1.

Grain Size Distribution Documentation of

Calculations

The calculations used in the program are fairly simple and for the most part follow ASTM D 422.
The following sections present the equations used.

1.1 Moisture Content

Moisture content is calculated with the following formula:

Wwt − Wdt
M C = 100% ∗ (1.1)
Wdt − Wt

Where:
MC = the moisture content
Wwt = the weight of the moisture specimen with tare
Wdt = the weight of the dried specimen with tare
Wt = the weight of the container

1.2 Sieve Test Calculations

1.2.1 Wash Test

Wts − Wwash
P F200 = ∗ 100% (1.2)
Wts

Where:
PF200 = the percent of material finer than the #200 sieve
Wts = the total sample weight
Wwash = the after-wash weight

The program charts PF200 as the #200 percentage if either no further sieve test data are entered (i.e.,
only a #200 wash test is performed), or the sieve test does not include a #200 sieve.

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Grain Size Distribution Documentation of Calculations 2

1.2.2 Cumulative Weight Retained Method

 
Wc − Wct
PF = 1− ∗ 100% (1.3)
Wts

Where:
PF = the percent finer
Wc = the cumulative weight retained
Wct = the tare weight of the cumulative pan
Wts = the total sample weight

An example calculation:
Cumulative weight retained = 1915.2 grams
Cumulative pan tare = 382.5 grams
Sample weight = 1671.4 grams

 
1915.2 − 382.5
PF = 1− ∗ 100% = 8.3%
1671.4

1.2.3 Per-Sieve Weight Retained Method

(Wst − Wt ) + Wls
PF = 1 − ∗ 100% (1.4)
Wts

Where:
Wst = the weight of a sieve and its retained material
Wt = the weight of the sieve
Wls = the total amount of material retained on all larger sieves
Wts = the weight of the total sample

An example calculation:
To calculate the percent finer for the third largest sieve in a sieve nest, we need:
Total sample weight = 11.94 grams
Weight retained + tare for the third largest sieve = 9.66 grams
Tare weight for the third largest sieve = 4.19 grams
Material retained on the larger sieves: 0.00 grams on the largest + 0.54 grams
on the second largest.

(9.66 − 4.19) + 0.54

PF = 1 − ∗ 100% = 49.7%
11.94

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Grain Size Distribution Documentation of Calculations 3

1.2.4 Sample Splits

If the sample is split, the subsequent percent finer values are found as follows:

CBT − W R
P Ftot = (1.5)
DW T

Where:
PFtot = the overall percent finer
WR = the weight retained of the split sample

DWT, the post-split sample dry weight, is calculated as follows:

SGDW
DW T = (1.6)
P Fss − P F W

Where:
SGDW = the split gradation dry sample weight
PFss = the overall percent finer than the split sieve
PFW = the percent washed out from the #200 wash test (or 0 if a wash test was
not performed)

CBT, the biased total weight, is calculated as follows:

CBT = SGDW + P F W ∗ DW T (1.7)

An example calculation:
PFss = 72.3%
SGDW = 1871.30 grams
PFW = 0.00%
WR = 422.00 grams

1871.30
DW T = = 25.90
72.30 − 0.00

CBT = 1871.30 + (0.00 ∗ 25.9) = 1871.30

1871.30 − 442.00
PF = = 55.2%
25.90

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Grain Size Distribution Documentation of Calculations 4

1.3 Hydrometer Test Calculations

1.3.1 Particle Size

s
30 ∗ v ∗ l
PS = (1.8)
980 ∗ (GS − GW ) ∗ ET

Where:
Ps = the particle size in mm.
v = the fluid viscosity in centipoises
L = the effective depth in cm.
GS = the specific gravity of the soil particles
GW = the specific gravity of water, corrected for temperature
Et = the elapsed time in minutes

For 152H hydrometers, L, the effective depth, is calculated as follows:

L = 16.295 − 0.165 ∗ Rm (1.9)

Where:
Rm = the hydrometer reading corrected by adding the meniscus correction

For 151H hydrometers L is calculated with this equation:

L = 16.295 − 0.2645 ∗ Rm (1.10)

; Note that the effective depth equation can be changed by the user on a per-test
basis.

v, the fluid viscosity, is calculated as:

v = C1 + T ∗ (C2 + T ∗ (C3 + T ∗ (C4 + T ∗ C5))) (1.11)

Where:
T = the fluid temperature, in degrees Celsius
C1 = 0.01732483379693
C2 = -5.041574656095E-04
C3 = 8.387438669317E-06
C4 = -7.401129271698E-08
C5 = 2.625994080072E-10

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Grain Size Distribution Documentation of Calculations 5

GW, the specific gravity of water, is calculated as:

GW = C1 + T ∗ (C2 + T ∗ (C3 + T ∗ C4)) (1.12)

Where:
T = the fluid temperature, in degrees Celsius
C1 = 0.99991003252
C2 = 0.00005201921
C3 = -0.00000751229
C4 = 0.00000003605183

An example calculation:
ET = 8 minutes
Temp = 23.5 Celsius
R = 34
Cm = 1
GS = 2.7
Rm = 35 (=R + Cm)
GW = 0.997452 (calculation not shown)
v = 0.00925 (calculation not shown)
L = 10.56 (calculation not shown)
s
30 ∗ 0.00925 ∗ 10.56
PS = = 0.0148 mm.
980 ∗ (2.7 − 0.9975) ∗ 8

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Grain Size Distribution Documentation of Calculations 6

1.3.2 Percent Finer

For 152H hydrometers, the percent finer than a given opening size is calculated as:

Rc ∗ a
PF = ∗ 100% (1.13)
WB
Where:
PF = the percent finer
Rc = the corrected hydrometer reading
a = the specific gravity of solids correction factor
WB = the biased hydrometer sample weight

For 151H hydrometers, the calculation is:

100 ∗ GS
PF = ∗ Rc (1.14)
W B ∗ (GS − 1)

Where:
PF = the percent finer
Rc = the corrected hydrometer reading
WB = the biased hydrometer sample weight
GS = the soil specific gravity

When using automatic temperature correction, the corrected hydrometer reading (Rc) is calculated as
follows:

Rc = R + Ct + Cc (1.15)

Where:
R = the actual hydrometer reading (in thousandths for 151H)
Cc = the composite correction at 20 degrees Celsius, as entered by the user
Ct = the composite correction

For 152H hydrometers, Ct, the composite correction, is calculated as follows:

Ct = −12.35952257 + T ∗ (1.51062059 + T ∗ (−0.06923056 + T ∗ 0.00122483)) (1.16)

Where:
T = the fluid temperature, in degrees Celsius

For 151H hydrometers, Ct is calculated as:

Ct = −7.6338851 + T ∗ (0.93361976 + T ∗ (−0.04284159 + T ∗ 0.000758977)) (1.17)

Where:
T = the fluid temperature, in degrees Celsius

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Grain Size Distribution Documentation of Calculations 7

When using the multi-point (linear) temperature correction, the corrected hydrometer reading is cal-
culated as follows:
Rc = R + Ct (1.18)

Where:
R = the actual hydrometer reading (in thousandths for 151H)
Ct = the temperature correction, as interpolated from a linear regression line
constructed from the pairs of temperature and reading values entered by the
user into the hydrometer correction grid.

• For test temperatures less than the lowest temperature entered into the cor-
rection grid, the program will use the correction value corresponding to the
lowest correction temperature entered; likewise, for test temperatures higher
than the highest temperature entered into the correction grid, the program will
use the correction value corresponding to the highest correction temperature
entered.

The specific gravity correction factor is:

0.6226415 ∗ GS
a= (1.19)
GS − 1

Where:
GS = the specific gravity of the solids

The biased sample weight is calculated as:

W hs ∗ 10000
WB = (1.20)
P ss ∗ (100 + M h)
Where:
WB = the biased sample weight, in grams
Whs = the air dry hydrometer sample weight
PSS = the percent passing the separation sieve
Mh = the hygroscopic moisture content per ASTM D 422 § 8

An example calculation using a 152H hydrometer:

ET = 8 minutes
Temp. = 23.5 degrees Celsius
R = 34
GS = 2.7
Mh = 3.5%
Linear correction pairs: (-6.0 at 20◦ ), (-5.6 at 22◦ ), (-4.7 at 25◦ )

By interpolation, Cc at 23.5◦ = -5.15

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Grain Size Distribution Documentation of Calculations 8

Rc = 34 + (−5.15) = 28.9

0.6226415 ∗ 2.7
a= = 0.989
2.7 − 1

51.7 ∗ 10000
WB = = 50.0 grams
100 ∗ (100 + 3.5)

28.9 ∗ 0.989
PF = = 57.0%
50.0

An additional calculation, using a 151H hydrometer:

ET = 15 minutes
Temp = 22 Celsius
R = 21.5
GS = 2.65
WB = 63.5 grams
Cc at 22 degrees Celsius = -2.2

Rc = 21.5 + (−2.2) = 19.3

100 ∗ 2.65
PF = ∗ 19.3 = 48.8%
63.5 ∗ 1.65

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Grain Size Distribution Documentation of Calculations 9

1.3.3 Calculation of Fractional Components

The fractional components and percentage diameters (D85 , D60 ,D50 , etc.) are computed by creating a
cubic spline model of the particle size distribution curve then solving the model for the curve values
at various percentages.

The classification coefficients Cc and Cu are calculated as follows:

D30 ∗ D30
Cc = (1.21)
D60 ∗ D10

D60
Cu = (1.22)
D10

1.3.4 Tables of Constants

Table 1.1: Correction Factor for Specific Gravities Other than 2.65 when using Hydrometer 152H

SPECIFIC GRAVITY CORR. FACTOR SPECIFIC GRAVITY CORR. FACTOR

2.50 1.038 2.68 0.994
2.51 1.036 2.69 0.992
2.52 1.033 2.70 0.989
2.53 1.030 2.71 0.987
2.54 1.028 2.72 0.985
2.55 1.025 2.73 0.983
2.56 1.022 2.74 0.981
2.57 1.020 2.75 0.979
. 2.58 1.017 2.76 0.977
2.59 1.015 2.77 0.975
2.60 1.012 2.78 0.973
2.61 1.010 2.79 0.971
2.62 1.008 2.80 0.969
2.63 1.005 2.81 0.967
2.64 1.003 2.82 0.965
2.65 1.001 2.83 0.963
2.66 0.998 2.84 0.962
2.67 0.996 2.85 0.960

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Grain Size Distribution Documentation of Calculations 10

Table 1.2: Automatic Temperature Correction Factor as a Function of Temperature

TEMP, SPECIFIC VISCOSITY TEMP. CORR. TEMP. CORR.

DEG C. GRAVITY OF OF WATER FACTOR FOR FACTOR FOR
WATER 152H 151H
15.0 0.99912 0.01141 -1.14 -0.71
15.5 0.99050 0.01126 -1.02 -0.63
16.0 0.99897 0.01111 -0.90 -0.55
16.5 0.99889 0.01097 -0.78 -0.48
17.0 0.99880 0.01083 -0.67 -0.41
17.5 0.99871 0.01069 -0.56 -0.35
18.0 0.99862 0.01056 -0.46 -0.28
18.5 0.99853 0.01043 -0.35 -0.22
19.0 0.99843 0.01030 -0.25 -0.16
19.5 0.99834 0.01017 -0.15 -0.09
20.0 0.99823 0.01005 -0.04 -0.03
20.5 0.99813 0.00993 0.07 0.04
21.0 0.99802 0.00981 0.18 0.11
21.5 0.99791 0.00969 0.29 0.18
.
22.0 0.99780 0.00958 0.41 0.25
22.5 0.99769 0.00947 0.53 0.33
23.0 0.99757 0.00936 0.66 0.41
23.5 0.99745 0.00925 0.80 0.50
24.0 0.99733 0.00914 0.95 0.59
24.5 0.99721 0.00904 1.11 0.69
25.0 0.99708 0.00894 1.27 0.79
25.5 0.99695 0.00884 1.45 0.90
26.0 0.99682 0.00874 1.64 1.02
26.5 0.99668 0.00864 1.85 1.15
27.0 0.99655 0.00855 2.07 1.28
27.5 0.99641 0.00846 2.30 1.43
28.0 0.99627 0.00836 2.55 1.58
28.5 0.99613 0.00827 2.81 1.75
29.0 0.99598 0.00818 3.10 1.92
29.5 0.99583 0.00809 3.40 2.11
30.0 0.99568 0.00801 3.72 2.31

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Table 1.3: Effective Depth for 152H and 151H Hydrometers

Rm EFFECTIVE Rm EFFECTIVE Rm EFFECTIVE Rm EFFECTIVE

DEPTH DEPTH DEPTH DEPTH
0 16.3 26 12.0 0 16.3 20 11.0
1 16.1 27 11.9 1 16.0 21 10.7
2 16.0 28 11.7 2 15.8 22 10.5
3 15.8 29 11.5 3 15.5 23 10.2
4 15.6 30 11.4 4 15.2 24 9.9
5 15.5 31 11.2 5 15.0 25 9.7
6 15.3 32 11.0 6 14.7 26 9.4
7 15.1 33 10.9 7 14.4 27 9.2
8 15.0 34 10.7 8 14.2 28 8.9
9 14.8 35 10.6 9 13.9 29 8.6
10 14.7 36 10.4 10 13.7 30 8.4
11 14.5 37 10.2 11 13.4 31 8.1
.
12 14.3 38 10.1 12 13.1 32 7.8
13 14.2 39 9.9 13 12.9 33 7.6
14 14.0 40 9.7 14 12.6 34 7.3
15 13.8 41 9.6 15 12.3 35 7.0
16 13.7 42 9.4 16 12.1 36 6.8
17 13.5 43 9.2 17 11.8 37 6.5
18 13.3 44 9.1 18 11.5 38 6.2
19 13.2 45 8.9 19 11.3
20 13.0 46 8.8
21 12.9 47 8.6
22 12.7 48 8.4
23 12.5 49 8.3
24 12.4 50 8.1
25 12.2

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