Laboratory Test

Custom Design Experiment

FEMA Filter Design Procedure

Purpose

Standard Preference

Significance

Equipment
Test Procedure

Filter Design Procedure

This section provides a step-by-step procedure based on Sherard’s research, guidance

of Federal agencies, and other studies.

Step 1.

Plot the gradation curve(s) (grain-size distribution) of the base soil material (s).

Determine if the base soils have dispersive clay content and note it for later use in the

procedure.

Sieve Analysis Test Calculations & Particle Size Distribution Curve

Soil
Accumulative
Sieve Number Diameter (mm) Retained % Mass Retained % Passing
Retained (g)
(g)

4 4.75 4.2 4.2 0.840672538 99.15932746

10 2 58.4 62.6 12.53002402 87.46997598

20 0.85 105.8 168.4 33.70696557 66.29303443

40 0.425 111.9 280.3 56.10488391 43.89511609

60 0.25 88.3 368.6 73.77902322 26.22097678

140 0.106 94.4 463 92.67413931 7.325860689

200 0.075 15.8 478.8 95.83666934 4.163330665

Pan 20.8 499.6

 Particle Size Distribution Curve
120

100 99.1593274619696

87.4699759807846

80

66.293034427542

60 D60 = 0.7306
Percent Finer

43.8951160928743
40

D30 = 0.2874

26.2209767814251

20

D10=0.1264
7.32586068855085

0 4.16333066453163
10 1 0.1 0.01

Grain Size (Diameter in mm)

Particle Size Distribution Curve D60 D60 D30 D30 D10 D10
 %gravel 0.84

%sand 95

%fines 4.16

Step 2.

Determine if the base soil(s) have particles larger than the No.4 sieve (i.e., gravel

sizes). Also, determine if the base soil(s) are gap-graded, thus potentially subject to

internal instability (reduced particle retention capability).

In this case, we don’t have particles that are larger than the No. 4, neither it’s clay nor

gap-graded

(a) If the base soil has no gravel particles, proceed to Step 4.

(b) If a base soil contains any particles larger than the No.4 sieve, the soil should be

computationally re-graded on the No.4 sieve (go to Step 3), with the following

exception: sands and gravels with less than 15% fines that are not gap-graded and not

broadly graded do not require re-grading (proceed to Step 4)

Things to remember

 If the base soil is gap-graded (i.e., missing medium grain sizes), the coarse grains

may not deter the migration of the finer grains.

 The filter should be designed to protect the finer grains rather than the total range

of particle sizes
In this case, we will proceed to Step 4.

Step 4

Determine base soil category based