Liquidity index for material containing +#40
Liquidity index for material containing +#40
(OP)
As you probably know, Atterberg limit tests are run on the portion of the soil passing the #40 sieve. If a soil contains a small amount of larger material, one could, I presume, calculate the liquidity index with an adjusted water content that ignores the +#40 material:
w-adj = wt of water / wt of -#40 * 100
In effect, this associates all the water with the -#40 fraction, assuming that the larger particles "float" within the -#40 matrix and do not aDsorb or aBsorb much water. (The equation can be tweaked easily to allow the larger particles to adsorb or absorb some small amount of water.)
How much +#40 material can be present before the liquidity index ceases to be meaningful for things like remolded shear strength?
w-adj = wt of water / wt of -#40 * 100
In effect, this associates all the water with the -#40 fraction, assuming that the larger particles "float" within the -#40 matrix and do not aDsorb or aBsorb much water. (The equation can be tweaked easily to allow the larger particles to adsorb or absorb some small amount of water.)
How much +#40 material can be present before the liquidity index ceases to be meaningful for things like remolded shear strength?





RE: Liquidity index for material containing +#40
In honesty, I have not been concerned about lager particles until the particle size is quite a bit larger, say 0.5 to 1 inch. If you are concerned about the effect of the non-tested particles, run a shear strength test on undisturbed samples.
Hope I helped.
RE: Liquidity index for material containing +#40
Good question though!