Revised 2007 Datasheets No.

2, 3 & 4

MOHAWK COLLEGE OF APPLIED ARTS AND TECHNOLOGY

BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION SCIENCES DEPARTMENT

Grain Size Analysis

INTRODUCTION:
This test is carried out to determine the distribution of particle sizes in soils. The
distribution of particles larger than 74 µm (No. 200 sieve) is determined by sieving.
Those smaller are determined by sedimentation. The A.S.T.M. designation for this
test is D-422. Do not attempt any calculations until you have read the
CALCULATIONS section below.

APPARATUS:
The apparatus used will consist of:

1. Two balances, one sensitive to 0.01 g for weighing material passing the No. 10 sieve
and one sensitive to 0.1 g for weighing material retained on the No. 10 sieve.

2. A stirring apparatus -- "Milk shake mixer" and cup.

3. A type 152H hydrometer.

4. A sedimentation cylinder of 1000 mL capacity.

5. A thermometer accurate to 0.1 oC.

6. Sieves as follows:
Coarse Series Fine Series Washed Sieving
50.8 mm (2") 2.00 mm (No 10) deep No. 200
38.1 mm (1 1/2") 0.84 mm (No 20 bucket
25.4 mm (1") 0.42 mm (No 40)
19.1 mm (3/4") 0.250 mm (No 60)
12.7 mm (1/2") 0.105 mm (No 140)
9.52 mm (3/8") 0.074 mm (No 200)
4.74 mm (No 4)

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While these are the sizes generally used another series may sometimes be used and
in many cases not all of the sieves will be used. This is particularly true of the
coarse series.

7. If available it is desirable to also have a constant temperature bath.

8. A 250 mL beaker.

9. A clock or watch with a sweep second hand.

10. Moisture cans, evaporating dishes, etc.

PROCEDURE
1. Select a sample of the material to be tested of 1200 ± 100 g.

2. After recording the mass of the whole sample (DS 2), crush any lumps and
separate it into 2 parts, one part retained on the No. 10 sieve and one part passing
the No. 10 sieve. Record the mass of the portion retained on DS 2 and set aside
until step 6 below.

3. By means of either a sample splitter or by quartering reduce the size of the sample
passing the No. 10 sieve to between 120 and 150 g. (ASTM calls for approximately
115 g if the soil is sand, or 75 g if it is largely composed of clay sizes.)

4. From the 120 to 150 g, weigh out approximately 15 g, recording the mass on DS 2
(“Hygroscopic Moisture Sample: Mass of Sample + Can”) to 0.01 g, and place in the
oven to obtain the hygroscopic moisture content.

5. The balance of the sample shall also be weighed to 0.01 g and its mass recorded on
DS 2 (“Mass of Hydrometer Sample”). It shall then be placed in the 250 mL
beaker and covered with 125 mL of sodium hexametaphosphate solution. (Note
this solution is premixed and will be supplied to you). Stir the soil until it is
thoroughly wetted and allow to soak until the next laboratory session. (ASTM
specifies a minimum of 18 hrs.)

6. The fraction retained on the No. 10 sieve shall be sieved using the coarse series
and the No 10 sieves. The amount retained on each sieve shall be weighed and
recorded on DS 2 to the nearest 0.1 g.

7. At the start of the second lab session each group will carefully insert the
hydrometer assigned to them in the two sedimentation cylinders which each
contain 125 mL of dispersing agent and distilled water. The temperatures of the
two solutions will bracket the range of probable test temperatures. Wait about 30
2
 seconds for the hydrometer to come to the temperature of the solution. Read the
top of the meniscus and record as the composite hydrometer correction at the
temperature of the solution on DS 3. Thus the composite hydrometer correction
for two different temperatures will be obtained

8. After the soaking period transfer the soil specimen to the "milk shake" cup,
carefully washing any residue out of the beaker. (Note distilled water is used
throughout this test).

9. Fill the milk shake cup about 1/2 full with distilled water and stir on the "milk
shake" mixer for about one minute.

10. Immediately after dispersion transfer the soil water slurry to the sedimentation
cylinder and fill to the 1000 mL mark with distilled water.

11. Using the palm of the hand (don’t curl the fingers) over the open end, turn the
cylinder upside down and back for a period of 1 minute. The number of turns
during the minute should be about 60, counting the turn upside down and back as 2
turns. Any soil in the bottom of the cylinder should be loosened while upside down
by vigorous shaking.

12. After the shaking set the cylinder in a convenient location, record the time of day
on DS 3 (time 0) and take hydrometer readings at the following intervals: 2, 5, 15,
30, 60, 250, 1440, and 10080 minutes. The cylinder will be placed in the controlled
temperature water bath between the 2 and 5 minute readings and left there until
after the 10080 minute reading. Record each hydrometer reading along with the
corresponding temperatures and time of day and test day on DS 3.

13. The 2 and 5 minute readings must be taken at those exact elapsed times. The
timing of the later intervals is not too critical as long as the exact time of the
interval is obtained. For example, the procedure calls for the fifth reading to be
obtained at 60 minutes. It would not affect the results if it was obtained, say, at
68 minutes as long as it was recorded as a reading at 68 minutes. The 10080
minute reading is one week after the test started. Elapsed time should be
determined to the nearest minute.

14. At the start of the third session, after the last hydrometer reading, transfer the
suspension to a deep No 200 washing sieve, and wash with tap water until the wash
water is clear.

15. Transfer the soil remaining on the 200 sieve to a metal pan and dry over a flame.
When dry and after cooling, determine the mass of the soil. (Note: ASTM requires
oven drying at 110oC, but due to time constraints we dry over a flame).
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16. Once the washed, dried sample is cool to the touch (without gloves), measure its
mass to the nearest 0.01 g and record on DS 4. Carry out a sieve analysis on the
soil using the fine series of sieves. Measure and record the mass retained on each
sieve to the nearest 0.01 g on DS 4. Determine the % sieving error by comparing
the original mass of the washed, dried sample to the sum of the masses retained
on the sieves and pan.

17. If the above procedures have been carefully followed all the information
necessary to calculate the grain size distribution of the soil has been obtained.
Assume a specific gravity of the soil of 2.700.

CALCULATIONS (see data sheets for Example Calculations on website)

1. To calculate the coarse fraction larger than No. 10:

The example data sheet No. 2 shows the results of a sieve analysis on the coarse
fraction. A 376.1 gram portion of this sample was retained on the No 10 sieve
when the sample was split in accordance with step 2 in the instructions, above.
Column 3 of the data sheet shows the mass retained on each sieve. The percent-
age retained is calculated using the total sample mass of 1213.0 g. (Note: We do
not calculate the percentages based on the 376.1 grams retained on the No 10
sieve but rather on the whole sample.)

Example: Mass on 3/4" sieve = 44.8 g (14.9 g on 1" + 29.9 g on 3/4")

 44.8 
Percentage retained on 3/4" sieve =   × 100% = 3.7%
 1213 

The percent passing is determined by subtracting the percent retained from 100%.

Example: Percent passing 3/4" = 100.0% - 3.7% = 96.3%

2. To Calculate the Results of the Sedimentation Test (Refer to example data

sheet No. 3):
a) Hygroscopic Moisture Correction: Step 3 of the procedure specifies that the
sample passing the No. 10 sieve be reduced to approximately 120 to 150 g and that
a moisture content sample of about 15 g be obtained from it. The balance was used
in the Hydrometer Test. It is required to calculate the mass of soil used in the
Hydrometer Test on an oven dry basis.

Example: After splitting 143.73 g, a moisture sample of 15.76 g was obtained. That
left a hydrometer sample of 127.97 g. The hygroscopic moisture content, w was
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 found to be 0.51%. Calculate the dry mass of the hydrometer sample, Ms is found
as follows:

127.97
Ms =
0.51
1+
100

Ms = 127.32

b) Total Sample Represented by Sample Used in Test: Since only 69.1% of the
original sample passed the No 10 sieve, an adjustment must be made for this. The
total mass of the sample, M, represented by the portion used in the hydrometer
test equals is found as follows:

Ms
M=
P10

where P10 = Percent passing the No. 10 sieve expressed as a decimal

127.32
Example: M = = 184.26 g
0.691

3. The Hydrometer Correction Equation

The temperature of the water in the sedimentation cylinder affects the accuracy of
the hydrometer reading and hence a correction must be applied. Using the two
calibration readings, an equation representing the variation in the hydrometer
reading, Hc with temperature, T can be obtained:

Hc = C + mT
where C is the constant term and
m is the slope

Example: The slope, m is found by dividing the difference in readings by the

difference in temperature:

 − 2−6  −8
m= = ≈ −0.7619
 25.5 − 15  10.5
The constant term is found by substituting m and one of the points into the general
equation:

5
  −8 
6 =C +  × 15
 10.5 
120
C = 6+ ≈ 17.43
10.5

Hence, the equation is: Hc = 17.43 – 0.7619T

Using this equation and the 30 minute reading in the example, the correction would be

Hc = 17.43 – 0.7619(17.5 °C) = 4.1

Therefore, the corrected 30 minute hydrometer reading would be 19 – 4.1 = 14.9

4. The Percentage in Suspension:

The specific gravity of the soil is assumed to be 2.700. The formula to calculate the
percentage in suspension with hydrometer 152H is

Rxa
P= x100%
M

where:

a = correction factor from Table 1

P = percent of soil in suspension

R = hydrometer reading with correction applied

M = total mass represented calculate above

Example: On the first day at 9:45 am, the hydrometer reading was 19, the correction
was 4.1 (hydrometer correction equation) and the corrected reading R = 14.9. Your
correction equation of course will be based on your calibration readings obtained in
step 7 of the procedure.

From Table 1 for specific gravity of 2.700

a = 0.99

M = 184.26

Therefore
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  14.9 × 0.99 
P=  × 100%
 184.26 
P = 8.01%

5. The Diameter of the Soil Particles:

The formula to calculate diameter D in mm of the soil particles is:

L
D = Kx
T

where:
K is a constant obtained from Table 3

L is the effective length of the hydrometer from Table 2 (Hydrometer

152H)

T = time in minutes from the beginning of the test.

Example: At 17.5o C and a specific gravity of 2.700, K = 0.01387. The 30 minute

reading of the hydrometer was 19 (Note: that we use the uncorrected reading) and L
= 13.2

Therefore,

1 3 .2
D = 0.0138 7 x = 0.0092 mm
30

6. The Sieve Analysis on the Hydrometer Sample:

So far, the top end of grain size curve composed of particles larger than the No. 10
sieve and the bottom end composed of particle sizes and percentages smaller than
the No. 200 sieve have been defined. The final calculation will define the
distribution in the centre portion of the curve from the sieve analysis described in
step 16 of the procedure. The mass of sample used in the calculations of the
percentages is the M used in the hydrometer analysis. For the sample being
evaluated in this example, M = 184.26 g.

Example:

The example data sheet No. 4 shows the result of a sieve analysis on the hydrometer
sample after washing it through the No. 200 sieve. Since 30.9% of the original

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 sample was retained on the number 10 sieve, this value is entered opposite the
number 10 sieve.

The weight on the No 20 sieve = 28.00 g (column 3)

 28.00 
Percent retained on No. 20 sieve = 30.9% +   × 100%
 184.26 

= 30.9% + 15.2% = 46.1%

NOTE: The Grain Size Curve is plotted from the results of the two sieve analysis and
the hydrometer test. A smooth curve (use a French curve) is drawn through the
points. It does not necessarily pass through every point since some scatter of the
points usually occurs. The curve for the sample calculations is posted on the
website.

REPORT

Include in the report:

a) Grain Size Curve graph

b) hydrometer correction equation

c) a summary of the critical grain sizes (No. 4, No. 200) and grading parameters Cu
and Cz

Table 1 - Correction Factors, a

for Specific Gravity
Specific Correction
Gravity Factor, a

2.95 0.94
2.90 0.95
2.85 0.96
2.80 0.97
2.75 0.98
2.70 0.99
2.65 1.00
2.60 1.01
2.55 1.02
2.50 1.03
2.45 1.05

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 Table 2 - Values for Effective Depth, L

Actual Effective Actual Effective Actual Effective Actual Effective

Hydrometer Depth, Hydrom- Depth, Hydrom- Depth, Hydrom- Depth,
Reading L cm eter L cm eter L cm eter L cm
Reading Reading Reading

0 16.3
1 16.1 16 13.7 31 11.2 46 8.8
2 16.0 17 13.5 32 11.1 47 8.6
3 15.8 18 13.3 33 10.9 48 8.4
4 15.6 19 13.2 34 10.7 49 8.3
5 15.5 20 13.0 35 10.6 50 8.1
6 15.3 21 12.9 36 10.4 51 7.9
7 15.2 22 12.7 37 10.2 52 7.8
8 15.0 23 12.5 38 10.1 53 7.6
9 14.8 24 12.4 39 9.9 54 7.4
10 14.7 25 12.2 40 9.7 55 7.3
11 14.5 26 12.0 41 9.6 56 7.1
12 14.3 27 11.9 42 9.4 57 7.0
13 14.2 28 11.7 43 9.2 58 6.8
14 14.0 29 11.5 44 9.1 59 6.6
15 13.8 30 11.4 45 8.4 60 6.5

Table 3 - Values for Correction, K

Specific Gravity of Soil Particles
Temp
(° C) 2.450 2.500 2.550 2.600 2.650 2.700 2.750 2.800 2.850

16 0.01510 0.01 505 0.01 481 0.01458 0.01435 0.01414 0.01394 0.01374 0.01356
17 0.01511 0.01 486 0.01462 0.01439 0.01417 0.01396 0.01376 0.01356 0.01338
18 0.01492 0.01 467 0.01443 0.01421 0.01399 0.01378 0.01359 0.01339 0.01321
19 0.01474 0.01 449 0.01425 0.01403 0.01382 0.01361 0.01342 0.01323 0.01305
20 0.01456 0.01 431 0.01408 0.01386 0.01365 0.01344 0.01325 0.01307 0.01289

21 0.01438 0.01414 0.01391 0.01369 0.01348 0.01328 0.01309 0.01291 0.01273

22 0.01421 0.01397 0.01374 0.01353 0.01332 0.01312 0.01294 0.01276 0.01258
23 0.01404 0.01381 0.01358 0.01357 0.01317 0.01297 0.01279 0.01261 0.01243
24 0.01388 0.01365 0.01342 0.01321 0.01301 0.01282 0.01264 0.01246 0.01229
25 0.01372 0.01349 0.01327 0.01306 0.01286 0.01267 0.01249 0.01232 0.01215

26 0.01357 0.01334 0.01312 0.01291 0.01272 0.01253 0.01235 0.01218 0.01201

27 0.01342 0.01319 0.01297 0.01277 0.01258 0.01239 0.01221 0.01204 0.01188
28 0.01327 0.01304 0.01283 0.01263 0.01244 0.01225 0.01208 0.01191 0.01175
29 0.01312 0.01290 0.01269 0.01249 0.01230 0.01212 0.01195 0.01178 0.01162
30 0.01298 0.01276 0.01256 0.01236 0.01217 0.01199 0.01182 0.01165 0.01149