passing No. 40 sieve into a dish. Add water and mix thoroughly. Prepare several ellipsoidal-shaped soil masses by quizzing the soil with your hand. Put the soil in rolling device, and roll the soil until the thread reaches 1/8 inch. Continue rolling until the thread crumbles into several pieces. Determine the moisture content of about 6g of the crumbled soil.

Plasticity Index, PI
Plasticity Index is the difference between the liquid limit and plastic limit of a soil

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PI = LL PL
After finding LL and PI use plasticity chart to classify the soil

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Table 3.4 Typical Value of LL and PL for Clay Minerals

SHRINKAGE LIMITS
Soil shrinks as moisture is gradually lost from it An equilibrium stage is reached at which more loss of moisture will result in no volume change

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The moisture in % at which the vol of soil mass ceases to change is defined as the SHRINKAGE LIMIT

SHRINKAGE LIMIT (SL)

SHRINKAGE LIMIT (SL)

M1 M 2 wi (%) 100 M2

LIQUIDITY INDEX AND CONSISTENCY INDEX

LIQUIDITY INDEX AND CONSISTENCY INDEX

Burmister Classification of PI

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PI
0 1-5 5-10 10-20 20-40 >20

Description
Nonplastic Slightly Plastic Low Plastic Medium Plastic High Plastic Very High Plastic

Plastic soils
Plastic soils plot above the A-Line on a Plasticity Chart

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A-Line

Non-Plastic Soils
Non-plastic or slightly plastic soils plot below the ALine on a Plasticity Chart
A-Line

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U-Line significance
U-Line

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Correct tests never plot above U-line and LL values are never < 16
A-Line

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Plasticity Chart

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Plasticity Chart
High plasticity/compressibility Medium plasticity/ compressibility Low plasticity/ compressibility

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Plasticity Chart
Cohesionless soil

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Organic clays

Silt

Activity

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Activity

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Activity is used as an index for identifying swelling potential of clay soils

Soil type Activity, A Inactive clays A < 0.75 Normal clays 0.75 < A < 1.25 Active clays A >1.25

Relative Density
Shear strength, compressibility of granular soils are mostly related to the compactness of the grian which is expressed as Loose, Medium or Dense.
Dr = e = insitu void ratio emax in loosest state Dr=0 in loosest state Dr=100 in Densest state Lab Measurement of e insitu & Dr - Can be measured from parameters like, g, m, g soil
d,

emax e x 100 emax emin

G of

Relative Density
Fd Measurement of Dr
Lab

Pen Resistance of SPT N related to Dr & Shear Str N 5 15 35 50 Dr% 22 46 69 80

Soil Structure (Soil Fabric)


1. Cohesion less Soil structure 2. Cohesive Soil Structure Cohesionless Soil Structure 1. Composed of large Bulky Grains 2. Have single grained structure each grain in contact with those surrounding it. 3. Classification a. Loose Soil Structure: In Cleans sand & gravel b. Dense Soil Structure: In Cleans sand & gravel

c. Honey Combed Structure: Found in Fine sand, silt deposition in quiet water, deltas, dams.

Relative Density
Loose

Soil grain uniform size placed above other directly making contact with grains
If all perfect sphere max void ratio (e) = 0.9 Succeeding grain fall into depression between the spheres in the layer below them. If grain perfect spheres of uniform size then

Dense

emin=0.35
Honey Comb Soil grain arrange them selves in crude arches

Have ve Dr

Characteristics of Soils with Single Grained Structure


- Soil str due to friction between grains
- No cohesion or cementation between grains, except apparent cohesion in damp soil. - Occurs largely in clean sand & gravel

- Fine Sand & silt deposition in still water lead to honey comb structure
- Stable under static load

- Vibration & shock can cause rearrangement of grains of loose & honey comb structure
Reduction in e Settlement Collapse/liquefaction of deltaic reservoir sand / silt deposit.

Cohesive Soil Structure


Depend on clay minerals & set of forces between them Forces of attraction / repulsion depends upon distance between soil particles. Forces depends/ determined by the solvent/ electrolyte present. Types 1. Dispersed

2. Flocculent

Char of Disperse Structure 1. Like plate stone laid on the top of one-another to form wall

2. Repulsion between particles cause each one to position it self for the max distance (grain-to-grain)
3. Typical Soils a. Mixed/ remolded b. Glacial till c. Soil Compacted under wet conditions/ artifical measures.

d. Soil stable under shock/ earthquake


e. Soils are dense & water light, compressible

Char of Flocculent Structures 1. Forms from soil water suspension initially is dispersed.

2. A sudden intro of electrolyte such as salt brings about floc.


3. Haphard edge of one touch face of other. 4. Considerable water trapped in the large voids. 5. Typical of water deposition in salt/ sea water. 6. Higher str, lower compressibility & higher than the same element of soil at the same void ratio put is dispense state. 7. Flocculation. Tendency increase by:a. Electrolyte concentration b. Ion Valance c. Temp

TABLE 3.5: STRUCUTRE OF CLAY SOILS

ITEMS Disposal structures Flocculent structures Domains

REMARKS Formed by settlement of individual clay particles. More or less parallel orientation (see Figure 3.24a) Formed by settlement of flocs of clay particles (see Figures 3.24b and 3.24c). Aggregated or flocculated submicroscopic units of clay particles. Domains group to form clusters. Can be seen under light microscope. Clusters group to form peds. Can be seen without microscope.

Clusters

Peds

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