1.

2 GRAIN SIZE DISTRIBUTION

 The percentage of gravel, sand, silt and clay particles in a soil can be obtained from the particle-size
distribution curve.

 This curve was obtained from the results of mechanical analysis (sieve and hydrometer testing) which
generally presented by semi-log plots.

 The particle diameters are plotted in log scale and the corresponding percent fine are in arithmetic scale
(Figure 1).

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Figure 1: Definition of D60, D30 and D10

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 A particle-size distribution curve can be used to determine the following parameters for a given soil:

(1) D10 – Diameter of soil particles for which 10% of particle are finer. It also called

as effective size of the soil.

(2) D30 – Diameter of soil particles for which 30% of particles are finer.

(3) D60 - Diameter of soil particles for which 30% of particles are finer.

(4) Uniformity coefficient, Cu

(5) Coefficient of gradation, Cc

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 FORMULA
• Uniformity coefficient, Cu

• Coefficient of gradation, Cc

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CALCULATION

(1)

(2)

(3)

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EXAMPLE 1

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SOLUTION:
(4) Kira % finer. Guna
rumus (3) slide 5.

(2) Kira % retained (3) Kira cumulative %

untuk setiap sieve size. retained. Guna rumus
(1) Kira total mass
Guna rumus (1) slide 5. (2) slide 5.
retained.

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D30

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HOW TO PLOT GRAIN SIZE DISTRIBUTION
CURVE?

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Gravel considered well graded Cu > 4 1 < Cc < 3
when
Sand considered well graded Cu > 6 1 < Cc < 3
when
*Cu and Cc have little or no meaning
when more than 5% of the material
passing a No .200 (0.075 mm).

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