NATIONAL UNIVERSITY

551 MF Jhocson Street, Sampaloc, Manila

DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING
GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING 1 LABORATORY

NAME: WILMER R. FERNANDEZ DATE: MAY 3, 2021

GROUP # 3 SECTION: ESE181

EXPERIMENT # 4
SIEVE ANALYSIS

I. INTRODUCTION

Featuring Soil mechanics Laboratory Experiments, it covers important properties

of soil and provides a step-by-step procedure for conducting a typical soil test. As for
this experimentation, in order to obtain the classification of the soil for engineering
purposes, one needs to know the distribution of the size of grains in a specified soil
mass. A sieve analysis (or gradation test) is a procedure used to assess the particle
size distribution of a granular material to allow particles to pass through each channel
of sieves of progressively smaller mesh size. Figure 1.1 and Figure 1.2 show the
common form of sieve, it consists of square apertures, rigidly mounted in a shallow
cylindrical metal frame. Note that as the sieve number increases the size of the
openings are decreases. Table 1.1 gives a list of the U.S standard sieve numbers with
their corresponding size of openings.

Figure 1.1 – Stack of Sieves Figure 1.2 – Stack of Sieves with a pan
at the bottom and a cover at the top
 NATIONAL UNIVERSITY
551 MF Jhocson Street, Sampaloc, Manila
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING
GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING 1 LABORATORY

Sieve No. Opening (mm) Sieve No. Opening (mm)

4 4.75 35 0.500
5 4.00 40 0.425
6 3.35 45 0.355
7 2.80 50 0.300
8 2.36 60 0.250
10 2.00 70 0.212
12 1.70 80 0.180
14 1.40 100 0.150
16 1.18 120 0.125
18 1.00 140 0.106
20 0.85 200 0.075
25 0.71 270 0.053
30 0.60 400 0.038

Table 1.1 – U.S. Sieve Sizes

No. 200 sieve is the sieve with the smallest opening that should be used for the
experiment. The most common sieves for soil tests usually have 8 in or 203 mm
diameter. The method of sieve analysis described here is only applicable for soils that
are mostly granulated or no fines.

Figure 1.3 – Grain-size Distribution Plot

Additionally, the grain-size distribution obtained from this experiment is plotted in

a semi-logarithmic graph paper with grain size plotted on the log scale and percent
finer plotted on the natural scale, use figure 1.3 for better understanding.
 NATIONAL UNIVERSITY
551 MF Jhocson Street, Sampaloc, Manila
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING
GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING 1 LABORATORY

II. OBJECTIVES

➢ To assess the particle size distribution or gradation within a given soil sample by
allowing the material to pass through a stack of sieves.
➢ To obtain coefficient of uniformity and coefficient of gradation.
➢ To draw the grain size distribution curve.

III. APPARATUS/EQUIPMENT

APPARATUS/ EQUIPMENT FUNCTION

Balance

It is a device for
measuring weight. Balances
measure the mass of an object
and are used in science to obtain
the mass of an object.
 NATIONAL UNIVERSITY
551 MF Jhocson Street, Sampaloc, Manila
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING
GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING 1 LABORATORY
Test Sieve

It is an instrument which is used for

the measurement of particle size. In
its most common form, it consists of
a woven wire screen, with square
apertures, rigidly mounted in a
shallow cylindrical metal frame.

Mechanical Sieve Shaker

Used for separation and size

determination of particles. A typical
sieve shaker separates particle by
passing them through a series of
chambers with mesh filters and
agitating the sample in order to obtain
complete separation.

Laboratory Oven

Are used to sterilize biohazard waste,

dissecting instruments or
media/reagents for aseptic assays.
They are also used for drying, heating,
testing environmental stresses, such
as changes in temperature, light and
humidity.
 NATIONAL UNIVERSITY
551 MF Jhocson Street, Sampaloc, Manila
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING
GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING 1 LABORATORY

Sieve Brush

Ensures the sieve mesh is

thoroughly cleaned without
damage.

Container

Used carry or hold the dry substances.

Sieve Pan

It receives the small particle. It place at

the bottom.
 NATIONAL UNIVERSITY
551 MF Jhocson Street, Sampaloc, Manila
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING
GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING 1 LABORATORY

Sieve Cover

Represent as a lid where it

protects and conceal it. It places
at the top.

Mortar and Pestle

A mortar and pestle is used to grind up

solid chemicals into fine powder and
crush solids into smaller pieces.

IV. PROCEDURE

1. Collect a representative soil sample. Make sure to dry oven the soil sample.
2. Break the soil sample into individual particles using a mortar and rubber-tipped
pestle.
3. Determine the mass of the sample accurately.
4. Prepare a stack of sieves. A sieve with a larger opening is placed above a sieve
with smaller openings. The sieve at the bottom should be No. 200. A bottom pan
should be placed under sieve No. 200. As mentioned before, the sieves that are
generally used in a stack are Nos. 4, 10, 20, 40, 60, 140, and 200; however,
more sieves can be placed in between.
 NATIONAL UNIVERSITY
551 MF Jhocson Street, Sampaloc, Manila
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING
GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING 1 LABORATORY

5. Weigh the sieves and the pan separately.

6. Pour the soil prepared in Step 2 into the stack of sieves from the top.
7. Place the cover on the top of the stack of sieves.
8. Run the stack of sieves through sieve shaker for about 10 to 15 minutes.
9. Stop the Sieve shaker and remove the stack of sieves.
10. Weigh the amount of soil retained on each sieve and the bottom pan.
11. If a considerable amount of soil with silty and clayey fraction is retained on the
No. 200 sieve, it has to be washed. Washing is done by taking the No. 200 sieve
with the soil retained on it and pouring water through the sieve from a tap in the
laboratory.
When the water passing through the sieve is clean, stop the flow of water. Transfer
the soil retained on the sieve at the end of washing to a porcelain evaporating dish by
back washing. Put in the oven to dry to a constant weight. (Note: this step is necessary
if the amount of soil retained on the No. 200 sieve is small.)
Determine the mass of the dry soil retained on No. 200 sieve. The difference
between this mass and that retained on No. 200 sieve determined in Step 10 is the
mass of soil that has washed through.
12. Analyze the data gathered.