Al Iraqiya University 1

College of Engineering
Civil Engineering Department

Title: Lecture 5: Soil Plasticity and Consistency Limits

Subject: Soil Mechanics I

Code: CIE 3102
Year: Third
Semester: 1
Speaker: Prof. Dr. Nesreen Kurdy Al-Obaidy
References:
Principles of Geotechnical Engineering, Textbook by Das,2010
Advanced Soil Mechanics Textbook by Das, 2019
Craig’s Soil Mechanics Textbook by Craig, 2004
Elements of Soil Mechanics Textbook by Smith & Smith, 1998
 Soil Mechanics Lecture Notes
Prof. Dr Nesreen Al-Obaidy
2023-2024

Soil Plasticity and Consistency Limits 2

Plasticity
Consistency Limits:
Liquid Limit,
Plastic Limit,
Shrinkage Limit.
Plasticity Index
Liquidity Index
Activity
 Soil Mechanics Lecture Notes
Soil Plasticity Prof. Dr Nesreen Al-Obaidy
2023-2024

is the ability of a soil to undergo unrecoverable deformation at 3

constant volume without cracking or crumbling. It is due to the
presence of clay minerals or organic material.
Consistency Limits (Atterberg Limits)
In 1911, A. Atterberg, a Swedish
scientist, developed a method for

Volume of Solid
describing the limit consistency
of fine-grained soils on the basis
of moisture content.
These limits are:
Liquid Limit (LL) Semi Plastic Liquid
Solid
solid Water Content
Plastic limit (PL)
Shrinkage Limit (SL) SL PL LL
 Soil Mechanics Lecture Notes
Prof. Dr Nesreen Al-Obaidy
Liquid Limit (LL) 2023-2024

It is defined as the moisture content in percent at which the soil changes from 4
liquid to plastic state. It is generally determined by the Standard Casagrande
device.

This device consists of a

brass cup and a hard
rubber base. The cup
can be dropped onto
the base by a crank

First, must place a soil paste in the cup. A groove is then cut at the center of the soil
with the standard grooving tool. The cup is lifted and dropped from a height of 10
mm. The moisture content, in percent, required to close a distance of 12.7 mm along
the bottom of the groove after 25 blows is defined as the liquid limit.
 Soil Mechanics Lecture Notes
Prof. Dr Nesreen Al-Obaidy
2023-2024

Flow Index IF 5
It is the slope of the flow curve obtained between the number of
blows and the water content in Casagrande's metho determination of
the liquid limit.
𝑤𝟏 − 𝑤𝟐
𝐼F =
𝑁2
𝐿𝑜𝑔10
𝑁1

𝑁1 :- No. of blows required at water content of 𝑤𝟏

𝑁2 -No. of blows required at water content of 𝑤𝟐
 Soil Mechanics Lecture Notes
Prof. Dr Nesreen Al-Obaidy
2023-2024
 Another method of determining the liquid limit, which is popular in 6
Europe and Asia, is the fall cone method (British Standard—BS 1377).
 In this test, the liquid limit is defined as the moisture content at which a
standard cone will penetrate a distance d = 20 mm in 5 s when allowed
to drop from a position of point contact with the soil surface
 Soil Mechanics Lecture Notes
Plastic Limit (PL) Prof. Dr Nesreen Al-Obaidy
2023-2024

The moisture contents in % at which the soil changes from plastic to 7

semi solid state. It is the range in moisture content when the soil exhibited
its plastic behavior
The plastic limit is defined as the moisture
content, in percent, at which the soil just begins
to crumble when rolled into threads of 3.2 mm
in diameter.
d=3.2 mm

The plastic limit is the lower limit of the plastic stage of soil. The test is
simple and is performed by repeated rolling by hand of an ellipsoidal size
soil mass on a ground glass plate.
 Soil Mechanics Lecture Notes
Prof. Dr Nesreen Al-Obaidy
Shrinkage Limit (SL) 2023-2024

The moisture contents in % at which the soil changes from semi solid to solid state.
8
The shrinkage limit is the minimum water content at which a soil is fully saturated.
It is determined by drying a soil sample and measuring its volume at different water contents.
The shrinkage limit is reached when the volume of the soil no longer decreases with further
drying. m=m m=mf
i
V=Vi V=Vf
• Tests are performed in the lab with a porcelain dish
about 44 mm in diameter and about 13 mm in height.
• The inside of the dish is coated with petroleum jelly
and is then filled completely with wet soil.
before after
• Excess soil standing above the edge of the dish is struck off with a straightedge.
• The mass of the wet soil inside the dish is recorded. The soil pat in the dish is then oven dried.
• The volume of the oven-dried soil pat is determined by the displacement of mercury
Because handling mercury can be hazardous, ASTM Test Designation D-4943 describes a method of
dipping the oven-dried soil sample in a pot of melted wax. The wax-coated soil pat is then cooled. Its
volume is determined by submerging it in water.
 Soil Mechanics Lecture Notes
Prof. Dr Nesreen Al-Obaidy
𝑉𝑖 initial volume of the wet soil sample (cm3) 2023-2024

Vf volume of the oven-dried soil sample (cm3) SL= 𝑤𝑖 (%)−∆w (%)

9
𝜌𝑤 density of water (g/cm3)
𝑚𝐼 − 𝑚𝑓 𝑉𝑓 − 𝑉𝑖 . 𝜌𝑤
𝑉𝑓 − 𝑉𝑖 . 𝜌𝑤 SL= (100)− (100)
∆w (%)= (100) 𝑚𝑓 𝑚𝑓
𝑚𝑓
Plasticity Index (PI) PI = LL - PL PI Description
is the numerical difference between 0 Non plastic
its liquid limit (LL) and its plastic limit (PL). 1- Slightly plastic

Note:- When either LL or PL cannot be determined, -10 Low plasticity

then soil is non plastic (NP) 10-20 Medium plasticity
When P.L.>L.L. Plasticity index is reported as a zero 20-40 High plasticity
( non negative) 40 Very high plasticity
Toughness Index (It) It = PI/IF
is defined as ratio of the plasticity index to the flow index
 Soil Mechanics Lecture Notes
Prof. Dr Nesreen Al-Obaidy
Liquidity Index (LI or IL) 2023-2024

It is a measure of the consistency of the soil. It is also called Water- 10

Plasticity ratio and indicates the nearness of its water content to liquid
limit . 𝑤𝑛 − P𝐿 𝑤𝑛 − P𝐿
where 𝑤𝑛 is the natural moisture content 𝐿𝐼 = =
LL − 𝑃𝐿 𝑃𝐼
𝑃𝐿 ≤ 𝑤𝑛 ≤LL
𝐼𝑓 𝑤𝑛 = 𝐿𝐿 𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑠 𝐿𝐼 = 1
𝐼𝑓 𝑤𝑛 = 𝑃𝐿 𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑠 𝐿𝐼 = 0 𝐿𝐼 = 0 − 1 𝑆𝑜𝑖𝑙 𝑎𝑡 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒄 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒆
𝐼𝑓 𝑤𝑛 > 𝐿𝐿 𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑠 𝐿𝐼 > 1, 𝑆𝑜𝑖𝑙 𝑎𝑡 𝒍𝒊𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒅 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒆
𝐼𝑓 𝑤𝑛 < 𝑃𝐿 𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑠 𝐿𝐼 < 0
(−𝑣𝑒 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒Brittle behavior (desiccated (dried) hard soil))

In an undisturbed state, these soils may be stable; however, a sudden shock may
transform them into liquid state. Such soils are called sensitive clays.
 Soil Mechanics Lecture Notes
Prof. Dr Nesreen Al-Obaidy
2023-2024
Consistency Index (CI or IC) 11
indicates the consistency of a soil. It shows the nearness of the water
content of the soil to its plastic limit. A soil with a consistency index
𝐿𝐿−𝑤𝑛 𝐿𝐿−𝑤𝑛 of zero is at the liquid limit. It is
C𝐼 = =
LL−𝑃𝐿 𝑃𝐼 extremely soft and has
where 𝑤𝑛 is the natural moisture content negligible shear strength. On
the other hand, a soil at a
𝑃𝐿 ≤ 𝑤𝑛 ≤LL
water content equal to the
𝐏𝐈 plastic limit has a consistency
Activity(A) A= index of 100%, indicating that
Clay Fraction%
the soil is relatively firm. A
which is the slope of the line correlating consistency index of greater
PI and percent finer than 2μ. than 100% shows that the soil is
relatively strong.

Activity is used as an index for identifying the swelling potential of

clay soils.
 Soil Mechanics Lecture Notes
Example: Prof. Dr Nesreen Al-Obaidy
2023-2024
A soil sample has a shrinkage limit of 10% and specific gravity of 12
soil as 2.7. Determine the porosity of the soil at shrinkage limit .
Solution 𝑒𝑆𝐿 = 𝑆𝐿. 𝐺𝑠 𝑒𝑆𝐿 = 0.1 2.7 = 0.27
𝑆e = 𝑤𝐺𝑠
𝑒 𝑒𝑆𝐿 0.27
𝑛= 𝑛𝑆𝐿 = 𝑛𝑆𝐿 = =0.21259=21.26%
1+𝑒 1+𝑒𝑆𝐿 1+0.27

Example:
A saturated soil has the following characteristics: initial volume (𝑉𝑖 = 19.65
cm3 . Final volume (𝑉𝑓 = 13.5 cm3 ), mass of wet soil (𝑚𝐼 ) = 36g, and mass
of dry soil (𝑚𝑓 ) = 25g. Determine the shrinkage limit.
Solution 𝑚 −𝑚 𝑉 − 𝑉 .𝜌
𝐼 𝑓 𝑓 𝑖 𝑤
SL= (100)− (100)
𝑚𝑓 𝑚𝑓
36−25 13.5−19.65 (1)
SL= (100)− (100)=19.4 %
25 25
 Soil Mechanics Lecture Notes
Prof. Dr Nesreen Al-Obaidy
2023-2024
Example: A dry sample of soil having the following properties 13
L.L. = 52%, P.L. = 30%, Gs= 2.7, and e= 0.53. Find: Shrinkage
limit, dry density, dry unit weight, and air content at dry state.
Solution 𝑒𝑑𝑟𝑦 = 𝑒𝑠ℎ𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑘𝑎𝑔𝑒 (dry sample)=0.53 𝑒𝑠ℎ𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑘𝑎𝑔𝑒
e = 𝑤Gs 𝑒𝑠ℎ𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑘𝑎𝑔𝑒 = SL. 𝐆𝐬 SL =
𝐺𝑠
0.53 Gs𝜌𝑤
𝜌𝑑 =
2.7(1000)
= 1,764.71 Kg/m3
SL = = 0.1963 = 19.63% 𝜌𝑑 = (1+0.53)
2.7 (1 + 𝑒)

γ𝑑 = 𝜌𝑑 .g= 1,764.71 (10)=17647.1N/ m3=17. 65 kN/m3

𝑉𝑎 𝑉𝑣 𝑉𝑎 +𝑉𝑤 𝑉𝑎
𝐴𝑖𝑟 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑡 = n= = but 𝑉𝑤 =0 (dry case)∴ n = = Air content
𝑉 𝑉 𝑉 𝑉

e 𝟎.5𝟑
n= = = 𝟎. 𝟑𝟒6𝟒 = 𝟑𝟒. 64 % = 𝑨𝒊𝒓 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒕
1+e 𝟏+𝟎.5𝟑
 14

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you