CHAPTER 5: GRAIN SIZE ANALYSIS – Hydrometer method

5.1 Introduction

Grain size distribution of soil which contain significant amount of finer particles (silt and
clay) cannot be done by sieve analysis. Hydrometer analysis is required to determine the
grain size distribution of the finer portion. For many natural soils we require both sieve
analysis and hydrometer analysis to obtain the complete gradation of the coarse and fine
fraction. In the sieve analysis test you have used #200 sieve (opening 0.074 mm) as the finest
sieve. Now you will perform hydrometer analysis on a fine grained soil that passes #200
sieve.1
1
According to ASTM D422, when combined analysis is required, the sample is to be divided into two parts. Sieve analysis is to be done
on the coarser portion and hydrometer analysis is to be done into finer paortion. Division of the sample into two portion is to be done by
either of #4 (4.75mm), #10 (2.00 mm), #40 (0.425mm) or #200 (0.074 mm) sieve depending on the sp.gr. of particles. However, for our
natural soils seperation on #200 sieve will be sufficient.

Determination particle diameter

Determination of particle diameter using hydrometer is based on Stoke’s Law which states
that the the terminal velocity (v) of a freely falling sphere through a medium is proportional
to the square of the diameter (D) of the particle i.e. v  D2 . From this we obtain
γ γw 2
v s D
18η
where v = velocity (cm/s)
s = Unit wt. of soil particles (gm/cc)
w = Unit wt. of water (gm/cc)
gm . s
= Viscosity of water ( )
cm 2
D = Diameter of particle (cm)
Therefore, if the velocity of fall v is known, then diameter of the particle can be calculated as

18
D . v
 s -w

To understand the details of hydrometer analysis it is necessary to have an idea about the
apparatus “hydrometer”. There are two types of ASTM soil hydrometers. One is designated
ASTM 151H and the other is designated ASTM 152H. The readings obtained from these
two hydrometers have different meanings. Both can be used for hydrometer analysis. But,
calculation procedures for these two are different. Here we have described the procedure for
ASTM 152H hydrometer that you will use.
The hydrometer, made of glass, has a stem and a bulb. When it is inserted into a liquid, it
floats or submerges in an upright position with its bulb on the downside. The stem of the
hydrometer has graduation. ASTM 152H hydrometers are calibrated such that when
inserted in a soil water suspension the reading on the hydrometer stem indicates grams
of soil that are in 1000cc suspension of the density at the center of the bulb. Thus, when
the hydrometer reading is zero, it indicates pure water and when the reading is 30 it means
that there are 30 gms of soil in 1000cc soil suspension. Usually there are readings from 0 to
60 on a hydrometer stem. It can be easily conceived that as the density of suspension
increases, more of the stem will come out of the suspension, and so the hydrometer reading
will be increased. If we prepare a soil suspension in a jar and take hydrometer readings
at different time intervals from the instant when the suspension is not disturbed by
stirring or any other means, then successive hydrometer readings will decrease because
particles of soil will start to fall and finally settle at the bottom of the jar resulting in
reduced density of the suspension. Now, suppose at any time interval t, the distance from
the c.g. (center of gravity) of the bulb to the surface of suspension is L. Because the location
of c.g. of the hydrometer bulb is related to the sp.gr. of the suspension around it, L may be
considered to be the distance of fall of a particle in time t. Therefore, velocity of the particle
will be v=L/t.
18 L
Therefore, D  .
s- w t
If we want to put t in minute, L in cm,  in poise (1 gm-sec per square cm =g poise =980.7
poise) and want to obtain D in mm then the above equation should be modified as
18 L
D (mm)  . * 10
980.7 * ( s-w ) t * 60
which upon simplification becomes
30( poise) L(cm)
D (mm)  .
gm gm
980.7 * [ 
s( 3
)-w( 3
)] t (min)
cm cm

30( poise) L(cm)

or D (mm)  .
gm t (min)
980.7 * (Gs - 1) 
w( )
cm3
The above equation is sometimes written as
L
D  K.
t
where K   (T, G s , )
For example for T=200C, w = 0.9971, Gs =2.65,
However, when we insert the hydrometer in a soil-water suspension we do not measure L
directly. Instead, if we measure the distance L1 and L2 from the c.g. of th bulb corresponding
to two hydrometer readings R1 and R2 then we can calculate L easily for any hydrometer
reading R from the equation (see fig.1 )
L L L 2
L  b L1  1 .( R  R 1 ) .....................1
2 R 2 R 1
Here we need to notice that as we insert the hydrometer in the jar containing the soil-water
suspension, the water level in the jar rises by Vb resulting in rise of the c.g. of the
Aj

hydrometer bulb by half of this i.e. Vb

from the level where it would be if this rise have not
2. A j

occurred (see fig. ); Vb=Volume of the hydrometer bulb and Aj = Cross-sectional Area of
the hydrometer jar. Thus equation 1 need to be modified as

Lb L  L2 V
L L1  1 .( R L  R1)  b 2
2 R 2  R1 2A j

L
R2 RL R1
L2
Lb L1 R
Vb/Aj
Note : R2 > R1

distance
Measured
(b)
distance
Target
L

Vb/(2Aj)
R
Cm

RL

(a) (c) (d)

Fig.1 Schematic diagrams showing hydrometer readings and corrections.

Furthermore, in the soil-water suspension we can read the upper meniscus, whereas we need
the reading at the lower minuscus. So, if Ro be the observed reading, then to put into
equation 2, RL should be calculated as (see fig. )
R L  R o C m 3
For ASTM 152H hydrometers for R1=0 the distance L1=10.5 cm and for R2=50, the distance L2 =2.3 cm, Lb=14 cm,Vb=67 cm3 . Coss-
sectional area of hydrometer jar is 27.8 cm2. For these values, Equation 2 becomes
L 16.29 0.164* RL , (L in cm) 2a
Equation 2a is sometimes presented in tabular form as in Table 1 wherefrom values of L can be obtained for any hydrometer reading.

Table-1 Values of Efective depth RL for hydrometer for which (L1=10.5 cm, L2=2.3 cm, R1=-, R2=50, Lb=14.0 cm, Vb= 67 cm3, Aj=27.8
cm3)
Hydrometer Hydrometer Hydrometer Hydrometer
reading, RL L reading, RL L reading, RL L reading, RL L
0 16.3 15 13.8 30 11.4 45 8.9
1 16.1 16 13.7 31 11.2 46 8.8
2 16.0 17 13.5 32 11.0 47 8.6
3 15.8 18 13.3 33 10.9 48 8.4
4 15.6 19 13.2 34 10.7 49 8.3
5 15.5 20 13.0 35 10.6 50 8.1
6 15.3 21 12.9 36 10.4 51 7.9
7 15.1 22 12.7 37 10.2 52 7.8
8 15.0 23 12.5 38 10.1 53 7.6
9 14.8 24 12.4 39 9.9 54 7.4
10 14.7 25 12.2 40 9.7 55 7.3
11 14.5 26 12.0 41 9.6 56 7.1
12 14.3 27 11.9 42 9.4 57 6.9
13 14.2 28 11.7 43 9.2 58 6.8
14 14.0 29 11.5 44 9.1 59 6.6

Determination of percent finer

It has been mentioned earlier that ASTM 152H hydrometers are calibrated such that for soil
of sp.gr of 2.65, the hydrometer reading after an elapsed time t, indicates the grams of soil in
suspension at that instant. This means that if Rc be the hydrometer reading, then
(corresponding to the diameter determined using this reading )
R
Percent finer, N = c * 100 4
Ws
where Ws=Weight (in gms) of soil used to prepare the suspension and R is obtained from R0
after applying some corrections.

Because the sp.gr. of a soil may vary from 2.65 a correction factor is introduced in equation
4. Thus,
R
Percent finer, N = a * c * 100 5
Ws
Where 'a' is the correction factor introduced to accommodate the variation of sp.gr. from
2.65. The correction factor a can be computed as
G s *1.65
a 6
(G s 1) * 2.65
Values of 'a' for different sp.gr. of soil particles may also be obtained from Table 4.

The reading Rc to be used in equation 5 should be obtained from the observed hydrometer
reading Ro after applying the following corrections
(a) correction for meniscus (Cm). This correction is always additive.
(b) zero correction (Cz). This correction is introduced because a deffloculating agent is used
in the preparation of the soil water suspension, which increases the hydrometer reading.
This correction is always subtractive.
(c) Temperature correction (CT). ASTM 152H hydrometers are calibrated at 200C. So if the
test temperature is different from soil water suspension a correction is needed. The
values for temperature correction are given in Table 5.
Rc = Ro + C m - Cz  CT 7
Now consider that hydrometer analysis is performed on a soil for which percent of material
finer for #200 sieve is P. Then with respect to the original soil
P
Percent finer, N'  N *
100

5.2 Equipment
To be issued by each group Other apparatus to be used
Hydrometer Mechanical mixture & mixing pot
Hydrometer jar Balance
Measuring cylinder / graduated jar Thermometer
Can Water bath
Wash bottle
Stop watch

Measuring
cylinder

Hydrometer jar
Mechanical
Mixing Mixture
pot

Hydrometer
5.3 Procedure
1. Measure exactly 50 g of oven-dry, well-pulverized soil. Record the weigt in the data
sheet.
2. Place the soil in the mixing pot. Add 125 ml of 4% NaPO3 (sodium hexameta
phosphate) solution. a, b Record the name of dispersing agent used including the
quantity.
a
A 4% sodium metaphosphate solution can be made by mixing 40 g of dry material with enough water to make 1000 ml. The
solution should be freshly mixed and in any case not over 1 month old.
b
ASTM suggests that for clay soils the mixture should be allowed to stand 16 h
3. Transfer the mixture to a mixing pot and add tap water until the cup is two-thirds full.
Mix for 3 to 5 minute in the mixing device.
4. Transfer all the contents of the mixer pot to the hydrometer jar (sometimes called
sedimentation cylinder), being very careful not to lose any material.c Add tap water to
fill the cylinder to the 1000-ml mark. Also fill the graduated cylinder (later referred to
as water jar) to about 1000 ml mark with tap water.
c
After pouring the mixture from the mixing pot to the jar, some particles may stick to the interior surface of the pot. Use the wash
bottle to wash all the remaining soil in the beaker
5. Put the palm of your left hand on the open end of the hydrometer jar and mix the soil
water suspension by quickly overturning the jar up and down several times.d Then
place the hydrometer jar on the table. Take care so that the jar is not disturbed by any
vibration.
d
A rubber stopper, if available, may be used instead of the palm.
6. Immediately after placing the hydrometer jar on the table, insert the hydrometer in the
soil water suspension, start the timer and take readings at elapsed times of 0.25, 0.5, 1,
and 2 minute.
Note - When placing the hydrometer in the suspension, avoid unnecessary agitation by
proceeding slowly, so that about 10 s is required for the operation. Several trial
operations is helpful in placing the hydrometer.
7. After 2 minutes, remove the hydrometer from the soil water suspension and place it in
the water jar.
8. Remix the suspension in the hydrometer jar as in step 5 and repeat steps 6. If the later
set of four readings (at elaped time of 0.25, 0.5, 1 and 2 minutes) are almost same as
the previous set then record these readings in continue with step 9 otherwise repeat
steps 5 to 8.
It is usual to leave the hydrometer in the soil-water suspension for the first two
readings, and then remove and reinsert for each of the other two readings. However,
little error is introduced if it is left in the suspension for all four readings.
9. Continue taking hydrometer readings at elapsed times of 4, 8, 15, 30, 60 min., and 2, 4,
8, 16, and 24 hours. Between hydrometer readings, store the hydrometer in the water
jar.
Sometimes the reading are continued at elapsed times of 32, 64, 96 h until the
hydrometer reading becomes relatively constant or the grain size D still in suspension
is of the order of 0.001 mm.
Times beyond the first two hours are approximate and any elapsed times which give a
good spread of plotted points will be satisfactory
For readings beyond your class period on the day of strat of the tes, the Laboratory
Instructor / technician will take the readings for you. However, the students should
come on the following day and take the 24 hr reading.
10 Record the temperature of water from the thermometer kept in another water jar in the
laboratory to the nearest 1C at the beginning of the test and at the time of each
hydrometer reading from 15 minutes onward.
Although ideally the temperature should be recorded for each hydrometer reading.
There is less possibility that the temperature will change within 15 minutes.
11 With the hydrometer placed in the water jar, take upper and lower meniscus readings to
find meniscus correction Cm. Usually, Cm=0.5. Take zero correction Cz to be 3.5.
To obtain zero correction, the same amount of deffloculating solution as used in the
test (125 ml of 4% NaPO3) is mixed with water and placed in a 1000 ml cylindrical jar
and hydrometer reading taken. The difference of this reading and hydrometer reading
in pure water gives the zro correction Cz.
12 Measure the internal diameter of the hydrometer jar.
13. Measure the volume of the hydrometer bulb. To do so first fill up the graduated jar up
to a suitable mark. Then insert the hydrometer in the jar and notice the mark where
water level has risen. From the differences of these two readings Vb can be obtained.

Table-2 Specific Gravity of water at different temperature (from T.W.Lambe, Soil

testing for Engineers)
00C 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
0.9999 0.9999 1.0000 1.0000 1.0000 1.0000 1.0000 0.9999 0.9999 0.9998
10 0.9997 0.9996 0.9995 0.9994 0.9993 0.9991 0.9990 0.9988 0.9986 0.9984
20 0.9982 0.9980 0.9978 0.9976 0.9973 0.9971 0.9968 0.9965 0.9963 0.9960
30 0.9957 0.9954 0.9951 0.9947 0.9944 0.9941 0.9937 0.9934 0.9930 0.9926
40 0.9922 0.9919 0.9915 0.9911 0.9907 0.9902 0.9898 0.9894 0.9890 0.9885
50 0.9881 0.9876 0.9872 0.9867 0.9862 0.9857 0.9852 0.9848 0.9842 0.9838
60 0.9832 0.9827 0.9822 0.9817 0.9811 0.9806 0.9800 0.9795 0.9789 0.9784
70 0.9778 0.9772 0.9767 0.9761 0.9755 0.9749 0.9743 0.9737 0.9731 0.9724
80 0.9718 0.9712 0.9706 0.9699 0.9693 0.9686 0.9680 0.9673 0.9667 0.9660
90 0.9653 0.9647 0.9640 0.9633 0.9626 0.9619 0.9612 0.9605 0.9598 0.9591

Table 3 Viscosity of water in millipoise at different temperature (from T.W.Lambe, Soil

testing for Engineers)
Temp 0C 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
0 17.94 17.32 16.74 16.19 15.68 15.19 14.73 14.29 13.87 13.48
10 13.10 12.74 12.39 12.06 11.75 11.45 1.16 10.88 10.6 10.34
20 10.09 9.84 9.61 9.38 9.16 8.95 8.75 8.55 8.36 8.18
30 8.00 7.83 7.67 7.51 7.36 7.31 7.06 6.92 6.79 6.66
40 6.54 6.42 6.30 6.18 6.08 5.97 5.87 5.77 5.68 5.58
50 5.29 6.40 5.32 5.24 5.15 5.07 4.99 4.92 4.84 4.77
60 4.70 4.63 4.56 4.50 4.43 4.37 4.31 4.24 4.19 4.13
70 4.07 4.02 3.96 3.91 3.86 3.81 3.76 3.71 3.66 3.62
80 3.57 3.53 3.48 3.44 3.40 3.36 3.32 3.28 3.24 3.20
90 3.17 3.13 3.10 3.06 3.03 2.99 2.96 2.93 2.90 2.87
100 2.84 2.82 2.79 2.76 2.73 2.70 2.67 2.64 2.62 2.59

Table 4 Correction factor a for different specific

gravities of soil particles

Spcific gravity Correction factor

2.95 0.94
2.90 0.95
2.85 0.96
2.80 0.97
2.75 0.98
2.70 0.99
2.65 1.00
2.60 1.01
2.55 1.02
2.50 1.03
2.45 1.04
Table 5 Temperature correction factor CT
(From Bowels)

Temperature 0C CT
15 -1.10
16 -0.90
17 -0.70
18 -0.50
19 -0.30
20 0.00
21 +0.20
22 +0.40
23 +0.70
24 +1.00
25 +1.30
26 +1.65
27 +2.00
28 +2.50
29 +3.05
30 +3.80

5.4 Sample Calculations

The following calculations are for the first row of the sample data sheet provided. Columns 1
through 5 are filled out during test. Calculation of other columns are as below:

Column 6 : RL =R0-Cm = 35 - 0.5 = 34.5

Column 7 : It becomes convenient to calculate values in column 7 if we reduce Equation 2

to a simplified form
Lb L  L2 V
L L1  1 .( R L  R1)  b
2 R 2  R1 2A j

14 10.6 0 58
= 10.6  .( R L 0) 
2 60  0 2 * 27.8
= 16.56 - 0.18*RL (where L will be in cm)
Now, for RL = 34.5, L = 16.56-0.18*34.5 = 10.2 cm
Column 8 : From Table 2, for T=28.250 (column 5) w=0.9962 gm/cc
Column 9 : From Table 3, for T=28.250 (column 5) ==8.32 millipoise =0.00832 poise
30( poise) L(cm)
Column 10 : Grain diameter D (mm)  .
gm
980.7 * (Gs - 1) 
w( 3
) t (min)
cm
 30 * 0.00832 10.2
 .
980.7 * (2.74 - 1) * 0.9962 0.25

30 * 0.00832 10.2
 .
980.7 * (2.74 - 1) * 0.9962 0.25
=0.077 mm
Column 11 : From Table 5, for T=28.250, CT = +2.6
Column 12 : Rc = Ro + Cm - Cz  CT = 35 +0.5- 3.5 + 2.6 =34.6
Column 13 : Before calculating values in column 12 we need to find the correction factor for
Gs (1.65) 1.74 * 1.65
specific gravity, a  =  0.98
(Gs 1)2.65 (2.74 1) * 2.65
R 34.6
Percent finer, N= a * c * 100 = 0.98 * * 100  67.85
Ws 50
P 21.5
Column 14 : Percent finer (Combined) = N'  N *  67.85 * 14.59
100 100
 BANGLADESH UNIVERSITY OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
Geotechnical Engineering Laboratory
R1 Meniscu
(Hydrometer Analysis)
s
Ro
Student no. : Group no. : Date of test : L R
Description of soil : Sp. gravity of soil, Gs 2: .74 Wt.of soil, Ws (gm) : 50 R2
Hydrometer no. : 867315 % of passing no. #200 sieve, P : 21.5 L L
For R1 = 0 L1 (cm) = 10.6 Meniscus corr., (Cm) :0.5 Zero correction, Cz : 3.5
For R2 = 60 L2 (cm) = 0 Length of bulb, Lb (cm) : 14 Vol. of bulb, Vb, (cm3) : 58 Lb
2
Dispersing Agent & quantity used : 100ml of standard solution* Area of jar, Aj, (cm ) : 27.8
Hyd.
% Finer (% of
Actual reading Corrected
Elapsed Effective Unit wt. Viscosity of Grain Temp. Corr- portion finer % Finer
Date Clock Time hyd. Temp. corrected hydrometer
time depth of water water diameter ection than #200 (combined)
reading only for reading
sieve only)
0 miniscus
t, min. Ro C RL L, cm 
w , gm/cm
3
Poise D, mm CT Rc N
1 2 3 4 5 6 7   10 11 12 13 14
31/7/2004 9:16 AM 0.25 35 28.25 35.5 10.2 0.99620 0.00832 0.0770 2.6 34.6 67.85 14.59
0.5 30 28.25 30.5 11.1 0.99620 0.00832 0.0568 2.6 29.6 58.04 12.48
1 25 28.25 25.5 12.0 0.99620 0.00832 0.0418 2.6 24.6 48.24 10.37
2 20 28.25 20.5 12.9 0.99620 0.00832 0.0306 2.6 19.6 38.43 8.26
4 17.5 28.25 18.0 13.3 0.99620 0.00832 0.0220 2.6 17.1 33.53 7.21
8 14 28.25 14.5 14.0 0.99620 0.00832 0.0159 2.6 13.6 26.67 5.73
15 12 28.25 12.5 14.3 0.99620 0.00832 0.0118 2.6 11.6 22.75 4.89
30 9 28.25 9.5 14.9 0.99620 0.00832 0.0085 2.6 8.6 16.86 3.63
10:16 AM 60 7.5 28.75 8.0 15.1 0.99605 0.00823 0.0060 2.9 7.4 14.51 3.12
11:16 AM 120 5 28.75 5.5 15.6 0.99605 0.00823 0.0043 2.9 4.9 9.61 2.07
1:16 AM 240 4.5 29 5.0 15.7 0.99598 0.00818 0.0031 3.1 4.6 9.02 1.94
5:16 AM 480 3.5 29 4.0 15.8 0.99598 0.00818 0.0022 3.1 3.6 7.06 1.52
1/8/2004 9:16 AM 1440 3.5 28.5 4.0 15.8 0.99613 0.00827 0.0013 2.8 3.3 6.47 1.39
2/8/2004 2:35 PM 3199 3 28.5 3.5 15.9 0.99613 0.00827 0.0009 2.8 2.8 5.49 1.18
3/8/2004 9:31 AM 4335 2.5 29 3.0 16.0 0.99598 0.00818 0.0007 3.1 2.6 5.10 1.10
Col.6 -> RL=Ro-Cm Col.7 -> L  Lb L  L1L2 .(R R )  Vb => L = 16.56 - 0.18 RL Col.8 -> From table 2
2
1 R R L 1 2A
2 1 j Col.11 -> From table 5
0.5
Col.9 -> From table 3 Col.10-> D = [ 30 * / {980.7 * (Gs - 1)*
w }* ( L / t) ] Col.14. -> Nc=N’/100*N
Col.12 -> Rc = Ro - Cz + CT Col.13 -> N = (Rc*a/Ws) *100 * 33 gm of sodium hexameta phosphate & 7 gm of sodium carbonate
Correction factor for Sp.Gr., a = Gs * 1.65 / (Gs - 1) / 2.65 = 0.98 dissolved in water to make 1000 ml of standard solution
 Grainsize Distribution Curve
100

Sp.Gr. = 2.74 Combined curve

80
Percent finer

60 For fraction passing

#200 sieve only

40

20

0
10 1 0.1 0.01 0.001 0.0001
Diameter, mm

5.4 Report

1. For calculation use the Gs you obtained in your specific gravity test, if there was no gross error.
2. Calculate % finer (combined) assuming that 17% of the original soil pass #200 sieve.
3. Plot the gradation curve [ % finer versus log(diameter)]. Plot both the curves as shown in Fig.
 BANGLADESH UNIVERSITY OF ENGG. & TECHNOLOGY
GEOTECHNICAL ENGG. LABORATORY
HYDROMETER ANALYSIS
(For ASTM 152H Hydrometer)
Student no. Group no. Date of test :
Description of soil :
Hydrometer No. : Specific gravity, Gs : Wt. of soil, Ws : gm
R1 = L1 = cm Meniscus correction, Cm : Zero correction, Cz :
R2 = L2 = cm Length of bulb, Lb : cm Volume of bulb, Vb :
Dispersing Agent & quantity used : Area of Jar, Aj : cm3

Date Clock Elapsed Temp Observed Hyd. Effective Unit wt. Viscosity Grain Temperature Corrected Hyd. % Finer (% of % Finer
time time, C Hydrometer Corr. depth of water of water diameter correction Reading. portion finer (combined)
min reading Only for L w  D Ct Rc than #200 sieve
Ra meniscus cm poise mm only) Nc
RL N
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

Lb L  L2 V
Col.6 -> RL=Ro-Cm Col.7> L L1  1 .( R L  R1)  b Col.8 -> From table 2 Col.9 -> From table 3
2 R 2  R1 2A j

Col.10-> D = [ 30 *  / {980.7 * (Gs - 1)}*w * ( L / t) ]0.5 Col.11 -> From table 5 Col.12 -> Rc = Ro - Cz + CT
a = Gs*1.65/(Gs-1)/2.65 Col.13 -> N = (Rc*a/Ws) *100
From sieve analysis % of material passing # 200 sieve, N’ = Col.14. -> Nc=N’/100*N