MINERAL ENGINEERING LAB
Name :- RAHUL MONDAL
Branch:- Metallurgical Engineering
Roll No.- 2403006D
Class :- 3rd semester, 2nd year
OBJECTIVE:- To Determine The Average Size Of Sand Particles By Sieve Analysis.
APPRATUS:-
1. Balance or scale
2. Sieves, Brush or spatula
3. Sieve shaker
4. Containers and utensils: A pan or vessel of a size sufficient to contain the sand.
5. Laboratory uniform, shoes & safety glasses.
SAFETY PRECAUTIONS:-
1. Laboratory uniform, shoes & safety glasses are compulsory in the lab.
2. Please follow instructions precisely as instructed by your supervisor.
3. Do not touch anything with which you are not completely familiar.
4. Do not start the experiment unless your setup is verified & approved by your
supervisor.
5. Do not leave the experiments unattended while in progress.
6. . During experiments material may fail and disperse, please wear safety glasses
and maintain a safe distance from the experiment.
7. Keep the work area clear of all materials except those needed for your work and
cleanup after your work.
INTRODUCTION:-
The sieve analysis, commonly known as the gradation test, is a basic
essential test for all aggregate technicians. The sieve analysis determines the distribution of
aggregate particles, by size. The sand is a mixture of grains having different shapes such as
round, angular, subangular etc.
Particle size influences material properties like flow and conveying behaviour (for bulk
materials), reactivity, abrasiveness, solubility, extraction and reaction behaviour, taste,
compressibility etc.
The gradation data may be used to calculate relationships between various aggregate or
aggregate blends, to check compliance with such blends, and to predict trends during
production by plotting gradation curves graphically. The sieve analysis is a very good quality
control and quality acceptance tool.
Sieve shaker is an instrument through we can separate fine particle. It is characterised on
the basis of mesh number of the sieve. The multiplying factor being (2)1/2 (square root of 2).
EXPERIMENT PROCEDURES:-
1. First of all the given sieves of sieve number such as 28 mesh(E), 35 mesh(D), 48
mesh(C), 100 mesh(B), 200 mesh(A) and pan were weighted on the weighing
machine.
2. All sieve were arranged vertically in order of increasing mesh number of sieves
from top to bottom. Sieve number of 28 mesh was kept the top and 200 mesh
was the bottom, of this this vertically arranged system Pan was also kept on the
bottom under the 200 mesh. The vibrating sieve shaker machine also in rest
position.
3. Now 200gm of dried Sand sample was weighted. This sand was introduced in the
sieve number of 28 mesh number. The upper portion of 28 mesh was closed
through circular disc and clamped it through the vibrating machine.
4. The vibrating machine was switched on for 5 min this was done till 5 min and
after 5min the sand of different sieves are weighing and the sieves and the Pan
was arranged in the previous manner and the same process was applying for
interval of 5 min this was confiend for these times.In this manners sand was
analysed through sieve.
SIEVE SHAKER
MACHINE
RESULT:-
At t = 0 min
S.NO. Sieve NO. Wt. Retain Wt. % Commulative
1 28 116g 58 58
2 35 50g 25 83
3 48 20g 10 93
4 100 10g 5 98
5 200 3g 1.5 99.5
6 PAN 01g 0.5 100
At t = 5 min
S.NO. Sieve NO. Wt. Retain Wt. % Commulative
1 28 100g 50 50
2 35 54g 27 77
3 48 28g 14 91
4 100 16g 8 99
5 200 1.5g 0.75 99.75
6 PAN 0.5g 0.25 100
Total Weight Of Sand Sample= 200g
Weight Of Pan =350 g
At t = 0 min
Percentage Of [X1] = (W1/200) * 100
At t =10 min
S.NO. Sieve NO. Wt. Retain Wt. % Commulative
= 1 28 96g 48 48
2 35 52g 26 74
3 48 26g 13 87
4 100 16g 8 95
5 200 6g 3 98
6 PAN 4g 2 100
96%
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
0 50 100 150 200 250
---------------------Sieve mesh No.----------------------------------------
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
---------------------Sieve mesh No.----------------------------------------
DISCUSSION :-
1. Sieve analysis is a widely used method for determining the average size
distribution of sand particles.
2. The process involves passing sand through a series of sieves with decreasing
mesh sizes to separate particles by size.
3. The particle size distribution provides insights into the sand's gradation, which is
crucial for various engineering and industrial applications, such as construction
and filtration.
4. During the analysis, factors such as proper sieving technique, the duration of
shaking, and the uniformity of the sample play critical roles in obtaining accurate
results. Errors may arise due to overlapping sizes, material sticking to the sieves,
or inadequate sample preparation.
CONCLUSION:-
1. The sieve analysis provides a reliable estimate of the average particle size and
distribution of sand.
2. The results help classify sand as coarse, medium, or fine, which can be used to
assess its suitability for specific applications.
3. A well-graded sand has a wide range of particle sizes and ensures better
compaction, while poorly graded sand has limited size variability and may have
specific uses.
OUTCOME OF THIS EXPERIMENT:-
:--- The sieve analysis experiment determines the average size and distribution of sand
particles. It provides key information about the gradation of sand, classifying it as well-
graded or poorly graded.
The results help assess the sand's suitability for various applications, such as
construction, concrete mixing, and filtration. The experiment also calculates parameters like
the fineness modulus, which is a measure of the sand's coarseness or fineness.
