Grains Size Analysis:-

Equipment:-

1-6 sets of sieves = 10, 18, 35, 60, 120, 230, pan (6 sieves and the pan)

2-Electronic Balances to measure mass of samples

3-Handlenses or stereo microscopes

4-Computers with a spreadsheet program

5-Dilute HCl.

Materials:

1. 3 Sand samples

2. Large sheets of paper (butcher paper or flip chart)

3. Smaller sheet of paper - notebook paper will do

4. 7 containers to place sieved samples in; these can be weighing trays or

beakers.

(1).Take approximately a 100 gram split of a sample. Examine it briefly with

a hand lens or microscope and make appropriate notes about its character. Put

this into Table 1 and include what you perceive the size of the average grain to

be (sand box sand in a playground is medium grained, if larger sized grains

dominate then it is coarse grained, and if smaller then fine grained). How well

sorted is the sample (all or most grains are the same size then well sorted,

some range in grain size then sorted, and if there is quite a bit of variation in

grain size then poorly sorted). Are the grains for the most part angular, sub-

angular to sub-rounded, rounded, or well rounded? What is the sphericity of

the grains; compact or spherical, bladed, elongate? What types of grains are

present; quartz, feldspar, rock fragments, mica, shell material? Test a small
 amount of each sample with a drop or two of dilute hydrochloric acid (HCl).

If it fizzes there is carbonate material (shell, coral, etc.) present. Next pick

through the sample and remove all large chunks of vegetation and bugs.

(2).Weigh the sample on the balance and record the mass of the sample.

(3) Take a set of sieves and make sure that they are stacked such that the

screen write the smallest opening is at the base and the largest is at

the top. Note that the screens have different numbers on them. These are referring

to different types of size scales.

(4).With a circular motion shake the sieves and occasionally rap gently it on the

bench top. Do this for 5 minutes,

(5) Gently pry off the top cover of the screen set. You may need to use a dime

to aid in this. In the same manor remove the first screen from the stack; being

very careful not to launch any grains off across the lab (don't force it be

gentle). Lay a clean sheet of paper that is larger than the area of the screen on

the bench top. Turn the screen over and dump its contents on the paper.

Transfer the sand on the paper to the weighing paper or pan. Then take the

screen and turn it over and rap its rim once on the surface of the paper.

Transfer the grains to the weighing pan. Rap it again but a little harder this

time and then dump the grains. Then slam the sieve down on the paper such

that the entire rim contacts the paper at once; dump the grains onto the

weighing pan and set the screen asideset the screen aside.

(6) Weigh out what you have dumped from the sieve and record the results on

a sieve analysis form.

(7) Repeat (5) and (6) for each screen and the pan.

(8) Add up all the weights from each screen and the pan.
 (9) Construct a histogram of your results.

The columns of the histogram will have a width proportional to the size range

of grains (expressed using the phi scale) for each sample split.

(10)Construct a plot of grain size (x-axis) versus cumulative percent (y-axis).

The Scale of the x-axis will be in phi values (not meters).

(11).Construct a similar plot of grain size versus cumulative percent using the

probability paper.

(12)-Using either of the cumulative curves determine the phi.

(13)-Use the values to calculate the other statistics listed below using the

equations shown.

Grain Size: (from graphic mean):-

Boulder -12 to -8 phi

Cobble -8 to -6 phi

Pebble -6 to -2 phi

granular -2 to -1 phi

very coarse grained -1 to 0.0 phi

coarse grained 0.0 to 1.0 phi

medium grained 1.0 to 2.0 phi

fine grained 2.0 to 3.0 phi

very fine grained 3.0 to 4.0 phi

coarse silt 4.0 to 5.0 phi

 medium silt 5.0 to 6.0 phi

fine silt 6.0 to 7.0 phi

very fine silt 7.0 to 8.0 phi

Clay 8.0 phi and smaller

Sorting: (from inclusive graphic standard deviation)

 under 0.35 phi very well sorted

0.35 to 0.50 phi well sorted

0.50 to 0.71 phi moderately well sorted

0.71 to 1.0 phi moderately sorted

1.0 to 2.0 phi poorly sorted

2.0 to 4.0 phi very poorly sorted

over 4.0 phi extremely poorly sorted

Grain Size Scales US

Opening in Phi Standard

millimeters Scale
Sieve

Mesh

-12 4096

-10 1024

-8 256

-6 64

-2 4 5

-1 2.00 10

0 1 18

1 0.5 35

2 0.25 60

3 0.125 120

4.0 0.0625 230

4.5 0.044 325

5.0 0.031

8.0 0.0039

14.0 0.00006