One of the Atterberg Limits techniques for identifying cohesive soil properties is the shrinkage limit test. The water content at which more moisture loss will not result in a decrease in volume is known as the cohesive soil shrinkage limit. The parts required to conduct the test are included in the shrinkage limit apparatus.
Usually, a bigger sample that has been prepared for liquid and plastic limit tests is used to obtain soil samples for shrinkage limit testing. In the shrinkage dish, a soil specimen with a moisture content higher than the liquid limit is struck off with a straightedge. After that, the sample is oven-dried. Following the wax coating, the soil pat's volume is calculated by weighing it with water and comparing the result to its weight in air.

A fine-grained cohesive soil will continue to shrink until the shrinkage limit is achieved if the water content is lowered below the plastic limit.

The shrinkage limit, shrinkage ratio, volumetric shrinkage, and linear shrinkage can all be found using this test procedure.

Features:

·        Determines cohesive soils' Atterberg shrinkage limits

·        Requires soil pat to be immersed in melted wax

·        Complies with ASTM D4318, ASTM D4943