_ _Soil Mechanics Laboratory Manual ____

LABORATORY TEST NO.7

DETERMINATION OF PLASTIC LIMIT AND PLASTICITY INDEX

SIGNIFICANCE:
The plastic limit is defined as the minimum moisture content at which the soil can be readily
molded without breaking or crumbling. Plasticity index indicates compressibility; high P.I. means
high degree of compressibility of a soil. It is also related to permeability; the higher the P.I. the
lower the permeability; and vice-versa. The limit tests and plasticity index are widely used to
control the characteristics of soil which are to be incorporated in roadways.

APPARATUS:
1. Evaporating dish
2. Spatula, having a blade about 75 mm length and 20 mm width.
3. A ground glass plate or piece of smooth, unglazed paper on which to roll the sample.
4. Containers
5. Oven with temperature control
6. Balance sensitive to 0.1 g

SAMPLE:
1. If the plastic limit only is required, mix thoroughly about 20 g of sample obtained in
accordance with standard procedure in accordance with Standard Procedure in
preparation of Disturbed Soil Sample for Test with distilled water until the mass is plastic
enough to be shaped into a ball. Take a portion of the ball weighing about 8 g for test
sample.

PROCEDURE:
1. Squeeze and form the 8 g sample into ball.
2. Roll the ball of soil between the fingers and the glass plate with just sufficient pressure
into thread of uniform diameter throughout its length.
3. When the diameter of the thread becomes 3.2 mm, break the thread into 6 to 8 pieces.
4. Squeeze the pieces together between the thumbs and fingers into a uniform mass and
reroll. Continue the alternate rolling to a thread of 3.2 mm until the thread crumbles and
the soil can no longer be rolled into a thread.
5. Take some of the crumbled soil and place in a drying can. Weigh the container and
thread and record the mass. Oven-dry the soil to constant mass at 110°C±5 constant
weight. Record the loss in mass as the mass of water.

CALCULATION:
1. The plastic limit is expressed as the moisture content in percentage of the oven-dried
weight/mass of the crumbled soil thread.

Wa−Wb
Plastic Limit = x 100
Wb
Where:
Wa = weight of crumbled soil thread
Wb = weight of oven-dried crumbled soil thread.

2. The plasticity index is the difference between the liquid limit and plastic limit.

Plasticity Index = Liquid Limit – Plastic Limit

Engr. Vera Karla S. Caingles | Engr. Roxanne C. Galdo | Engr. Roxette C. Galdo | Engr. Reyca Joice Obsioma
CE Faculty
 _ _Soil Mechanics Laboratory Manual ____

Engr. Vera Karla S. Caingles | Engr. Roxanne C. Galdo | Engr. Roxette C. Galdo | Engr. Reyca Joice Obsioma
CE Faculty
 _ _Soil Mechanics Laboratory Manual ____

PLASTIC LIMIT DATA SHEET

Soil Sample Number: ____________________________________________________

Classified by: Antipas, Quin Francis Lompon, Jimson
Dionsay, Aila Marie Paayas, Christian Michael
Gonzales, Airah Marie Tion, Jake Matthew
Japson, Mary Queen Razalo, Kim Whalen
Uy, Princess Annie
Date: __________________

1. Moisture Content Can Number : 1 2 3

2. Weight of Moisture Can, (g) : 20.4 g_____ 19.9 g_____ 21.6 g____

3. Weight of Moisture Can +

Weight of Crumbled thread, (g) : 24.3 g_____ 23 g_______ 25.8 g____

4. Weight of Crumbled thread,

Wa (g) : 3.9 g______ 3.1 g______ 4.2 g_____
5. Weight of Moisture Can +
Weight of Oven-dried Crumbled
Soil Thread, (g) : 23.6 g_____ 22.8 g_____ 24.6 g____

6. Weight of Oven-dried Crumbled

Soil Thread, Wb (g) : 3.2 g_____ 2.9 g_____ 3 g_______

7. Moisture Content,
W% = [(W - W )/(W - W )] x 100 : 21.88%___ 6.90%_____ 40%______
2 3 3 1

Calculations:

W a−W
Plastic Limit =
b
× 100
Wb

Where: Wa = weight of crumbled soil thread

Wb = weight of oven-dried crumbled soil thread

Soil sample No. 1:

3.9−3.2
Plastic Limit = × 100=¿ 21.88%
3.2
Soil sample No. 2:
3.1−2.9
Plastic Limit = × 100=¿ 6.9 %
2.9
Soil sample No. 3:
24.6−3
Plastic Limit = ×100=¿ 40%
3
Plastic Limit:
21+ 6.9+40
PL = =¿22.93 %
3
Plasticity Index (LL = 40% from previous experiment):

Engr. Vera Karla S. Caingles | Engr. Roxanne C. Galdo | Engr. Roxette C. Galdo | Engr. Reyca Joice Obsioma
CE Faculty
 _ _Soil Mechanics Laboratory Manual ____
P.I. = LL – PL = 40% - 22.93% = 17.07%

Plastic Limit: 22.93 %

Plasticity Index: 17.07%

Procedures:

SAMPLE 1 SAMPLE 2 SAMPLE 3

Weigh all the three empty moisture cans, and record the data.

Sieve at least 20 grams using a 200-mm sieve.

Weigh the sieved soil for 20 grams.

Engr. Vera Karla S. Caingles | Engr. Roxanne C. Galdo | Engr. Roxette C. Galdo | Engr. Reyca Joice Obsioma
CE Faculty
Add enough water to the soil Mix the mixture thoroughly.
to allow it to roll.
 _ _Soil Mechanics Laboratory Manual ____

This is how the mixture Divide the mixture into three

should appear. parts.

Engr. Vera Karla S. Caingles | Engr. Roxanne C. Galdo | Engr. Roxette C. Galdo | Engr. Reyca Joice Obsioma
CE Faculty
 _ _Soil Mechanics Laboratory Manual ____

SAMPLE 1 SAMPLE 2 SAMPLE 3

Form the soil into a ball, and obtain three samples weighing at least 8 grams each.

SAMPLE 1 SAMPLE 2 SAMPLE 3

Each sample should be rolled until it is 3.2 mm in diameter.

This is how the thread When you've reached that

should look. phase, cut the threads into 6-
8 pieces.

Place the cut threads in their respective moisture cans and

weigh each sample.
Engr. Vera Karla S. Caingles | Engr. Roxanne C. Galdo | Engr. Roxette C. Galdo | Engr. Reyca Joice Obsioma
CE Faculty
 _ _Soil Mechanics Laboratory Manual ____

Retrieve the dried samples after an hour.

Lastly, weigh each dry sample and calculate the loss in

mass as the mass of water.

Observation:

In this activity, the group tested three different soil samples with gradually increasing
moisture contents in order to distinguish differences in the results. The following
observations were made as a result of the activity:
 The amount of moisture applied is affected by the consistency of the soil.
 To achieve the consistency of being able to roll it out without directly crumbling,
the amount of moisture content to the amount of soil must be balanced.
 The sample with the lowest moisture content crumbles more easily. However, using
a high moisture content can make the sample appear muddy, making it more
difficult to form.
 Aside from moisture content, external factors can influence how quickly the sample
crumbles.
 The more you squeeze the sample, the more likely it is to crumble.
 Although the samples reached the desired length, cracks were already visible when
the soil was rolled.

Engr. Vera Karla S. Caingles | Engr. Roxanne C. Galdo | Engr. Roxette C. Galdo | Engr. Reyca Joice Obsioma
CE Faculty