TECHNOLOGICAL INSTITUTE OF THE PHILIPPINES

MANILA CAMPUS

SOIL MECHANICS
CE 401
-CE41FA1-

“Grain Size Analysis: Sieve Test and Hydrometer Test”

EXPERIMENT NO. _9_

SUBMITTED BY:

________________________________

-ANDREA B. MAGTUTO-
-1410805-

SUBMITTED TO:

ENGR. ARIEL B. MORALES

DATE SUBMITTED:
February 26, 2018
 I. SHORT DISCUSSION

II. APPARATUS AND MATERIALS

Sieve Test.
1. Set of Standard Sieves.
2. Oven with temperature control.
3. Balance.
4. Pans.
5. Pair of tongs.
6. Manual or Mechanical Sieve Shaker.
7. Mortar and Pestle.

Hydrometer Test.
1. Balance, sensitive to at least 0.10 gram.
2. Mechanical Stirring Apparatus and Dispersion Cup.
3. Hydrometer, heavy and calibrated for soil.
4. 1-liter graduated cylinder.
5. Thermometer.
6. Set of Standard Sieves.
7. Water Bath of constant temperature.
8. Oven with temperature control.
9. Beaker, 400 ml capacity.
10. Timer or Stopwatch.
11. Sodium Silicate.
12. Distilled Water.
13. Drying Pans.
14. Dessicator

III. PROCEDURES
Sieve Analysis
1. Each group will obtain exactly 500g of oven-dry soil from the bag of stock material. Use sampling or sampling splitter.
2. If the samples contain appreciable gravel, very few fines or if at the discretion of the instructor, washing is to be
omitted. Otherwise place the test sample on the no. 200 sieve and wash the material through the sieve using the tap
water until the water is clear.
3. Carefully pour the residue, using the back-washing, into a large weighed dish and let it sit for a short period of time
until the top of the suspension becomes clear. Then, place the dish and remaining soil-water suspension in the oven for
drying.
4. On the following day, weigh the oven-dry residue. (Omit this step if you do not wash). Then run your sample through
a stack of sieves from top down.
5. Place the stacks of sieves in a mechanical sieves shaker (if available) and sieve for 5 to 10 minutes until the top few
sieves can be removed from the stack. If there is no mechanical shaker, shake by hand for about 10 minutes. Do not
shake in a defined pattern.
6. Remove the stack of sieves from the shaker and obtain the weight of material remaining on each sieve. Sum these
weights and compare with original. Loss of weights should not exceed 2%, otherwise repeat the sieve test.
7. Compute the percent retained on each sieve by dividing the weight on each sieve to the original sample weight W s.
8. Compute the percent passing or percent finer by starting with 100 percent and subtracting the percent retained on
each sieve as a cumulative procedure.
9. Prepare a logarithmic log of percent finer versus grain size.
Note:
• If less than 12% of the soil sample passes the number 200 sieve, compute Cc and Cu and show in the logarithmic
graph.
• If more than 12% of the soil sample passes the number 200 sieve, conduct a hydrometer analysis.

Calculation:
Cum. % retained = Total mass retained from largest sieve to current sieve/ Total mass of sample
% finer = 100% - Cum. Mass retained

Preparation of Sample for Hydrometer Test

1. Weigh about 50.0 gram of the air-dried sample (100 grams for sandy soil). Place in a beaker, fill with distilled water
to about half-full and allow to soak for at least 18 hours.

Note to Instructor: In performing 5 this test, prepare the said sample a day before the testing time.

2. After soaking, add 20 ml of sodium silicate as a deflocculating agent, then wash the contents into the dispersion cup.
( A liter can be used as dispersion cup)
3. Determine the zero correction of the hydrometer. A positive correction (+) is achieved wherein the reading is between
zero and 60. A negative correction is a reading less than zero.

B. Hydrometer Test
1. Transfer the mixture to the graduated cylinder and add more distilled water to bring the water level to the 100-ml
mark.
2. Place the cylinder in the constant temperature bath. In the absence of the constant temperature bath, you may use
an electric plate stove set at the minimum heat (Luke warm) with wire gauze underneath. Stir the suspension frequently
to avoid settlement of the particles.
3. Remove the cylinder from the water bath or from the improvised bath as soon as the temperature of the suspension
and the water bath are the same. Shake thoroughly the mixture for 1 minute by turning the cylinder upside-down and
back, using the palm of the hand as the stopper. The soil should not stick to the bottom of the cylinder when upside-down.

Note: Care should be exercised in this operation. The cylinder shall not reach temperature intolerable for handling of the
apparatus.
4. Replace the cylinder in the water bath, insert carefully the hydrometer in the suspension and start the timer.
5. Take hydrometer readings after ½, 1 and 2 minutes without removing the hydrometer from the suspension. Read the
hydrometer at the top of the meniscus formed around its stem. Repeat the shaking and reading procedure until a
consistent set of readings are obtained.
6. Restart the test tube but this time take readings after 2, 5, 15, 30, 60, 250, and 1440 minutes. Insert carefully the
hydrometer about 15 to 20 seconds before each of these readings. Dry the stem of the hydrometer before insertion. It
should be removed carefully and placed in a cylinder of distilled water after each reading.
7. Determine the equivalent values for Tables 1, 2, 3 and 4 for all hydrometer readings conducted.

Note:
a.) Take the temperature of the suspension immediately each hydrometer reading and record.
b.) Between hydrometer readings, cover the top of the cylinder to minimize evaporation and prevent collection of
dust or dirt from the air.

8. After the final reading, wash the suspension on a no. 200 sieve. Dry the fractions retained and perform the sieve
analysis using no.40, 60, and 200 sieves.
Calculations:

Particle Size Diameter (D):

L
TD = K

Where:
K = derived from Table 2
L = derived from Table 3
T = elapsed time in minutes

Corrected Hydrometer reading (Rc):

Rc = Ractual – C0 – CT

Where:
Ractual = actual hydrometer reading
C0 = zero correction
CT = correction factor due to temperature as shown on Table 4

%Finer (P):

P = Rc () / Ws
Where:
Rc = corrected hydrometer reading
 = correction factor from Table 1
ws = mass of soil sample (g)

Adjusted percent fines (Pa):

Pa = P x F200
Where:
F200 = %finer than sieve 200
Table 1: Values of  vs. Specific Gravity of the Soil (taken from ASTM D422)
Specific Gravity Correction Factor
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

Table 2: Values of K vs. Specific Gravity of the Soil (taken from ASTM D422)
 Table 3: Values of Effective Depth L vs. Hydrometer Reading (taken from ASTM D422)

Actual Effective Actual Effective Actual Effective Actual Effective

Hydromet Depth, L Hydromet Depth, L Hydromet Depth, L Hydromet Depth, L
er er er er
Reading Reading Reading Reading
0 16.3 16 13.7 32 11.1 48 8.4
1 16.1 17 13.5 33 10.9 49 8.3
2 16.0 18 13.3 34 10.7 50 8.1
3 15.8 19 13.2 35 10.6 51 7.9
4 15.6 20 13.0 36 10.4 52 7.8
5 15.5 21 12.9 37 10.2 53 7.6
6 15.3 22 12.7 38 10.1 54 7.4
7 15.2 23 12.5 39 9.9 55 7.3
8 15.0 24 12.4 40 9.7 56 7.1
9 14.8 25 12.2 41 9.6 57 7.0
10 14.7 26 12.0 42 9.4 58 6.8
11 14.5 27 11.9 43 9.2 59 6.6
12 14.3 28 11.7 44 9.1 60 6.5
13 14.2 29 11.5 45 8.9
14 14.0 30 11.4 46 8.7
15 13.8 31 11.2 47 8.6

Table 4: Correction Factors due to Temperature

Temperature oC Correction Factor, CT Temperature oC Correction Factor, CT

15 -1.10 23 +0.70
16 -0.90 24 +1.00
C -0.70 25 +1.30
18 -0.50 26 +1.65
19 -0.30 27 +2.00
20 0.00 28 +2.50
 21 +0.20 29 +3.05
22 +0.40 30 +3.80

Soil Classification using USCS Method

Determine the %gravel, % sand, %silt and clay of the sample. Determine the value of the uniformity coefficient, C u
and coefficient of concavity, CC. For fine-grained soil using the formula:

Cu = D60 / D10

IV. DATA
Sieve Analysis of Coarse-grained Soil
Sieve No. Mass retained Cumulative Mass Percent Finer
Retained

Total

Hydrometer Test Method for Fine-grained Soil

Elapse Temp Actual L (from K (from D CT (from a (from Corrected % Finer Adjusted
d Time Hydro. Table 1) Table 2) (mm) Table 3) Table 4) Hydromet (P) % Finer
(min) Rdg. er
Rdg
½
1
2
5
15
30
60
250
1440

Hydrometer No: Specific gravity:

Weight of soil sample: Zero correction:

% Gravel: ___________ Cu: ___________

% Sand: ___________ Cc: ___________
% Silt: ___________
% Clay: ___________
Particle Size Distribution:
V. COMPUTATION AND RESULTS

VI. CONCLUSION

VII. RECOMMENDATION
VIII. DOCUMENTATION