An Alternative Test Method for Assessing Consistency Limits
Lee Jr., LT
Research Civil Engineer, U.S. Army Engineer and Research Development Center, 3909 Halls Ferry Rd., Vicksburg, MS, 39180

Freeman, RB
Research Civil Engineer, U.S. Army Engineer and Research Development Center, 3909 Halls Ferry Rd., Vicksburg, MS, 39180

(Received 13 June 2006; accepted 5 December 2006)

Abstract

Experiments were conducted to assess simpler alternatives for estimating the Atterberg (liquid and plastic) limits as needed during military field reconnaissance and combat engineering exercises. Eight non-ASTM test methods were compared to the Casagrande cup liquid limit method and ten non-ASTM alternatives were compared to the rolled-bead plastic limit method for three cohesive soils having wide plasticity index ranges. Only one non-ASTM method yielded results within 10 % of the ASTM liquid and plastic limit values. This unique test method was created from a unified (dual-weight) fall cone apparatus and procedure to enable simple assessment of soil consistency limits.

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Author Lee LT Jr., Freeman RB Title An Alternative Test Method for Assessing Consistency Limits Symposium , Committee on