Example of the Presentation of Data Obtained by the Sieve Analysis of an Aggregate Sample

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Standard Weight % Cumulative %

Sieve Size, mm Retained, g Retained % Retained Passing
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63.0 0 0.0 0.0 100.0

31.5 5200 26.0 26.0 74.0
16.0 2220 11.1 37.1 62.9
8.0 4580 22.9 60.0 40.0
4.0 1780 8.9 68.9 31.1
2.0 2020 10.1 79.0 21.0
1.0 1200 6.0 85.0 15.0
0.5 1400 7.0 92.0 8.0
0.25 1020 5.1 97.1 2.9
Pan 580 2.9 100.0 0.0
TOTAL 20000
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For the sake of easier evaluation, it is customary to present the grading data by a “gradation curve”. In the
gradation curve, the vertical axis represents the percentage passing, and the horizontal axis represents
the sieve openings. A logarithmic scale is used for the horizontal axis. Since the standard sieve sizes
increase in a ratio of 1 to 2, a logarithmic plot shows the distances between two standard sieves in the
series as constant.
.

100 100.0

80
74.0

60 62.9

40 40.0
31.1
20
21.0
15.0
2.9 8.0
0 0.25 0.5 1.0 2.0 4.0 8.0 16.0 31.5 63.0
Sieve sizes, mm

Gradation Curve of the Aggregate Sample for which Data are Presented Above

26.0 + 37 .1 +60.0 +68 . 9 + 79 .0 + 85.0 +92.0 + 97 .1

FM =
100
= 5. 45

The average size of the aggregate particles in the above example is between the fifth and sixth sieves
counted from the bottom towards the top; that is, between the 4.0 mm and 8.0 mm sieves.