Experiment (2) : Sieve Analysis

Introduction
In order to classify a soil for engineering purposes, we need to
know the distribution of the size of grains in soil mass to
determine the percentage of each size of grain that is contained
within a soil sample, and the results of the test can be used to
produce the grain size distribution curve, this information is used
to classify the soil and to predict its behavior, and a sieve analysis
is a method used to determine the grain size distribution of soil,
Sieves are made of woven wires with square openings, those
commonly used have a diameter of 8 in (203 mm), the sieve
number increases the opening decrease, and this method is
applicable for soils that are mostly granular with some or no fines.

Objectives
1) Determine the grain size distribution in soil mass, granular soil
classification and soil classification for engineering purposes.
2) To find the uniformity coefficient (Cu), coefficient of gradation
(Cc) and the effective size (D10) , and (D30 , D60) .
Abstract
Sieve analysis is a method that is used to determine the grain
size distribution of soils that are greater than 0.075 mm in
diameter, it is usually performed for sand and gravel but cannot
be used as the sole method for determining the grain size
distribution of finer soil, the sieves used in this method are made
of woven wires with square openings, and it is used to obtain the
particle size distribution of a solid material by determining the
amount of powder retained on a series of sieves with different-
sized apertures, a sample is added to the top of a nest of sieves
arranged in decreasing size from top to bottom, as the sieves are
vibrated, the sample is segregated onto the different sized sieves.
The weight of the sample retained on each sieve is then used to
determine the particle size distribution as well as the mean
diameter of the sample.
And in this experiment, we tried to know the grain size
distribution of soil, determine the coefficient of curvature Cu and
the coefficient and gradation Cc to classify soil, so to know the
size distribution of soil we are going to make a sieve analysis for
a (500.44 g) sample to classify the soil to coarse and fine soil .
The formula of equations used in this report is :
1) Percent Loss (Error%) = [(W – W1) /W] *100
2) %retained = (weight retained / total weight)*100
3) %cumulative retained = ∑ %retained
4) % passing = 100 - ∑ %retained
5) Uniformity coefficient (Cu) = D60 / D10
2
6) Coefficient of gradation (Cc) = D30 / (D60 * D10)
Materials and Equipment
1) Sieve a bottom pan and a cover , ( sieve numbers 4, 10, 20, 40,
60, 140, and 200, pan ) are generally used for most standard
sieve analysis work.
2) A balance sensitive up to 0.1g.
3) Mechanical sieve shaker.
4) 500.44 g of soil
5) Mortar and rubber tipped pestle .
6) Oven .

Procedure
1. Collect a representative oven dry soil sample, Samples having
largest particles of the size of No. 4 sieve openings (4.75 mm)
should be about 500.44 grams.
2. Determine the mass of the sample accurately to 0,1g (W).
3. Prepare a stack of sieves, a sieve with larger openings 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 No.4, 10 , 20 , 40 , 60 , 140, and 200 .
4. Pour the soil prepared into the stack of sieves from the top.
5. Place the cover on the top of the stack of sieves.
6. Run the stack of sieves through a sieve shaker for about 10 to
7. Stop the sieve shaker and remove the stack of sieves.
8. Weigh the amount of soil retained on each sieve and the
bottom pan.
Results and Calculation
Wt of sample (W) = 500.44 g
Wt of Wt of
Sieve
Wt of sieve + retained %cumulativ
Sieve No. opening %retained %passing
sieve (g) retained on each e
(mm) sieve (g)
soil
4 4.75 431.91 509 77.09 15.404 15.404 84.596
10 2 329.48 544.23 214.75 42.912 58.317 41.683
20 0.85 324.61 473.91 149.3 29.834 88.15 11.85
40 0.425 269.19 315.11 45.92 9.1759 97.326 2.6736
60 0.25 310.06 316.49 6.43 1.2849 98.611 1.3888
140 0.106 292.25 295.75 3.5 0.6994 99.311 0.6894
200 0.075 286.45 286.64 0.19 0.038 99.349 0.6514
pan ---- 333.67 335.24 1.57 0.3137 99.662 0.3377
SUM Wt of retained on each sieve (g) (W1) = 498.75 g

 Mass loss during sieve analysis

80

70
Percent passing %

60

50

40

30

20

10

0
10 1 0.1 0.01
Sieve opening (mm)
From chart  D10 = 0.75 , D30 = 1.5 , D60 = 2.95

Uniformity coefficient (Cu) = D60 / D10 = 2.95 / 0.75 = 3.93

Discussions
This experiment was made to determine the grain size
distribution of soils those are mostly granular with some or no
fines , where we used a sample weighing 500.44 g and according
to the weights that we recorded, the total accumulated weight of
the sample was 498.75 g , so the %error in the experiment was
about 0.337% , which is relatively a small value and its good
because less than 2% , so there is no need to repeat the
experiment.
The %Passing on sieve #200 was about 0.6514 %, which is
smaller than 50%, so the soil sample is classified as course
grained soil and the %Passing on sieve #4 was about 84.596%,
which is larger than 50%, so the soil sample is classified as sand.
From the chart we find a value of (D10,D30,D60) , then when we
calculated the value of coefficient of uniformity (CU) was equal
(3.93) (which is less than 6) and Coefficient of curvature (Cc) was
equal 1.016 (which is between 1 - 3) , that means that our sample
is a poorly -graded sand sample .
The error may be happened in this experiment due to the value of
loose during sieve analysis an for example at this:
1) personal error in reading the data.
2) not enough time in shaker .
3) loosing at sample of soil .

Conclusion
1) Sieve analysis is a useful method to determine many
characteristics of soil .
2) Finer% is a measure of the amount of grains that passed a
certain sieve.
3) sieve No. 200 if passing more than 50% its fine ,if passing less
than 50% its coarse.
4) sieve No.4 if passing more than 50% its sand ,if passing less
than 50% its gravel so that -Soil particles that pass sieve No. 4
and retain on sieve No. 200 are known as sand.
5) Parameters Cu & Cc are generally used for granular soils.
6) Well-graded sand (SW) has Cu higher than 6, and Cc in the
range (1-3). If not, it's called poorly graded sand (Sp).
7) Well-graded gravel (GW) has Cu higher than 4, and Cc in the
range (1-3). If not, it's called poorly graded gravel (GP).
8) Curve is used to determine types of soils.
9) Diameter (D10) is referred to as the effective size, and is used
for several empirical correlations, such as coefficient of
permeability.
10) The D15 and D85 sizes are used for design of filters, the D50
size is used for correlation of the liquefaction potential of
saturated granular soil during earthquakes.