1.

A dry sample of mass 50gm is mixed with

distilled water to prepare a suspension of
1000ml for hydrometer analysis. The reading
of the hydrometer taken after 5 minutes was
25 and the depth of the centre of the bulb
below the water surface when the
hydrometer was in the jar was 150mm. The
volume of the hydrometer was 62ml and the
area of cross section of the jar was 55cm2.
Assuming G=2.68 and ƞ=9.81millipoise,
Determine the coordinate of the point
corresponding to above observation.
The depth b/n B’-B’ & A’-A’ is given to be
150mm. The effective depth b/n B-B and
A-A is given by፡
• The coordinate of the point on the particle
size distribution curve are:
(0.023mm,79.76%)
 1
Question 2
Liquid Limit Test
Result
Number of blows 10 19 23 27 40

Water content (%) 60.0 45.2 39.8 36.5 25.2

Two Determinations for Plastic Limit: 20.3% &

20.8%
Required
: a) wLL & b) IP c) IL if w = 27.4%
w
d)PLe at the wLL if Gs=2.7 ,
If the soil were to be loaded to failure, would you
expect a brittle failure?
 2
SOLUTION
Step 1: Plot the data

wLL=38%

25

Step 2: Extract From chart or interpolation

 3
Step 3: Calculate
wPL 20.3  20.8
wPL   20.6%
2
Step 4: Calculate IP
I P  wLL  wPL  38  20.6  17.4%

Step 5: Calculate IL
w  wPL 27.4  20.6
IL    0.39
IP 17.4
Step 6: Calculate eLL
Assume the soil is saturated at wLL , S = 1
e LL  wLL G s  0.38  2.7  1.03
Brittle failure is not expected as the soil is in a plastic
state (0 < IL <1).
 4
Question 3
Results of a fall cone test:
Parameter 80 gram cone 240 gram cone

Penetration (mm) 5.5 7.8 14.8 22 32 8.5 15 21 35

Water content (%) 39.0 44.8 52.5 60.3 67 36.0 45.1 49.8 58.1

Required
: a) wLL b) wPL c) IP

d) IL if the natural water content is = 36%

 5
SOLUTION
Step 1: Plot the data

80 grams
w  10%

２ 40
grams

20

Step 2: Extract wLL=59% (chart or interpolation)

 5
Step 3: Determine wPL , from interolation or from
chart W240 = 48.2%,
w  W 80  W 240  10%
wPL  wLL  4.2w  59  4.2 10  17%

Step 4: Determine IP
I P  wLL  wPL  59  17  42%

Step 5: Determine IL
w  wPL 36  17
IL    0.45
IP 42
 Question 4
Liquid limit test data using Casagrande
Apparatus. Determine LL and classify the
soil assuming plastic limit PL = 19.8%
No. of Blows Mass of can Mass of wet soil Mass of dry
(gm) + can (gm) soil+ can (gm)
(1) (2) (3) (4)
8 11.8 36.05 29.18

16 13.2 34.15 28.60

27 14.1 36.95 31.16

40 12.09 33.29 28.11

Solution
No. of blows Moisture content
(Mw/Ms)= (3-4)/(4-2)
8 0.395

16 0.360

27 0.339

40 0.323
Using direct interpolation or from chart,
LL=34.2% at 25 blows.
From chart LL= 34.2%, PI = LL-PL = 34.2- 19.8 = 14.4%
Classification of soil:
Using PI = 14.4% & LL = 34.2%, the soil is CL .......
(ASTM plasticity chart)