Sieve analysis

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A sieve analysis (or gradation test) is a practice or procedure used (commonly used in civil
engineering) to assess the particle size distribution (also called gradation) of a granular material.
The size distribution is often of critical importance to the way the material performs in use. A
sieve analysis can be performed on any type of non-organic or organic granular materials
including sands, crushed rock, clays, granite, feldspars, coal, soil, a wide range of manufactured
powders, grain and seeds, down to a minimum size depending on the exact method. Being such
a simple technique of particle sizing, it is probably the most common.
[1]

Contents
[hide]

1Procedure
1.1Preparation

2Results

3Methods
o

3.1Throw-action sieving

3.2Horizontal sieving

3.3Tapping sieving

3.4Super Sonic sieving

3.5Wet sieving

3.6Air Circular Jet Sieving

4Types of gradation

5Types of sieves

6Limitations of sieve analysis

7Properties

8Engineering applications

9Forecast

10"Sieving" with digital image processing

o

10.1The method for digital image processing is the following

10.2Real time data reporting of image processing

11See also

12References

13External links

Procedure[edit]

Sieves used for gradation test.

A mechanical shaker used for sieve analysis.

A gradation test is performed on a sample of aggregate in a laboratory. A typical sieve analysis

involves a nested column of sieves with wire mesh cloth (screen). See the separate Mesh
(scale) page for details of sieve sizing.
A representative weighed sample is poured into the top sieve which has the largest screen
openings. Each lower sieve in the column has smaller openings than the one above. At the base
is a round pan, called the receiver.
The column is typically placed in a mechanical shaker. The shaker shakes the column, usually
for some fixed amount of time. After the shaking is complete the material on each sieve is
weighed. The weight of the sample of each sieve is then divided by the total weight to give a
percentage retained on each sieve.
The size of the average particle on each sieve is then analysed to get a cut-off point or specific
size range, which is then captured on a screen.

The results of this test are used to describe the properties of the aggregate and to see if it is
appropriate for various civil engineering purposes such as selecting the appropriate aggregate
for concrete mixes and asphalt mixes as well as sizing of water production well screens.
The results of this test are provided in graphical form to identify the type of gradation of the
aggregate. The complete procedure for this test is outlined in the American Society for Testing
and Materials (ASTM) C 136 and the American Association and State Highway and
Transportation Officials (AASHTO) T 27
[2]

[3]

A suitable sieve size for the aggregate should be selected and placed in order of decreasing
size, from top to bottom, in a mechanical sieve shaker. A pan should be placed underneath the
nest of sieves to collect the aggregate that passes through the smallest. The entire nest is then
agitated, and the material whose diameter is smaller than the mesh opening pass through the
sieves. After the aggregate reaches the pan, the amount of material retained in each sieve is
then weighed.
[4]

Preparation[edit]
In order to perform the test, a sufficient sample of the aggregate must be obtained from the
source. To prepare the sample, the aggregate should be mixed thoroughly and be reduced to a
suitable size for testing. The total weight of the sample is also required.
[4]

Results[edit]

Graphs of cumulative percent passing versus the logarithmic sieve size.

The results are presented in a graph of percent passing versus the sieve size. On the graph the
sieve size scale is logarithmic. To find the percent of aggregate passing through each sieve, first
find the percent retained in each sieve. To do so, the following equation is used,

%Retained =

100%

where W is the weight of aggregate in the sieve and W is the total weight of the aggregate.
The next step is to find the cumulative percent of aggregate retained in each sieve. To do so, add
up the total amount of aggregate that is retained in each sieve and the amount in the previous
sieves. The cumulative percent passing of the aggregate is found by subtracting the percent
retained from 100%.
Sieve

Total

%Cumulative Passing = 100% - %Cumulative Retained.

The values are then plotted on a graph with cumulative percent passing on the y axis and
logarithmic sieve size on the x axis.
[4]

There are two versions of the %Passing equations. the .45 power formula is presented on .45
power gradation chart, whereas the more simple %Passing is presented on a semi-log gradation
chart. version of the percent passing graph is shown on .45 power chart and by using the .45
passing formula.
.45 power percent passing formula

% Passing = P =

x100%

Where:
Sieve
- Largest diameter sieve used in (mm).
Aggregate
- Largest piece of aggregate in the sample in (mm).
Largest

max_size

Percent passing formula

%Passing =

x100%

Where:
W - The total mass of the aggregate within the sieves below the current sieve, not including
the current sieve's aggregate.
Below

Total

- The total mass of all of the aggregate in the sample.

Methods[edit]
There are different methods for carrying out sieve analyses, depending on the material to be
measured.

Throw-action sieving[edit]
Here a throwing motion acts on the sample. The vertical throwing motion is overlaid with a slight
circular motion which results in distribution of the sample amount over the whole sieving surface.
The particles are accelerated in the vertical direction (are thrown upwards). In the air they carry
out free rotations and interact with the openings in the mesh of the sieve when they fall back. If
the particles are smaller than the openings, they pass through the sieve. If they are larger, they
are thrown upwards again. The rotating motion while suspended increases the probability that
the particles present a different orientation to the mesh when they fall back again, and thus might
eventually pass through the mesh.
Modern sieve shakers work with an electro-magnetic drive which moves a spring-mass system
and transfers the resulting oscillation to the sieve stack. Amplitude and sieving time are set
digitally and are continuously observed by an integrated control-unit. Therefore sieving results
are reproducible and precise (an important precondition for a significant analysis). Adjustment of
parameters like amplitude and sieving time serves to optimize the sieving for different types of
material. This method is the most common in the laboratory sector.
[citation needed]

Horizontal sieving[edit]
In a horizontal sieve shaker the sieve stack moves in horizontal circles in a plane. Horizontal
sieve shakers are preferably used for needle-shaped, flat, long or fibrous samples, as their
horizontal orientation means that only a few disoriented particles enter the mesh and the sieve is
not blocked so quickly. The large sieving area enables the sieving of large amounts of sample,
for example as encountered in the particle-size analysis of construction materials and
aggregates.

Tapping sieving[edit]

Tapping sieving

A horizontal circular motion overlies a vertical motion which is created by a tapping impulse.
These motional processes are characteristic of hand sieving and produce a higher degree of
sieving for denser particles (e.g. abrasives) than throw-action sieve shakers.

Super Sonic sieving[edit]

The particles are lifted and forcibly dropped in a column of oscillating air at a frequency of
thousands of cycles per minute. Sonic sievers are able to handle much finer dry powders than
woven mesh screens.

Wet sieving[edit]
Most sieve analyses are carried out dry. But there are some applications which can only be
carried out by wet sieving. This is the case when the sample which has to be analysed is e.g. a
suspension which must not be dried; or when the sample is a very fine powder which tends to
agglomerate (mostly < 45 m) in a dry sieving process this tendency would lead to a clogging
of the sieve meshes and this would make a further sieving process impossible. A wet sieving
process is set up like a dry process: the sieve stack is clamped onto the sieve shaker and the
sample is placed on the top sieve. Above the top sieve a water-spray nozzle is placed which
supports the sieving process additionally to the sieving motion. The rinsing is carried out until the
liquid which is discharged through the receiver is clear. Sample residues on the sieves have to
be dried and weighed. When it comes to wet sieving it is very important not to change to sample
in its volume (no swelling, dissolving or reaction with the liquid).

Air Circular Jet Sieving[edit]

Air jet sieving machines are ideally suited for very fine powders which tend to agglomerate and
cannot be separated by vibrational sieving. The reason for the effectiveness of this sieving
method is based on two components: A rotating slotted nozzle inside the sieving chamber and a
powerful industrial vacuum cleaner which is connected to the chamber. The vacuum cleaner
generates a vacuum inside the sieving chamber and sucks in fresh air through the slotted nozzle.
When passing the narrow slit of the nozzle the air stream is accelerated and blown against the
sieve mesh, dispersing the particles. Above the mesh, the air jet is distributed over the complete
sieve surface and is sucked in with low speed through the sieve mesh. Thus the finer particles
are transported through the mesh openings into the vacuum cleaner.

Types of gradation[edit]
A Dense gradation
A dense gradation refers to a sample that is approximately of equal amounts of various
sizes of aggregate. By having a dense gradation, most of the air voids between the
material are filled with particles. A dense gradation will result in an even curve on the
gradation graph.
Narrow gradation
Also known as uniform gradation, a narrow gradation is a sample that has aggregate of
approximately the same size. The curve on the gradation graph is very steep, and
occupies a small range of the aggregate.
Gap gradation
[5]

[4]

A gap gradation refers to a sample with very little aggregate in the medium size range.
This results in only coarse and fine aggregate. The curve is horizontal in the medium size
range on the gradation graph.
Open gradation
An open gradation refers an aggregate sample with very little fine aggregate particles.
This results in many air voids, because there are no fine particles to fill them. On the
gradation graph, it appears as a curve that is horizontal in the small size range.
Rich gradation
A rich gradation refers to a sample of aggregate with a high proportion of particles of
small sizes.
[4]

[4]

[5]

Types of sieves[edit]
Woven wire mesh sieves
Woven wire mesh sieves are according to technical requirements of ISO
3310-1. These sieves usually have nominal aperture ranging from 20
micrometers to 3.55 millimeters, with diameters ranging from 100 to 450
millimeters.
[6]

Perforated plate sieves

Perforated plate sieves conform to ISO 3310-2 and can have round or
square nominal apertures ranging from 1 millimeter to 125 millimeters. The
diameters of the sieves range from 200 to 450 millimeters.
[7]

American standard sieves

American standard sieves also known as ASTM sieves conform to ASTM
E11 standard. The nominal aperture of these sieves range from 20
micrometers to 200 millimeters, however these sieves have only 8 and 12
inch diameter sizes.
[8]

Limitations of sieve analysis[edit]

Sieve analysis has, in general, been used for decades to monitor material
quality based on particle size. For coarse material, sizes that range down to
#100 mesh (150m), a sieve analysis and particle size distribution is
accurate and consistent.
However, for material that is finer than 100 mesh, dry sieving can be
significantly less accurate. This is because the mechanical energy required
to make particles pass through an opening and the surface attraction effects
between the particles themselves and between particles and the screen
increase as the particle size decreases. Wet sieve analysis can be utilized
where the material analyzed is not affected by the liquid - except to disperse
it. Suspending the particles in a suitable liquid transports fine material
through the sieve much more efficiently than shaking the dry material.
Sieve analysis assumes that all particle will be round (spherical) or nearly so
and will pass through the square openings when the particle diameter is less
than the size of the square opening in the screen. For elongated and flat
particles a sieve analysis will not yield reliable mass-based results, as the
particle size reported will assume that the particles are spherical, where in
fact an elongated particle might pass through the screen end-on, but would
be prevented from doing so if it presented itself side-on.

Properties[edit]

Gradation affects many properties of an aggregate. It affects bulk density,

physical stability and permeability. With careful selection of the gradation, it
is possible to achieve high bulk density, high physical stability, and low
permeability. This is important because in pavement design, a workable,
stable mix with resistance to water is important. With an open gradation, the
bulk density is relatively low, due to the lack of fine particles, the physical
stability is moderate, and the permeability is quite high. With a rich
gradation, the bulk density will also be low, the physical stability is low, and
the permeability is also low. The gradation can be affected to achieve the
desired properties for the particular engineering application.
[5]

Engineering applications[edit]
Gradation is usually specified for each engineering application it is used for.
For example, foundations might only call for coarse aggregates, and
therefore an open gradation is needed.

Forecast[edit]
Within the last years
some methods for particle size distribution
measurement were developed which work by means of laser diffraction or
digital image processing.
[when?]

"Sieving" with digital image processing[edit]

Digital image processing to determine PSD has now become the quickest
and easiest method for analyzing rock masses. The algorithms used to
analyze digital images and produce PSD has been researched and
developed at the University of Arizona since 1997, and now in software
offered by multiple companies around the world.

The method for digital image processing is the

following[edit]
Image acquisition: Using a standard digital camera, a user takes a picture of
the rocks for analysis. Loading image into the program: Typically user
friendly, either through File or drag and drop Processing image with
softwares proprietary algorithm: The software analyzes individual pixels
gradient and compares to each of the neighboring pixels to determine
boundaries between the rocks. Editing: User edits the boundaries to better
accuracy Results: PSD is produced by the program. The results page is
typically customizable for reporting units and graph style.

Real time data reporting of image processing[edit]

Also available is real time data reporting from any desired location within the
comminution circuit. Continuous conveyor belt fragmentation measurements
in the comminution plant can provide an instantaneous tool for process
control. When planning the integration of fragmentation measurement
instrumentation, position your camera monitoring station in a location where
you can effect a process control change based upon the particle size
information you receive. For example, the primary crusher product is a good
location to measure, since you are able to control the size that the crusher is
producing with slight adjustments to the crusher ensuring that the
downstream comminution circuit is receiving a consistent product to help
reduce variability in the process. In addition to the continuous particle size
analysis, the database of belt material size can be used for simulations and
for further process analysis to help increase process efficiency and
throughput.