Scott Essig

Tevin Asamoah
Jake Paulson
Jasmine Waugaman
Anas Albalawi
Group 3

Soil Mechanics Laboratory

4300:313-013

Atterberg Limits
September 19th 2019
Introduction
In this lab the groups performed the liquid limit test using the percussion cup method. The liquid
limit of the soil is the moisture at which the soil passes from the liquid state to the plastic state.
This experiment is performed on a soil sample that passes through sieve number 40. The liquid
limit helps us classify the type of soil we are dealing with. For example, it tells us whether it is a
sandy, silty, or clayey soil. The type of soil used in this experiment was very clayey.
The second part of the lab the group performed a plastic limit test. The plastic limit of a soil is
when the moisture content at which a cohesive soil changes from a plastic state to the semisolid
state. In the lab, the plastic limit can be determined by rolling a sample of soil into an 1/8” roll
and having the sample crumble at that point. The soil sample was the same as the previous
experiment, soiling passing through sieve 40.
Equipment
For the first experiment some of the equipment used was: Casagrande liquid limit device,
grooving tool, moisture cans, spatula, oven, plastic squeeze bottle, paper towels, and weigh
balance.
For the second experiment some of the equipment used was: Ground glass plate, moisture cans,
evaporating dish, spatula, oven, plastic squeeze bottle, paper towels, and weigh balance.
Procedure
For liquid limit experiment, it began by massing of three empty moisture cans. Measure about
250 grams of soil that passed through sieve No. 40 and put into a dish. Next, water was added to
the soil sample. To achieve a melted chocolate consistency. Once the soil was at that point, it
was then added to the Casagrande liquid limit device at a depth of 8mm. Once placed, a groove
was cut in the middle of the soil. Next, the Casagrande device was cranked at 2 revolutions per
second until the groove closed at 13mm. While cranking the number of revolutions need to be
recorded to get the number of blows. This test will be performed three times for three different
moisture contents. They should be 25 to 35 blows, 20 to 25 blows, and 15 to 20 blows. Once the
number of blows is determined each time the soil sample needs to be put into the moisture cans,
massed, and then put in the oven to dry to determine the moisture content. Once dried the mass
of the can and soil is massed.
For the plastic limit test, it began by massing a moisture can and preparing 30g of the same soil
sample and adding water. Take the soil and form it in two ellipsoids. Start rolling the two clay
pieces into threads. Keep rolling the pieces until they reach 1/8” or 3.2 mm diameter and begins
to crumble. The thread must be at 3.2mm and start to crumble. When it does this, we know that
is it at its plastic limit. Once this is done take the thread and put it into the moisture can and mass
it. Next, put the can into the oven to dry, and mass once done.
In these experiments the moisture can are labeled and recorded as W 1 , W 2 ,∧W 3 . These are just
ways to label the weight of the moisture cans. W 1 is the weight of the moisture can empty, W 2 is
the weight of the moisture can with the wet soil, and W 3 is the weight of the moisture can with
the soil after it have been dried.
Results and Measurements
Test No.
Item
1 2 3
Can No. W-D-2 W-D-1 W-D-4
Mass of can, M1 (g) 31.4 21.1 31.3
Mass of can + moist soil, M2 (g) 60.1 54.0 61.4
Mass of can + Dry soil, M3 (g) 48.7 40.7 49.2
Moisture Content 65.9 67.9 68.2
Number of blows, N 27 23 16

Table 1: Data collected from liquid limit experiment

Liquid Limit Group 1 Group 2 Group 3 Group 4 Group 5 Group 6
Sample No. M1 M2 M3 M1 M2 M3 M1 M2 M3 M1 M2 M3 M1 M2 M3 M1 M2 M3
1 20.9 38.8 31.7 21 56 41.7 31.4 60.1 48.7 21 39.1 31.9 20.9 61 45.1 20.9 45.6 36.2
2 31 45.2 39.5 21 58.9 43.8 21.1 54 40.7 21 39.9 31.9 20.9 55.8 41.2 20.8 56.1 42.4
3 20.8 49.3 37.1 20.9 53.3 39.9 31.3 61.4 49.2 21 38.1 30.9 20.7 55.9 42.3 20.8 49.4 38.1
Averages 24.2 44.4 36.1 21.0 56.1 41.8 27.9 58.5 46.2 21.0 39.0 31.6 20.8 57.6 42.9 20.8 50.4 38.9

Table 2: Data collected from all of the group’s liquid limit experiment

Test No.
Item
1 2
Can No. 2-G-6 W-D-3
Mass of can, M1 (g) 20.9 21.0
Mass of can + moist soil, M2 (g) 22.5 24.5
Mass of can + Dry soil, M3 (g) 22.0 23.8
Plastic Limit 45.5 25.0

Table 3: Data collected from the plastic limit experiment

Plastic Limit Group 1 Group 2 Group 3 Group 4 Group 5 Group 6

Sample No. M1 M2 M3 M1 M2 M3 M1 M2 M3 M1 M2 M3 M1 M2 M3 M1 M2 M3
1 20.9 29.8 27.5 20.9 31.2 28.8 20.9 22.5 22 21 23.8 23 20.8 35.1 31.8 20.8 23.2 22.9
2 20.8 32.5 29.6 21 35 32 21 24.5 23.8 21 24.3 23.4 21 41.8 36.5 20.7 26 24.9
Plastic Limit 34.8 30.4 45.5 40.0 30.0 14.3
33.0 27.3 25.0 37.5 34.2 26.2
Average 31.5

Table 4: Data collected from all the groups plastic limit experiment
Calculations
Sample Calculations:
W 2−W 3 60.1 g−48.7 g
1. w ( % ) = x 100 %  x 100=65.9 %
W 3−W 1 48.7 g−31.4 g
w1 (% )−w 2 (%) 68.25−66.75
2. F 1=  =9.0
log N 2−log N 1 log 25−log 17
 Moisture Content V.S. Number of Blows
68.5

68.0
Moisture Content (%)

67.5

67.0

66.5

66.0

65.5
15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29
Number of Blows (N)

Figure 1: Moisture Content v.s. Number of Blows for liquid limit experiment
In order to determine w 1 (%),w 2 ( % ) , N 1 ,∧N 2is from the graph. w 1 (%) is 68.25%, w 2 ( % ) is
66.75%, N 1 is 17 blows, and N 2 is 25 blows. These are point picked on the Figure 1 to determine
the slope of the line. This was calculated using sample calculation 2. When the values above are
used a flow index of 9 is calculated.
Next, the liquid limit is determined by using the graph above. The liquid limit is determined by
finding the moisture content of the soil correlated with 25 blows. This is what the red dotted line
represents in Figure 1. When this is done the moisture, content found is 66.75%

Sample Calculations
W 2−W 3 22.5 g−22.0 g
1. PL= x 100 %= x 100 %=45.5
W 3−W 1 22.0 g−20.9 g

The plastic limit is determined by using sample calculation above. Using the data from Table 3
above it can be found that the plastic limit for soil sample 1 is 45.5, and the plastic limit for soil
sample 2 is 25.0. The average of these two sample is 35.25.
Discussion
The liquid limit and plastic limit experiments were performed at the same time to help determine
the type of clay minerals are in the given soil sample. The liquid limit was found to be 67.75.
Looking at the corresponding chart for liquid limit the type of mineral for the soil is illite
because the liquid limit fits between 55 and 120. The next check is to use the plasticity index,
this can be done by taking the liquid limit minus the plastic limit. The liquid limit is 67.75 and
the plastic limit is 35.25. The plasticity index is calculated to be 32.5 which fits into the Kaolinite
clay mineral of 20-40. Which is very close to illite that was found in the liquid limit experiment.
These measurements are very subjective. They come with a lot of variability. For example, in the
liquid limit experiment trying to get the Casagrande device to hit every 2 revolutions per second,
and getting the correct depth of soil, and correct length of the gap to close. In the plastic limit
experiment, there is a large variability of how/fast you roll the soil. This will cause it to crumble
early if it isn’t done properly.
The groups sources of error are most likely to come from the plastic limit experiment because of
the large difference in plastic limit numbers. It can be seen that our groups first trial was very
high compared to the all the groups average of 31.5. This meant that we had our soil too wet
when we were rolling it. It was hard for the group to reach the 1/8” diameter of the thread.
Some things to think about is the experiment itself and how subjective it is to determine the
plastic limit. It is hard to get that exact point at which the thread breaks at 1/8”, because you
could be adding a little too much pressure and the thread will break on you. It is hard to get the
right pressure and pace for this. Similarly, it hard to get accurate values of the liquid limit
because everything needs to be set up to certain lengths. But this is more controllable than the
plastic limit test. One thing to help with these variabilities is just to perform more trails. This is
help get a good average for each experiment.
For this soil sample it was to have mostly illite clay minerals based off of the liquid limit and
plastic limit experiments. The liquid limit came out to be 67.75 which is about middle of the
pack for clay minerals. This means that it could be more wet or more dry. Kaolinite is more dry
soil and takes less soil to reach that liquid limit. Montmorillonite is more wet and takes more
water to reach that liquid limit.
The flow index is displayed on Figure 1 and it represents the slope of the best fit line for the
three points on the graph. It makes it easy for us to determine the liquid limit of the soil sample.
You just look at 25 blows and track you way up and across to see what the liquid limit is. This is
represented by the red line on Figure 1 and a liquid limit of 67.75 was found.
The plasticity index of this experiment is 32.5 which is done by taking the liquid limit minus the
plastic limit. The plasticity index represents the type of soil the sample is. This value can be used
in serval classification to correctly determine the type of soil that is being tested.
Next, the activity or (A) can be determined using the plasticity index divided by the clay size
fraction of the soil. The activity or A is also used to help determine the type of clay minerals in
the soil sample. We cannot determine the A value because we don’t know the percent finer for
each sieve.
The plasticity index can be compared to the Plasticity Chart to determine the behavior of the soil.
For example, tells us whether the soil the group tested is an inorganic or organic soil, and what
time of plasticity it has whether high, medium, or low. It also tells whether it is compressible or
not.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the liquid limit and plastic limit experiments were performed to help us classify
the type of soil that was tested. The values of the liquid limit of 66.75 was found using the three
trials and it was compared to the charts given and the type of soil that was used was illite. The
plastic limit was found to be 35.25. This is compared to the given charts and the soil was found
to be illite as well. So both tests showed us that the type of clay minerals used in these
experiments were illite minerals.