Limitations of Plate load test

Limitations of Plate load test:

There are some limitations that should be considered while performing load test which are given below:

1. This test is usually performed on relatively smaller plates, usually 1 or 2 square foot area the reason is that, the plates of greater area are economically not feasible.
2. The test should essentially be the surface load test because such does not directly reflect the settlement of the prototype.
3. The duration for the test is usually small and a relatively fair estimation is given to the granular soils, and as we know here the settlement is not dependent on time. While in case of clays as we know that consolidation settlement is mostly used and this settlement is dependent on time. And the estimate can be crude in fact very crude.
4. In case of cohesive soil, however these estimates could be very crude and therefore they must.