EXPERIMENT NO.

2 SIEVE ANALYSIS OF COARSE GRAIN SOIL

Objective: To carry out sieve analysis of coarse grained soil and draw particles size distribution curve. Utilization: Sieve analysis is widely used in identification and classification of soil. It is also utilized in the part of the specification of soil for airfields, roads, earth dams and other soil embankment construction. Apparatus: Set of ASTM sieves containing sieve # 4, 8, 16, 30, 50, 100, 200, lid and pan, Balance sensitive to 0.001gm, Soil pulverizer, Sieve shaker, Soft brush for cleaning, oven dried Soil sample. Procedure: The procedure for the test is as following: 1. Set the sieves in order so that sieves with largest openings are on the top and gradually reduced size below.
2.

Take oven dried soil sample about 500 to 1000gm, we had taken 500gm sample which was already pulverized. Pour entire sample in to set of sieves. the sieves set in the sieve shaker and shake for 5 to 10 minutes.

3. Place

4. Remove the nest of sieves from the sieve shaker and obtain the mass of material retained on each sieve carefully. Compare sum of these mass to the actual mass taken. Observation and Data Collection: The observations to be taken during the test are shown on data Sheet. Sieve No/ size(mm) 4 8 16 30 50 100 200 Pan (4.75) (2.0) (1.180) (0.600) (0.355) (150) (0.075) Mass Retained (gm) 2 16 45 68 82 96 58 131 Cumulated mass (gm) 2 18 63 131 213 309 367 498 % Retained on each 0.4 3.2 9 13.6 16.4 19.2 11.6 26.20 Cumulative % Passing 0.4 3.60 12.60 26.20 42.60 61.80 73.40 99.60 %Finer/ passing % 99.6 96.40 87.40 73.80 57.40 38.20 26.60

Total retained mass= 498 gm

Computation and interpretation: The computations to be done after the practical are as following: 1. 2. Compute the percent retained (cumulative) on each sieve by dividing the mass retained on each sieve by original sample mass. Compute the percent passing by subtracting with 100% and subtracting the cumulative % retained for that sieve. (1) (2) % Retained = (Mass of soil retained / Total Mass of sample) x100 % Passing = 100 Cumulative percent retained (Gravel) = 0.4 % (Fines) =26.2 %

Retained % of particles on Sieve # 4 Particles Passing from sieve # 200

Particles passing % from Sieve # 4 & retained on sieve # 200 (Sand) = 73 %.

3. 4.

Draw grain size curve between sieve size and percent passing on semi log paper. Find the Dia of particles from the graph curve. D10 (Grain dia at 10% passing) 0.045 D30 (Grain dia at 30% passing) 0.1 D60 (Grain dia at 60% passing) 0.40 Cu= D60/ D10 Cc =(D30)2/(D60X D10)

8.89

0.56

Cu is the coefficient of uniformity, which is a measure of the particles size range. Cc is the coefficient of curvature, which represents the shape of the particles size distribution curve.

For well graded gravel Cu Greater than 4 and Cc between 1 and 3 For well graded Sand Cu Greater than 6 and Cc between 1 and 3

Conclusion: Now by analyzing the values of Cu and Cc, we can see that the value of Cu indicates that our sample is well graded, while the value of Cc indicates otherwise. Due to this clash in results we say that the soil sample is poorly graded.

Precautions: We should take a safe distance from sieve shaker so that we can be safe.