UNIVERSITY MALAYSIA PAHANG

Faculty of Engineering Technology (Infrastructure Management)

Geo Mechanic Laboratory

Test Name: ATTERBERG LIMITS AND LINEAR SHINKAGE

Reference Standard: BS1377: Part 2:1990 and BS1377:Part2:1990:5.3; ASTM D4318

and BS 1377: Part 2: 1990:4.3; ASTM D427

1.0 Introduction

Simple classification tests have been devised which are used to sort soil into types
and provide a simple, but crude, indication of their engineering properties such as
permeability, strength and compressibility. Further classification within fine-grained
soils (i.e. CLAY that passes #200 sieve) is done based on soil plasticity. Consistency
varies with the water content of the soil. The consistency of a soil can range from
(dry) solid to semi-solid to plastic to liquid (wet). The water contents at which the
consistency changes from one state to the next are called consistency limits (or
Atterberg limits).

Figure 1 Moisture content versus volume relation

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2.0 Principles

Fine grained soil can exist in any several states; which state depends on the amount of
water in the soil system. When water is added to dry soil, each particle is covered with a
film of adsorbed water. If the addition of water is continued, the thickness of the water
film on a particle increases. Increasing the thickness of water films permits the particle to
slide past one another easily. Recent research has suggested that these several states are
related to the strength of the soil.

Atterberg define the boundaries of states in term of limits, such as:

i) Liquid limit (LL) - change of consistency from plastic to liquid

ii) Plastic limit (PL) - change of consistency from brittle/crumbly to plastic
iii) Plasticity Index (PI) - The range of water content over which a soil has a
plastic consistency
iv) Shrinkage Limit (SL) – Soil shrinks as moisture is gradually lost

Figure 2: Consistency of fine-grained soil varies in proportion to the water content

3.0 Objectives

i) To obtain basic index information about the soil used to estimate strength and
settlement characteristics as Plasticity Index, Plastic limit, Liquid limit and
Shrinkage Limit

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LIQUID LIMIT TEST (CONE PENETROMETER METHOD)

4.0 Apparatus

i) Cone penetrometer
ii) Flat glass plate
iii) Metal cups
iv) Spatula
v) Moisture content tins
vi) Distilled water

Figure 3: Semi Automated Cone Penetrometer

5.0 Procedure

i) Check the apparatus so that

a. Mass of falling cone assembly to  0.1 g.

b. Stem falls freely when released.
c. Tip of cone can be felt through gauge when brushed with finger.

ii) Mix the soil (paste with the spatulas for at least 10 minutes, distilled water
must be added in successive stages to give a cone penetration of about 15 mm
and mix well in. Note: Thorough mixing and kneading is the most important
feature of the test and must never be overlooked.

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iii) Press the soil paste against the side of the cup, to avoid trapping air. Press
more paste well into the bottom of the cup, without an air pocket. The small
spatula is convenient for these operations. The top surface is finally smoothed
off level with the rim using the straight edge.

iv) Adjust the tip of the cone with a few millimeters of the surface of the soil in
the cup. Hold the cone, press the release button and adjust the height of the
cone so that the tip just touches the soil surface.

v) Lower the stem of the dial gauge to make contact with the top of the cone
shaft. Record the reading of the dial gauge to the nearest 0.1 mm (R1).
Alternatively if the pointer is mounted on a friction sleeve, adjust the pointer
to read zero (i.e. R1 = 0).

vi) Set the timer to 5s, and then press the button and release it immediately.
Automatic re-locking of the stem is indicated by a click. The apparatus must
remain steady and must not be jerked.

vii) Record the dial reading to the nearest 0.1 mm (R2). Record the difference
between R1 and R2 as the cone penetration. If the pointer was initially set to
read zero, the reading R2 gives the cone penetration directly.

viii) Lift out the cone and clean it carefully. Avoid touching the sliding stem. Add
a little more wet soil to the cup, without entrapping air, smooth off and repeat
procedure (5), (6) and (7).

ix) Two consecutive penetrations should be within 0.5 mm or three within 1 mm.

x) Take a moisture content sample of about 10 g from the area penetrated by the
cone, using the tip of a small spatula. Placed in a numbered moisture content

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 container, which is weighed, oven dried and weighed as in the standard
moisture content procedure in experiment 1.

xi) The soil remaining in the cup is remixed with the rest of the sample on the
glass plate together with a little more distilled water, until a uniform softer
consistency is obtained.

xii) Penetration range of the soil sample should be within 15 – 25 mm. Repeat the
procedure (3) – (10) with different volume of water to get at least 4 points
evenly spaced.

xiii) The moisture content of the soil from each penetration reading is calculated
from the wet and dry weightings as in the moisture content test. Each cone
penetration (mm) is plotted as ordinate, against the corresponding moisture
content (%) as abscissa, both to linear scales. The best straight line fitting
these points is drawn.

xiv) From the graph, the moisture content corresponding to a cone penetration of
20 mm is read off to the nearest 0.1%. The result is reported to the nearest
whole number as the liquid limit (cone test).

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PLASTIC LIMIT TEST

6.0 Apparatus

i) Glass plate
ii) A separate glass plate for rolling of threads
iii) Spatulas
iv) Moisture content apparatus

Figure 4: Plastic Limit Apparatus

7.0 Procedure

i) Take about 20 g of the prepared soil paste and spread it on glass mixing plate
so that it can partially dry. Mix occasionally to avoid local drying out.

ii) When the soil is plastic enough, it is well kneaded and then shaped into a ball.
Mould the ball between the fingers and roll between the palms of the hands so
that the warmth of the hands slowly dries it.

iii) When slight cracks begin to appear on the surface, divide the ball into two
portions each of about 10 g. Further divide each into four equal parts, but keep
each set of four parts together.

iv) One of the parts is kneaded by the fingers to equalise the distribution of
moisture, and then formed into a thread about 6 mm diameter, using the first
finger and thumb of each hand.

v) Roll the thread between the fingers of one hand and the surface of the glass
plate by uniform pressure. The pressure should reduce the diameter of the

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 thread from 6 mm to about 3 mm after between five and ten back-and-forth
movements of the hand. Note: It is important to maintain a uniform rolling
pressure throughout; do not reduce pressure as the thread approaches 3 mm
diameter.

vi) Dry the soil further by moulding between the fingers again, not by continued
rolling which gives a dried crust. From it into a thread and roll out again as
before, repeat this procedure until the thread crumbles when it has been rolled
to 3 mm diameter.

vii) Crumbling of the thread include falling apart in small pieces; breaking into a
number of short pieces tapered towards the ends; longitudinal splitting from
the ends towards the middle and then falling apart. Note: Crumbling must be
the result of the decreasing moisture content only, and not due to mechanical
breakdown caused by excessive pressure, or oblique rolling or detachment of
an excessive length beyond the width of the hand).

viii) As soon as the crumbling stage is reached, gather the crumbled threads and
place them into a weighed moisture content container. Replace the lid
immediately.

ix) Repeat procedure (4) – (8) for the other pieces of soil, and place in the same
container. Weigh the container and soil as soon as possible, dry in the oven
overnight, cool and weigh dry, as in the standard moisture content procedure.

x) Repeat procedure (4) – (9) on the other set of four portions of the soil, using a
second moisture content container.

xi) Calculate the moisture content of the soil in each of the two containers. Take
the average of the two results. If they differ by more than 0.5% moisture
content, the test should be repeated.

xii) The average moisture content referred to above is expressed to the nearest
whole number and reported as the plastic limit (PL) of the soil. The method of
preparation of the soil is reported, and so is the percentage of material passing
the 425 m sieve if it was sieved. The result is usually reported on the same
sheet as the liquid limit test.

xiii) The difference between the liquid limit and the plastic limit is calculated to
give the plasticity index (PI) of the soil:

PI = LL – PL

xiv) This value is also reported to the nearest whole number. If it is not possible to
perform the plastic limit test, the soil is reported as non-plastic (NP). This also

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 applies if the plastic limit is equal to or greater than the liquid limit: the latter
can occur in some soils with a high mica content (Tubey and Webster, 1978).

SHRINKAGE LIMIT TEST

8.0 Apparatus

i) Palette knife
ii) A separate glass plate for rolling of threads
iii) Spatulas
iv) Evaporating dish
v) Brass mould
vi) Silicone grease or petroleum jelly
vii) Drying oven
viii) Distilled water

9.0 Procedures

i) Place a sample of about 150g from the material passing through the 425m
test sieve, obtained as specified, on the glass plate or in the evaporating dish.
Alternatively take a sample of natural soil from which coarse particles have
been removed and thoroughly mix it with distilled water in the evaporating
dish to make a readily workable paste.

ii) Add distilled water if necessary and mix thoroughly using the palette knives
until the mass become a smooth liquid limit of the soil. Note: The required
consistency will give a cone penetration of about 20 mm in the cone
penetrometer.

iii) Place the soil/water mixture in the mould such that it is slightly proud of the
sides of the mould. Gently jar the mould to remove any air pockets in the
mixture.

iv) Level the soil along the top of the mould with the palette knife and remove all
soil adhering to the rim of the mould by wiping with damp cloth.

v) Place the mould where the soil/water can air dry slowly in the position free
from draughts until the soil has shrunk away from the walls of the mould.
Then complete the drying, first at a temperature not exceeding 65 0C until
shrinkage has largely ceased, and then at 105 0C to 100 0C to complete drying.

vi) Cool the mould and the soil and measure the mean length of the soil bar. If the
specimen has become curved during drying, remove it carefully from the
mould and measure the lengths of the top and bottom surfaces. The mean of

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 these two lengths shall be taken as the length of the oven dry specimen. Note:
Should a specimen crack badly, or break, such that measurement is difficult,
the test should be repeated at a slower drying rate.

10.0 Result

i) Plot the moisture content versus penetration and determine the LL, PL
ii) Calculate the PI using formula
iii) Calculate the linear shrinkage of the soil

(1 – LD/L0) x 100

Where LD – the length of the oven dried specimen (mm)

11.0 Discussion

i) What are the importances of these tests?

ii) Comment on the soil based on the result of your findings
iii) How do we classify non cohesive soil?

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 Atterberg Limits Test Results

Soil description:
Sample type: Date started:

LIQUID LIMIT

1 2 3
Test number
Cone penetration mm
Average penetration mm
Container no.
Wet soil & container g
Dry soil & container g
Container g
Dry soil g
Moisture loss g
MOISTURE CONTENT %

PLASTIC LIMIT

1 2 3 Average
Test number
Container no.
Wet soil & container g
Dry soil & container g
Container g
Dry soil g
Moisture loss g
MOISTURE CONTENT g

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 Atterberg Limits Test Results

Soil description:
Sample type: Date started:

SHRINKAGE LIMIT

Specimen reference

% passing 425m sieve

Initial length, L0 (mm)

Oven-dried length , LD (mm)

Linear shrinkage

(1 – LD/L0) x 100 %

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