1. A silty clay has a plastic limit of 25 and a plasticity index of 30.

If the clay has a

liquidity index of 0.20.

a.) Compute the water content of the clay.

b.) Compute the degree of saturation if the sp.gr. of the clay is 2.70 and a void ratio
of 0.92
c.) Compute the moist unit weight of the clay if the void ratio is 0.92, G s = 2.70
 2. Following are the results of a shrinkage limit test: Initial volume of soil in a
saturated state = 24.6 cm3

Final volume of soil in a dry state = 15.9 cm3

Initial mass in a saturated state = 44 g Final mass in a dry state = 30.1 g
Sp. gr. = 2.70
Determine the following:
a. Shrinkage limit of the soil ; b. Saturated unit weight if e = 0.467 ; c. Dry unit weight
3. A soil sample was determining in the laboratory to have a liquid limit of 41% and a
plastic limit of 21.1%. If the water content is 30%, determine the following:
1.) Plastic index 2.) Liquidity index 3.) What is the characteristic of soil?
a.) liquid ;
b.) plastic ;
c.) brittle solid
4. A soil has a liquid limit of 61 and a plastic limit of 30. A moisture content test
performed on an undisturbed sample of this soil yielded the following results:

Mass of soil + can before placing in oven= 96.2 g Mass of soil + can after removal
from oven=71.9 g Mass of can = 20.8 g
a. Compute the plasticity index.
b. Compute the moisture content.
c. Compute the liquidity index.
5. Laboratory test results for a sample of clay soil for the purpose of evaluating
the potential for volume change (swelling, expansion) are as shown.

Liquid limit = 68% Plastic limit = 24%

Particles smaller than 0.002mm. = 44%

a. Compute the plasticity index

b. Indicate the activity classification for this clay.
c. The rate of the volume change potential (refer to table)
a.) very high ; b.) medium ; c.) low ; d.) normal
6. The following results are from the liquid and plastic limit test for a soil.

No. of Blows Moisture

Content
(N) (%)
15 42
20 40.8
28 39.1

The plastic limit is 18.7%

a. Compute the liquid limit using table

b. What is the plasticity index of the soil

c. What is the liquidity index if the water content is 24%.
d. What is the consistency index.
7. In a liquid limit, using a cone penetrometer, the following readings were recorded
and tabulated as shown.

Liquid Limit Test

Moisture Content (%) Cone Penetration (mm)

42.5 16.0
47.5 17.5
58.1 22.8
60.0 26.0
a. Determine the liquid limit of the soil.
b. Determine the plasticity index of the soil.
c. If the natural water content of the soil is 38%, determine the liquidity index.
8. The following data shows the results of the Liquid limit, and Plastic Limit test.
1.) LIQUID LIMIT
TEST NO. 1 2 3 4
No. of Blows 35 21 16 11
Wt. of wet soil + container 22.46 g 21.33 g 21.29 g 26.12 g
Wt. of dry soil + container 19.44 g 18.75 g 18.78 g 22.10 g
Wt. of Container 12.76 g 13.06 g 13.26 g 13.27 g
2.) PLASTIC LIMIT
TEST NO. 1 2
Wt. of wet soil + Container 22.10 g 21.77 g
Wt. of Dry soil + container 20.42 g 20.19 g
Wt. of Comtainer 13.07 g 13.18 g
3.) NATURAL WATER CONTENT
TEST NO. 1 2
Wt. of wet soil + container 17.94 g 17.39 g
Wt. of Dry Soil + Container 14.84 g 14.36 g
Wt. of container 7.84 g 7.5 g

a. Compute the liquid limit

b. Compute the plastic unit
c. Compute the liquidity index.
9. The following data shown the results of the liquid limit and plastic limit test

A. LIQUID LIMIT

Test Number 1 2 3 4
No. of blows 39 23 20 13
Weight of Wet Soil + 22.24 g 21.19 g 21.27 g 26.12 g
Container
Weight of Dry Soil + 19.44 g 18.78 g 18.75 g 22.10 g
container
Weight of container 12.74 g 13.24 g 13.06 g 13.27

B. PLASTIC LIMIT

Test Number 1 2
Weight of Wet Soil + container 22.12 g 21.84 g
Weight of Dry Soil + Container 20.42 g 20.19 g
Weight of Container 13.07 g 13.18 g

C. NATURAL WATER CONTENT

Test Number 1 2
Weight of Wet soil + 17.53 g 16.97 g
container
Weight of dry soil + 14.84 g 14.36 g
container
Weight of container 7.84 g 7.5 g

a. Compute the liquid limit. Use the table shown.

b. Complete the plastic limit.
c. Compute the plasticity index.
d. Compute the liquidity index.
10. In a specific gravity test the following data were recorded.
Mass of pycnometer jar = 530 g
Mass of pycnometer jar when full of clean water = 1560 g
Mass of pycnometer containing soil only = 980 g
Mass of pycnometer containing soil and topped with water = 1840 g
a. Compute the specific gravity of the soil particles
b. Compute the dry unit weight if the void ratio is 0.40.
c. Compute the degree of saturation if the moisture content is 12%.
 11. A clay has the following Atterberg limits: liquid limit = 60%, plastic limit = 40%,
shrinkage limit = 25%. The clay shrinks from 15 cubic meters to 9.57 cubic
centimeters when the moisture content is decreased from the liquid limit to the
shrinkage limit.

a. What is the specific gravity?

b. What is the plasticity index?
c. What is the liquidity index if the moisture content is 52%?

12. Using the diagram shown with a given soil having the following properties:

Liquid limit = 70%, Plasticity Index = 20%, G s = 2.62.

a. Compute the shrinkage limit.

b. Compute the dry unit weight of soil for a void ratio of 0.60.
c. Compute the moisture content if the moist unit weight is 19.75 kN/m3
13. A saturated 100 cm3clay sample has a natural water content of 30%. It is found that
the shrinkage limit occurs when the water content is 19%. If the sp.gr. of soil is 2.70.

a. Compute the shrinking ratio.

b. Compute the volume of sample when the water content is 15%.
c. Compute the mass of dry soil sample.

14. A saturated soil has the following characteristics.

Initial volume = 25 cm3 ; Final volume = 16 cm3 ; Mass of wet soil = 45 g ; Mass of dry soil = 31 kg

a. Determine the shrinkage limit of soil.

b. Determine the shrinkage ratio.
c. Determine the sp.gr. of soil.
15. A laboratory test was conducted to determine the shrinkage limit of a soil sample.
The following data were obtained.

Mass of dish coated with petroleum jelly MT = 11.30 g

Mass of dish coated with petroleum jelly plus wet soil MW = 38.51 g

Mass of dish coated with petroleum jelly plus oven-dried soil MD = 32.81 g

Vol. of wet soil pat (same as volume of shrinkage dish) V = 15.26 cm3
Vol. of oven-dried soil pat VO = 12.83 cm3.

a. Compute the water content of the wet soil pat.

b. Compute the shrinkage limit.
c. Compute the shrinkage ratio.
16. A saturated soil used to determine the shrinkage limit has an initial volume, V1 = 20.2
cm3, final volume V2 = 14.3 cm3, mass of wet soil m1 = 34 g and mass of dry soil m2 = 24 g.

a. Determine the shrinkage limit.

b. Determine the shrinkage ratio.
c. Determine the sp.gr. of soil.
17. Following are the results from the liquid and plastic limit test for a soil.

No. of blows Moisture content%

N
16 36.5

20 33.1

28 27.0

Plastic limit = 12.2%

a. Compute the liquid limit

b. Compute the plasticity index.
c. Compute the liquidity index if the insitu moisture content is 26.5%
d. Compute the consistency index.
18. In a liquid limit test, using a cone penetrometer, the following
readings were recorded.

Moisture Cone
Content Penetration
(%) (mm)
32.1 14.4
41.6 16.4
51.8 18.2
64.2 21.1
72.6 22.3

PLASTIC LIMIT TEST

Weight of wet soil + container = 22.12 g
Weight of dry soil + container = 20.42 g
Weight of container = 13.07 g

NATURAL WATER CONTENT TEST

Weight of wet soil + container = 17.53 g
Weight of dry soil + container = 14.84 g
Weight of container = 7.84 g

a. Compute the liquid limit.

b. Compute the plastic limit.
c. Compute the natural water content.
d. Compute the plasticity index.
e. Compute the liquidity index.
f. Compute the consistency index.
19. From the table shows a summary of a liquid limit and plastic limit test.
LIQUID LIMIT TEST

Soil Wt. of wet Soil Wt. of dry Soil Water Content No. of Blows
Sample (kg) (kg)
A 9.5 6.7 28
B 7.95 5.54 20
C 8.21 5.69 18
D 12.85 8.83 13

PLASTIC LIMIT TEST

Soil Wt. of Wet Soil Wt. of Dry Soil

Sample (kg) (kg)
1 9.05 7.35
2 8.66 7.01

NATURAL WATER CONTENT

Soil Wt. of Wet Soil Wt. of Dry Soil

Sample
1 9.69 7.0
2 9.47 6.86
20. Given the tabulated data for an Atterberg Limit Test.

A. LIQUID LIMIT

Test Number 1 2
No. of blows 39 30
Weight of Wet Soil + container 22.24g 21.19g
Weight of Dry soil + container 20.10g 19.28g
Weight of container 12.74g 13.24g

B. PLASTIC LIMIT

Test Number 1 2
Weight of Wet soil + container 22.12g 21.84g
Weight of Dry soil + container 20.42g 20.19g
Weight of container 13.07g 13.18g

C. NATURAL WATER CONTENT

Test Number 1 2
Weight of Wet soil + 17.53g 16.97g
container
Weight of Dry soil + 14.84g 14.36g
container
Weight of container 7.84g 7.50g

a.) Compute the liquid limit.

b.) Compute the Plastic limit.
c.) Compute the natural water content.
d.) Compute the plasticity index.
e.) Compute the liquidity index.
21. One of the standard method of measuring specific gravity of solids use a
pycnometer. The pycnometer is first filled with water then it is refilled with a known
mass of dry soil plus water so that the volume is the same as before. Using this method
on a certain soil sample, the following data were obtained:

Mass of soil = 81.8 g

Moisture content of soil = 11.2%
Mass of pycnometer plus water = 327.12 g

Then mass of soil and water was refilled so that the volume is the same as before.
Mass pycnometer + soil + water = 373.18 g
Volume of pycnometer = 250ml
a.) Compute the specific gravity of this soil.
b.) Compute the degree of saturation if the void ratio is 0.54.
c.) Compute the air void ratio of the soil.
22. The following tabulated data shows a laboratory results of a soil sample tested
for its Atterberg limits. The soil sample has been tested using a pycnometer test and
the result shows it has a specific gravity of 2.80.

PLASTIC LIMIT TEST

Test No. Wt. of Container + Dry Wt. of Container + Wt. of

soil dry soil Container
1 22.12 g 20.42 g 13.07 g
2 21.84 g 20.19 g 13.18 g

LIQUID LIMIT TEST

Test No. No. of Blows Wt. of Container + Wet

soil
1 29 22.24 g
2 21 21.19 g
3 17 21.27 g
4 13 26.12 g

LIQUID LIMIT TEST

Test No. Wt. of container + dry Wt. of container

soil
1 19.44 g 12.74 g
2 18.78 g 13.24 g
3 18.75 g 13.06 g
4 22.10 g 13.29 g

SHRINKAGE LIMIT TEST

Wt. of Dry Soil Wt. of container +

Pat Hg
19.66 257.32 g

Wt. of Sp. gr. of Sp. gr. of Mercury

container water (Hg)
109.35 0.9998 13.6
 a.) Compute the plastic limit.
b.) Compute the liquid limit.
c.) Compute the shrinkage limit.

23. The foil results were obtained from a liquid limit test on a clay using Casagrande
cup device.

No. of Blows Water content

(%)
10 60
19 45.2
27 36.5
40 25.2
Two determinations for the plastic limit gave water contents of 20.3% and 20.8%
a.) Determine the plastic limit.
b.) Determine the plasticity index.
c.) Determine the liquidity index if the natural water content is 27.4%