TECHNOLOGICAL INSTITUTE OF THE PHILIPPINES

938 Aurora Boulevard, Cubao, Quezon City

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE

Civil Engineering Department

CE 401 SOIL MECHANICS

CE31S10

EXPERIMENT NO. 4

CONSISTENCY LIMITS OF THE SOIL

SUBMITTED BY:

CACHO, JASPER KYLE I. 2020240

CAPIN, JOHN MARK 2111765
EROCIDO, JERRICHO CHRISTIAN V. 1812781
MINGGES, JOSE MARIE 2115862
RAMOS, JUAN MIGUEL Q. 2212906
SUBMITTED TO:

ENGR. LOREN MARGARET C. PALAD

Instructor

OCTOBER 8,2024
 Experiment No. 4
CONSISTENCY LIMITS OF THE SOIL

1. Objective(s):
 The activity aims to impart how the moisture content influences the behavior of fine-grained
soils.
2. Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs):
The students shall be able to:
 understand the concept of Atterberg limits and how it influences the behavior of the soil.
 determine the liquid limit, plastic limit and shrinkage limit of the given soil sample.
 describe the relationship of liquid limit and plastic limit in soil identification.

3. Discussion:

The liquid limit and plastic limit are used internationally for soil identification, soil classification and for
strength co-relation. It is also helpful in determining consolidation and settlement of soil. The liquid limit is
arbitrarily defined as the moisture content at which a soil pat placed in a brass cup cut with a standard
groove and dropped from a height of 1cm will undergo a groove closure of 12.7mm after 25 drops.

Plastic limit is the moisture content at which soil threads start to crumble when rolled to 3mm diameter
threads. The difference of the plastic limit and liquid limit is the plasticity index. This is the range of water
content wherein the soil will act like a plastic.

The shrinkage limit is the moisture content wherein the volume of the soil will cease to reduce in relation
to reduction of moisture content. Shrinkage limit is important in earthworks for predicting the shrinkage
and swelling potential of soil.

4. Resources:
 1. Digital Weighing Scale
2. Oven
3. Tray
4. Trowel
5. 5 Tin Cans
6. Casagrande Liquid Device tool with Grooving tool
7. Evaporating Dish
8. Spatula
9. Ground glass plate
10. Shrinkage dish
11. Paraffin wax with sewing thread
12. Grease oil
13. Sieve #40
14. Mortar and Pestle

References:
  American Society for Testing and Materials (1999). Standard Test Method for Laboratory
Determination of Water (Moisture) Content of Soil and Rock by Mass (D2216). Pennsylvania:
ASTM International
 American Society for Testing and Materials (1999). Standard Test Methods for Laboratory
Determination of Density (Unit Weight) of Soil Specimens (D7263–09). Pennsylvania: ASTM
International
 American Society for Testing and Materials (1999). Standard Test Methods for Specific Gravity
of Soil Solids by Water Pycnometer (D854 − 14). Pennsylvania: ASTM International
 Murthy, V.N.S. (2011). Textbook of Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering. Singapore:
Alken Company
 TIP Soil Mechanics Lab Manual
 Soil Mechanic Lab Manual by Braja Das

Edited by Engr. Marc Daniel Laurina – Instructor in the Civil Engineering Department, T.I.P. Quezon City

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY PLEDGE

I swear on my honor that I did not use any appropriate aid, nor give such to others, in
getting my assigned questionnaire for this course activity. I fully understand that cheating
and/or plagiarism is a major offense, as stated in Section 15 of the TIP Student Manual and
TIP Memorandum No. P-04, s. 2017-2018. I will wholeheartedly accept the consequences
and sanctions that will be imposed on me appropriately once I have committed such acts.

_______________________________________
SIGNATURE OVER PRINTED NAME

_______________________________________
SIGNATURE OVER PRINTED NAME

_______________________________________
SIGNATURE OVER PRINTED NAME

_______________________________________
SIGNATURE OVER PRINTED NAME

_______________________________________
SIGNATURE OVER PRINTED NAME

9. Documentation:
 Weight of Tin Can Weight of shrinkage dish

Course: Experiment No.:

Group No.: Section:
Group Leader: Date Performed:
Group Members: Date Submitted:
Instructor:

5. 6. Data and Results:

Determination of the Liquid Limit

Description Sample 1 Sample 2 Sample 3

No of Blows
Mass of Can (W1), g
Mass of Can + Moist Soil (W2), g
Mass of Can + Dry Soil, (W3), g
Water Content () %
W 2−W 3
ω= x 100 %
W 3−W 1

Average Water Content (Liquid Limit)

Determination of the Plastic Limit

Description Sample 1 Sample 2

Mass of Can (W1), g
Mass of Can + Moist Soil (W2), g
Mass of Can + Dry Soil, (W3), g
Water Content () %
W 2−W 3
ω= x 100 %
W 3−W 1

Average Water Content (Plastic Limit)

Determination of the Shrinkage Limit

Description Data Description Data

Volume of Shrinkage Dish Volume of Wax
 Mass of dry soil and wax
Weight of Shrinkage Dish (Wsd)
(mdry+wax)
Weight of Shrinkage Dish and Water
Volume of wax (Vwax)
(Wsd+water)
Volume of Shrinkage Dish (V)

Water Content Volume of Soil

mass of the soil and wax in air
Wt of tin cup (mc)
(mswa)
mass of soil and wax in water
Wt. of tin cup + Wet Soil (mc+ws)
(msww)
volume of the wax and soil
Wt. of tin cup and dry soil (mc+dc)
(Vwax+soil)
Wt. of water (mw) Volume of Soil (Vd)
Wt. of dry soil (mdry)
Water Content ()
Shrinkage Limit (SL)

1. Draw the flow curve based from the results obtained liquid limit test
2. Calculate the flow index, (FI), plasticity index (PI).

3. Calculate the shrinkage limit (SL) of the soil sample based on the data obtained.