ATTERBERG LIMIT

By
M. Firdaus, ST, MT
www.dauspoli.co.cc
Definition
 Where a fine soil contains clay minerals, the soil can knead
(remolded) without causing cracks.

 This cohesive properties due to the absorbed water

(absorbed water) around the surface of clay particles. When
the water level is very large, a mixture of soil and water will
become very mushy like a liquid.

 One of the characteristics of fine grained cohesive soil is

plasticity, namely the ability of soil particles to remain
attached to one another so as to define a cohesive soil
plasticity, necessary physical position on the soil water
content, called the consistency.
Atterberg dividing the physical
position on the clay soil water
content into 4 conditions:
Liquid Limit
 Liquid Limit (LL) is the water content at the boundary
between the liquid and plastic

 In this position, spread and reduced grain moisture

content resulting reduction in soil volume

 To determine the liquid limit laboratory testing using a

tool consisting of a brass bowl that rests on the hard
rubber. Bowl can be lifted and dropped by an eccentric
lever operated with rotator.
Casagrande testing
devices:
LIQUID LIMIT GRAPH
GRAFIK BATAS CAIR

60

58
KADAR AIR (%)

56

54

52

50
10 100
JUMLAH PUKULAN
Plastic Limit
 Plastic Limit (PL) is the water content at the
boundary position between the plastic and semi
solid

 The difference between LL and PL-called plasticity

index, PI (Plasticity Index) which is expressed in
the equation: PI = LL – PL

 If the PI the greater, then the amount of clay

particles in the soil more and more. If the PI is low,
for example in the silt soil, little reduction in water
levels would result in soil becomes dry and vice
versa if the water content increased slightly, the
soil becomes liquid.
Indeks Cair
 Liquidity Index (LI) of soil is defined as:
wN  PL wN  PL
LI  
LL  PL PI
 Liquid index useful for evaluating if the soil on the
disturbed conditions (disturbed).

 LI value > 1, if the natural water content (WN) is

greater than liquid limit of soils and when the
natural water content (WN) < PL, then the negative
LI that where the soil in the solid or semi solid
condition.
 Batas Susut
 Shrinkage limit (SL) is defined boundary water content on
the degree of saturation of 100% where for values below it
there will be no change in volume when dried soil continues

 It should be noted that, the smaller the shrinkage limit, soil

will more easily change the volume and the less water
needed to be able to change volume

 If SL = 5%, then if the field exceeds the value of soil has

resulted in soil will begin to shrinkage

 m1  m2   (V1  V2 ) w 
SL       x100%
 m2   m2 
Example problems :
Experimental shrinkage limit produces the following data: :
The volume of water saturated soil in a state = 25 cm3
The volume of soil after oven dried = 16 m3
Heavy water-saturated soil at the time = 45 grm
Weight when oven dry soil = 31 grm

Conclusion :

 m1  m2   (V1  V2 ) w 
SL       x100%
 m2   m2 
 45  31   (25  16).1 
SL     x100%  16%
 31   31 
Example Problems :
The experimental results from several test limits -
limits the consistency shown in the table:
Benda Uji 1 2 3 4
Jumlah pukulan 12 17 23 28
Natural soil weight + cawan (gr) 28,15 23,22 23,20 23,18
Dry soil weight + cawan (gr) 24,20 20,80 20,89 20,90
Berat cawan (gr) 15,30 15,10 15,20 15,00

Determine the liquid limit (LL), plasticity index (PI).

Known ground with PL = 20%, water content in
the field WN = 38%
Conclusion :

 Examples of sample:
28,15  24,20
w x100%  44,38%
24,20  15,30
23,22  20,80
w x100%  42,46%
20,80  15,10
23,20  20,89
w x100%  40,60%
20,89  15,20
23,18  20,90
w x100%  38,64%
20,90  15,00
 The result of calculation of water content (w) and
number of strokes drawn on the diagram:

 At 25 times the punch obtained 39% water

content, so LL = 39%
 Plasticity Index (PI) = LL – PL = 39% - 20% = 19%