SALADA, ANGELA D.

SEPTEMBER 06,2019
CE-4101

SUMMARY & CONCLUSION

The group performed the laboratory activity on August 23, 2019 at the Soil Laboratory.

The materials and equipment used were mortar and pestle, digital weighing, mechanical sieves

(Nos. 4, 10, 20, 40, 60, 100, 200), soil sample, trowel, brush, marker, plastic, rag, and masking

tape. The soil sample was sun dried prior to the experiment.

Sieve analysis involves shaking the soil sample through a set of sieves that have

progressively small openings as the number of sieve number increases. It was used to determine

the particle size distribution of the soil sample. This sample is break down into its individual

particles using a mortar and rubberized tip pestle. It should be remembered to carefully break the

soil into its individual particles only to avoid soil lumps, and not to break the particle itself which

can result to pulverized sample. Then, a 500 g sample is poured over the set of sieves and was

shaken for an ample amount of time – 10 minutes. Portions retained on each sieve were weighed

and recorded.  Lastly, all of the samples were put in a plastic and were labeled according to its

sieve number.

After the experiment, the soil sample was separated according to its grain size from 4.75

mm to 0.075 mm. The summation of soil retained in all the sieves including the pan is 492

resulting to 1.6% percentage error on the experiment. The percent finer for sieve nos. 4, 10, 20,

40, 60, 100, 200 are 93.4%, 65.6%, 36.6%, 19.8%, 12%, 7.4%, and 4.2% respectively.
SALADA, ANGELA D. SEPTEMBER 06,2019
CE-4101

SUMMARY & CONCLUSION

The group performed the laboratory activity on August 30, 2019 at the Soil laboratory.

The materials and equipment used were the hydrometer, dispersing agent, distilled water, beaker,

graduated cylinder, soil sample, spoon, digital weighing scale, cling wrap and tape. Hydrometer

analysis defines the grain size distribution curve of soils that are too fine to be tested with sieves.

It was used to determine the particle size distribution in a soil for the fraction which has diameter

smaller than 0.075 mm. The dispersing agent was prepared by adding 40 g of sodium

metaphosphate. Then, exactly 50 g of soil sample was added and stirred for about 10-15 minutes.

The volume of dispersed soil suspension in the cylinder increased exactly up to 1000 ml. Then,

the hydrometer was inserted immediately after shaking and the stopwatch started. Lastly,

hydrometer readings were recorded in different time intervals.

As a conclusion based on the experiment, hydrometer analysis is proven to be an

effective method to determine the particle size distribution in a soil for the fraction which has

diameter smaller than 0.075 mm. Within an hour, the group’s highest reading was 52. Thus, the

percent finer was 104%. By considering time intervals and readings in the hydrometer, the final

length was 8.2 cm and the computed diameter was 1.95 x10^-3 mm. Considering our data, the

longer the time is the lower the reading in the hydrometer becomes. This will to show that

particles begin to settle down in the cylinder.