Name: Titus Ndeshipanda Haukongo

Student number: 220100594

B.Tech Civil Engineering
Coarse Name: Geotechnical Engineering (GTE611s)

Date of Experiment: 21 April 2022

22 April 2022
Signature: Thaukongo

Wet, Dry preparation and sieve analysis of gravel, sand and soil
samples
Abstract

Subsequent is a report on an experiment conducted at Road Authorities on the 21 st and 22nd of April
2022. Experiment was done on the wet, dry preparation and sieve analysis of gravel, sand and soil
samples. The purpose of the experiment was to determine the gradation of soil (particle size distribution
curve). Experiment includes processes of Quartering, Dry sieving, Boiling and washing, Drying and
Disintegration and Sieve Analyses using various apparatus.

Introduction

Sieve analysis is an experiment used in Civil Engineering and Chemical engineering, it is done by passing
granular material to pass through a series of sieves and weighing amount of material (retained) by each
Wsieve
sieve as a fraction of the whole mass. The percentage retained can be calculated as( × 100)
Wtotal
where W(sieve) is the mass of aggregate in sieve, The percentage passing can be calculated as (
Wbelow
×100 ¿ where W(below) is the total mass of aggregate within sieves below current sieve. As
Wtotal
the soil structure is not homogeneous, you often find particles of different shapes and sizes that require
identification according to size. A particle distribution test (sieve analysis) does exactly this- it separates
the various soil particle sizes from each other (Erroll van Amsterdam, Construction Materials for Civil
Engineering).

The purpose of the experiment is determining the size distribution curve which is often of crucial
importance to the way materials perform. (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sieve analysis).

The objective of the experiment is determining gradation in order to determine compliance with design,
production control requirements and verification specifications (AASHTO T27).

Apparatus

Balance

Sieves
Mechanical sieve shaker

Oven

Tray

Wire Brush

Riffler

Mortar and Pestle

A supply tank of water

Steel bladed spatula

Paper Bags

Procedure

Quartering

We first poured the sample is from a sample bag into a one riffler pan. Material was poured while
moving along the length of riffler pan, this ensures flow of material is even. We then repeated the
process with the contents of one the pans materials until required sample mass is obtained (NB!! It
should be representative of the field sample). In the case of coarse segments that got lodged in riffler
the material was sieved.
For coarse segments: We poured the sample into a 450 mm, 19.0 mm sieve. Any aggregates that were
retained were be disintegrated in the mortar by gently temping with a pestle. Disintegrated material
was then added to the prior that passed through the sieve which is then poured into a riffler.

There is no need to dry material before quartering nut if samples contain large aggregates with cannot
be disintegrated they should first be dried in an oven at temperature not exceeding 110°C so they can
be disintegrated.

Dry sieving

Samples were not wet so we did not need to dry them in oven therefore we just weighed the material
over a 0.425mm sieve. A 2.0 mm sieve was placed above 0.425 mm sieve to act as a guard for the finer
sieve. We then transferred the material retained on the 0.425mm sieve to a mortar and it was rubbed
with a pestle. Material is then sieved again through the 0.425mm sieve. Fines obtained are then
transferred to a paper bag which we placed in a drying oven at a temperature of 105-110°C

Boiling and washing

We the Transferred Material retained on the 0.425 mm sieve to a basin and covered with distilled water.
We then boiled it vigorously for about for 1 minute and allowed it to cool. Material was worked
thoroughly by hand to ensure material was disintegrated. We removed the larger aggregate and washed
it with distilled water on the 0.425mm sieve over clean basin, Clean aggregate was then transferred to
pan. We then stirred the finer material remaining in basin vigorously on a 0.425mm sieve over another
basin. Basin was then washed with clean distilled water while being held over the sieve. We then
washed the material on the sieve by directing a jet of distilled water until the water was cleaned. We
then transferred the washed material to a square pan by inverting the sieve and washing down with
water. The Water in the pan was poured off carefully and dried in an oven.

Drying and disintegration

The fines that we obtained through 0.425 mm sieve was then boiled down to a slurry which we dried
and in oven at a temperature of 105°C-110°C. We then loosened the dry soil at the bottom with a
spatula. We then brushed down material adhering to the side of pans and the slurry disintegrated as far
as possible. We then sieved the material through the 0.425mm sieve and the clods that were retained
are disintegrated using a mortar and pestle and were then added to portion obtained by dry sieving.

Sieve Analysis

After drying the material on the 0.425mm sieve we then sieved through the following sieves, 63.0mm,
53mm, 37.5mm, 26.5mm, 19.0mm, 13.2mm, 4.75mm, 2.0mm and 0.4725mm.

Sieving by hand but you can make use a mechanical shaker. After sieving we then measured and
recorded the mass retained on each sieve.
The material passing the 0.425 mm sieve was the added to soil fine portions obtained by dry sieving. We
then transferred all the material to a scoop scale where it was mixed. It was then weighted and returned
to a paper bag for analysis and determination of Atterberg constants

Results Analysis

SIEVE SIZE MASS RETAINED RETAINED PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PASSING

MEASURED MASS RETAINED
CALCULATED
75.00 mm 0 0 100
63.00 mm 0 0 100
53.00 mm 713 178 9.0 91
37.50 mm 888 222 11.3 79.7
26.50 mm 899 224 11.4 68.3
19.00 mm 708 177 9.0 59.3
13.20 mm 52 2.6 56.7
4.75 mm 191 9.7 47.0
2.00 mm 115 5.8 41.2
0.425 mm 190 9.6 31.6
-0.425 mm 623 31.6 0
-0.075
TOTAL 3208 1972 100

Initial Mass- 4730 g

Portion 1-2343 g

Portion 2-2382 g

Portion 2a-1196 g

Portion 2b-1185 g

Measured Start mass Measured Mass Error %

Mass +19mm (A1) 3210 Total retained +19 3208 0.06
mass (A2)
Mass -19mm 1185 Total mass 1171 1.18
After riffling (B2) Passing -19mm
(B2)
Calculations

D60- 19mm

D30- 0.425mm

D10- 0.075mm

Uniformity Coefficient (Cu) and Coefficient of Curvature (Cc)

 D 60 19
Cu= = =45
D 30 0.425

2 2
( D30) (0.425)
Cc = = =0. 13
D 60 × D 10 (19)×(0. 075)

Discussion

Comment: The results are presented in the graph (Percentage passing versus sieve size), The results
obtained were unexpected as the Uniformity coefficient was quite high and the Coefficient of curvature
was low. The shape of the graph

What does this mean?

The Coefficient of curvature is 45 which is high, thus telling us that the soil mass consists of soil particles
with different size ranges.

The Coefficient of coefficient of curvature is 0.13, this tells us that the soil is poorly graded because in
order for soil to be classified as well graded it has to be between the range 1 and 3.

D30 is the particle size for which 30 percent amount of soil has particles which are finer than this size
therefore (0.425mm).The position, the shape and slope tells us the type of gradation of the soil, This
curve had a wide range of particle sizes ranging from clay to gravel.

Possible sources of errors

One possible source of error is the tendency to not use enough sieves in sieve stacks, which causes the
distribution of the curve to be less smooth. Another source of error could be the improper cleaning of
the test sieves between runs. Failure to properly clean sieves may lead to material leftover from
previous testing to be accounted for in future runs.

Conclusion

The objective of the experiment was to draw the particle distribution curve so the soil can be classified
there for to conclude, the objective was achieved. Also, to briefly summarize the results, the sample of
soil is poorly graded with different range of particles.
References

Construction Materials For Civil Engineering By Errol Van Amserdam

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sieve_analysis

https://theconstructor.org/geotechnical/uniformity-coefficient-cu-coefficient-curvature-cc-soil/34505/?
amp=1

https://www.kafkagranite.com/quality-control-101-sieve-analysis-matter