Sieve Analysis And Visual

Soil Classification
Geotechnical Engineering, Laboratory Experiment #1
1. General Notes
 All sieves, stations, benches, and tables must be cleaned and returned to
their proper location before anyone in your group leaves.
 DO NOT throw away your sample. Ask the TA what to do with it at the
end of the laboratory session.
 DO NOT share data with other groups or compare data.
 DO NOT fudge your data to make the results “better”. If there are errors,
explain what happened in your report. If you are not sure what happened,
provide possible explanations that are logical and use your judgment to
determine which one (or more) most likely occurred.

2. Sieve Analysis

2.1 Enter names of each group member onto the data sheet (attached).
2.2 Preparatory work
2.2.1 A sample has been prepared for each group. Locate the sample. The
sample has been dried in an oven at 110°C (212°F) for 24h to remove
all moisture.
2.2.2 Weigh the pan provided (the tare pan), and record the weight on the
data sheet.
2.2.3 Weigh the entire soil sample plus the tare pan, and record the weight.
2.2.4 Obtain a stack of sieves. As a minimum, the following sieves should
be in the stack, as these sizes are used to classify soils according to the
Unified Soil Classification System (USCS) and the AASHTO
classification system: #4, #10, #40, and #200. Other sizes should be
used to fill in gaps to obtain a total of six to nine sieves depending on
the number of sieves that can be used in the shakers available for this
test. The stack of sieves should have the largest openings on top and
the smallest openings on the bottom, with decreasing size of openings
moving from top to bottom. The bottom sieve should be a #200 sieve,
with a pan below it to collect all material that passes through it. There
should be a lid on the top sieve to keep soil from escaping during the
shaking process.

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 Sieve Analysis and Visual Soil Classification

2.2.5 Record the sieve sizes and numbers, in order from top to bottom, on
your data sheet. You should have between 6 and 10 sieves. Table 2.5
on p. 34 of the textbook (Holtz, Kovacs, and Sheahan, 2011) can be
used to determine the size of the screen openings. Usually the size of
the openings is also shown on the label for each sieve.
2.2.6 See the TA to continue
2.3 Place the stack of sieves with the lid removed onto the table. Gently pour
the ENTIRE soil sample into the stack, so as not to spill any and to keep
small particles (dust) from becoming airborne (and thus lost from the
sample). Carefully use a brush to get all the fines out of the tare pan and
into the stack. Place the lid on the stack of sieves.
2.4 Ask the TA to help you place the stack of sieves in a shaker.
2.5 Shake the stack about 10 minutes in a mechanical shaker.
2.6 Remove the stack from the shaker after the allotted time has elapsed.
2.7 Tare your tare pan on the scale (make the scale read “0” while pan is on
the scale).
2.8 Weigh the sample
2.8.1 Carefully and slowly dump the contents of the TOP sieve only into the
pan. Use a brush or metal spatula to remove all particles from the sieve
into the pan. DO NOT spill any sample onto the scale or table.
2.8.2 Record the weight displayed on the scale on your data sheet.
2.8.3 Without removing the soil that is already in the pan or re-taring the
pan, gently dump the contents of the next sieve into the tare pan.
Clean the sieve as before without spilling any of the soil particles.
Some particles may be stuck in the wire mesh. Remove these
carefully over the pan so that they fall into the pan.
2.8.4 Record the cumulative weights of the material you have removed from
the first and second sieves.
2.8.5 Repeat steps 2.8.3 and 2.8.4 until all material from the sieves and the
pan have been added one by one to your tare pan, recording the total
weight of the tare pan after adding material each time.
2.8.6 Return the tare pan and the soil sample to the bench top where you
obtained them so the next class can use them.
2.9 CLEAN all sieves, the lid, the pan, and the bench top, and return the stack
of sieves in their proper order to the location from which they were
obtained. Ask the TA to approve your cleaning of these items and to give
your group approval to perform the visual classification portion of this
session (see Section 3.0 below).

3.0 Visual Soil Classification

3.1 Enter all names of group members onto the data sheet (attached).
3.1.1 A group of samples has been prepared for the class. Locate the
samples. The samples have been hydrated for 24h to distribute
moisture.

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 Sieve Analysis and Visual Soil Classification

3.2 Classification
3.2.1 Observe the first sample at your station. You are encouraged to
touch and handle the specimen.
3.2.2 Examine its texture. Make a note of it on your data sheet.
3.2.3 Examine the moisture content of your sample. Is it wet, is it moist,
or is it dry? Record your observations.
3.2.4 Examine the color of your sample and make a note of it on your
data sheet.
3.2.5 If the sample is granular, estimate the gradation of the sample
(well-graded, poorly-graded, gap-graded). Can you determine the
gradation? If not, why not? If the sample is cohesive, is the
sample “lean” (low plasticity) or “fat” (high plasticity). Record
your observations.
3.2.6 What is the probable maximum particle size?
3.2.7 Classify the material into one of the following four general types
of soil - gravel, sand, silt, or clay.
3.2.8 Is the sample organic or inorganic? Are there large amounts of
roots or other organics present?
3.2.9 Once all the proceeding steps are complete for the first sample,
proceed to the next sample and repeat for all the samples at the
station.
3.3 CLEAN bench top and all equipment. Return all equipment neatly to the
location from which you obtained them. When the TA has approved your
cleaning, he/she will dismiss you.
3.4 Place all moist samples back into their plastic bags.

4.0 Calculations

 Construct a gradation curve from your sieve data by plotting % Finer on the
ordinate vs. Particle Size (in mm) using a logarithmic scale on the abscissa,
similar to the curves shown in Chapter 2 of Holtz, Kovacs, and Sheahan
(HKS). Use Figure 2.6 on p. 37 as a guide. % Finer means the percentage of
the total sample, by dry weight, that is smaller than the particle size
corresponding to each sieve. Particle Size refers to the size of the openings in
each sieve.
 Calculate Cu and Cc for your soil sample.
 Classify your sample using the USCS method. Assume the soil is non-plastic.
 Classify your sample using the AASHTO method.
 Classify all the visual samples from Section 3.0 by USCS as best you can
(estimate LL and other parameters as necessary) using ASTM D-2488:
Description and Identification of Soils (Visual-Manual Procedure) for
guidance.
 All calculations must conform to departmental report guidelines (Laboratory
Handout 3). Present calculations in the Results section of your report.

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 Sieve Analysis and Visual Soil Classification

5.0 Questions

 Answer all questions in the discussion portion of you laboratory report.

 Discuss the gradation of your sample. For example, is it well graded, poorly
graded, or gap-graded? Why?
 Can the sieve analysis be done on a moist sample? Explain why or why not.
 Would this soil be a good bearing material to support the foundations of a
building? Explain why or why not.
 Would this soil be a good subgrade material on which to construct a paved
road? Explain why or why not.
 Discuss differences in the classifications obtained from the AASHTO and
USCS methods. How would a PL > 0 and a LL > 0 affect the classification?
 When would you need to classify a soil using the visual-manual procedure?
 Of the soils you observed in the visual classification portion of this laboratory
session, which would be the best to use as a foundation material where high
strength and low compressibility are the most desirable properties? Which
would be the best to use as a cap for a landfill where low permeability and
flexibility are the most desirable properties? Discuss.

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 Sieve Analysis and Visual Soil Classification

Sieve Analysis Data Sheet

Group Member Names:

Tare name =
Tare Weight = grams

Dry Soil + Tare = grams

Dry Soil Weight = grams

Sieve opening Cummulative

Sieve Size or Percent Passing
Size Weight Retained
Sieve # (%)
(mm) (g)
EXAMPLE: #10 2.00 20.32 3.60

#200
PAN --------------------- NA

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 Sieve Analysis and Visual Soil Classification

Visual Soil Classification Data Sheet

Group Member Names:

Test Date:

Specimen
Color Moisture Soil Type Notes
Number

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 Photographs Courtesy of Susan E. Burns
and Georgia Institute of Technology

© 2006 Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia

Sieve Analysis

These photographs can be viewed at larger scale from the JPG files included
in the ZIP file for this laboratory experiment.

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