Grain Size Analysis

Week 6 Discussion
Todays Objective
Student should be:
1. Able to Differentiate Sieve Analysis from Hydrometer Analysis.
2. Able to Analyze the data of Distribution curve.
3. Able to interpret the data from sieve analysis.
4. Able solve the three soil basic parameters.
•Gravels are pieces of rocks with occasional particles of quartz, feldspar, and other minerals.

•Sand particles are made of mostly quartz and feldspar. Other mineral grains may also be present
at times.

•Silts are the microscopic soil fractions that consist of very fine quartz grains and some
flake-shaped particles that are fragments of micaceous minerals.

•Clays are mostly flake-shaped microscopic and submicroscopic particles of mica, clay minerals, and
other minerals
Name of Organization Grain size (mm)
Gravel Sand Silt Clay
U.S. Department of >2 2 to 0.05 0.05 to 0.002 < 0.002
Agriculture (USDA)
American Association of 76.2 to 2 2 to 0.075 to <0.002
State Highway and 0.075mm 0.002
Transportation Officials
(AASHTO)
Unified Soil 76.2 to 4.75 to 0.075 Fines (i.e., silts and clays)
Classification System 4.75 for <0.075
Massachusetts Institute 60mm to 2.0mm to 0.06mm to 0.002
Technology Classification 2mm 0.06mm 0.002mm
(MIT)
Mechanical Analysis of Soil

Sieve Hydrometer
Analysis Analysis
 Sieve Analysis
The sieve analysis determines the grain size distribution curve of soil samples
by passing them through a stack of sieves of decreasing mesh opening sizes and
by measuring the weight retained on each sieve. The sieve analysis is generally
applied to the soil fraction larger than 75 μmm(#200). Grains smaller than
75μmm are sorted by using sedimentation or Hydrometer Analysis.
Sieve Analysis Sieve # Opening (mm)
4 4.750
6 3.350
8 2.360
10 2.000
16 1.180

Sieve Analysis
20 0.850
30 0.600
40 0.425
50 0.300
60 0.250
80 0.180
100 0.150
140 0.106

Hydrometer
170 0.088

Analysis
200 0.075
270 0.053
 Laboratory Procedure

Dry Sieve Wet Sieve

Analysis Analysis
• We take roughly 500 grams of soil sample Coarse grained soil
( it should not contain any lump sample
and if does then the lump should be
pulverize.)
• We take this mass as (M)
• Sieve the sample through sieve number
4.75mm
Gravel fraction (set of coarse Sieve) Sand fraction (set of fine
Sieve)
80mm 2mm
40mm 1mm
20mm 600microns (0.6mm)
10mm 425 microns(0.425mm)
4.75mm 212 microns (0.12mm)
150microns (0.15mm)
75 microns (0.075mm)
 cover

Pan

❖ Determining the total mass of the Soil:

M1 +M2 + M3… + Mn +MP

 Wet Sieve Analysis

(183) Standard Method for Sieve Analysis of Fine and Coarse

Aggregates (ASTM C136) - YouTube

(183) Particle Size Analysis (Sieves and Hydrometer) - YouTube

 Sieve # Opening (mm)
4 4.750
6 3.350
8 2.360
10 2.000
16 1.180
● 20 0.850
30 0.600
40 0.425
50 0.300
60 0.250
80 0.180
100 0.150
140 0.106
170 0.088
200 0.075
270 0.053
● Determining the Cumulative mass of soil retained above each sieve
●M1 +M2+… + Mi
 Cumulative
Mass soil mass
U.S Sieve Opening Percent
retained retained
size (mm) Finer %
(g) above each
sieve (g)
4 4.75 0 0 100
10 2.00 60 0+60= 60 92.03
20 0.850 80 60+80=140 81.41
140+95=23
40 0.425 95 68.79
5
235+130=3
60 0.250 130 51.52
65
365+140=5
80 0.180 140 32.93
05
505+180=6
100 0.150 180 9.03
85
685+56=74
200 0.075 56 1.89
1
741+12=75
Pan - 12 0
3 =ƩM
Particle Size Distribution
Problem: 1

U.S Sieve size Mass soil retained (g)

4 0
10 60
20 80
40 95
60 130
80 140
100 180
200 56
Pan 12
 Cumulative Mass-M1 +M2+… + Mi
Cumulative mass
Mass soil retained
U.S Sieve size Opening (mm) retained above
(g)
each sieve (g)
4 4.75 0 0
10 2.00 60 0+60= 60
20 0.850 80 60+80=140
40 0.425 95 140+95=235
60 0.250 130 235+130=365
80 0.180 140 365+140=505
100 0.150 180 505+180=685
200 0.075 56 685+56=741
Pan - 12 741+12=753 =ƩM
 For Percentage% of finer:
●
Cumulative
Opening Mass soil mass retained Percent Finer
U.S Sieve size
(mm) retained (g) above each %
sieve (g)
4 4.75 0 0 100
10 2.00 60 0+60= 60 92.03
20 0.850 80 60+80=140 81.41
40 0.425 95 140+95=235 68.79
60 0.250 130 235+130=365 51.52
80 0.180 140 365+140=505 32.93
100 0.150 180 505+180=685 9.03
200 0.075 56 685+56=741 1.89
741+12=753
Pan - 12 0
=ƩM
Three basic soil parameters

Effective size

Coefficient
Uniformity
of
coefficient
gradation
 Curve I Curve-II Curve III
Represent Poorly represents well represents Gap
Graded Soil Graded Soil Graded Soil

Gravels are considered to be well graded when Cu > 4 and 1 < Cc < 3. Sands are
considered to be well graded when Cu > 6 and 1 < Cc < 3.
 For Percentage% of finer:
●
Cumulative
Opening Mass soil mass retained Percent Finer
U.S Sieve size
(mm) retained (g) above each %
sieve (g)
4 4.75 0 0 100
10 2.00 60 0+60= 60 92.03
20 0.850 80 60+80=140 81.41
40 0.425 95 140+95=235 68.79
60 0.250 130 235+130=365 51.52
80 0.180 140 365+140=505 32.93
100 0.150 180 505+180=685 9.03
200 0.075 56 685+56=741 1.89
741+12=753
Pan - 12 0
=ƩM
 Problem 2
For the particle-size distribution curve shown on previous problem 1, determine the following:

a. D10, D30, and D60

b. Uniformity coefficient, Cu Cumulative
c. Coefficient of gradation, Cc U.S Sieve size
Opening Mass soil mass retained Percent Finer
(mm) retained (g) above each %
sieve (g)
a) D10= 0.16 4 4.75 0 0 100
D30 = 0.18 10 2.00 60 0+60= 60 92.03
D60 = 0.30 20 0.850 80 60+80=140 81.41
40 0.425 95 140+95=235 68.79
60 0.250 130 235+130=365 51.52
80 0.180 140 365+140=505 32.93
100 0.150 180 505+180=685 9.03
200 0.075 56 685+56=741 1.89
741+12=753
Pan - 12 0
=ƩM
Problem 3
Determine the percent finer than each sieve size and plot a grain-size distribution curve with the following result
from Sieve analysis.

U.S Sieve Mass soil Cumulative

size retained (g) U.S Sieve Opening Mass soil mass retained Percent Finer
4 0 size (mm) retained (g) above each %
sieve (g)
10 20 4 4.75 0 0 100
20 45.5 10 2.00 20 95.36
40 100.2 20 0.850 45.5 84.82
40 0.425 100.2 61.60
60 90.5
100 102.2 60 0.250 90.5 40.63
200 58.4 100 0.150 102.2 16.94
Pan 14.7 58.4
200 0.075 3.406
Pan - 14.7 0
U.S
Percent Finer
Sieve %
size
4.75 100
2.00 95.36
0.850 84.82
0.425 61.60
0.250 40.63
0.150 16.94
0.075 3.406
Pan 0
PROBLEM: 4
The result of the sieve analysis of soil samples 1 and 2 are shown in the table below .
Determine the percent finer than each sieve size and plot a grain-size distribution curve with the
following result from Sieve analysis.

Percent Passing
Sieve No. Diameter(mm) Sample # 1 Sample # 2
4 4.76 100 90
8 2.38 99 64
10 2.0 98 58
20 0.85 92 35
40 0.425 70 22
60 0.250 46 15
100 0.15 25 10
200 0.074 0 4
Plot grain size distribution curve to determine Cc and Cu

Gravels are considered to be well graded when Cu > 4 and 1 < Cc < 3. Sands are
considered to be well graded when Cu > 6 and 1 < Cc < 3.

FINES SAND GRAVEL

Fine Medium Coarse Fine Coarse
Soil Sample # 1
#200 #4 3”
100
90

Percent Finer by Weight

80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
0.001 0.01 0.1 1.0 10 100

Grain size (mm)

1. Plot grain size distribution curve to determine Cc and Cu

Soil Sample # 2

FINES SAND GRAVEL

Fine Medium Coarse Fine Coarse

#200 #4 3”
100
90

Percent Finer by Weight

80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
0.001 0.01 0.1 1.0 10 100

Grain size (mm)

 HOW TO DETERMINE THE PERCENTAGE OF FINE,SAND GRAVEL USING GRAIN SIZE CURVE

FINES SAND GRAVEL

Fine Medium Coarse Fine Coarse

#200 #4 3”
100 C
90

Percent Finer by Weight

% of Gravel 80
70
60 B
% of Sand 50
A y3
40
30 y2
% of Fines 20 y1
10
0
0.001 0.01 0.1 1.0 10 100

Grain size (mm)

1. Mark points A,B and C. 3. Measure y1,y2 and y3 vertically

2. Draw horizontal lines thru these points 4. % of Fines =y1 , % of sand =y2-y1 % of gravel = y3-y2
THANK YOU !!