Continuous Assessment Cover Sheet
Faculty of Engineering
Module Details
Module Code CE2811 Module Title Geotechnical engineering 1
Program: SLIIT/Curtin/SHU/ Course: BSc/ BEng/
Stream: Civil/Electronics/Mechanical/
Assessment details
Title Atterberg Limit Tests Group assignment YES / NO
If yes, Group No.
Lecturer/ Instructor Date of Performance
Due date Date submitted
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Details of the student/s submitting the assignment Signature
ID Number Name (As per the institute records )
EN21433238 Achalanka T.N.K
OFFICE USE ONLY
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(seal, signature, date) for improvement)
Tutor: Signature: Date:
Marks: [ All marks are subject to external moderation and approval of board of
examinations]
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SRI LANKA INSTITUTE OF INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY
GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING 1
(CE2811)
Atterberg Limit Tests
Name: Achalanka T.N.K……………………...
Student ID : EN21433238……………………..
Group : F………………..
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Title:
Atterberg limit tests
Objective:
To determine the liquid limit, the plastic limit and the linear shrinkage and plasticity index of the
given soil sample.
Introduction:
The behavior of fine-grained soils is influenced by elements like the mineral and structural
composition, as well as the water content. A soil can exist in several states depending on how
much water it receives. When dirt is combined with dry soil, a film of water is created on the
particles, and the thickness of the film grows with the amount of water. Since there is less friction
as the thickness increases, particles can simply flow past one another. Albert Atterberg, a Swedish
agricultural chemist and scientist, described the limits between the liquid, plastic, and shrinking
states of soil. These restrictions were improved by Arthur Casagrande so they could be used in
engineering. The Atterberg limits were created in order to obtain these limits.
Theory:
As a result of their arbitrary nature, the definitions of the consistency limits put out by Atterberg are
insufficient in and of themselves for the determination of their numerical values in the laboratory.
As a result, Arthur Casagrade and others proposed more useful definitions, paying particular
attention to the lab tools and techniques created for figuring out the consistency limitations. In this
sub section, the laboratory methods for determination of the liquid limit, plastic limit, shrinkage limit,
and other related concepts and indices will be studied.
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• Linear shrinkage (LS) = [( L-L0)/L] x 100%
Where,
L = original length of the sample at about the liquid limit
L0 = the length of the dried sample
• Plasticity index(PI) = Liquid limit(LL) – Plastic limit(PL)
Apparatus:
Special
• Liquid limit device and grooving tools
• Large glass plate (for plastic limit test)
• Half cylindrical linear shrinkage mold
General
• Distilled water
• Balance sensitive to 0.01g
• Drying oven with temperature ranges from 1050 C to 1100 C
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• Desiccator
• Drying containers with lids
• Mixing dish or bowl
• Spatula
• Sieve of No.40
Procedure:
1. Liquid limit determination
• First, the liquid limit apparatus was calibrated to 10 mm falling height using the space gauge
on the grooving tool handle.
• Then, about 100g of moist soil passing through sieve No.40 was taken and mixed
thoroughly with distilled water to form a uniform paste.
• After, a portion of the paste was placed in the cup of the liquid limit device and the surface
was smoothed to a maximum depth of 0.5 inch.
• Then, the grooving tool was drawn through the sample along the symmetrical axis of the
cup.
• Next, the crank handle was turned at a rate of about two revolutions per second and the
blows necessary to close the groove for a distance of half inch was counted. The groove
should be closed by a flow of the soil and not by slippage between the soil and cup.
• After that, About 10g of soil was extracted from close to the closed groove for a water
content analysis once a consistent value in the range of 10 to 50 blows was obtained.
• Finally, above steps were repeated to obtain six water content determinations in the range
of ten to forty blows.
2. Plastic limit determination
• First, about 15g of the moist soil used for the liquid limit test was mixed thoroughly.
• Then, the soil was rolled on a glass plate with the hand until its approximately 3 mm in
diameter
• Next, the previous step was repeated with changing the water content until a 3mm diameter
thread shows signs of crumbling.
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• Next, some of the crumbling material obtained from the above step was taken for the water
content determination.
• Finally, the above steps were repeated to get three determinations which was averaged to
get a plastic limit.
3. Determination of linear shrinkage
• First, a sample of soil used for the liquid limit test was mixed thoroughly.
• Next, the half cylindrical linear shrinkage mold was filled and smooth the top surface off.
• Then, the length of the wet sample was measured.
• After that, the sample was dried in air and oven dry the mold of soil at 105 c to 110 c to a
constant weight.
• Finally, the length of dried soil sample was measured.
Observation:
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Discussion:
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References:
2022. [online] Available at: <https://www.slideshare.net/malithwijaya1/atterberg-limits-test> [Accessed 27 August
2022].
Uomustansiriyah.edu.iq. 2022. [online] Available at:
<https://uomustansiriyah.edu.iq/media/lectures/5/5_2018_03_06!05_05_48_PM.pdf> [Accessed 27 August 2022].
Ecoursesonline.iasri.res.in. 2022. CPH: Factors affecting absorption of water. [online] Available at:
<http://ecoursesonline.iasri.res.in/mod/page/view.php?id=6681> [Accessed 27 August 2022].
Singh, S., 2022. Plastic Limit And Liquid Limit Test For Soil - Procedure. [online] civil engineering web. Available at:
<https://www.civilengineeringweb.com/2021/03/plastic-and-liquid-limit-test.html> [Accessed 27 August 2022].
Sciencing. 2022. Why Is Distilled Water a Good Control for Science Projects?. [online] Available at:
<https://sciencing.com/distilled-good-control-science-projects-7418493.html> [Accessed 27 August 2022].
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