CEng 139 – Construction and Material Testing

Particle Size Analysis of Aggregates

Laboratory Exercise No. 1

Name: Eden Zhaleen E. Salas

Schedule: W 1:00 – 4:00
Introduction:
Materials:
Procedure:
Results and Discussion:
Particle Size Analysis of Aggregates is a fundamental process in construction
engineering, with wide-ranging implications for the quality, performance, and
sustainability of construction materials and projects. This critical process plays a
pivotal in ensuring the quality, durability, and performance of construction materials.
In this activity, 500g of washed sand was sieved through 7 sizes of siever
(4,10,20,40,60,100, and 200), and the finest particle was then received at the pan in
the bottom of the siever. The stacked siever was then shaken for 15 mins. Shown in
Table 1 are the results of this laboratory exercise.

Weight of
Weight Percentage Cumulative Cumulative
Sieve Sieve Weight Cumulating
of
Retained
Weight Weight Weight
No. after Sieve Retained Passing %
Retained % Retained %
Sieving
4.10447761 4.10447761 95.8955223
4 399 377 22 22
2 2 9
26.1194029
10 505 365 140 162 30.2238806 69.7761194
9
23.1343283 53.3582089 46.6417910
20 375 251 124 286
6 6 4
19.4029850 72.7611940 27.2388059
40 310 206 104 390
7 3 7
15.8582089 88.6194029 11.3805970
60 278 193 85 475
6 9 1
6.90298507 95.5223880
100 226 189 37 512 4.47761194
5 6
2.79850746 98.3208955 1.67910447
200 186 171 15 527
3 2 8
Ending 1.67910447
246 237 9 536 100 0
pan 8
Summat
2525 1989 536 100
ion
 The total weight of the weight retained as shown in the table is 536g which
has a 36g difference from the initial weight of the washed sand. This discrepancy
can be justified by the condition of the sieve which may have already contained
particles that could have added to the weight. This is due to the failure to completely
brush off particles in the siever.
In the table, the sieve number refers to the size of the sieve in terms of mesh
size. A "4" sieve means it has 4 holes per linear inch. As the sieve number increases
the finer the sand that passes through it. Aggregates that are located from Sieve No.
4 – 40 are considered coarse aggregates. Those in No. 60 and 100 are fine sand
where some silt is found in Sieve No. 100. Those caught in Sieve No. 200 contain
mostly silt or clay, and those caught in the pan at the end mostly comprises silt, very
fine aggregates, or dust. As observed in the table the washed sand is composed
mostly of aggregates in Sieve No. 10 and 20, with about 26.12% and 23.13%
respectively. This is then followed by Sieve No. 40, 60, 100, 4 and then 200. Finally,
the ending pan contains the least number of particles comprising only 1.68% of the
sand.
From the data, it can be inferred that a sack of washed sand appears to have
a gradation or contain a wide range of particle sizes where the majority belongs to
the coarse aggregate sizes. The large particles are left in the top chambers of the
siever and the finest are caught in the pan at the bottom. The cumulative weight
retained shows the total weight of material retained on each sieve and all the sieves
above it. As the sieving process progresses to the smaller mesh sizes, the sand also
becomes progressively finer, with fewer coarse particles and more fine particles. The
ending pan collects the finest particles that are too small to pass even the thinnest
sieve, which is why it has the least weight. In addition, the Cumulating Passing %
shows the percentage of aggregates that have passed through the sieves to the
point where they fail to penetrate.
The final column Cumulating Passing % shows the percentage of material
that was able to pass through a specific sieve. It is also the complement of the
Culminating Weight Retained Percentage. As shown in the table most material was
able to pass through Sieve No. 4 and the percentage decreases until it reaches 0 at
the bottom. This indicates that less material can pass through the sieves at the
bottom.
In summary, the data obtained in this laboratory exercise is crucial in
understanding the gradation and particle size distribution of the washed sand
brought. This can be applied in various engineering construction and designing
material mixes particularly concrete. The washed sand that the individuals have
brought contains a wide range of particle sizes with majority of it being coarse sands
which are caught in Sieve No. 10 and 20 while the finest particles which is mostly
dust and silt found in the pan only consists of the least percentage of the total sand.
As the sieve no. progresses the less the material that can pass through. The finest
particles can be found at the bottom pan while the coarse particles are found at the
top.
Solution:
Weight Retained (g)=Weight after sieving−Weight of sieve

Sieve ¿ 4 S ieve ¿ 10
WR=399−377 WR=505−365
WR=22 g WR=140 g

Sieve ¿20 Sieve ¿ 40

WR=375−251 WR=310−206
WR=124 g WR=104 g

Sieve ¿60 Sieve ¿100

WR=278−193 WR=226−189
WR=85 g WR=37 g

Sieve ¿200 Pan

WR=186−171 WR=246−237
WR=15 g WR=9 g

Total Weight Retained=536 g

Weight retained ( g)
Percentage Weight Retained ( % )= ×100
Total weight retained (g)

Sieve ¿ 4 Sieve ¿10

22 140
PWR= ×100 PWR= ×100
536 536
PWR=4.104 % PWR=26.119 %

Sieve ¿20 Sieve ¿ 40

124 104
PWR= ×100 PWR= ×100
536 536
PWR=23.134 % PWR=19.403 %

Sieve ¿60 Sieve ¿100

85 37
PWR= ×100 PWR= ×100
536 536
PWR=15.858 % PWR=6.903 %

Sieve ¿200 Pan

15 9
PWR= ×100 PWR= ×100
536 536
PWR=2.796 % PWR=1.679 %
 Cummulative Weight Retained=Weight Retained of Current Sieve+ ∑ Previous Sieves

Sieve No . 4=22 g Sieve No . 60=22 g+140 g+124 g+104 g+ 85 g

¿ 475 g
Sieve No . 10=22 g+140 g Sieve No . 100=22 g+140 g+124 g+104 g+ 85 g+ 37 g
¿ 162 g ¿ 512 g

Sieve No . 20=22 g+140 g+124 g=286 g Sieve No . 200=22 g+140 g+124 g+104 g+ 85 g+ 37 g +15 g
¿ 527 g

Sieve No . 40=22 g+140 g+124 g +104 g Pan=22 g+140 g+124 g+104 g+ 85 g+ 37 g+ 15 g+ 9

¿ 390 g ¿ 536 g

Cummulative Weight Retained %= ( Cummulative Weight Retained

Total Weight ) x 100

Sieve No .4= ( 536

22 g
g)
x 100 Sieve No .60= ( 475
536 g )
g
x 100
¿ 4.104 % ¿ 88.619 %

Sieve No .10= ( 162

536 g )
g
x 100 Sieve No .100= ( 512
536 g )
g
x 100
¿ 30.224 % ¿ 95.522 %

Sieve No .20= ( 286

536 g )
g
x 100 Sieve No .200= ( 527
536 g )
g
x 100
¿ 53.358 % ¿ 98.321 %

Sieve No .40= ( 390

536 g )
g
x 100 Pan= ( 536
536 g )
g
x 100
¿ 72.761 % ¿ 100 %

Cumulative Passing %=Total Weight Retained %−Cumulative Weight Retained %

 Sieve ¿ 4 Sieve ¿10
CP=100 %−4.104 % CP=100 %−30.224 %
CP=95.776 % CP=69.776 %

Sieve ¿20 Sieve ¿ 40

CP=100 %−53.358 % CP=100 %−72.761 %
CP=46.642 % CP=27.239 %

Sieve ¿60 Sieve ¿100

CP=100 %−88.619 % CP=100 %−95.522 %
CP=11.381 % CP=4.478 %

Sieve ¿200 Pan

CP=100 %−98.321 % CP=100 %−100 %
CP=1.679 % CP=0 %

Documentation: