GRAIN SIZE ANALYSIS OF SOILS

INTRODUCTION

As shown in Figure 1, a soil consists of particles of various shapes, sizes and

quantity. The grain size analysis divides these particles into sizes groups and
determines their relative proportions by weight. Grain size analysis is a basic
laboratory test required to identify soils in engineering soil classification systems.

Figure 1: the particles of soil were divided into different group size

Soils may be divided on the basis of their dominating particle size into six
categories which are: boulders, cobbles, gravel, sand; silt and clay (see Table 1).

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Table 1: Comparison of systems for classifying particle size ranges of soils

There are two separate procedures for obtaining the grain size distribution of soils:
sieve analysis and sedimentation analysis.

Sieve analysis is used for gravel and sand size particles (coarse grain sizes with larger
than 75 μm) but cannot be used for silt and clay size particles (fine grains soils with grain
size smaller than 75 μm). A sedimentation procedure (e.g. hydrometer analysis) is used
instead. Sieve and sedimentation analyses are combined to define the grain size
distribution of soil having fine and coarse grains.

- The basic principles for sieve analysis and hydrometer analysis are described in the
following two sections.

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SECTION ONE

SIEVE ANALYSIS

INTRODUCTION

Sieve analysis consists of shaking the soil sample through a set of sieves that have
progressively smaller openings.

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 μm. Grains smaller than 75 μm are sorted by using sedimentation
(Hydrometer analysis). Sieving can be conducted in either wet or dry conditions. Dry
sieving is used only for soils with a negligible amount of plastic fines, such as gravels and
clean sands, whereas wet sieving is applied to soils with plastic fines. Soils that are non-
cohesive may only require dry sieving. It is usually considered that the sedimentation
procedure is not necessary if the soil contains less than 10% fines.

PARTICLE SIZE DISTRIBUTION CURVE

The particle size distribution curve, also known as a gradation curve, represents the
distribution of particles of different sizes in the soil mass.

Grain size distribution curves enable sands and gravels to be classified into two main
types:

1. Well graded if there is no absence of particles in any size range and if no

intermediate sizes are lacking. The smooth concave upward grading curve is typical
of well-graded soil, which is shown by curve (1) in Fig (2).

2. Poorly graded: A high proportion of the particles have sizes with narrow
limits (a uniform soil or narrowly graded soil) as shown by curve (2). However,
Particles of both large and small sizes are present but with relatively low proportion of
the particles of intermediate sizes (a gap-graded or step-graded soil) as shown by
curve (3). Soil particles have sizes ranging from greater than 200 mm down to
less than 0.002 mm (2 µm)

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Figure 2: Example of grain size distribution curve for sand and gravel

PURPOSES

To determine the grain size distribution curve of a soil sample by which soil can be
classified and their engineering properties assessed.

APPARATUS

The equipment used in sieve analysis includes:

1. A series of standard sieves of square mesh, including cover plate and bottom pan
(Figure 3). Two recommended sieve stacks (having successively smaller mesh sizes)
are as shown in table (2):

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Table 2: Typical stack of sieves for grain size analysis

2. Vibrator (Mechanical shaker).

3. Balance sensitive to 0.1gm.

4. Mortar and pestle (or pulverizer for breaking up aggregations of soil particles).

5. Brush (for cleaning sieve).

6. Drying Oven.

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Figure 3: typical stack of sieves for grain size analysis

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PREPARATION OF SOIL SAMPLE

The aggregations or lumps of soil tested are thoroughly broken up with the fingers or with the
mortar and pestle. The specimen to be tested should be large enough to be representative of
the soil in the field. It should also be small enough not to overload sieves. The size of
representative specimen depends on the maximum particle size. Table (3) gives some
guidelines for selecting the maximum sample weight.

Table 3: Approximate sample weight for sieve analysis

Nominal diameter of largest particle Minimum Weight of Sample (g)

No. 10 sieve 200

No. 4 sieve 500

¾ in 1500

TEST PROCEDURE

1. Oven dry the sample, allow it to cool. Then take 500 gm (depending on
maximum particle size) of oven dried soil. Call this sample Ws.

2. If the sample contains appreciable gravel, very few fines go directly to the next step.
Otherwise, the washing process should be conducted. This is done in order to
remove all the fines (silt and clay size particles). Also, this method ensures that very
little dust will adhere to the larger particles, that the reducible limps are water-
softened. The washing process is performed as follow:

 Place the soil sample on the sieve No. 200 and carefully wash the material
through the sieve using tap water until the water is clear. Be very careful in this
process not to damage the sieve or lose any soil by splashing the material out of
sieve.
 Carefully pour the residue, using backwashing, into large weighed dish and let
it sit for a short period of time until the top of the suspension becomes clear.
Pour off as much of the clear tap water as possible, then place the dish and
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remaining soil-water suspension in the oven dry for drying at 110oC.

 On the following day, return to the laboratory and weigh the oven-dry residue.

3. Select a stack of sieves suitable to the soil being tested. Weigh each sieve and a pan
to be used Wo (make sure each sieve is clean before weighing it, by using a brush to
remove grains stuck in mesh openings).

4. Arrange the stack of sieves so that the largest mesh opening is at the top and the
smallest is at the bottom and attach the pan at the bottom of the sieve stack.

5. Either immediately (if not using washing) or on the following day (with washing),
pour the dry sample on the top sieves. Add a cover plate (to avoid dust and lost
particles while shaking).

6. Place the stack of sieves in the mechanical shaker and shake for 10 min.

7. Remove the stack of sieves from the shaker, and measure the weight of each sieve
and the pan with the soil retained on them Wf.

8. Subtract the weights obtained in step (2) from those of step (7) to give the weight of
soil retained on each sieve. Their sum is compared to the initial sample weight; both
weights should be within about 2%. If the difference is greater than 2%, too much
material was lost and weighing and/or sieving should be repeated.

9. Compute the percent retained on each sieve by dividing the weight retained on
each sieve by the original sample weight Ws used in step 1.

10. Compute the percent passing ( or percent finer) by starting with 100 percent and
subtracting the percent retained on each sieve as a cumulative procedure.

11. Make a semilogarithmic plot of grain size Vs. percent passing, using the grapgh
on the data sheet.

THEN:

a. If less than 10% passes the No. 200 sieve, compute C U and CC and shown on your
graph.

b. If more than 10% of sample passes sieve No. 200, hold your data until the next
experiment is completed so that the grain –size curve can be completed.

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CALCULATION:

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 Sieve Analysis Data sheet

Name :

Class :

Group Number :

Total weight of Sample :

Sieve Diameter Weight Weight of Weight % Cumulative %

No. (mm) of sieve sieve + soil of soil Retained of % Passing
(gm) retained retained on each Retained
(gm) (gm) sieve (gm)
4 4.75
10 2.00
20 0.850
30 0600
40 0.425
100 0.150
200 0.075
pan
∑=

From Grain Size Distribution curve:

% Gravel= D 10= mm Cc=

% Sand= D30= mm Cu=

% Fines= D60= mm

Signature:

Test date: / / 20