1.
A dry sample of mass 50gm is mixed with
distilled water to prepare a suspension of
1000ml for hydrometer analysis. The reading
of the hydrometer taken after 5 minutes was
25 and the depth of the centre of the bulb
below the water surface when the
hydrometer was in the jar was 150mm. The
volume of the hydrometer was 62ml and the
area of cross section of the jar was 55cm2.
Assuming G=2.68 and ƞ=9.81millipoise,
Determine the coordinate of the point
corresponding to above observation.
The depth b/n B’-B’ & A’-A’ is given to be
150mm. The effective depth b/n B-B and
A-A is given by፡
• The coordinate of the point on the particle
size distribution curve are:
(0.023mm,79.76%)
1
Question 2
Liquid Limit Test
Result
Number of blows 10 19 23 27 40
Water content (%) 60.0 45.2 39.8 36.5 25.2
Two Determinations for Plastic Limit: 20.3% &
20.8%
Required
: a) wLL & b) IP c) IL if w = 27.4%
w
d)PLe at the wLL if Gs=2.7 ,
If the soil were to be loaded to failure, would you
expect a brittle failure?
2
SOLUTION
Step 1: Plot the data
wLL=38%
25
Step 2: Extract From chart or interpolation
3
Step 3: Calculate
wPL 20.3 20.8
wPL 20.6%
2
Step 4: Calculate IP
I P wLL wPL 38 20.6 17.4%
Step 5: Calculate IL
w wPL 27.4 20.6
IL 0.39
IP 17.4
Step 6: Calculate eLL
Assume the soil is saturated at wLL , S = 1
e LL wLL G s 0.38 2.7 1.03
Brittle failure is not expected as the soil is in a plastic
state (0 < IL <1).
4
Question 3
Results of a fall cone test:
Parameter 80 gram cone 240 gram cone
Penetration (mm) 5.5 7.8 14.8 22 32 8.5 15 21 35
Water content (%) 39.0 44.8 52.5 60.3 67 36.0 45.1 49.8 58.1
Required
: a) wLL b) wPL c) IP
d) IL if the natural water content is = 36%
5
SOLUTION
Step 1: Plot the data
80 grams
w 10%
2 40
grams
20
Step 2: Extract wLL=59% (chart or interpolation)
5
Step 3: Determine wPL , from interolation or from
chart W240 = 48.2%,
w W 80 W 240 10%
wPL wLL 4.2w 59 4.2 10 17%
Step 4: Determine IP
I P wLL wPL 59 17 42%
Step 5: Determine IL
w wPL 36 17
IL 0.45
IP 42
Question 4
Liquid limit test data using Casagrande
Apparatus. Determine LL and classify the
soil assuming plastic limit PL = 19.8%
No. of Blows Mass of can Mass of wet soil Mass of dry
(gm) + can (gm) soil+ can (gm)
(1) (2) (3) (4)
8 11.8 36.05 29.18
16 13.2 34.15 28.60
27 14.1 36.95 31.16
40 12.09 33.29 28.11
Solution
No. of blows Moisture content
(Mw/Ms)= (3-4)/(4-2)
8 0.395
16 0.360
27 0.339
40 0.323
Using direct interpolation or from chart,
LL=34.2% at 25 blows.
From chart LL= 34.2%, PI = LL-PL = 34.2- 19.8 = 14.4%
Classification of soil:
Using PI = 14.4% & LL = 34.2%, the soil is CL .......
(ASTM plasticity chart)