Prong Plate
Product Code : LSK-SM-10666
Prong Plate (SKU LSK-SM-10666) is an acrylic plate fitted with three rust-resistant metal prongs, used to immerse a dried soil pat in the shrinkage limit test so that its volume can be found by displacement. It comes with a shrinkage dish and a crystallizing dish, and is used in soil mechanics labs at degree, diploma and TVET level. Colleges, contractors and distributors can obtain it from Science Lab Supplies, which handles orders out of Ambala, India.
Specifications
Each listed part of the prong plate gets a row of its own below. In short, an acrylic plastic plate carries three rust-resistant metal prongs that hold a dried soil pat under the displacement liquid, and a shrinkage dish and a crystallizing dish come with it for forming the pat and holding the liquid.
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| SKU | LSK-SM-10666 |
| Plate material | Acrylic plastic |
| Prongs | 3 metal prongs |
| Prong finish | Rust-resistant |
| Construction | Rust-resistant |
| Purpose | Immersing a dried soil pat for volume measurement |
| Shrinkage dish | Included |
| Crystallizing dish | Included |
| Supplied by | Science Lab Supplies, Ambala, India |
Applications and Experiments for the Prong Plate
The prong plate belongs to the shrinkage limit test, which finds the water content below which further drying no longer reduces a soil's volume. The dried pat's volume, found by displacement, is combined with its dry mass and wet pat data to calculate the shrinkage limit and shrinkage ratio.
- B.Tech / B.E. civil engineering: shrinkage limit and shrinkage ratio as the third Atterberg limit, alongside the complete Shrinkage Limit Set.
- Diploma civil engineering: recognising expansive clays that shrink and swell with moisture, compared with swell readings from the Expansion Index Test Apparatus.
- TVET construction and foundations modules: why clay soils crack on drying.
In the traditional method the displacement liquid is mercury, which is toxic. Where it is used, handle it only under supervision, over a tray, following your institution's mercury safety and disposal rules.
Standard Scope of Supply
The prong plate is supplied with its three metal prongs, one shrinkage dish and one crystallizing dish. Mercury, a balance and a drying oven are not included. A complete Shrinkage Limit Set is also offered in the Soil Mechanics range for labs starting from scratch.
Packing, MOQ and Lead Time
Order one prong plate as a replacement or several for a full class; every quotation shows the packing, delivery time and price for the quantity chosen. It can be quoted together with the Shrinkage Limit Set when you prefer to buy from one TVET lab equipment supplier.
Science Lab Supplies, a registered exporter with an Importer-Exporter Code, can ship to buyers in Malaysia, Peru, Egypt, Iraq, Nigeria and Kenya. For a price, message the team via the contact page, park the plate in the enquiry cart alongside other shrinkage items, or check the lab tender page if the order is tendered.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a prong plate used for?
It pushes a dried soil pat fully under the displacement liquid in the shrinkage limit test, so the pat's volume can be measured from the liquid it displaces.
Is mercury supplied with the prong plate?
No, mercury is not included. It is toxic, so labs that use it should work under supervision with spill trays and follow their own mercury handling and disposal rules.
What are the two dishes for?
The shrinkage dish holds the wet soil pat while it dries. The crystallizing dish holds the displacement liquid when the dried pat is immersed with the prong plate.
Who supplies the Prong Plate?
Science Lab Supplies supplies the plate together with its shrinkage and crystallizing dishes. Quotations go out from Ambala, India to colleges, polytechnics, training institutes, contractors and distributors on request.
Related Shrinkage, Swell and Plasticity Equipment
Shrinkage is linked to how much a clay swells and how plastic it is. These items from the Soil Mechanics and Chemistry Lab ranges measure volume change, compressibility and plasticity, and add glassware for displacement work, and any of them can be added to the same quotation as the prong plate.
- Soil Volume Change Meter — 4.5 kN proving ring with dial indicator and a 70 mm specimen ring.
- Plastic Limit Set — six moisture containers and a 150 mm porcelain basin.
- Plastic Limit Roller — mechanical rolling with an integral handle on the top plate.
- Hand Operated Casagrande Equipment — rubber feet isolate the base from the work surface.
- Consolidation Apparatus — weight set giving up to 10 kg/cm² on a 60 mm specimen.
- Laboratory Bench Oven — stainless steel interior and a thermal glass viewing window.
- Crystallizers — 180 mm x 90 mm glass crystallizer with grip, heat and chemical resistant.
Browse the full Soil Mechanics range, the Chemistry Lab range for glass crystallizers, or all TVET lab equipment.
Last updated: 9 October 2026
