Shrinkage limit is the water content at which the further loss of moisture does not cause a decrease in the volume of a specimen.Ītterberg soil indexes are calculated from the test results of liquid and plastic limits tests to classify soil types and properties:.Plastic limit is the water content when soil can no longer be rolled into a 1/8in (3.2 mm) diameter thread without crumbling.Liquid limit is defined as the water content at which soil changes from a plastic state to a liquid state when testing in a liquid limit machine.Albert Atterberg, a Swedish agricultural scientist, established the boundaries of soil consistency in 1911 with a series of simple tests:
