Name: Paul Osborne Class: ECE (Year 2 PT) Module: Geotechnics

Report: Particle size distribution (Dry sieve analysis) Purpose: The purpose of this test is to indicate the range and weight
of the various particle sizes in any given aggregate sample. This helps to access its suitability for roads & concrete construction as well as indicating existing soil conditions (i.e. sample from a borehole or trial pit)

Equipment: The equipment used in this test comprised of a power

sieve shaker, 4992.5gms of dry mass aggregate and a selection of British standard graded brass sieves (20.0mm, 14.0mm, 10.0mm, 5.0mm, 3.35mm, 2.0mm, 1.18mm, 600microns, 300microns, 150 microns, base tray), digital scales, Brush (To clean fine particles from sieves).

Preparation: Firstly the scales were zerod to ensure an accurate

weight of the sample could be taken, all sieves were stacked in order of size (Largest sieve size to smallest) to ensure the sample particles would pass through the sieves, largest particles being retained at the top through to the finest particles being retained by the base tray at the bottom.

Procedure: This test was carried out in accordance with BS 1377

Part 2, The dry mass was emptied into the sieves, the lid was then placed on the stacked sieves which had been prior stacked on an electric vibrating sieve shaker the sample was then vibrated for 2 mins. Once the 2 mins had elapsed, the sieves were then removed, each sieve was then individually emptied into an empty metal tray on the digital scales, this was then weighed and recorded, this process was repeated for each individual sieve ensuring all the sample was emptied out of each sieve. (Please note that this process was carried out with two sets of sieves and shakers, Sieve set 1: 20.0mm, 14.0mm, 10.0mm, 5.0mm and Sieve set 2: 3.35mm, 2.0mm, 1.18mm, 600microns, 300microns, 150microns, with the procedure being the same for each test)

Observations: Every sieve must be examined closely to ensure all

of the dry mass was removed from each sieve, as this would be pivotal in calculating the amount of dry mass that passed through each sieve. This was difficult to achieve in the micron sieves especially, also with so many different people participating in the test it could not be guaranteed each sieve was being emptied and cleaned to the same degree.

Results & Processing: The results from this particle test were
recorded on the attached document and plotted on the graph provided, It was established the sample was of Coarse to Fine Gap Graded Sandy Gravel. Although the dry sieve analysis sheet shows an increase in sample size after the test, which could be a result of either the sieves being contaminated before the test with additional soil or the scales hadnt been zerod before a sample for one of the sieves had been weighed.

Conclusions: The sample was Coarse to Fine Gap Graded Sandy

Gravel, the recorded data from the test also allowed me to work out the Uniformity coefficient and coefficient of gradation of the sample. (Please find attached record sheet for more details)

Equipment used:

Digital scales shaker

Sieves and Electric sieve