CL 2

SIEVE ANALYSIS FOR FINE COARSE AGGREGATES

INTRODUCTION
Aggregates are inert granular materials such as sand, gravel, or crushed stone that, along
with water and Portland cement, are an essential ingredient in concrete. Three quarter of
the volume of concrete is occupied by aggregates, thus its grading must comply with the
standard grading stated in BS 882:1992. The grading of aggregates defines the proportions
of particles of different size in the aggregate which is generally fine (size<5mm) and
coarse (size>5mm) to be within the limit.

OBJECTIVE
To produce a Grading Curve for fine and coarse aggregate according BS 882.

APPARATUS
a. Fine aggregate: Sieve set size 10.00mm, 5.00mm, No 7, No 14, No 25, No 52, No 100
(Figure C1)
Course aggregate: Sieve set size 50.0mm, 37.5 mm, 20.0 mm, 14.0 mm,10.0 mm and
6.3 mm and 2.36 mm (Fig C2)
b. Balance accuracy as follows:
Fine aggregate : readable to 0.1g and accurate to 0.1g or 0.1% of the test load
Coarse aggregate : readable and accurate to 0.5g or 0.1% of the test load
c. Mechanical sieve shaker.

Figure C1 Figure C2
PROCEDURES
Fine Aggregate
a. Use 3.0 kg oven dried sand. Reduce the sand to 500 gm by using the quarter method
(BS 812: Part 102:1984) or by using sample splitter (riffle box).
b. Prepare a stack of sieve in the order of decreasing aperture size from top to bottom.
c. Place the sample on the top of sieve and agitate the sieves by sieve shaker for a
sufficient period so that after completion, not more than one percent by weight of the
residue on any individual sieve will pass that sieve. This process will take around 10 to
15 minutes.
d. Determine the weight of sieve increment by weighing the residue contained in each
sieve. This may be done cumulatively from the smallest particles in the bottom pan.
After this weight has been determined, add the next larger particles into the same pan
and determine the cumulative weight.
e. Repeat the same procedures for the coarse aggregate, weighs 3 kg.

REPORT
The result of the sieve analysis is represented using a graphic format in the grading charts
to see whether the grading of a given sample conforms to the specifications. The grading
chart uses coordinates that represent the cumulative percentage passing and abscissa the
sieve opening plotted to a logarithmic scale.
Compute the cumulative percent retained and the percent passing of each sieve. Plot the
gradation curves for fine and course aggregates from the experiment on the gradation chart
as attached in the lab sheet.
 RESULTS
Sample weight of fine aggregates ______ g
BS Sieve Weight of Weight of Weight of Cumulative % % passing
sieve (g) sieve+sample sample (g)
(g)
5 mm
No. 7
(2.36 mm)
No. 14
(1.18 mm)
No. 25
(600m)
No. 52
(300m)
No. 100
(150m)
Pan

Sample weight of course aggregates ______ g

BS Sieve Weight of Weight of Weight of Cumulative % % passing
sieve (g) sieve+sample sample (g)
(g)
50 mm
37.5 mm
20 mm
14.0 mm
10.0 mm
5.0 mm
2.36 mm

Instruction:
1. Please enclose the calculation example for each fine and course aggregate
2. Based on the results, draw the grading curve for each fine and course aggregate together
with the grading curve in Figure C3.
3. Give your comments on the properties of the tested aggregates.