EXPERIMENT :2

TITLE : SIEVE ANALYSIS

1.0 INTRODUCTION

A sieve analysis is a practice or procedure are use to assess the particle size distribution 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, coal, soils, 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.

2.0 OBJECTIVE

The sieve analysis determines the grain size distribution curve of soil sample by passing them
through a stack of sieves of decreasing mesh opening sizes and by measuring the weight
retained on each sieve.

3.0 THEORY

The suitability of a soil for a particular use in construction is often dependent on the
distribution of gain sizes in the soil mass. There are two tests used to analyze the particle –
size distribution in a soil. One of these methods is the sieve and analyze. The test is a
fundamental requirement for identification and for specification compliance testing for coarse
soils.

4.0 APPARATUS

4.1 Sample of Soil

4.2 Sieve

4.3 Mechanical Shaker

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4.4 Hammer

5.0 APPARATUS FIGURE

Figure 5.1 Sample of Figure 5.2 Sieve Figure 5.3 Mechanical

Soil Shaker

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 Figure 5.4 Hammer

6.0 PROCEDURE

1. Oven dry the sample, allow it to cool and measure its weight (250 gram).

2. Use the mortar and pestle to break down the aggregations into individual particles. The
pressure required to achieve this disaggregation should be minimized to avoid breaking
the solid particles themselves.

3. Select a stack of sieves suitable to the soil being tested. A stack of six or seven sieves is
generally sufficient for most soil and applications. The top sieves soil should have and
opening slightly larger than the largest particles. Arrange the stack of sieves to that the
largest mesh opening is at the top and smallest is the bottom.

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4. Attach a pan at the bottom of the sieve stack. Pour the sample on the top sieve. Add the
cover plate to avoid dust and loss of particles while shaking.

5. Place the stack of sieves the mechanical shaker and shake for about 5 minutes.

6. Remove the stack of sieves from the shaker. Beginning with the top sieve, transfer its
contents to a piece of the paper or a larger recipient. Carefully empty the sieve without
losing any material and use a brush to remove grains stuck in its mesh opening. Measure
the weight of soil retained in each sieve and note the corresponding sieve mesh opening
and number.

7. Repeat step 6 for each sieve. As a preliminary check, the weight retained on all the sieves
and the bottom pan are added and their sum is compared the initial sample weight. Both
weights should be within about 1 % if the difference is greater than 1% too much material
was lost and weighting and or sieves should be repeated.

7.0 SAFETY PRECAUTION

7.1 When sieve analysis is running someone should tight the lock at the sieve analysis.

8.0 RESULT

Total Mass of Dry Sample: 250 gram

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 Sieve Weight of Weight of Mass Mass Percent
BS Sieves + Sieves Retained Passing Finer (%)
(mm) Soil (gram) (gram) (gram) (gram)
2.360 3.001 g 379.06 112.7 138.28 55.50
1.180 3.589 g 351.38 102.04 36.24 14.50
0.500 0.588 g 307.55 34.91 1.33 0.53
0.425 3.585 g 294.90 0.400 0.93 0.37
0.300 0.584 g 281.74 0.680 0.25 0.10
0.212 0.059 g 279.89 0.160 0.09 0.04
0.150 0.526 g 268.55 1.090 0 0
0.075 10.103 g 257.17 0 0 0
Pan 429.38 429.38 0 0 0

Total Mass (gram) 250.45

9.0 CALCULATION

Uniformity Coefficient (Cu) Coefficient of Curvature (Cc)

Cu = D60 Cc= D302

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 D10 D10D60

10.0 DISCUSSION

11.0 CONCLUSION

In conclusion, we can know the type of soil at the place with use the Sieve Analysis Test and
depend to the sample of soil trough the sieve. Depend to size of sieve (mm) and percentage
passing (%), we can plot the sieve analysis graph to know the type of soil. Besides that, with
determine the Uniformity Coefficient (Cu) and Coefficient of Curvature (Cc) we also can
know the grade of soil is good, not good or constant soil.

12.0 REFRENCES

12.1 Civil Engineering Laboratory 2 Report, C3003.

12.2 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sieve_analysis

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