DCC3122 – GEOTECHNICAL AND

HIGHWAY LABORATORY
LECT.’S NAME:
PN. MARLIZA ASHIQIN BINTI KHAZALI
GROUP 2 : DKA3C

MOHAMAD ADAM B MOHD NORLI 08DKA14F1029

NURUL AFIQAH BT JOHARI 08DKA14F1033

NUR AFIFAH BT YUZI 08DKA14F1045

IZZAH NURASYIQIN BT MD. ISA 08DKA14F1037

ZULFARAH HAZWANI BT ZULKEFLI 08DKA14F1041

MUHAMMAD FADLI MUSTAQIM BIN MAZLAN 08DKA14F1049

INTRODUCTION
A sieve analysis (or gradation test) is a practice or procedure used (commonly
used in civil engineering) to assess the particle size distribution (also
called gradation) of a granular material.
The size distribution is often of critical importance to the way the material
performs in use. A sieve analysis can be performed on any type of non-organic
or organic granular materials including sands, crushed rock, clays, granite,
feldspars, coal, soil, a wide range of manufactured powders, grain and seeds,
down to a minimum size depending on the exact method. Being such a simple
technique of particle sizing, it is probably the most common
This lab work, we were using a soil in sieving analysis. Then, for soil consists of
individual particles, or grains. Grain size refers to the size of an opening in a
square mesh through which grain will pass. Since all of the grains in mass of
soils are not the same size, it is convenient to quantify grain size terms of
gradation curve. A gradation curve contains points corresponding to a
particular grain size and a corresponding percent (by weight) of the soil grains
that are smaller than that of grain size.
So, for this lab work we are been asked to perform grain size analysis of a
granular soil (sand or gravel), mechanical sieving is used, and the soil is passed
through a stack sieve. By weighing the fraction retained by each sieve, points
on the grading curve can be calculated using semi-log graph.

OBJECTIVE
To determine the percentage of grain size distribution (silt, fine sand, medium
sand and coarse sand) by plotting the percentage grain passing versus again
grain size on semi-log graph.
APPARATUS

1) Stack Of Sieves Including Pan And Cover

2) Rubber Pastle And Mortar

3) Brush
4) Sieve Shaker Machine

5) Dry Soil – 600g

6) Weighing Machine (with accuracy up 0.001g)

PROCEDURE

1) We weighed each sieve as well as the bottom pan

and write down into the table for analysis.

2) The weight of the given dry soil

sample also is recorded

3) Before we put the dry soil into the sieve, we make sure that all the
sieves are clean which we used brush to clean it. Then, we assembled
them in the ascending order of sieve number.

4) After that, we carefully pour the soil sample into the top
sieve and place the cap over it.

5) Then the sieve stack is placed in the mechanical shaker

and been shake about 10 minutes.

6) After 10 minutes, we remove the sieve stack from

shaker and carefully weight and record the weight of
each sieve with its retained soil including the bottom
pan.
TEST DATA / RESULT

Total mass of dry soil = 600g

1 2 3 4 5 6

Sieve Size Mass of Mass of Soil Percentage Percentage

(mm) empty sieve + soil Retained retained passing (%)
sieve (g) retained (g) (g) (%)
100%

2.36 489 559 70 11.65 88.35

1.18 354 568 214 35.61 52.74

0.600 436 562 126 20.97 31.77

0.425 392 455 63 10.48 21.29

0.300 275 318 43 7.15 14.14

0.212 364 400 36 5.99 8.15

0.15 348 367 19 3.16 4.99

0.075 256 278 22 3.66 1.33

PAN 356 364 8 1.33 0

Total mass after sieving : 601 g

Total reading difference : 1 g
DISCUSSION

1) Based on the data above, plot a graph for the percentage passing (%)
versus sieve size on the attached semi-log graph.

2) Compute Cc and Cu for the soil.

2
𝐷30
Coefficient of curvature, Cc = 𝐷10 𝐷60

(0.59)²
= (0.26)(1.4)

= 0.99

D60
Uniformly coefficient, Cu =
D10

1.4
= 0.26

= 5.38

3) Discuss the pattern of grading curve obtained.

CONCLUSION

According to the graph, the soil sample we test is more to sand. At the end of
the sample test, we did compute Coefficient of curvature (Cc) and uniformly
coefficient (Cu) by using the formula given. Then, we know the classification of
our soil sample. As the result, we know that our soil is classified as Poor
Graded Sand (SP). Sand poor (SP) is poorly graded sands and gravelly sands. It
was classified as SP because the Coefficient of curvature, Cc of the soil is 0.99
which is in between 1 and 3 (after round off) and for Uniformly coefficient, Cu
of the soil is 5.38 which is lower than 6.