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Mechanical Analysis of Soil

] Mechanical analysis is the determination of the size range of particles present in a soil, expressed as a percentage of the total dry weight. ] There are two methods generally used to find the particlesize distribution of soil:
\ 1) sieve analysis for particle sizes larger than 0.075 mm in diameter, and \ (2) hydrometer analysis for particle sizes smaller than 0.075 mm in diameter. The basic principles of sieve analysis and hydrometer ever analysis are briefly described in the following two sections.

Mechanical Analysis of Soil

Sieve analysis Hydrometer analysis

Sieve Analysis
] Sieve analysis consists of shaking the soil sample through a set of sieves that have progressively smaller openings.

Sieve Analysis
Sieve Number 4 6 8 10 16 20 30 40 50 60 80 100 140 170 200 270 Opening (mm) 4.750 3.350 2.360 2.000 1.180 0.850 0.600 0.425 0.300 0.250 0.180 0.150 0.106 0.088 0.075 0.053

Sieve Analysis
] First the soil is oven dried and then all lumps are broken into small particle before they are passed through the sieves ] After the completion of the shaking period the mass of soil retained on each sieve is determined

Sieve Analysis
] The results of sieve analysis are generally expressed in terms of the percentage of the total weight of soil that passed through different sieves
Percent of Sieve Diameter Mass of soil soil # (mm) retained on each sieve retained on each sieve (g) (g) 10 16 30 40 60 100 200 Pan 2.000 1.180 0.600 0.425 0.250 0.150 0.075 0 9.90 24.66 17.60 23.90 35.10 59.85 278.99 0 2.20 5.48 3.91 5.31 7.80 13.30 62.00 Percent passing (%) 100.00 97.80 92.32 88.41 83.10 75.30 62.00 0

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Sieve Analysis
] Sieve Analysis (Mass of Dry Soil Sample = 450 g)
Percent of Sieve Diameter Mass of soil soil # (mm) retained on each sieve retained on each sieve (g) (g) 10 16 30 40 60 100 200 Pan 2.000 1.180 0.600 0.425 0.250 0.150 0.075 0 9.90 24.66 17.60 23.90 35.10 59.85 278.99 0 2.20 5.48 3.91 5.31 7.80 13.30 62.00 Percent passing (%) 100.00 97.80 92.32 88.41 83.10 75.30 62.00 0

Sieve Analysis
] Sieve Analysis (Mass of Dry Soil Sample = 450 g)
Percent of Sieve Diameter Mass of soil soil # (mm) retained on each sieve retained on each sieve (g) (g) 10 16 30 40 60 100 200 Pan 2.000 1.180 0.600 0.425 0.250 0.150 0.075 0 9.90 24.66 17.60 23.90 35.10 59.85 278.99 0 2.20 5.48 3.91 5.31 7.80 13.30 62.00 Percent passing (%) 100.00 97.80 92.32 88.41 83.10 75.30 62.00 0

ParticleSize Distribution Curve

] The results of mechanical analysis (sieve and hydrometer analyses) are generally presented by semilogarithmic plots known as particlesize distribution curves.

ParticleSize Distribution Curve

Particle diameter (mm)

Recommended Procedure
1. Weigh to 0.1 g each sieve which is to be used
2. Select with care a test sample which is representative of the soil to be tested 3. Weigh to 0.1 a specimen of approximately 500 g of ovendried soil 4. Sieve the soil through a nest of sieves by hand shaking. At least 10 minutes of hand sieving is desirable for soils with small particles. 5. Weigh to 0.1 g each sieve and the pan with the soil retained on them. 6. Subtract the weights obtained in step 1 from those of step 5 to give the weight of soil retained on each sieve. The sum of these retained weights should be checked against the original soil weight.

Calculations
] Percentage retained on any sieve:

weight of soil retained 100% total soil weight

] Cumulative percentage retained on any sieve:

= Percentage retained
] Percentage finer than an sieve size:

100% Percentage retained

Percent finer (%)

] The particle diameters are plotted in log scale, and the corresponding percent finer in arithmetic scale.

Silt and clay

Sand

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Effective Size, Uniformity Coefficient, and Coefficient of Gradation

] Three basic soil parameters can be determined from these grainsize distribution curves:
\ Effective size \ Uniformity coefficient \ Coefficient of gradation

Effective Size, Uniformity Coefficient, and Coefficient of Gradation

] The diameter in the particlesize distribution curve corresponding to 10% finer is defined as the effective size, or D10.

D10 = 0.093 mm

Particle diameter (mm)

Effective Size, Uniformity Coefficient, and Coefficient of Gradation

] The uniformity coefficient is given by the relation:

Effective Size, Uniformity Coefficient, and Coefficient of Gradation

] Where D60 is the diameter corresponding to 60% finer in the particle-size distribution D60 = 0.51 mm

Particle diameter (mm)

Effective Size, Uniformity Coefficient, and Coefficient of Gradation

] The coefficient of gradation may he expressed as:

Effective Size, Uniformity Coefficient, and Coefficient of Gradation

] Where D30 is the diameter corresponding to 30% finer in the particle-size distribution

D30 = 0.25 mm

Particle diameter (mm)

Percent finer (%)

Cc =

D302 D10 D60

Percent finer (%)

Cu =

D60 D10

Percent finer (%)

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Effective Size, Uniformity Coefficient, and Coefficient of Gradation

] For the particle-size distribution curve we just used, the values of D10, D30, and D60 are: D10 = 0.093 mm D30 = 0.25 mm D60 = 0.51 mm

Effective Size, Uniformity Coefficient, and Coefficient of Gradation

] The particlesize distribution curve shows not only the range of particle sizes present in a soil but also the type of distribution of various size particles.
Percent finer (%) Particle diameter (mm)

Cu =

D60 0.51mm = = 5.5 0.093mm D10

Cc =

D302 (0.25mm )2 = = 1.3 D10 D60 0.51mm 0.093mm

Effective Size, Uniformity Coefficient, and Coefficient of Gradation

] This particle-size distribution represents a soil in which the particles are distributed over a wide range, termed well graded
Percent finer (%)

Effective Size, Uniformity Coefficient, and Coefficient of Gradation

] This particle-size distribution represents a type of soil in which most of the soil grains are the same size. This is called a uniformly graded soil.
Percent finer (%) Particle diameter (mm)

Particle diameter (mm)

Effective Size, Uniformity Coefficient, and Coefficient of Gradation

] This particle-size distribution represents such a soil. This type of soil is termed gap graded.

Example Sieve Analysis

] From the results of a sieve analysis, shown below, determine:
(a) the percent finer than each sieve and plot a grainsize distribution curve,

Percent finer (%)

(b) D10, D30, D60 from the grainsize distribution curve, (c) the uniformity coefficient, Cu, and (d) the coefficient of gradation, Cc.
Sieve Number 4 10 20 40 60 100 200 Pan Diameter (mm) 4.750 2.000 0.850 0.425 0.250 0.150 0.075 Mass of soil retained on each sieve (g) 28 42 48 128 221 86 40 24

Particle diameter (mm)

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Example Sieve Analysis

Example Sieve Analysis

Sieve Number 4 10 20 40 60 100 200 Pan Mass of soil retained on each sieve (g) 28 42 48 128 221 86 40 24 617 Percent retained on each sieve (%) 4.54 6.81 7.78 20.75 35.82 19.93 6.48 3.89 Percent Cumulative finer (%) percent retained on each sieve (%) 4.54 11.35 19.13 39.88 75.70 89.63 96.11 100.00 95.46 88.65 80.87 60.12 24.30 10.37 3.89 0

Sieve Number 4 10 20 40 60 100 200 Pan

Diameter (mm) 4.750 2.000 0.850 0.425 0.250 0.150 0.075

Mass of soil retained on each sieve (g) 28 42 48 128 221 86 40 24

Example Sieve Analysis

Sieve Number 4 10 20 40 60 100 200 Pan Mass of soil retained on each sieve (g) 28 42 48 128 221 86 40 24 617 Percent retained on each sieve (%) 4.54 6.81 7.78 20.75 35.82 19.93 6.48 3.89 Percent Cumulative finer (%) percent retained on each sieve (%) 4.54 11.35 19.13 39.88 75.70 89.63 96.11 100.00 95.46 88.65 80.87 60.12 24.30 10.37 3.89 0

Example Sieve Analysis

D10 = 0.14 mm D30 = 0.27 mm D60 = 0.42 mm

Particle diameter (mm)

Example Sieve Analysis

] For the particle-size distribution curve we just used, the values of D10, D30, and D60 are: D10 = 0.14 mm D30 = 0.27 mm D60 = 0.42 mm

Group Work - Sieve Analysis

] From the results of a sieve analysis, shown below, determine:
(a) the percent finer than each sieve and plot a grainsize distribution curve, (b) D10, D30, D60 from the grainsize distribution curve, (c) the uniformity coefficient, Cu, and (d) the coefficient of gradation, Cc.
Sieve Number 4 10 20 40 60 80 100 200 Pan Mass of soil retained on each sieve (g) 0 40 60 89 140 122 210 56 12

Cu =

D60 D10

0.42mm = 3.0 0.14mm

Cc =

D302 (0.27mm )2 = = 1.2 0.42mm 0.14mm D10 D60

Percent finer (%)

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Group Work - Sieve Analysis

Sieve Number 4 10 20 40 60 80 100 200 Pan Mass of soil retained on each sieve (g) 0 40 60 89 140 122 210 56 12 729 Percent retained on each sieve (%) Percent Cumulative finer (%) percent retained on each sieve (%)

Group Work - Sieve Analysis

Sieve Number 4 10 20 40 60 80 100 200 Pan Mass of soil retained on each sieve (g) 0 40 60 89 140 122 210 56 12 729 Percent retained on each sieve (%) 0 5.5 8.2 12.2 19.2 16.7 28.8 7.7 1.6 Percent Cumulative finer (%) percent retained on each sieve (%) 0 5.5 13.7 25.9 45.1 61.8 90.6 98.3 99.9 100.0 94.5 86.3 74.1 54.9 38.2 9.4 1.7 0.1

Group Work - Sieve Analysis

Group Work - Sieve Analysis

] For the particle-size distribution curve we just used, the values of D10, D30, and D60 are:

D10 = 0.15 mm D30 = 0.17 mm D60 = 0.28 mm

Percent finer (%)

D10 = 0.15 mm

D30 = 0.17 mm

D60 = 0.28 mm

Cu =

D60 D10

0.28mm = 1.9 0.15mm

Particle diameter (mm)

Cc =

D302 (0.17mm )2 = = 0.69 D10 D60 0.28mm 0.15mm

Mechanical Analysis of Soil

Any Questions?
Percent finer (%)
Particle diameter (mm)