Soil Classification

Sieve Analysis, Liquid Limit and

Plastic Limit

1
 If I give you a bag of 1-Kg soil taken from an
under construction site and ask you the
following
questions.
1. What is the most basic classification of soil?
2. What are the methods of soil gradation or grain size distribution?
3. How do you define the soil types? Clay, Silt, Sand, Gravel or cobble
and boulder
4. Calculate D10, D30 and D60 of this soil using the sieve analysis?

5. Calculate both the Cu and CC of this soil?

6. Is this soil poorly, gap or well graded, Liquid limit and Plastic limit?
How do you define theses terms?
Purpose:
• This test is performed to determine the percentage of
different grain sizes contained within a soil.
• The mechanical or sieve analysis is performed to
determine the distribution of the coarser, larger-sized
particles, and the hydrometer method is used to
determine the distribution of the finer particles.
Significance:
• The distribution of different grain sizes affects
the engineering properties of soil.
• Grain size analysis provides the grain size distribution,
and it is required in classifying the soil. 3
 Major Soil Groups

Cohesive Granular soils or

soils Cohesionless soils

Clay Silt Sand Gravel Cobble Boulder

0.002 0.075 4.75

Grain size (mm)

Fine grain Coarse grain

soils soils
4
Grain Size Distribution

Significance of GSD:
● To know the relative proportions of different
grain sizes.

An important factor influencing the

geotechnical characteristics of a coarse
grain soil.

Not important in fine grain soils.

5
 Grain Size Distribution

Determination of GSD:
● In coarse grain soils …... By sieve analysis

In fine grain soils …... By hydrometer

analysis

hydrometer

stack of sieves

sieve shaker

s
Sieve Analysis o
Hydrometer Analysis 6
i
Sieve Analyses

7
Sieve Analysis

8
Sieve Designation - Large

Sieves larger
than the #4
sieve are
designated by
the size of the
openings in
the sieve

9
Sieve Designation - Smaller

Smaller sieves are 10

numbered 1- openings
according to the inch per inch
number of openings
per inch

# 10 sieve

10
 Sieving
(1)Write downprocedure
the weight of each sieve as well as
the bottom pan to be used in the analysis.
(2)Record the weight of the given dry soil sample.
(3)Make sure that all the sieves are clean, and
assemble them in the ascending order of sieve
numbers (#4 sieve at top and #200 sieve at
bottom). Place the pan below #200 sieve. Carefully
pour the soil sample into the top sieve and place the
cap over it.
(4)Place the sieve stack in the mechanical shaker
and shake for 10 minutes.
(5)Remove the stack from the shaker and carefully
weigh and record
In addition, the weight
remember of and
to weigh each sievethe
record with its
retained
the
weight ofsoil.
bottom pan with its retained fine 11
12
13
 Data Analysis:
(1) Obtain the mass of soil retained on each sieve by
subtracting the weight of the empty sieve from the mass of
the sieve + retained soil, and record this mass as the weight
retained on the data sheet. The sum of these retained
masses should be approximately equals the initial mass of
the soil sample. A loss of more than two percent is
unsatisfactory.
(2) Calculate the percent retained on each sieve by dividing
the weight retained on each sieve by the original sample
mass.
(3) Calculate the percent passing (or percent finer)
starting with by percent
retained on each
100
sieve
percent
as a cumulative
and subtracting
procedure.
the

14
15
16
For example: Total mass = 500 g,
Mass retained on No. 4 sieve = 9.7 g
For the No.4 sieve:
Quantity passing = Total mass -
Mass retained
= 500 - 9.7 = 490.3 g
The percent retained is calculated
as;
% retained = Mass retained/Total
mass
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Grain size distribution

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 Unified Soil
● Classification
Each soil is given a 2 letter classification (e.g.
SW). The following procedure is used.

 Coarse grained (>50% larger than 75 mm)

● Prefix S if > 50% of coarse is Sand

● Prefix G if > 50% of coarse is Gravel

● Suffix depends on %fines

● if %fines < 5% suffix is either W or P

● if %fines > 12% suffix is either M or C
● if 5% < %fines < 12% Dual symbols are used
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 Unified Soil Classification
To determine W or P, calculate Cu and Cc
C u  D 60
D 10 x% of the soil has particles
D230
smaller than Dx
Cc
 ( D60 
D10 )

20
 Grading curves
100

W Well graded

21
 Grading curves
100

W Well graded
U Uniform

22
 Grading curves
100

W Well graded
U Uniform
P Poorly graded

23
 Grading curves
100

W Well graded
U Uniform
P Poorly graded
C Well graded
24
with some
 Grading curves
100

W Well graded
U Uniform
P Poorly graded
C Well graded with some clay
25
F Well graded with an excess of fines
 100

80
hydrometer sieve
% Passing

60
fines sands gravels

40

= 0.013 mm
20 D10
D
= 0.47 mm
30
D30 = 7.4 mm
0
0.001 0.01 0.1 1 D60 10 100

Grain size (mm)

Grain Size Distribution Curve

● can find % of gravels, sands, fines

define D10, D30, D60.. as above.
To determine W or P, calculate Cu and Cc

C u  D 60
D 10 x% of the soil has particles
D230
smaller than Dx
Cc
 ( D60 
D10 )

D90 = 3
mm 27
 Well or Poorly Graded Soils

Well Graded Soils Poorly Graded

Soils
Wide range of grain Others, including two special
sizes present cases:

Gravels: Cc = 1-3 & Cu (a) Uniform soils – grains of same

(b) Gap graded soils – no grains
size
>4 in a
Sands: Cc = 1-3 & Cu specific size range
>6

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 Atterberg Limits

Border line water contents, separating the

different states of a fine grained soil

water content
0 Shrinkage Plastic Liquid
limit limit limit

brittle- semi- plastic liquid

solid solid

29
Purpose:
This lab is performed to determine
the plastic and liquid limits of a fine
grained soil. The Atterberg limits are
based on the moisture content of the
soil.
The plastic limit: is the moisture
content that defines where the soil
changes from a semi-solid to a plastic
(flexible) state.
The liquid limit: is the moisture
content 30
31
Liquid Limit Definition

● The water content at which a soil changes

from a plastic consistency to a liquid
consistency
● Defined by Laboratory Test concept
developed by Atterberg in 1911.

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● Defined by Laboratory Test concept developed by Atterberg in
1911.

The liquid limit (LL)

is arbitrarily defined as
the water content, in
percent, at which a pat
of soil in a standard cup
and cut by a groove
of standard
dimensions will
flow together at the
base of the groove for a
distance of 12 mm
under the impact of 25
blows in the devise.
The cup being dropped
10 mm in a standard
liquid limit apparatus
operated at a rate of
two shocks33 per second.
 Atterberg Limits

Liquid Limit (wL or LL):

Clay flows like liquid when w > LL

Plastic Limit (wP or PL):

Lowest water content where the clay is still
plastic

Shrinkage Limit (wS or SL):

At w<SL, no volume reduction on drying
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LL Test
Procedure
● Prepare paste
of soil finer
than 425
micron sieve
● Place Soil in
Cup

35
LL Test
Procedure
● Cut groove in
soil paste
with
standard
grooving tool

36
LL Test
Procedure
● Rotate cam
and count
number of
blows of cup
required to
close groove
by 1/2”

37
38
39
LL Test
Procedure
● Perform on 3 to 4 specimens that
bracket 25 blows to close groove
● Obtain water content for each test
● Plot water content versus number of
blows on semi-log paper

40
LL Test
Results
Interpolate LL
water content at
25 blows

Log N
25

LL= w
water content,%
% 41
LL Values < 16 % not realistic
PI,
%

1 Liquid Limit,
6 % 42
LL Values > 50 - HIGH
PI,

H
%

Liquid Limit, 5
% 0
43
LL Values < 50 - LOW
PI,
%

Liquid Limit, 5
% 0
44
 Plastic
Limit
The minimum water content at which a soil
will just begin to crumble when it is rolled
into a thread of approximately 3 mm in
diameter.

45
Plastic Limit w% procedure
● Using paste from LL test, begin drying
● May add dry soil or spread on plate and
air- dry

46
Plastic Limit w% procedure
● When point is reached where thread
is cracking and cannot be re-rolled to
3 mm diameter, collect at least 6 grams
and measure water content. Defined
plastic limit

47
48
1. Calculate the
water content of
plastic each
limit of
the moisture after
cans
been in they
the oven
have for at
least 16 hours.
2. Compute the average of
the water contents
determine to
limit, PL. the
plastic

49
Definition of Plasticity Index
● Plasticity Index is the numerical
difference between the Liquid Limit w%
and the Plastic Limit w%
Plasticity Index = Liquid Limit – Plastic
Limit

PL w% LL

PI = LL - PL

plastic
(remoldable)
50
 Plasticity Chart

Low plasticity wL = < 35%

Intermediate wL = 35 -
plasticity High 50%
plasticity wL = 50 -
Very high plasticity 70%
w => 51
L