EXPERIMENT NO.

SIEVE ANALYSIS OF SOIL

Object

1. To carry out sieve analysis of coarse grained soil and draw particles size distribution curve.
Scope

2. Sieve analysis is widely used in identification and classification of soil. It is also utilized in the part
of the specification of soil for airfields, roads, earth dams and other soil embankment construction.
Apparatus

3. Set of ASTM sieves containing sieve # 4, 10, 20, 40, 60, 100, 200, lid and pan, Balance sensitive to
0.1gm, Soil pulverizer, Sieve shaker, Soft brush for cleaning, Soil sample.
Procedure

4. The procedure for the test is as fol:-

a. Set the sieves in order so that sieves with largest openings are on the top and gradually reduced size
below.

b. Take oven dried soil sample about 300 to 500gm which has already been pulverized.

c. Place the sieve set in the sieve shaker and sieve for 5 to 10 minutes.

d. Remove the nest of sieves from the sieve shaker and obtain the weight of material retained on each
sieve carefully. Compare sum of theses weights to the actual weight taken.

Observation and Data Collection

5. The observations to be taken during the test are shown on data Sheet.
 SIEVE ANALYSIS + HYDROMETER + SPGR DATA SHEET

Location_____________________ Sample No.___________________

Depth_______________________ Date_________________________
Wt of sample_________________gms Tested by_____________________

SIEVE ANALYSIS SPGR Weight HYDROMETER

Sieve Ret. wt Descrit Time Hydrometer Corr fact Temp
No gm ion reading
4 Wt of 1
flask
2
10 =W1
4
20 Wt of 8
flask + 15
40
dry
30
60 soil
=W2 60
100 120
Wt of 240
200 flask +
soil + 1440
Pan Water
=W3

Wt of
flask +
Water
=W4

Specifi
c
gravity
(Gs)

SIEVE ANALYSIS + HYDROMETER + SPGR DATA SHEET

Location_____________________ Sample No.___________________

Depth_______________________ Date_________________________
Wt of sample_________________gms Tested by_____________________

SIEVE ANALYSIS SPGR Weight HYDROMETER

Sieve Ret. wt Description Time Hydrometer Corr fact Temp
No gm reading
4 Wt of flask =W1 1
2
10 Wt of flask + dry soil =W2
4
20 Wt of flask + soil + Water =W3 8
40 15
Wt of flask + Water =W4
30
60
60
100 Specific gravity (Gs) 120
240
200
1440
Pan

SIEVE ANALYSIS + HYDROMETER + SPGR DATA SHEET

Location_____________________ Sample No.___________________

Depth_______________________ Date_________________________
Wt of sample_________________gms Tested by_____________________

SIEVE ANALYSIS SPGR Weight HYDROMETER

Sieve Ret. wt Descrition Time Hydrometer Corr fact Temp
No gm reading
4 Wt of flask =W1 1
 10 2
Wt of flask + dryGrain
soil =W2 Size Distribution Curve
4
Sieve Size / NO
20
3" Wt
3/4"of flask
1-1/2" + soil
3/8" + Water
4 =W3
10 20 40 8
60 100 200
40 15
1.2 Wt of flask + Water =W4
60 30
60
100
Specific gravity (Gs) 120
1 200 240
1440
Pan

0.8
% Finer

0.6

0.4

0.2

0
1000 100 10 1 0.1 0.01 0.001
76.2 4.76 Particle Size (mm) 0.07
Cobble Gravel Sand Silt or Clay
s

Computation and interpretation

6. The computation to be done after the practical are as fol:-

a. Compute the percent retained (cumulative) on each sieve by dividing the weight retained on each
sieve by original sample weight.
b. Compute the percent passing by subtracting with 100% and subtracting the cumulative % retained
for that sieve.

(1) % Retained = Wt of soil retained / Total wt of sample x100

(2) % Passing = 100 – Cumulative percent retained

c. Draw grain size curve between sieve size and percent passing on semi log paper.

d. Find D10, D30, D60 and then fined Cu and Cc.

 Cu = D60 / D10 Cc = (D30)2 / (D60 x D10)

D10 = Grain dia at 10% passing

D30 = “ “ “ “
D60 = “ “ “ “

Cu is the coefficient of uniformity which is a measure of the particles size range..

Cc is the coefficient of curvature which represents the shape of the particles size distribution curve.