30

20

-4
-3
-2

10

5
4
3

-1
0
1
2

.5
.4
.3
.2

3
4
5

.1

.05
.04
.03

coarse

.016

.008
.005
.004

Granules

very
coarse
coarse

10

very
fine

coarse

1/64

.001

fine

1/128
very
fine

.004

1/256

.002

1/512

.001 1/1024

CLAY

.002

medium

fine

.003

fine
very
fine

.01

medium

medium

.02

very
coarse

Clay/Silt
boundary
for mineral
analysis

2 1/2"
2.12"
1 1/2"
1 1/4"
1.06"

1 1/2"

3/4"
5/8"
1/2"
7/16"
3/8"
5/16"
.265"

.742"

(modified from
Hjuistrom,1939)

(Nevin,1946)

Crushed

Spheres
(Gibbs, 1971)

Natural
sand

Quartz
spheres

2"

1m
above
bottom

150

1.05"
100
90

.525"

50
40

80

.371"

70

60

4
5
6
7
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
60
70
80
100
120
140
170
200
230
270
325
400

4
5
6
7
8
9
10
12
14
16
20
24
28
32
35
42
48
60
65
80
100
115
150
170
200
250
270
325

50
40

30

20

.6

.86

2.0

1.5

.59

5.6

4.5

.42

15

13

.30

43

35

10
8
7
6
5
4
3

.215

120

91

.155

350

240

.115

1000

580

.080

2900

1700

0.5
0.329

10
9
8
7
6

0.01
0.0057

0.0014
0.001
0.00036
0.0001

60

40

100

50
40

30
30

5
4
3
2
1.0

20

26

Minimum
(Inman,1949)

0.5

0.1
0.085

0.023

80

50

20
.72

90

70

30

1.2

100

Note: The relation between the beginning

of traction transport and the velocity
depends on the height above the bottom
that the velocity is measured, and on
other factors.

-5

64.0
2.52"
53.9
45.3
33.1
32.0
1.26"
26.9
22.6
17.0
0.63"
16.0
13.4
11.3
9.52
8.00
0.32"
6.73
5.66
4.76
0.16"
4.00
3.36
2.83
2.38
2.00
0.08"
1.63 inches
1.41
mm
1.19
1
1.00
.840
.707
.545
1/2
.500
.420
.354
.297
1/4
.250
.210
.177
.149
1/8
.125
.105
.088
.074
.062 1/16
.053
.044
.037
.031 1/32

Threshold
Velocity
for traction
cm/sec

200

Stokes Law (R = 6rv)

50
40

Settling
Velocity
(Quartz,
20C)

cm/sec

Note: Applies to subangular to

subrounded quartz sand

-6

COBBLES

Intermediate diameters
of natural grains
equivalent to sieve size

5.04"

Note: Applies to subangular to

subrounded quartz sand
( in mm )

128
100

PEBBLES

-7

Tyler
Mesh No.

BOULDERS
(_
> -8 )

Number
of grains
per mg

Note: Sieve openings differ by as

much as 2% from phi mm scale

10.1"

ASTM No.
(U.S. Standard)

256
200

SAND

-8

(after
Wentworth,1922)

SIEVE
SIZES

Note: Some sieve openings differ

slightly from phi mm scale

mm

SIZE TERMS

SILT

Fractional mm
and
Decimal inches

PHI - mm
COVERSION
= log 2 (d in mm)
1m = 0.001mm