INTRODUCTION

The examination of grain size is commonly utilised in soil categorization. Grain size
distribution curves provide information that is used to design filters for earth dams and to
analyse the appropriateness of soil for road, air field, earth dam, and other soil construction.
Although permeability tests are more commonly employed, information received from grain
size analysis can be utilised to forecast soil water movement. The hydrometer test is used to
measure the relative quantities of fine sand, silt, and clay in a soil sample. Understanding how
a soil will behave when used as a construction material requires knowledge of the range of
moisture content across which it will demonstrate a given consistency.

The soil sample's cohesion is measured by the hydrometer. This is a metric for how
well soil particles stick together. Because the behaviour of the soil's cohesive component is
highly dependent on the clay content of the soil, hydrometer test is an excellent predictor of
its clay content. Other soil parameters such as water content, particle sizes, and geologic
history influence the hydrometer test as well, however these properties have a less impact on
the hydrometer analysis results. For that fraction of the soil that goes through a No. 200 sieve,
a hydrometer study is necessary to determine the particle size distribution (0.075 mm). The
specific gravity of the soil suspension at the centre of the hydrometer's bulb is measured. The
mass of solids present determines the specific gravity, which is determined by particle size.

Based on Stokes' law, the hydrometer test of soil determines the size of soil particles
from the rate at which they settle out of suspension from a liquid. Although Stoke's equation
was designed for perfect spheres, most silt and clay particles are platey in shape. Clay
particles also have a tightly bound layer of adsorbed water that persists on the particle as it
falls through the water column, resulting in a more resistant surface than the clay particle
alone. Despite these inconsistencies, the hydrometer method is widely acknowledged as a
useful tool for determining the diameter and percentage of the smallest soil particles.
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The Constructor Building Ideas. Soil Particle Size Distribution by Hydrometer Method.
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The grand size analysis. Grain Size Distribution. Retrieved May 22, 2021 from
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