The Role of Plasticity Index in Predicting

Compression Behaviour of Clays

Amit Nath
and

S. S. DeDalal
Research Officers, River Research Institute, P.O. Mohonpur, Dist.-Nadia, India
e-mail

TECHNICAL NOTE

INTRODUCTION
Plasticity and compressibility are typical properties of clays. Atterbergs limits of a
clayey soil reflect the clay content and clay type of a soil. Compression index is also a
clay dependent parameter. Among different correlations between the engineering and
index properties of soils, which are often used to lessen the work load of a soil
investigation program, Skemptons relationship (1944)[5] between compression index
(Cc) and liquid limit (wL) given as Cc=0.007(wL-10) for the remoulded clays is well
known. Its modified form for the normally consolidated clays proposed by Terzaghi
and Peck (1948)[7] is very popular in geotechnical practice. Another popular
relationship between compression index and initial void ratio (e0) has been proposed
by Nishida (1956)[2]. There are similar other relationship given by different
researchers, but the use of plasticity index, IP in the prediction of Cc is scarce.
On the other hand there are several correlations available of other engineering
characteristics in relation to IP of a soil. Skempton (1957)[6] has shown a linear
relationship between the ratio of undrained shear strength (cu) and effective vertical
stress (v/), that is, cu / v/ and plasticity index, IP. Seed et al. (1962)[3] have noticed
that IP of a soil may be used as a single factor for predicting swelling potential. Hence
the relationship between Cc and IP remains a possible research subject in the field of
geotechnical engineering.
The expression for compression of a soil shows that the soil parameter indicating
compressibility is Cc/ = Cc / (1 + e0), instead of Cc. Cc/ defined as compression

ratio seems to be a more useful basis for comparing the compressibility of two soils
at a particular stress level. For this reason Cc/ has been considered in this study of the
correlation between compression characteristics and plasticity index of clayey soils.
A series of consolidation tests on artificially mixed soil samples have been carried
out, starting from an initial water content approximately equal to their liquid limit.
The soil samples are different types of clays mixed with riverine sand in varying
proportions. Seed et al. (1964)[4] have already reported the use of such mixed soils in
order to study the fundamental aspects of Atterbergs limits. In this paper however,
emphasis is laid on developing relationship between the compression characteristics
and plasticity index of different soils.

EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE
Materials
Artificially mixed soil samples were prepared using commercially available bentonite
and kaolin, and natural clays, passing 0.075 mm size sieve as the source of fines and a
riverine sand passing 0.425 mm size sieve having specific gravity, Gs = 2.63 and
effective size, D10 = 0.16 mm as the source of non-plastic material. These were mixed
in varying proportions to get fifty numbers of different plasticities and hence index
properties.
The natural soils were collected from different parts of the state of West Bengal,
India. Amongst them, Purulia and Bankura soils are residual and all other soils are
alluvial in nature.
The properties of the clays and proportion of those clays used to prepare different
mixed soil samples are given in the Table 1.
Table 1. Clays and Mixtures used in the Study

Clay
Type/Origin

Clay
Liquid
Specific
Fraction
Limit
Gravity
C
wL
Gs
(%)
(%)

Plasticity
Index
IP
(%)

Percentage of Clay in
Different Clay-Sand
Mixtures
(%)

Kaolin

64.0

2.680

46.8

24.6

Bentonite

80.0

2.750

205.6

159.2

100,90,80,70,60,50,40,30 8
100,90,80,70,60,50,40,30,
10
20,10

2.735

101.0

71.5

100,85,70,55,40,25,20

2.720

48.2

27.6

100,85,75,50,45

Composite
Clay
(Bentonite &
64.8
Bankura Clay
Mixed in 1:1
Ratio)
Purulia
48.2

No. of
Mixed
Soil
Samples

Bankura
Midnapur
(Amgachia)
Midnapur
(Ramnagar)
Nadia
Kolkata

49.7

2.720

38.2

18.2

100,75,50

50.4

2.730

58.5

35.8

100,85,70,55,40,35

36.0

2.680

42.7

21.9

100,90,75,60,55

22.4
24.5

2.630
2.660

37.5
43.8

18.5
20.3

100,75,50
100,75,50

3
3

TESTS
Wet mechanical analysis by pipette method was followed to determine the clay
fraction. Casagrandes apparatus was used for determination of liquid limit. Soil
slurry was prepared by adding distilled water corresponding to wL and after proper
maturing it was put in the consolidation ring of size 60 mm diameter and 20 mm
height. Care was taken to minimize friction of the ring wall and to expel entrapped air
from the slurry. Every incremental load was placed after 24 hours during the
consolidation test.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

It has been found (details not given here) that out of fifty soil samples, forty-nine
samples are above the A-line on the plasticity chart; except one, for which plastic
limit could not be determined. Again fourteen samples belong to CH group, fourteen
samples belong to CI group, twenty samples belong to CL group and one sample
belongs to CL-ML group.
In most of the cases the e-log v/ curve has shown linearity approximately
from v/ = 20 kPa. So, though the tests were done in the stress range 5-640 kPa; the
slope of the e-log v/ curve in the stress range of 20-640 kPa has been taken as Cc and
the initial void ratio is taken as the void ratio at 20 kPa.
Regression equations are developed between Cc and wL, e0, IP separately. Similar
equations are also developed between the compression ratio, Cc/ and wL, e0, IP. The
results of the statistical analysis have been presented in Table 2.
Table 2. Various Correlations Obtained

No. of Samples Equation

Correlation Coefficient Standard Error of

r
Estimate

50
50

0.993
0.995

Cc = 0.0124wL 0.1761
Cc = 0.5269e0 0.2117

0.060
0.053

49
50
50
49

Cc = 0.0150IP 0.0198
Cc/ = 0.0021wL + 0.0587
Cc/ = 0.0888e0 + 0.0525
Cc/ = 0.0025IP + 0.0866

0.996
0.930
0.934
0.942

0.046
0.035
0.034
0.031

Note. Cc/ = Cc / (1 + e0)

Cc vs wL relationship obtained in the present investigation is different to that presented

by Skempton (1944)[5]. In this regard it may be worthy to be mentioned here, that all
the tests in the present research program have been conducted under a unique stress
range and the samples are above the A-line of the plasticity chart. The regression
coefficients obtained in all the cases are very good. Thus, Cc vs IP relationship can
also be used to predict Cc. The regression analysis of Cc/ vs wL, e0 or IP also show very
good correlation.

Figure 1. Variation of Liquid Limit (wL), Plasticity Index (IP)

and Compression Index (Cc) with Kaolin Clay Fraction (C)

The wL vs C, IP vs C and Cc vs C have been plotted separately for kaolin (Fig. 1),
bentonite (Fig. 2) and composite soil-sand mixtures (Fig. 3) as the number of data

generated for these types of soil mixtures are suitable for plotting. In the lower clay
percentage range the wL vs C curve shows a tendency to make an intercept on the
ordinate for all the clays, while in the higher clay percent range the curve is linear and
its backward projection passes through the origin. The IP vs C curve for kaolin
mixtures (Fig. 1) is linear and passes through the origin.

Figure 2. Variation of Liquid Limit (wL), Plasticity Index (IP) and

Compression Index (Cc) with Composite Clay Fraction (C)

Figure 3. Variation of Liquid Limit (wL), Plasticity Index (IP)

and Compression Index (Cc) with Bentonite Clay Fraction (C)

But the IP vs C curves for the composite clay (Fig. 2) and bentonite (Fig. 3) comprise
of roughly two straight line segments. The first segments make offsets on the
abscissas and are steeper and extend approximately above C = 30%. Beyond that
threshold clay percent, the second line segments have flatter slopes and if extended
backwards, pass through the origins. The observations are same as those by Seed et
al. (1964)[4].
But a new thing emerges out from these plots that the nature of variations
of Cc vs C plots are conspicuously similar to the nature of variations of IP vs C plots.
So, it is probable that IP will relate better with Cc and this may be the cause for
slightly better correlation in Cc vs IP in comparison with Cc vs wL.

CONCLUSION
Plasticity index, IP may be used in predicting Cc or Cc/ in addition to wL or e0. For
remoulded clays Cc = 0.015Ip 0.0198 and Cc/ = 0.0025IP + 0.0866. If a consistent
relationship between the undisturbed and remoulded samples of normally
consolidated clays is developed, the relationships proposed in the paper may come to
some practical utility.

REFERENCES

1. Nath, A., S.S. DeDalal, and S. Ghoshal (1998) Compression characteristics of mixed
soils. Proc. of Indian Geotechnical Conference, New Delhi, pp 1-5
2. Nishida, Y. (1956) A brief note on compression index of soils. Journal of SMFE
Div., ASCE, July, p 1027 (1-14)
3. Seed, H.B., R.J. Woodward, and R. Lundgren (1962) Prediction of swelling potential
of compacted clays. Journal of SMFE Div., ASCE, June, pp 53-87
4. Seed, H.B., R.J. Woodward, and R. Lundgren (1964) Fundamental aspects of
Atterberg limits. Journal of SMFE Div., ASCE, Nov., pp 75-105
5. Skempton, A.W. (1944) Notes on compressibility of clays. Qtrly. Journal of
Geological Society, London, pp 119-135
6. Skempton, A.W. (1957) Discussion on the planning and design of the new
Hongkong airport. Proc. Inst. Civil Engrs., 7, pp 305-307
7. Terzaghi, K. and R.B. Peck (1948) Soil Mechanics in Engineering Practice. John
Wiley & Sons. Inc., New York
8. Wesley, L.D. (1988) Compression Index: Misleading Parameter? J. of Geotech.
Engg., ASCE, June, pp 718-723

2004
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