Atterberg Limits and Indices

• So, depended on the water content, soil has four phases:

① Liquid phase ② Plastic phase
③ Semi-solid phase ④ Solid phase
• There are three boundaries between two phases:
① Liquid Limit: water content between liquid phase and plastic phase
② Plastic Limit: water content between plastic phase and semi solid phase
③ Shrinkage limit: water content between semi-solid phase and solid phase
Add water:
volume
Volume (V)

constant

Semi-solid Plastic Liquid

Solid phase Water
phase phase phase content (w)
wS wP wL
Shrinkage Limit(wS) Plastic Limit (wP) Liquid Limit (wL)
Liquid limit (1)
Liquid Limit
ASTM D4318: Standard Test Methods for Liquid Limit, Plastic Limit and
Plasticity Index of Soils

Preparation of Fill device until Cut the center Lift device and drop it
equipment and 2/3 height with with groove with constant rate.
materials wet soil Count the number of
blows to close groove ½
inch

Repeat with different water content

Liquid limit (2)
Liquid Limit
ASTM D4318: Standard Test Methods for Liquid Limit, Plastic Limit and
Plasticity Index of Soils

Run test 4 times with

different water
content:
• 2 test < 25 blows
• 2 test > 25 blows

Use semi logarithmic scale to

plot data:
• Water content: normal scale Liquid limit (wL): water content when the
• Blow count: logarithmic scale number of blows, N=25
Plastic limit
Plastic Limit
ASTM D4318: Standard Test Methods for Liquid Limit, Plastic Limit and
Plasticity Index of Soils

3 mm

Plastic limit (wP): the lowest water content when the soil does not crumble when
rolled into 3 mm in diameter
Shrinkage limit
Shrinkage Limit
ASTM D4943: Standard Test Method for Shrinkage Factors of Cohesive Soils
by the Water Submersion Method

Volume change occur No volume change

Reduction of water content

Shrinkage limit

Shrinkage limit (wS): the highest water content which volume change does not
occur when the water content reduced
Plasticity Index and Liquidity Index

Plasticity Index (PI):

• An index which indicating the range of water content when soils have plastic
behavior
• Many engineering properties fits properly when related to PI, such as coefficient
of compressibility, etc.
PI = wL − wP

Liquidity Index (LI):

• An index which indicating position of the current water content above wP relative
to PI
• When LI < 100%, then the water content is between wL and wP
• When LI > 100%, then the water content is higher than wL
w − wL
LI = (x 100 %)
PI