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. The sieve analysis is generally applied to the soil fraction larger than 75m.

INTRODUCTION
(BS1377 : Part 2:1990:9:9.3),Sieving can be performed in either wet or dry conditions. Dry sieving is used only for soil with a negligible amount of plastic fines such as gravels and clean sands, where as wet sieving is applied to soils with plastic fines. According to the British Standard, dry sieving may be carried out only on materials for which this procedure gives the same results as the wet-sieving procedure. This means that it is applicable only to clean granular materials, which usually implies clean sandy or gravelly soils that is, soils containing negligible amounts of particles of silt or clay size. Normally the wet-sieving procedure should be followed for all soils. If particles of medium gravel size or larger are present in significant amounts, the initial size of the sample required may be such that riffling is necessary at some stage to reduce the sample to a manageable size for fine sieving.

NEED A SCOPE
The grain size analysis is widely used in classification of soils. The data obtained from grain size distribution curves is used in the design of filters for earth dams and to determine suitability of soil for road construction, air field etc. information obtained from grain size analysis can be used to predict soil water movement although permeability test are more generally used.