1. What is the Atterberg Limit?

The Atterberg limits are a basic measure of the critical water contents of a fine-grained soil, including the plastic limit (PL) which is the water content at which a soil changes from semisolid to plastic state.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the Plastic Limit formula:

Where:

• \( W_w \) — Weight of water (g)
• \( W_s \) — Weight of solid (g)

Explanation: The plastic limit is calculated as the ratio of water weight to solid weight, expressed as a percentage.

3. Importance of Plastic Limit Calculation

Details: The plastic limit is essential in soil mechanics for classifying soils, determining their engineering properties, and predicting their behavior under different moisture conditions.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the weight of water and weight of solid in grams. Both values must be positive numbers greater than zero.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What is the difference between plastic limit and liquid limit?
A: The plastic limit is the water content at which soil becomes plastic, while the liquid limit is the water content at which soil behaves as a liquid.

Q2: What are typical plastic limit values for different soil types?
A: Clay soils typically have higher plastic limits (15-30%) while sandy soils have lower values (non-plastic to 10%).

Q3: How is the plastic limit test performed?
A: The test involves rolling a soil thread of 3mm diameter. The water content at which the thread just begins to crumble is the plastic limit.

Q4: Why is plastic limit important in construction?
A: It helps determine the plasticity index of soil, which indicates how much the soil can change volume with changing moisture content.

Q5: Can this calculator be used for all soil types?
A: The calculator works for fine-grained soils that exhibit plasticity. Coarse-grained soils like sand and gravel are considered non-plastic.