CEG453 – GEOTECHNICAL LABORATORY SEM MAC-JULY 2020

TITLE Lab 1.4 ATTERBERG LIMIT TEST – PLASTIC AND LIQUID LIMIT TESTS
LEVEL OF
OEL 0
OPENNESS
PREAMBLE 1.1 Introduction

Plasticity is an important characteristic in the case of fine-grained soils. The

term ‘plasticity’ describes the ability of a soil to undergo irrecoverable
deformation without cracking or crumbling.

The soil has reached its plastic limit when there is sufficient water present to
allow the particles to slide past each other without developing internal cracks
(i.e. 'crumbling').

The soil has reached its liquid limit when the water content is raised to a point
where the suction has been reduced to almost nothing and the mixture behaves
like a liquid (i.e. flows freely under its own weight)

1.2 Objectives

- to determine the liquid limit of a soil using Cone penetration test and Casagrande
test
- to determine the plastic limit of a soil using rolling method
- to determine the plasticity index of a soil

1.3 Learning Outcomes

By the end of this laboratory work, students should be able:

1. to recognize the necessary procedure to conduct certain experiment
2. to conduct necessary laboratory works in achieving objective
3. to process raw data into results that can be analysed (if necessary)
4. to analyse result using necessary formulas, tools, etc.
5. to synthesize analysis from laboratory works and information from relevant
literature to provide valid conclusion

PROBLEM 1.4 Problem Statement

STATEMENT
General situation:
Determining reliable values for soil parameters usually requires that laboratory
tests such as triaxial or oedometer tests be performed on undisturbed samples
of soil.

Specific condition:
However, in order to obtain good quality undisturbed samples are usually
expensive and frequently difficult. Furthermore, those tests require time and
skill, and are also expensive.

Why it is necessary to conduct:

Therefore, it is necessary to characterize or classify soils with quicker, less-
sophisticated tests which do not require undisturbed samples of the soils
CEG453 – GEOTECHNICAL LABORATORY SEM MAC-JULY 2020

WAYS & The experiment is conducted in accordance to:

MEANS
BS1377 Part 2 (1990) Methods of test for soils for civil engineering purposes.
Classification tests. 4 Determination of the liquid limit and 5 Determination of the
plastic limit and plasticity index

RESULTS Not provided for OEL 0