Abstract
The effect of pH on liquid and plastic limits of soils was examined based on present and previous results of liquid and plastic limits tests with changing pH, and on the mineral and chemical compositions of the soils. It was clarified that although pH has a very pronounced effect on liquid limits, its effect on plastic limits is slight. These results indicate that the pH-induced changes of the liquid and plastic limits are dependent on the structure of the clay minerals and the existence of cations between the sheets of clay minerals. Finally, it was shown that the pH-induced changes of the sedimentation and the microstructure of soil particles effectively clarify the changes of liquid and plastic limits with changing pH.
