Atterberg Limits: Know Determination of Liquid, Plastic and Shrinkage Limit, Applications

The Atterberg indices are a set of soil consistency limits that define the transition between different states of soil behaviour: liquid, plastic, semi-solid, and solid.

The purpose of Atterberg limits is to characterise and classify the behaviour of fine-grained soils based on their moisture content transitions between liquid, plastic, and semi-solid states.

Atterberg limits are used in geotechnical engineering to assess and classify the plasticity and behaviour of fine-grained soils for various construction and soil-related applications.

The two main Atterberg limits are the liquid limit and the plastic limit, which define the boundaries between liquid and plastic states, and plastic and semi-solid states of soil consistency, respectively.

Plasticity of soil refers to its ability to undergo deformation under stress without rupture, rebound, or significant volume change, primarily seen in fine-grained soils like clays.