Leader: Members:

Daniel Cristopher A. Bolisay Alan Jr. C. Gabitan

Mary Claire Q. Zapanta
Pamela Joy L. Guyo
Reyson A. Carael
Romel B. Vistal
 Atterberg’s Definition Casagrande’s Definition

The water content at which the soil has

The boundary between the liquid such a small shear strength that it flows to
Liquid Limit
and plastic states. close a groove of standard width jarred in
a specified manner.

The water content at which the soil begins

The boundary between the plastic
Plastic Limit to crumble when rolled into threads of
and semi-solid states.
specified size.
o These test methods are used as an integral part of several engineering classification
system to characterize the fine-grained fractions of soil.
o These test have been used is soil mechanics for over 50 years, providing a measure
of moisture content at which soils changes from a liquid, to a plastic, to a semisolid,
to a solid state.
o It is also used when you are trying to build with or build on these types of materials.
o It is used as a guide indicating how much a soils is likely to settle or consolidate
under load.
Liquid Limit Device

Moisture Cans
Digital Balance Scale

Oven
Spatula

Soil Specimen
Method A – Multipoint Test
 More precise than method B, it is used
on cases where greater precision is
required.
 The number of blows required to
close the groove shall be 25 to 35
blows.
Method B – One-point Test
 It requires the operator to judge
when the test specimen is
approximately at its liquid limit.
 The number of blows required to
close the groove shall be 20 to 30
blows.
1. Thoroughly mix the soil specimen in its mixing cup, if necessary, adjust its water
content until the constancy requires about 25 to 35 blows for method A and 20 to
30 blows for method B of the liquid limit device to close the groove.
2. Using a spatula place a portion(s) of the prepared soil in the cup of the liquid
limit device at the point where the cup rests on the base of about 10 mm at its
deepest point. Push the soil downwards to eliminate all air pockets.
3. Form a groove in the soil pat by using the grooving tool. When cutting the groove,
hold the grooving tool against the surface of the cup and draw in an arc,
maintaining the tool perpendicular to the surface of the cup throughout its
movement.
4. Rotate the crank of the apparatus at a rate of 2 revolutions per second. Stop
rotating when the soil meets and the length should be 13 mm.
5. Record the number of drops required to close the groove. Remove a slice of soil
approximately the width of the spatula, extending from edge to edge and place it
into the moisture can and weigh.
6. After weighing you have to heat the soil using the heater / oven to dry the soil.
After drying, weigh the dry soil with moisture cup. Record the Data.
7. Repeat the steps 2-3 times and then compute.
Glass Pane

Rod
Oven

Plastic Limit Rolling Device

Soil Sample

Moisture Cans
Method A – Hand Method
 Roll the mass between the palm or
fingers and ground-glass plate with
just sufficient pressure to roll the
mass into a thread of uniform
diameter throughout its length.
Method B - Rolling Device Method
 Attach smooth unglazed paper to both
the top and bottom plates of the
plastic limit rolling device.
 We need to have a soil sample that was sieved, dried and pulverized.
 Weigh the empty moisture cans and record its respective weights.
 Add small amount of water at the soil sample.
 Take a portion of the soil sample and start rolling until it attains a diameter of 1/8
of an inch.
 Gather the crumbled thread of soil and place the sample into the moisture cup and
weigh it.
 After weighing you heat the moisture cup with the soil sample using the oven or
heater.
 After heating, weigh the dried soil and moisture cup. Record the data.
 Repeat the steps 2-3 times.
1. Attach smooth unglazed paper to the top and bottom plate of the plastic limit rolling
device.
2. Place the soil mass on the bottom plate at the midpoint between the slide rails.
3. Place the top plate in contact with the soil mass(es). Simultaneously apply a slight
downward force and back and forth motion top the top plate so that the top plate
comes into contact with the side rails within 2 min.
4. When the diameter of the thread becomes 3.2 mm break the thread into several
pieces. Squeeze the pieces together and reform into an ellipsoidal mass and re-roll.
5. If crumbling occurs when the thread has a diameter of the ellipsoidal mass nearer to
the required 3.2 mm, this shall be considered a satisfactory end point, provided the
soil has been previously rolled into a thread 3.2 mm in diameter.
6. Gather the portion of the crumbled thread together and place in a container of known
mass.
7. Repeat steps and determine the water content of the soil contained in the containers.
What do you call this device?
 Name at least three apparatus needed for liquid limit testing.
 Name the two types of methods for liquid limit.
 It is the boundary between the liquid and plastic states.
 When the soil meets, at what length should it be so that we can stop rotating the
device.