1.

0 INTRODUCTION :

Plastic Limit Test is conducted to determine the moisture content at the point of
translation from plastic to semisolid state. The plastic limit is defined as minimum water content at
which a soil will just begin to crumble when rolled into a thread of 3.2 mm in diameter.

The plastic limit, PL of a soil is the lowest water content at which the soil remain plastic,
and when plotted against the liquid limit on the plasticity chart enables the classification of cohesive
soils. The plasticity index of a soil is the numerical difference between the liquid limit and the
plastic limit. It is the moisture content at which the soil is in a plastic state.

Usually, the determination of the plastic limit is made in conjunction with the determination
of the liquid limit. It is recognized that the results of the test are subjected to the judgement of the
operator, and that some variability in results will occur. It is important in civil engineering
awareness of soil science for seismic mitigation of structure placed on soil foundation consists of
soft soil.

1.2 THEORY :

Plastic limit ( P w ) of soil is defined as the water content at which a soil

crumble when rolled into a thread of approximately 3 mm in
the boundary between the plastic and semi-solid
(PI or IP) is the numerical

will just begin to

diameter. It is water content at

states of consistency of the soil. Plasticity index

difference of the liquid and plastic limit, and indicates the range of

water content through which the soil remains plastic.

PI = LL PL
For fine grained soils, determining the natural water content (the water
a soil in an undisturbed condition in the ground) and relating it to the

content of

plastic and liquid limits

can provide an indication of the soils consistency and/or sensitivity potential. One such
relationship is the liquidity index.
Consistency index is defined as the ratio of the liquid limit minus the natural water content
to the plasticity index of a soil.
Plasticity Index

Degree of Plasticity

Type of Soil

(IP or PI)
0
Non-Plastic
Sand
<7
Low-Plastic
Silt
7-17
Medium Plastic
Silty clay or clayey silt
> 17
Highly
Plastic Clay
Classification of soil according to plasticity.
Liquidity Index (IL or LI)
Consistency
< 0.0
Desiccated (dry) hard soil
0.0-0.25
Stiff
0.25-0.50
Medium to soft
0.50-0.75
Soft
0.75-1.00
Very soft
>1.00
Liquid s
Classification of soil according to liquidity indices.

1.3 OBJECTIVES :

To determine the samples of soil which the limit between plastic state and semi-plastic state.

The plasticity index of a soil is the numerical difference between the liquid limit and the
plastic limit. It is the moisture content at which the soil is in a plastic state.

The objective of this experiment is to determine the plastic limit of soil sample and then to
calculate the plasticity index.

1.4 APPARATUS :

1. 4 standard containers
2. Electronic balance
3. Spatula
4. Large glass plate
5. Drying oven

1.5

MATERIALS :

1. Distilled Water
2. Fine grain soil sample

1.6 PROCEDURE :
1. Weigh 2 empty of standard container before doing the experiment.
2. Prepared the fine soil sample at a certain quantity and transfer it on the mixing glass
plate.
3. Mix the sample soil with a certain amount of distilled water (maksure its not too dry or
too wet).
4. The ball sample is molded between the fingers and rolls it between the palms until the
sample is dried sufficiently for slight cracks to appear in its surface. This sample is divided
into two sub samples of about 7 each and carries out separate determination on each portion.
5. The sample is rolled into threads between the fingers, from the finger-tip to the second
joint of one hand and the palm of the other hand until the thread shears both longitudinally
and the palm of the other hand until the thread shears both longitudinally and transversely
when it has been rolled to about 3mm in diameter size. Do not gather the pieces of sample
together after they have crumbled, in order to reform a thread and to continue rolling, the
first crumbling point is the plastic limit.
6. After rolling in into 7 in 3mm diametrer size transfer it into the standard container that
have been measure in step 1.
7. Weigh the each of cointaner after transfer the soil into the containers.
8. The two containers are placed in the oven at a temperature of 105 110 overnight (16
hours to 24 hours). After drying, the containers are removed from the oven and allow them
to cool in a desiccator. .Tthe dry weight is recorded and the moisture content is determined
as specified in the Moisture Content Test.
9. The two moisture content values of the soil sample are recorded in table

1.7 DATA RECORDINGS :

PLASTIC LIMIT
a) Container No.

MXL

MNM

b) Mass of Wet Soil + Container

(g)

22.67

23.01

c) Mass of Dry Soil + Container

(g)

22.01

22.26

d) Mass of Container

(g)

19.35

19.13

e) Mass of dry soil

(g)

2.66

3.13

f) Mass of Moisture

(g)

0.66

0.75

g) Moisture Content

(g)

24.81

23.96

h) Average Moisture Content

(%)

24.39

i) Plastic Limit Wp

(%)

24.39

1.8

DATA CALCULATION :

For MXL :
Mass of dry soil

= 22.01 19.35
= 2.66g

Mass of moisture

= Wet Dry
= 22.67 22.01
= 0.66g

Moisture Content = Moisture / Dry Soil x 100%

= 0.66 / 2.66 x 100%
= 24.81 %
For MNM :
Mass of dry soil

= 22.26 19.13
= 3.13g

Mass of moisture

= Wet Dry
= 23.01 22.26
= 0.75g

Moisture Content = Moisture / Dry Soil x 100%

= 0.75 / 3.13 x 100%
= 23.96 %

Average of Moisture Content of MXL and MNM =

=
Plastic Limit, Wp = 24.39 %

(24.81 + 23.96) / 2
24.39%

1.9

DISCUSSION :

The plastic limit is the empirically moisture content at which a soil becomes too dry to be plastic. It
used together with the liquid to determine the plasticity index and It is recognized that the results
are subject to the judgment of the operator, and that some variability in result will occur. It is
convenient to carry out the test on a portion of the prepared material prepared for one of the liquid
limit test procedures. Through this experiment, we managed to achieve the objective of this lab that
is to measure the plastic limit to the given soil sample.
During the progress of the experiment, we found out that there are a lot of factors that could
influence our experiment outcome. Below are the list of precautions that should be followed in
order to achieve the objectives and also better results;
1.

We must make sure that our palms are dry when we rolled the sample into ellipsoidal size soil
paste which is of 3mm diameter width.

2.

The weight of the soil sample should be increased in order to obtain the moisture content which
will achieve better and more accurate result.

3.

Ensure that there is existence of slightly crack on the entire thread of the soil sample that had
been rolled.

4.

When weighing the containers or samples, ensure that there is no excess force exerting on the
balance due to its sensitivity.

5.

In all times, the container and any other apparatus should be clean before using to avoid errors
and weight of excess particles.

1.10 CONCLUSION :

From the result we obtained, the value of moisture content as well as the plastic limit is 24.39%
indicate the characteristic of the soil whereas the water contents of the soil should not less than
24.39% due to the crack limit of the soil. As we get the result of plastic limit, it will use to obtain
the Plastic index by the formula of Liquid Limit deduct Plastic Limit. This calculation will be
shown below:
Plastic Limit, WP

= 24.39%

Liquid Limit, WL

= 48.51%

Plastic Index Ip = WL WP = 48.51 24.39 = 24.12%

As a conclusion, 24.12% is plastic index indicates the range between the liquid limit and plastic
limit whereas the percentage of water content should fall between these intervals.

1.11

REFERENCES :

1) https://www.scribd.com/doc/40297104/Plastic-Limit-Test
2) https://www.dot.ny.gov/divisions/engineering/technical-services/technicalservices-repository/GTM-7b.pdf
3) http://theconstructor.org/geotechnical/determination-of-plastic-limit-of-soil/2929/
4) http://www.banglajol.info/index.php/PA/article/viewFile/16767/11798

1.12 Appendices :

PLASTIC
LIMIT