Shrinkage Limit Determination of Soils Using Hydrophobic Compounds

Asha, M.; Nagaraj, H. B.; Muguda, Sravan

Abstract

Shrinkage limit is one of the important parameters among the Atterberg limits used to classify fine-grained soils and to express its volume stability. Conventional method to determine volume of wet and dry shrinkage pats to evaluate shrinkage limit involves the usage of mercury, which is highly toxic and hazardous to health. Recently various methods have been proposed by different researchers which do have certain shortcomings. The present study proposes a simple and alternate method to determine the volume of dry shrinkage pat with the use of hydro-phobic compound and water submersion method, which is required to calculate the shrinkage limit of soils, thereby overcoming the various shortcomings of the alternate methods proposed by different researchers in the recent past. Three hydrophobic compounds, namely Vaseline, hydrophobic liquid, and hydropho-bic glue were used to coat the dry shrinkage pats with a thin layer of these compounds and make them hydrophobic, and hence, determine their volume with water submersion. The results of shrinkage limits of soils used in this study obtained using all these three hydrophobic compounds are within the acceptable range as suggested by ASTM standard D427-04 (Test method for shrinkage factors of soils by the mercury method, ASTM International, West Conshohocken, 2004. https:// doi. org/ 10. 1520/ d0427-04) and ASTM standard D4943-02 (Standard test method for shrinkage factors of soils by the wax method, ASTM International , West Conshohocken, 2008. https:// doi. org/ 10. 1520/ d4943-08) for any two results obtained from two different tests of the same type, for multi-laboratory determinations. The proposed alternate method of determining the shrinkage limit is not only simple but also reliable. It can be verified by various researchers before it can find universal acceptance as a standard and alternate method of determining the shrinkage limit of soils.

Citation

Asha, M., Nagaraj, H. B., & Muguda, S. (2025). Shrinkage Limit Determination of Soils Using Hydrophobic Compounds. Geotechnical and Geological Engineering, 43(5), Article 214. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10706-025-03162-7

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Apr 25, 2025
• Online Publication Date: Jun 3, 2025
• Publication Date: Jun 3, 2025
• Deposit Date: Jun 3, 2025
• Publicly Available Date: Jun 4, 2025
• Journal: Geotech Geol Eng
• Print ISSN: 0960-3182
• Electronic ISSN: 1573-1529
• Publisher: Springer
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 43
• Issue: 5
• Article Number: 214
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10706-025-03162-7
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/4088383