California State University

Long Beach

Civil Engineering Department

Materials for Civil Engineering

Laboratory

CE 200L
Short-Form Lab Report

Report No: 2

Report Title: Sieve Analysis and Fineness Modulus

Submitted By: Maximillian Marberger, Christen Morris, Marcelo Rios
(All Team Members) Christopher Rivera
Section: 01 Team No: 4
Date Due: 9/26/23 Date Submitted: 9/26/23
Grading
Distribution of the 8 Points Total Score for the Report
Item Criterion Max Points Earned Points
1 Use of Laboratory Equipment, Data Collection 2
2 Data compilation and Fineness Modulus calculation 2
3 Technical Presentation — tables, graphs, sketches, etc. 2
4 Written Communication — results and discussion of results and
2
test procedures
Total

Please Upload the Completed Report to The Designated Dropbox Folder on Canvas.
One Member Can Submit the Report on Behalf of the Team.
 CE 200L

Report No 2
Sieve Analysis
1. Objectives
a) To conduct a sieve analysis of a sample of fine aggregate (FA) or sand, as supplied
b) To calculate the fineness modulus (FM) of the FA or sand
c) To determine if the ASTM specifications for FA are met
d) To understand the limitations of sieve analysis and of using FM as measures of determin-
ing the characteristics of FA

2. References (Please refer to posted folder for ASTM Standards on Canvas)

a) ASTM C 136 — Standard Test Method for Sieve Analysis of Fine and Coarse Aggregates
b) ASTM C 33 — Standard Specification for Concrete Aggregates
c) ASTM C 125 — Standard Terminology Relating to Concrete and Concrete Aggregates

3. Procedure

a) The 6 standard sieves used for sieving the FA or sand are disassembled, and, with the
steel brush provided, the sieves are carefully cleaned out— without attempting to remove
every grain of sand from the mesh of the sieves.
The standard nest of sieves is reassembled in the proper order — from the coarsest to the
finest.
b) With a scoop, a steel bowl is filled with the provided oven-dried FA or sand by taking
scoops of FA or sand from different parts of the tray of the FA or sand, attempting to ran-
domize the sampling of the selection.
c) Approximately 2,000 grams of the above of FA or sand is weighed out.
d) The above sample of FA or sand is passed through the sample splitter twice — thus quar-
tering the sample. The splitter is used to randomize the selection of the sample.
e) The resulting approximately 500 g of FA or sand is sieved through the reassembled stan-
dard nest of sieves, using the shaker in the CE 200 Laboratory.
f) Every sieve and its content is weighed to the nearest 0.1 g (i.e., no more than the nearest
0.5 g or, approximately, 0.1 % of the original mass of the sample, per ASTM C 136), and
this total of sieve-and-sand mass is recorded in “Mass of (g) / Sieve + FA” column of the
Sieve Analysis Data table.
g) Every sieve is carefully cleaned out, using the sieve brush supplied, once again, without
attempting to remove every grain of sand lodged in the mesh of the sieves.
h) Every empty sieve is weighed to the nearest 0.1 g, and the tare mass is recorded in “Mass
of (g) / Sieve (Tare)” column of the FA Sieve Analysis Data table.
i) All FA or sand sample that has been sieved must be discarded in the buckets on the floor.

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j) The team (all members) must present and have the data sheet initialed by the instructor
prior to leaving the lab.

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 4. Data Recorded by Team
a) Team Information
Section: Team:
Leader: Recorder:
Other members:
Member(s) absent:

b) Test Data
Time of Room Relative
Date: °F %
day: temp.: humidity:
Sand information: ASTM C33 washed concrete sand — Quikrete

c) Sieve Analysis Data

Mass of (g) FA FA ASTM FA
Sieve Sieve FA FA FA Coarser Passing Spec’s.
No. (Tare) Sieve + FA Retained Coarser Passing (%) (%) (% Passing)
(Cumulative) (Cumulative)

#4 95 – 100

#8 80 – 100

# 16 50 – 85

# 30 25 – 60

# 50 10 – 30

# 100 2 – 10

Pan (0)
(= Total Mass of
Your Sample)

Note: Please compute the Fineness Modulus (FM) by our next meeting

Instructor’s initials: ____

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5. Fineness Modulus Computation (refer to Table c)
Standard Sieve size % FA Passing % FA Coarser
#4
#8
#16
#30
#50
#100
Fineness Modulus (FM) = ∑ % FA Coarser
100
Corresponding representative sieve size:

6. Plotted Data
Sieve Number/Size
100 50 30 16 8 4 ⅜ ¾
100 100

90 90

80 80

70 70

60 60

50 50

40 40

30 30

20 20

10 10

0 0
100 50 30 16 8 4 ⅜ ¾
Sieve Number/Size

Aggregate Particle Size Distribution Graph

Legend:

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FA Passing % FA ASTM C 33 Specifications Band

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 8. Results and Discussion

Results

For test results, using Standard American English and complete sentences, state:
a) Whether or not the fine aggregate (FA) or sand sample sieved in the CE 200L Laboratory
meets the gradation requirements of ASTM C 33 — “Standard Specifications for Concrete Ag-
gregates” — for FA
The fine aggregates (FA) meet the graduation requirements of ASTM C 33 —
“Standard Specifications for Concrete Aggregates” — for FA. Our values are graded
within the limits in table 1 as they are between the lower and upper limit of the
ASTM percent passing.

b) What the fineness modulus (FM) of the fine aggregate (FA) or sand sieved is, and whether or
not the FA or sand sample sieved in the CE 200L Laboratory meets the fineness modulus re-
quirement of ASTM C 33 — “Standard Specifications for Concrete Aggregates” — for FA

The fineness modulus (FM) is the sum of the percent FA Coarser of the six
standard sieves divided by 100. It is a proxy for the average size of the fine
aggregate (FA) measured. The sand sample sieved meets the finesses modulus
requirement of ASTM C 33 — “Standard Specifications for Concrete Aggregates” —
for FA which should not be less than 2.3 nor more than 3.1 as our team calculated
a fineness modulus of 3.

c) Whether or not the fine aggregate (FA) or sand sample sieved in the CE 200L Laboratory
meets the ASTM C 33 — “Standard Specifications for Concrete Aggregates” — requirement
for the FA not to have “more than 45% passing any sieve and retained on the next consecutive
sieve…”

The fine aggregate (FA) sieved does meet the ASTM C 33 requirement for the FA not to
have “more than 45% passing any sieve and retained on the next consecutive sieve. In our lab,
the largest percentage passing any sieve and retained on the next consecutive sieve was 27.32%
that passed sieve #8 and was retained on sieve #16. This means that the fine aggregate tested
meets the ASTM C 33 “Standard Specifications for Concrete Aggregates”.
Discussion

For discussion of test results, using Standard American English and complete sentences,
please state whether or not there was any deviation from the procedures prescribed in ASTM
C 136 — “Standard Test Method for Sieve Analysis of Fine and Coarse Aggregates”

If there is/are deviation(s) in test procedure(s):

a) State in what way the test procedure(s) followed in the CE 200L Laboratory deviate from the
procedure(s) prescribed in ASTM C 136 — “Standard Test Method for Sieve Analysis of Fine
and Coarse Aggregates”.

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 The ASTM C 136 — “Standard Test Method for Sieve Analysis of Fine and Coarse Aggre-
gates” states there should be hand sieving involved which was not part of the procedures in
the Lab. Another deviation between the Lab procedure and ASTM C 136 was the sand sample
we used. It is required to be oven dried for 24 hours prior to testing. Although a large portion
of the sample was oven dried beforehand, it was also mixed with a sand sample that was sit-
ting at room temperature for a couple months.

b) Address the acceptability of the test results in view of deviations from ASTM C 136 — “Stan-
dard Test Method for Sieve Analysis of Fine and Coarse Aggregates” by responding to the
following:

(i) Whether or not such deviations affect test results

The values gathered during the procedure are within acceptable range of the ASTM C 136
— “Standard Test Method for Sieve Analysis of Fine and Coarse Aggregates”. This allows us
to say that such deviations do not affect the test results.
(ii) If yes, how such deviations affect test results
The deviations do not affect the test results.
(iii) Reasons why the test results may be considered acceptable, or if, and why, they should be
rejected.
The test results obtained during this lab fall in line within the acceptable ranges provided
in the ASTM C 136 — “Standard Test Method for Sieve Analysis of Fine and Coarse Aggre-
gates”. Thus, allowing us to say the test results can be considered acceptable.

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