Q1:

a) Draw the grain size distribution curve

Ans:

US sieve # Percent finer

40 100
80 97
170 92
200 90
0.04 74
0.015 42
0.008 27
0.004 17
0.002 11

FINES SAND GRAVEL

Fine Medium Course Fine Course
100%

80%

60%
% Finer by Weight

40%

20%

0%
0.001 0.010 0.100 1.000 10.000 100.000
Grain Diameter (mm)

Percent passing 2 mm = 100%

Percent passing 0.06 mm = 85%

Percent passing 0.002 mm = 11%

 b) Determine the percentages of gravel, sand, silt, clay according to MIT system

Ans:

Gravel = 100-100 = 0%

Sand = 100-85 = 15%

Silt = 85-11 = 74%

Clay = 11-0 = 11%

c) According to BS system

Ans:

Percent passing 2 mm = 100%

Percent passing 0.05 mm = 80%

Percent passing 0.002 mm = 11%

Now,

Gravel = 100-100 = 0%

Sand = 100-80 = 20%

Silt = 80-11 = 69%

Clay = 11-0 = 11%

d) According to AASHTO system

Ans:

Percent passing 2 mm = 100%

Percent passing 0.075 mm = 90%

Percent passing 0.002 mm = 11%

Now,

Gravel = 100-100 = 0%

Sand = 100-90 = 10%

Silt = 90-11 = 79%

Clay = 11-0 = 11%

 e) According to ASTM system

Ans:

Gravel = retained on #4 sieve = 0%

Sand = retained on a 0.075 mm sieve = 10%

Silt = material passing through #200 sieve = 90%

Clay = passing #200 sieve that exhibits plasticity = 10%

Q#2

a) Determine the percent finer from each sieve and plot a grain size distribution curve

Ans:

US sieve # Mass of soil retained (M) Cumulative mass(C.M) Percent finer

4 0 0 100
10 44 0+44=44 92.01
20 56 44+56=100 81.85
40 82 100+82=182 66.97
60 51 182+51=233 57.71
80 106 233+106=339 38.48
100 92 339+92=431 21.78
200 85 431+85=516 6.35
pan 35 516+35=551 0
M=551

Now plotting a grain size distribution curve,

In order to draw grain size distribution curve, take the standard sieve opening values 4.75mm, 2mm,
0.850mm, 0.425mm, 0.250mm, 0.180mm, 0.150mm and 0.075mm.
 FINES SAND GRAVEL
Fine Medium Course Fine Course
100%

80%

60%
% Finer by Weight

40%

20%

0%
0.001 0.010 0.100 1.000 10.000 100.000
Grain Diameter (mm)

Figure 1: Grain size analysis for a really big sample

b) Determine D10, D30, D60 from the graph

Ans: from curve

D10 = 0.089 mm

D30 =0.18 mm

D60 = 0.29 mm

c) Calculate uniformity co-efficient

Ans:

CU = D60/D10

=0.29/0.089

= 3.25

d) Determine co-efficient of gradation

Ans:

CC = D302/(D60*D10)
= 0.182/(0.29*0.089)

= 1.26