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Standard Test Method For Sieve Analysis PDF
Standard Test Method For Sieve Analysis PDF
Experiment No. 3:
Standard Test Method for Sieve Analysis of fine and coarse aggregates from
different sources. (ASTM C13605)
Scope & Significance:
This test method covers the determination of the particle size distribution of fine and coarse aggregates by
sieving.
This test method is used to determine the grading of materials proposed for use as aggregates or being used
as aggregates. Sieve Analysis
Accurate determination of materials finner than 75 micron (Sieve No 200) can not be achieved by this test
Related Theory:
Fineness Modulus
It is the cumulative percentage retained on standard sieve 150μm or sieves No 100 and above divided by 100. It is
a single factor or an empirical number which we get from the results of sieve analysis. The value of FM will not
change if we add non standard sieves in standard set of sieves. The information obtained from fineness modulus
is helpful in the following ways; Sieve Analysis
1 Fineness modulus tells us directly whether the material is wellgraded or gapgraded.
2 Fineness modulus gives us an overall idea whether the material is fine or coarse. Higher the value of FM
,coarser will be the aggregate. Sieve Analysis
3 It also indicates the surface area of the particles. Lower the surface area of the aggregate, the required
amount of fresh cement paste to cover the aggregate particles will be less and thus less water is required.
4 Larger value of FM is preferred for fine aggregates. For a good fine aggregate, the FM should be
between 2.3and 3.1 (ASTM Range for fine aggregates).
5 A FM of 4 can be interpreted to means that the fourth sieve from bottom i.e. sieve No. 16 is the average size
of the aggregate particles in the given sample. Sieve Analysis
Apparatus:
Standard set of sieves
Sieve shaker
Sample of the aggregate
Sieve Analysis
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It is the operation of dividing the aggregate into various fractions, each consisting of particles of same size.
OR
It is the operation of determining the particle size distribution of the given specimen.
The standard approach is to designate the sieve sizes by nominal aperture sizes in mm or μm (micron).
1 mm = 1000 μm (micron) Sieve Analysis
Notes:
i Sieve No 4 is the dividing line between coarse and fine aggregate.
ii Well graded coarse aggregates of large size will reduce shrinkage of concrete by 50%.
Functions Of Sieve Analysis
Sieve analysis is performed on coarse and fine aggregates to in order to check their gradation. This gradation
gives an indirect measure if the workability and average particle size. Sieve Analysis
SET OF SIEVES
The set of sieves used for the process of sieve analysis can be designated as;
ASTM Standard Sieves ASTM Standard Sieves
(mm) (inch)
75 (3 ”)
37.5 (1½ ”)
19 (3/4 ”)
9.5 (3/8 ”)
4.75 Sieve No 4 (3/16 ”)
2.36 Sieve No 8 (3/32 ”)
1.18 Sieve No 16
600 μm Sieve No 30
300 μm Sieve No 50
150 μm Sieve No 100
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Procedure:
Take 2 kg of the ovendried sample. The sample should be perfectly dry because if there is some moisture
content present then the particles will stick together and will not pass through the sieves. Sieve Analysis
Temperature of the oven = 110±5 °C
Place the set of standard and nonstandard sieves one above another with the smallest aperture opening at the
bottom. The pan is placed at the bottommost position. This experiment can be performed manually or with the aid
of a machine called “sieve shaker”. The manual method should be performed in a proper sequence which is as
follows;
i forward and backward motion
ii left and right motion
iii clockwise (CW) and counterclockwise (CCW) motion
iv frequent jolting.
Time elapsed for the sieving process is 35 minutes and should not be less than 3 minutes .Weigh the mass
retained on each sieve and calculate the percentage passing through each sieve. Then the FM can be calculated
by using the relation;
Following points must be kept in mind while calculating the FM;
i Only sum up the values of standard sieves and do not include the values of the nonstandard sieves.
ii Only add the sieves of 150μm and above sizes.
iii If any standard sieve is missing, we may use the value of next higher sieve.
iv Adding extra sieves does not change the result of FM. Sieve Analysis
Grading Requirement (Quality of A Sample ):
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Sieve Analysis Grading basically indicates the sizes of the aggregates and in which proportions they are present.
There are some limiting values for every sieve provided by ASTM or BS, we use these limiting values to get our
final answer by the method explained below. Take the minimum and the maximum values provided by ASTM and
plot them on the grading curve. Now take these minimum and maximum value lines as your reference and if the
curve of our own data lies inside these two lines then the quality of our sample is OK but if your curve lies outside
these two lines of maximum and minimum range then the sample is not according to specifications. Sieve Analysis
ASTM Grading Requirements For Fine Aggregates
Sieve Size Cumulative % Passing
Minimum Maximum
4.75mm 95 100
2.36mm 80 100
1.18mm 50 85
600μm 25 60
300μm 10 30
150μm 2 10
Observations & Results
Sample no. 1:……Laurence pure Sand …… Sample weight = 1000g = 1kg
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Cumulative Percentage Retained up to particle size 150μm = 253.6 Sieve Analysis
Fineness Modulus = 2.536
Sample no. 2:……Chenab Sand …… Sample weight = 1000g = 1kg
4 4.75 0 0 0 100
30 600 μm 9 0.9 2 98
50 300 μm 490 49 51 49
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