CEGB 231

OPEN ENDED SOIL MECHANICS LABORATORY

TITLE

LAB SOIL CLASSIFICATION AND SOIL

SENSITIVITY EVALUATION AT UNITEN
ADMINISTRATION BUILDING

COMPANY

BESTARI CONSULTANT SDN. BHD.

SECTION

GROUP MEMBERS:
1.CE093161

AKHILASH ARAVIND

2.CE092048

SARAVANAN A/L KARUNAKARAN

3.CE093212

LAI CHEN LIN

4.CE093251

NUR SYAHIRAH MARDIANA BT MOHD SAPRI

5.CE092980

SIN CHEN SING

1.0

INTRODUCTION

1.1

BACKGROUND STUDY
Soil testing usually takes place in a special laboratory where a number of tests are

conducted to determine pH, sulphate, chloride and carbonate levels, clay sedimentation, and
organic limit among others. Establishing soil strength, density, compaction and contamination
are also vital at this stage of the construction process.
Surprisingly an unprecedented amount of construction projects have been delayed or
even cancelled in some extreme cases due to the unsuitability of soil at a construction site. Of
course, the situation can be rectified by excavating the current soil from your current site
before shipping in new soil which meets the specification of said construction project.
Therefore, by conducting several tests in order to determine the stability and suitability of
construction on that piece of land, unnecessary recovery expenditure can be avoided.
The overall aim of this project is to gain information of the soil compatibility in the
chosen site for an upcoming construction project. There are differences between the soils in
one area to another area in Malaysia. This difference has an immediate impact on the level of
the terrain and soil formation underneath the ground. Some soil are soft and unstable and if
there are major constructions taking place in the surrounding region, a disaster might happen
if the site does not exercise proper measures of development. While there are several factors
that could be responsible for these results, the weathering and pollution factor in the
surrounding area are the ones that affect the soil conditions most. This project will gather the
exact data for the soils in sieve size, liquid limit, plasticity index and vane shear strength of
the soil, to help to understand more about the soils by determining the exact amount of the
different grain sizes present for an accurate classification of the soils in a category that is
located in the chart given.
This project to creates a more accurate and precise results of the soil contain with
perspective method to reduce the error or miscalculation and any incorrect verification of the
type of soils. These solutions will help us to acquire new results and extra information,
providing us additional solutions will early detect flaws or problems before the soils been
further investigated. The effectiveness, efficiency of the different solutions, as well as the
positive impact in the data results from the lab report, will be evaluated and validated through
the standard of procedure of the method in the lab testing and evaluation in all data reading in

laboratory for this project. The lab testing cover up with sieve analysis as the beginning of the
lab testing to get sieve size of the soil contains.
We as consultant tackle the common problem of soil of the sites and go through solidly by
delivering so far 4 solutions. That is Sieve Analysis, Liquid limit test, Plastic limit test and
Vane shear test. The solutions let the client easier to know the results with a simple reading
and explanation of the background of the soils as followed the standard of the board. These
solutions would help to reduce flaws and problem for upcoming lab testing.

1.2

OBJECTIVE
To determine the liquid limit of the soil sample using Casagrande type mechanical liquid
limit apparatus.

To determine the plastic limit of soil sample and then to calculate plastic limit and
plasticity index of the soil sample.

To expose with laboratory vane shear test prior to vane shear test prior and to obtain the
vane shear strength of soil sample.

To evaluate the sensitivity and determine the behaviour of the soils of the tested soil
sample.

1.3

SCOPE OF WORK
The scope of work for this experiment is started by collecting samples. The samples are

collected by using several tools. For example, wheelbarrow, spades, bucket and etc. The site
for the sample collection is located at opposite of the UNITEN Administration building. A
total of 5kg of soil were collected.
After samples are collected from the site, the samples are transfer to the laboratory to be
tested. A sieve test is performed by first assembling a stack of interlocking sieves. In this
stack the sieve with the largest openings is at the top each lower sieve will have a smaller
opening than the one above it. The sieve test is then conducted. The scale for the interlocking
sieves that were used is from 2 to 3 mm. The sieve test will separate the roots, stones, leaves
and unwanted gravel leaving suitable testing soil at the bottom of the tray.
The plastic limit is determined by rolling out a thread of the fine portion of a soil on a flat,
non-porous surface (glass). The soil is roll until it breaks unto pieces.
The liquid limit test is determined by using a Casagrande cup. The test is normally run at
several moisture contents, and the moisture content which requires 25 blows to close the
groove is interpolated from the test results.
This test is used to estimate the undrained shear strength of a soil, and is particularly
appropriate for assessing very soft and sensitive clays, which cannot be tested accurately in a
laboratory as it is difficult to obtain an undisturbed sample.

2.0

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1

SIEVE ANALYSIS
In the BS standard, the sieves sizes are given in terms of the number of openings per

inch. The complete sieve analysis can be divided into two parts the coarse analysis and fine
analysis. Sieving is performed by arranging the various sieves one over the other in the order
of their mesh openings the largest aperture sieve being kept at the top and the smallest
aperture sieve at the bottom. A receiver is kept at the bottom and a cover is kept at the top of
the whole assembly (Soil Mechanics and Foundations by Dr. B.C. Punmia, Ashok Kumar
Jain, 2005). A soil consists of an assemblage of disc rete particles of various shape and
sizes. Sieve analysis is conducted to classify soil into sands, silts and clays. The purpose of
particle-size analysis is to group these particles into separate size ranges. The scale of the
sieve that we are using is 2mm to 3mm, this show that we are using those fine grain soil to do
those testing.
2.2

WHAT IS PLASTIC LIMIT AND LIQUID LIMIT?

Test for the determination of liquid limit and plastic limit (known as the Atterberg

limits), are the most frequently performed index for clays. These limits are defined by
moisture contents, and provide essential data for the identification and engineering
classification of clays. The natural moisture content of clay, when compred to the Atterberg
limits, indicates the consistency of the clay and provides a useful indication of certain
engineering characteristics.
Clay mixed with sufficient water forms a slurry which behaves as a liquid, but as the
moisture content is reduces the fluid becomes more viscous and at some stage the material
begins to behave in a plastic manner. The moisture content at this point is known as the liquid
limit (LL) of the clay. With further removal of water the clay remains in plastic state, but with
increasing stiffness, until it loses its plasticity and becomes brittle or begin to crumble. The
moisture content at this point is known as the plastic limit (PL) of the clay, and with further
drying the clay behaves as a solid. The difference between these moisture content values is
known as the plasticity index (PI) (Clay Materials Used in Construction by George M.
Reeves, Ian Sims, J. C. Cripps, year 2006).

3.0

METHODOLOGY

3.1

INTRODUCTION
In order to determine the classification and soil sensitivity of the soil at the

Administration Building in UNITEN, a series of tests must be conducted. These tests are
crucial as they will determine the future work of construction or development. These tests
are:
Liquid limit test is a solution to provide us the data of the liquid limit of the soil
sample by using Cassagrande type as the apparatus for this lab test which gives an important
role to classify soil in classification of soil.
Plastic limit test is a solution to classify fine grained soils which is also related to the
plasticity index. This lab test determines the soil plastic limit which is important to find the
plasticity index as well as the previous liquid limit test is needed to gain a more reliable in
classify on the soil type.
Vane shear test is a solution to determine the behaviour of the soils which includes
vane shear strength and there will be a certain degree of sensitivity that affects the test. This
test will be carried out on the soil sample which consists of undisturbed and disturbed
samples to know the impact of the results.

Identification of site for soil sampling

Soil brought and tested in the laboratory

Sieve analysis of 2mm to 3mm sieve to

obtain fine grained soil for testing
purposes.

Liquid Limit

Plastic Limit

Vane Shear Test

Small amount of water

added to soil sample
and mixed.

Soil sample is rolled to

a thread of 3mm thick
between hands and
glass plate.

Soil sample is
compacted into the
mould

Sample is placed in the

Casagrande cup
The sample is divided
in two by drawing a
straight groove at the
right angles to the
hinge.

The vane is lowered

gently to penetrate the
Plastic limit and water
content is measured
when soil crumbles.

The lever is rotated to

raise the cup above the
base and allowed to
drop freely.

soil sample.
Measurements are
taken when the carrier
springs forward leaving
the pointer.
Four more
determinations are
taken and the water
content is obtained.

The lever is rotated

until a small amount of
the soil sample
between the groove
comes in contact with
one another.
The numbers of blows
required are recorded.

The number of blows in liquid limit,

plastic limit, vane shear strength and the
water content of each sample are
recorded.

Solutions for treatment of the soil

are proposed.

END

Figure 1: Summary of research activities performed during the project

3.2

SOIL SAMPLING AT SITE

Site investigation in front of the Administration Building in UNITEN was necessary

to be conducted to identify the characteristics of the soil surface and subsurface at the
mentioned site of proposed construction. The soil investigations was conducted to obtain
useful information such as the liquid limit, plastic limit, and the vane shear strength of
disturbed as well as undisturbed soil. The site in front if the Administration Building was
selected as it was clearly a site that was readily available for construction.
Figure 2: The site location is located near the UNITEN Administration building.

Besides that, the area chosen for soil investigation lies on a variable strata and steep
slopes where it is prone to slipping and failure. Construction in such areas without
preliminary investigation can be dangerous to the foundation of the project. The site also
consist of many trees, which has the ability to draw water and moisture away from the soil,
making it dry thus causing the soil to shrink near the footings. This phenomenon may
interfere with the construction foundation and needs to be tested for suitability. The site is
also situated at a location that has not been fully developed, thus detailed laboratory tests are
required to be conducted to determine if the site would be feasible for our construction
project.

3.3

EXPERIMENTAL TESTS

3.3.1

LIQUID LIMIT TEST

The clay is first worked by mixing with a spatula on a glass plate to a uniform

consistency before starting the test, and after the after the addition of each increment of water
during the test, distilled water or de-ionized water must be used. The standard procedure now
used to determine the liquid limit is by using the Casagrande test.
In the Casagrande liquid limit apparatus (BSI, 1990) (Figure 3), the sample is
constrained in a cup that is free to pivot about a horizontal hinge and which rests on a rubber
base of specified hardness. A rotating cam alternately raises the cup 10mm above the base
and allows it to drop freely onto the base. The test soil is mixed with distilled water to form a
homogeneous paste. The sample is divided in two by drawing a straight groove using a
standard grooving tool through the sample at the right angles to the hinge. The crank is then
turned at two revolutions per second until the two parts of the soil come into contact at the
bottom of the groove. The number of blows to the cup required to do this is recorded and the
test are repeated. (Soil and Environmental Analysis: Physical Methods, Revised, and
Expanded By Keith A. Smith, year 2000)

Figure 3: A Casagrande Cup and a grooving tool. (Taken from Soil and Environmental
Analysis: Physical Methods, Revised, and Expanded By Keith A. Smith)

3.3.2

PLASTIC LIMIT TEST

The plastic limit is determined in the traditional way by rolling a thread of remoulded

clay between the fingers and a glass plate. When the thread crumbles or develops longitudinal
or transverse cracks at a diameter of 3mm, the clay is at the plastic limit and its moisture
content (wp) is then measured. (Clay Materials Used in Construction edited by George M.
Reeves, Ian Sims, J. C. Cripps)

Figure 4: Rolling of soil mass on ground glass plate to determine plastic limit. (Taken from
Principles of Geotechnical Engineering By Braja Das, Khaled Sobhan)
To classify the soils Plasticity Index (Ip = WL WP), is plotted against WL on the
plasticity, or A-line chart (Figure 5). By using the chart, the classification of clay can be done.

Figure 5: A-line chart. (Taken from Basic Soil Mechanics by Whitlow, 2001)

3.3.3

VANE SHEAR TEST

This test provides a simple and quick method of determining the undrained vane shear

strength of relatively soft clays. It is a rotational shear test, in which a cylindrical volume of
clay is made to rotate by a cruciform vane pushed into the clay. The opposing shear resistance
between the cylinder and the surrounding material is determined from the torque applied to
the vane, which is measured by means of a calibrated torsion spring, and hence the shear
strength of the clay can be calculated.
The test is the same in principle as the field vane test used on site in boreholes, but it
is on a much smaller scale, the blades of the vane usually being 12.7mm wide and 12.7mm
long. A typical laboratory vane apparatus is shown in Figure 6.

Figure 6: A Vane Shear apparatus. (Taken from Clay Materials Used in Construction
edited by George M. Reeves, Ian Sims, J. C. Cripps)
The vane shear strength is measure of the undrained shear strength of soft to firm clay,
from which no drainage of water takes place during the test. The test is useful for measuring
the shear strength of clays that are too soft or too sensitive for the preparation of specimens
for other types of strength test, and can be carried out on clay within the sampling container
so that it suffers no disturbance. Samples of this kind should also be protected from
disturbance during transport, handling and storage. (Clay Materials Used in Construction
edited by George M. Reeves, Ian Sims, J. C. Cripps)

Figure 7 (above and below): The vane shear apparatus used in the laboratory and the gauge
readings of the apparatus

4.0

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

4.1

INTRODUCTION TO RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

This chapter discusses the results of the three tests performed namely the liquid limit,

plastic limit and the vane shear strength test. Liquid limit test determines the water content, in
percent, of the soil sample at the arbitrarily defined boundary between the semi-liquid and
plastic states. This value is obtained from the graph plotted of number of blows against water
content extrapolated at 25 blows.
Following that, the plastic limit test yields the water content, in percent, of the soil at
the boundary between the plastic and semi-solid states. The relationship between the water
content, w, and the corresponding number of drops, N, of the cup were plotted on a
semi-logarithmic graph with water content as the ordinates and arithmetical scale, and the
number of drops on a logarithmic scale. The best fit straight line through the plotted points
was drawn. The plastic limit was determined by counting the average values of the water
contents of the soil sample. The value obtained indicates the maximum water content at
which the soil sample just began to crumble when rolled into a 3mm thread.
The vane shear strength test is an in-place shear test in which a rod with thin radial vanes

at the end is forced into the soil and the resistance to rotation of the rod is determined.

4.2

BASIC SOIL CLASSIFICATION

Soil classification is the separation of soil into classes or groups each having similar
characteristics and potentially similar behaviour. A classification for engineering purposes
should be based mainly on mechanical properties, e.g. permeability, stiffness, strength. The
class to which a soil belongs can be used in its description. Soils consist of grains such as
mineral grains and rock fragments with water and air voids between grains. The water and air
contents are readily changed by changes in conditions and location: soils can be perfectly dry
where there is no water content or be fully saturated- have no air content, or be partly
saturated with both air and water present. Although the size and shape of the solid (granular)
content rarely changes at a given point, they can vary considerably from point to point.

RESULTS:
Liquid Limit Test
Container Number
Number of Blows
Mass of container

4
70
43.6

5
54
43.9

6
32
45.3

7
19
53.6

and wet soil (g)

Mass of container

38.5

38.1

38.4

46.0

and dry soil (g)

Mass of water (g)
Mass of container

5.8
14.6

7.0
15.1

7.0
16.1

7.1
23.1

(g)
Mass of dry soil

23.9

23.0

22.3

22.9

25.2

30.9

33.2

(g)
Water content (%)
21.3
Table 1: Liquid Limit Determination

Figure 9: The graph of Number of Blows against Water Content

Calculations:
Water content , w=

mass of water ( g)
mass of dry soil (g)

X 100%

From the flow curve, the liquid limit is 32.4%.

Therefore, from the plasticity chart, the clay can be classified as CL = clay of low plasticity.

Figure 10: Plasticity chart. (Taken from Basic Soil Mechanics by Whitlow, 2001)

Plastic Limit Test

Container Number
Mass of container

1
21.3

2
20.2

3
21.2

and wet soil (g)

Mass of container

20.7

19.6

20.4

0.6
15.4
4.2
14.3

0.8
14.9
5.5
14.5

and dry soil (g)

Mass of water (g)
0.6
Mass of container (g)
16.5
Mass of dry soil (g)
4.2
Water content (%)
14.3
Table 2: Soil Plastic Limit Determination
Calculations:
Water content , w=

mass of water ( g)
mass of dry soil (g)

X 100%

Average value of water content = Plastic limit, Wp

14.3 +14.3 +14.5
=14.4
3
Therefore, plastic limit, Wp = 14.4%

4.2

VANE SHEAR STRENGTH

Table 3: Results
Determination

Spring deflection, f (inner)

Vane deflection (outer)
Torque,

k f

Shear Strength, S
Calculations:
Spring deflection,

f 1 = 314-305 = 9

Spring deflection,

f 2 = 334-321 = 13

Vane deflection,

(outer)1 = 85-5 = 80

Vane deflection,

(outer)2 = 68-0 = 68

1
9

2
13

80
0.01545

68
0.0105

0.0036

0.0025

Figure 11: The graph of Torque against Degree of Rotation for Determination k=1

Determination of

k1 =

0.12250.0245
7215
3

= 1.72x 10

Figure 12: The graph of Torque against Degree of Rotation for Determination k=2
k2 =
Determination of

0.12250.049
15160

= 8.08x 10

Torque,

k f 1 = (1.72x 103 )( 9 ) = 0.01545 Nmm/degree

Torque,

k f 2 = (8.08x 104 )( 13 ) = 0.0105 Nmm/degree

Shear Strength, S;

k f
4.29

kN/ m

Remoulded undrained strength =

0.0105
4.29

Undisturbed undrained strength =

Sensitivity, St =
=

= 0.0025

0.0155
4.29

= 0.0036

Undisturbed undrained strength

Remoulded undrained strength
0.0036
0.0025

= 1.44

Figure 13 : Sensitivity of clays. (Taken from Soil Mechanics book)

Based on the table of sensitivity, the soil sample can be classified as insensitive since the S t
value is 1.44.

Based on the results, our liquid limit in this site is 32.4% and the plastic limit is 14.4%
compared the value that taken from the UTM as the reference. The liquid limit from the UTM
is 49.1% and their plastic limit is 35.1%. The plasticity index in our site testing is 18% and it
is classify as low plasticity clay based on plasticity chart for the classification of fine soils.
Meanwhile, the UTM having intermediate plasticity clay from their site due to the clay its
liquid limit inside the range of 35%-50% intermediate plasticity grade and the plasticity index
is inside the range as well. This is due to intermediate plasticity clay higher than the lower
plasticity and having large liquid limit indicates high compressibility and high shrink swell
tendencies. Large the liquid limit might cause the strength decrease as the water content
increases. The vane shear strength for the clay that we extracted for is 36kN and 25kN for
undisturbed and disturbed soil. However, the soil from the other places shows that for their
loading are giving the value 28kN and 33kN. This is due to the different loads gave a
different value which larger than our own results. As the shear strength test is to determine
maximum stress that can be induced in a material until the soil is failing. Both applied the
same rules which conducted in a similar way. However, the soil from the other site might
having a high plasticity index which high liquid limit and low plastic limit which holding the
soil to cease function as plasticity state.