Atterberg's Limits

Q. The following data were obtained from a liquid limit test conducted on a soil sample.

Number of blows	17	22	25	28	34
Water Content (%)	63.8	63.1	61.9	60.6	60.5

The liquid limit of the soil is:

1. 63.1%
2. 62.8%
3. 61.9%
4. 60.6%

Q. A soil has liquid limit of 60% plastic limit of 35% and shrinkage limit of 20 % and it has a natural moisture content of 50%. The liquidity index of soil is

1. 1.5
2. 1.25
3. 0.6
4. 0.4

Q. A soil has a liquid limit of 40% and plasticity index of 20%. The plastic limit of the soil will be

1. 20%
2. 30%
3. 40%
4. 60%

Q. In comparison to Atterberg limits of normal soils, the expansive soils have which of the following?
1. More liquid limit
2. Less plastic limit
3. Less shrinkage limit
4. More volumetric shrinkage
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

1. 1, 2, 3 and 4
2. 1, 3 and 4 only
3. 2 and 3 only
4. 1, 2 and 4 only

Q. Consider the following properties for clays X and Y:


Which of the clays, X or Y, experiences larger settlement under identical loads, is more plastic and is softer in consistency?

1. X, Y, and X
2. Y, X and X
3. Y, X and Y
4. X, X and Y

Q. If soil is dried beyond its shrinkage limit, it will show

1. Large Volume change
2. Moderate volume change
3. Low volume change
4. No volume change

Q. The moisture content of a clayey soil is gradually decreased from a large value. What will be the correct sequence of the occurrence of the following limits?

1. Shrinkage limit
2. Plastic limit
3. Liquid limit

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

1. 1, 2, 3
2. 1, 3, 2
3. 3, 2, 1
4. 3, 1, 2

Q. The laboratory tests on a soil sample yields the following results: natural moisture content = 18% , liquid limit = 60%, plastic limit = 25%, percentage of clay sized fraction = 25%. The liquidity index and activity (as per the expression proposed by Skempton) of the soil, respectively, are

1. -0.2 and 1.4
2. 0.2 and 1.4
3. -1.2 and 0.714
4. 1.2 and 0.714