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When water is added to dry soil, it changes its state of consistency from hard to soft. If
we add water to a fine grained soil, then water will change its consistency from hard to
semi hard. If we continue to add more water then again the soil will change its state of
consistency from semi hard to plastic and finally reach a liquid consistency stage. When
the soil reaches liquid consistency state, it has remain no cohesive strength to retain its
shape under its own weight. It will start to deform its shape. So the amount of water
which is responsible for this state of consistency of soil is called liquid limit of soil. In
other words we can define liquid limit as
It is the minimum water content at which the soil is still in the liquid state, but has a small
shearing strength against flow.
From test point of view we can define liquid limit as follows.
Liquid limit is defined as the minimum water content at which a pat of soil cut by a groove of
standard dimension will flow together for a distance of 12 mm (1/2 inch) under an impact of
25 blows in the device.
Liquid limit of soil is a very important property of fine grained soil (or cohesive soil)
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Liquid limit of soil can be used to predict the consolidation properties of soil while calculating
allowable bearing capacity & settlement of foundation.
5.
Liquid limit value of soil is also used to calculate activity of clays and toughness index of soil.
There are two different methods are available for determining liquid limit of soil. These two methods
are as given below.
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2.