AL-BALQA’ APPLIED جـامـعة البلقـــــاء
UNIVERSITY التطـــبيقية
Faculty of Engineering كلــــية الهندســــة
Civil engineering دائـرة الهندسة تأسست سنة
Department المدنية 1997
Sieve or Screen Analysis of Fine and Coarse Aggregate
ATSM C 136
A gradation is a key property of aggregate . It effects the workability of
Portland cement concrete, and the stability , drainage and frost resistance of
base course. Sieves have square opening and sieve size are show either in
millimeter or inches as 75mm or (3 ") sieve , or in number as No.40 means that
there are 40 openings in one inch length . It means that there 40x40 = 1600
openings in one inch square , which equals a square with aside length of 0.0765
inch or 0.420 mm . There are also sieve with round opening and used only for
coarse aggregate . You can convert the square opening to equivalent round
opening by multiplying by 1.207 .
The common size of sieves used are shown in the following :
Sieve Size Clear Opening Clear Opening
In Inch In mm
3 3.00 75.0
2 1/2" 2.50 36.0
2" 2.00 50.0
1.5" 1.50 37.5
1" 1.00 25.0
3/4" 0.75 19.0
1/2" 0.50 12.5
1
3/8" 0.375 9.5
#4 0.187 4.75
#8 0.0937 2.36
#10 0.0787 2.00
#16 0.0469 1.18
#20 0.0331 0.850
#40 0.0165 0.425
#50 0.0117 0.300
#80 0.0070 0.180
#100 0.0059 0.150
#200 0.0029 0.075
Apparatus:
1. Balance or scale accurate to 0.1 g .
2. sieve : A standard set of sieves of suitable sizes to furnish the
information required by the specification to satisfy the intended use of
the aggregate . The sieve shall conform to ATSM specification E 11 ,
for wire cloth sieve and testing purposes (sieve include pan and cover )
3. Oven : an oven of appropriate size capable of maintaining a uniform
temperature of 110 ± 5 o C .
4. Sieve Brush .
5. Mechanical Sieve Shaker .
Test Sample :
1. Mix the sample to be tested thoroughly and reduce it to the desired
size by the method of "sample-splitter " or by "quartering " by a
canvas . If you are going to sieve fine aggregate , moisten it before
reduction to minimize segregation and less of dust .
2. The weight of the sample of "coarse aggregate " shall be according
to the following table :
Max. nominal size Minimum weoght of
Square opening in (mm) Sample (kg)
3/8 (9.5) 2
1/2 (12.5) 4
3/4 (19) 8
1 (25.0) 12
1 1/2 (38.1) 16
2 (50) 20
2 1/2 (63) 25
2
3 (75) 45
3 1/2 (90 ) 70
The weight of fine aggregate should be 100 g if all of it or at least 95 %
passes sieve No. 8 (2.36) mm ; and 500 g if the aggregate passes with at least
85 % a No. 4 (4.75) mm sieve , and have more than 5% retaining on a No. 8
sieve .
Procedure:
1. Dry the sample to a constant weight in the drying oven at a temperature
of 110 ± 5 o . The result may not be affected if the sample not dried
when the particles are coarser than 12.5 mm , but if the partcle are
smaller than 12.5 mm or big quantity is passing sieve # 4 , then drying
of the sample in essential .
Dry sieving alone is satisfactory for routine testing of normally
graded aggregate. If the amount of passing the No. 200 sieve is
required, a wet sieving according to ATSM method C 117 ,
" Test for materials finder than No. 200 (75mm)" is necessary ,
then add the percentage finer than the No.200 sieve determined
by that method to the percentage passing the No. 200 sieve by dry
sieving of the same sample.
2. Nest the sieves in a decreasing size opening from top bottom and place
the sample in the uppermost sieve . put the cover above the largest sieve
and the pan under the smallest .
3. Agitate the sieve by hand or by the mechanical shaker for a sufficient
period (≥ 15 minutes ).
Calculation:
1. Calculate the percentage of the portion retained on each sieve by
weighing this portion and diving it by the total weigh of the sample .
2. Calculate the cumulative percent retained an each sieve . To calculate
the percent retained on the second sieve , add the percentage retained on
the second sieve . To calculate the cumulation percentage retained on
the third sieve add the cumulative percentage retained on the second
sieve to the percentage retained on the third sieve , and so on .
3. Calculate the percent passing of each sieve by subtracting the
cumulative percent retained on each sieve from 100 .
4. Plot the result on a semi-log sieve sheet where they-axis represent the
percent passing and the x-axis , a semi-log scale , represent the sieve
sizes.
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