For official use only

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

STANDARD TEST PROCEDURE

FOR BLANKET MATERIAL FOR
RAILWAY FORMATION
SPECIFICATION No. IRS : GE-3

July, 2003

Geo-technical Engineering Directorate,

Research Designs and Standards Organisation
Manak Nagar, Lucknow 11

RDSO STANDARD TEST PROCEDURE FOR BLANKET MATERIAL

RDSO standard test procedure for particle size analysis of blanket material has been
evolved for the purpose to address to specific needs of the blanket material to ascertain
its suitability for using in Railway formation over sub-grade soil.
It would be necessary to carry out wet analysis to assess actual percentage of fines. To
expedite testing work, dry sieve analysis may be carried out if variation between results
of dry and wet analysis are not significant and adequate margin exists with respect to
acceptance criteria. However, in such cases also, wet analysis has to be carried out at
frequent interval to verify the extent of variation. In any situation, acceptance of blanket
material would be based on wet analysis only.
is passed through 75 micron
sieve. The percentage reduction
in weight of the original material
by washing is then reported as
percentage fines in the blanket
material.

1. SCOPE
1.1

This
method
covers
the
determination of the particle size
distribution of blanket material.

1.2

This test procedure also covers

determination of percentage of
fraction (finer than 75 micron) by
washing or wet sieving with the
objective of accurate determination
of fines present in the material.

1.3

Test procedure covers for the

different type blanket materials
either obtained from natural sources
such as river bed, hill sides, from
quarry dust or manufactured through
stone crusher plant using graded
screens.

2.

REFERENCE DOCUMENTS

2.1
2.2

IS: 2720 (part 4) grain size analysis

IS: 2720 (part 1) preparation of soil
sample
IS: 460 specification for wire cloth
sieves

2.3

3.

SUMMERY OF METHOD

3.1

An oven dried sample if known

weight is washed in prescribed
manner and the decanted wash water
containing suspended and dissolved

3.2

An over dried sample of known

weight is separated through a set
of sieve of progressively smaller
opening for obtaining the
percentage of the material passed
through
each
sieve
and
determination of particle size
distribution.

4.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE

4.1

This method is used primarily to

determine the grading of material
proposed for use as blanket
material on railway formation.
The results are to determine
compliance of the particle size
distribution and other parameters
such as coefficient of uniformity
CU, coefficient of curvature CC to
the specified values as per
guidelines of earthwork in
railway formation.

4.2

Material finer than 75 micron

can be separated from larger
particles much efficiently and
completely by wet sieving than
through the use of dry sieving
only. Therefore for accurate

determination of fines particles, wet

sieving through 75 micron is used on
the sample prior to dry sieving of the
blanket material.
4.3

4.4

In case of crusher/ manufacturing

plants, the particle size distribution
and other parameters of the material
will helpful to control the
production/ manufacturing process
viz screen opening crusher & etc.
adjustable amount of shaking to
obtain final product as per
specification and will be useful for
identification.
Usually the percent fines through
wet sieving slightly greater than
through dry sieving. If it is large,
efficiency of washing operation
should be checked. It could also be
an indication of degradation of
material in presence of water.

APPARATUS

5.1

Balance :- A balance readable and

accurate to 0.1 g for fines particles
and to 0.5 g for coarse fraction or to
0.2 % of the test load whichever is
greater.

5.2

Sieves:- IS sieves conforming to the

requirement of IS: 460 (part 1)-1978
of following sizes 40mm, 20mm,
10mm, 4.75mm, 2mm, 600 micron,
425 micron, 212 micron, 75 micron
and bottom pan.

Note: The sieves should be periodically

checked for aperture sizes and other
defects such as clogging/ torn wire
cloth or presence of one or big opening
especially in case of 425 micron & 75
micron sieves.
5.3

Oven: Thermostatically controlled oven

of appropriate size to maintain
temperature inside between 105 to 110

C with interior of non-corroding

material.
5.4
5.5
5.6
6

Mechanical sieve shaker.

Tray: two or more of size
approximately 30cm x 20cm x
10cm.
Brushes: Wire brushes & sieve
brushes.
PREPARATION OF SAMPLE

6.1 The weight of field sample should

normally be four times approximately
weight required for lab test, which is
governed the maximum size of
particles present in the material in
substantial
quantity.
Following
quantities are required for grain size
analysis as per table below.
Quantity of soil required for lab. test
Maximum size of
material present in
substantial
quantities
( in mm )

Minimu
m mass
of field
sample
( in kg )

Mass to
be taken
for test
( in kg )

40
25
19
12.5
10
6.5
4.75

75
50
25
15
10
6
5

25
13
6.5
3.5
1.5
0.75
0.4

6.2

Blanket sample as received from

field shall be dried in the air or in
sun. In wet weather, a drying
apparatus may be used, in which
the temperature of the sample
should not exceed 60 C.

6.3

Organic matter if present like

tree roots, pieces of barks should
be removed from the sample.
The sample should be sieved
through 65 mm IS sieve and
material retained on 65 mm sieve
should be rejected.

6.4

The representative sample shall be

thoroughly mixed and spread on a
flat surface. The spread sample shall
be divided into four quadrant and
diagonally opposite quadrant mixed.
This process shall be repeated till the
desired quantity of sample is
obtained.

6.5

The big clods if present, may be

broken with the help of wooden
mallet. Further pulverization if
required may be done in pestle and
mortar. Care should be taken not to
breakup the individual coarse size
particles.

7.

PROCEDURE

7.1

Dry the test sample to constant

weight in thermostatically controlled
oven at temperature 105 to 110 C
and weigh it to the nearest 0.5 g or
0.1 % of the weight of the sample.
Note: If large quantity of particle
size greater then 4.75mm is present
that may be separated to avoid
overloading of individual sieves by
sieving using 4.75mm sieve.
Retained material on 4.75mm sieve
is kept separately.

7.2

After drying and weighting, place

the test sample in the cantainer and
soak with water. The soaking of the
sample continued for 10-12 hours.
No dispersing agent or other
substance shall be added to the
water.

water till substantially clean

water comes out. Retained
material on sieves shall be oven
dried at 105 to 110 C for 24
hours. The material retained on
each sieve is weighed to the
nearest 0.1 g or 0.1 % of the
original weight of the sample,
whichever is greater.
7.5

Nest the sieves 40 mm, 20mm,

10mm and 4.75 mm, 2mm, 600
micron, 425 micron, 212 micron,
and 75 micron sizes, in order of
decreasing size of opening from
top to bottom and place the
sample on the top of sieve.
Agitate the sieves by hand or by
mechanical apparatus for a
sufficient period. The material
retained on each sieve is weighed
to the nearest 0.1 g or 0.1 % of
the original weight of the sample,
whichever is greater.

8.

CALCULATION

8.1

Calculate
the
percentages
passing,
total
percentages
retained or percentages in
various sizes
to the nearest
0.1% on the basis of the total
weight of the initial dry sample.

8.2

Calculate the amount of material

passing a 75 micron sieve by
washing as follows A = [(B-C)/B] x100
Where,

7.3

7.4

Agitate the sample with sufficient

vigor to result in complete
separation of all particles finer than
the 75 micron sieve from the coarser
particles, and bring the fine material
into suspension.
Sample is washed through, 4.75mm
IS sieve and 75 micron IS sieve with

A= percentage of material finer

than a 75 micron sieve by
washing.
B = original dry weight of
sample in g.
C = dry weight of sample after
washing in g.

9.

REPORT

9.1

Report percentage to the nearest

whole number and the percentage of
material finer than the 75 micron
sieve by washing to the nearest
0.1%.

10.

PLOTTING OF CURVE
A particle size distribution curve
shall be drawn on semi logarithmic
chart plotting particle size on the log
scale against percentage finer than
the corresponding size on the
ordinary scale.

11.

SUITABILITY
MATERIAL #

OF

BLANKET

For ascertaining suitability of

blanket material, the material should
generally conform to the following
specifications:
a)

It should be coarse, granular and

well graded.

b)

Skip graded
permitted.

c)

Non-plastic fines (particles of size

less than 75 micron) are limited
maximum to 12 %, whereas plastic
fines are limited maximum to 5 %.

d)

The blanket material should have

particle size distribution curve more
or less within the enveloping curves
shown in sketch - A. The material
should be well graded with Cu and
Cc as under:

material

is

not

Uniformity coefficient,
CU = D60 / D10 > 4 (preferably > 7)

Coefficient of curvature,

CC = ( D30 )2 / D60 x D10 should be

within 1 and 3.

D60, D30 & D10 are particle sizes,

below which 60, 30 and 10
percent soil particles by weight
are finer than these sizes.
e)

The material for upper blanket

layer shall be well-graded sandy
gravel or crushed rock within the
enveloping curves for upper
blanket layer as shown in sketch
below.

# For Mechanised blanket material IR

Specification No. IRS : GE-2(Provisional) Feb2003 may be referred.