Summary of Procedure For ASTM D 422

Experiment #3,4
Standard Test Methods for Particle-Size Analysis of Soils

Mechanical (Sieve) Analysis and Hydrometer Analysis
[ASTM D 422]

I. Apparatus and Supplies
1) Drying Oven, thermostatically-controlled and capable of maintaining a uniform of
temperature throughout the drying chamber
2) Electronic or Digital Balance, with readability or accuracy of 0.01 g
3) Container handling apparatus: gloves, tongs, or suitable holder for moving and
handling hot containers after drying
4) Miscellaneous: pans/bowls/evaporating dishes, funnel (synthetic/paper-made), brush
5) Source of water like faucet and squeeze bottle
6) Soil: silty sand
7) Thermometric Device, readability of 0.1C and maximum permissible error of 0.5C.
8) Sieves, a full set of sieves includes the following series:
No. 4 (4.750mm)
No. 8 (2.460mm)
No. 10 (2.000mm)
No. 16 (1.180mm)
No. 30 (0.600mm)
No. 40 (0.425mm)
No. 50 (0.300mm)
No. 60 (0.250mm)
No. 100 (0.150mm)
No. 200 (0.075mm)
9) Mechanically operated stirring device (such as a malt mixer or coffee mixer)
10) Sieve Shaker
11) Hydrometer (conforming to requirements for hydrometer 151H or 152H in ASTM
specification E 100)
12) Sedimentation cylinder (with a volume of 1000 ml)/ Graduated cylinder
13) Water bath or constant temperature room
14) Timing device
15) Beaker (150-ml capacity)
II. Procedure
Preparation of Test Samples
1) A 500g air-dried sample of silty sand must be weighed.
2) The sample will be separated into two portions: one containing all particles retained on
the no. 10 sieve and the other containing all particles passing through the no. 10 sieve.
Preparation of Portions Retained on No. 10 Sieve
3) Portions remained in the #10 sieve is transferred to a washing sieve or #200 sieve. Use a
brush to remove all the particles stocked in the #10 sieve holes.
4) Wash the soil in washing sieve using the faucet or any source of running water. Stop
when the water through the sieve is already clear or of no brown impurities.
5) Transfer all the washed soils in a pan. Use the squeeze bottle to remove all the particles
stocked in the #200 sieve holes.
6) Determine and record the mass of the pan plus its content (water and soil) to 0.01g.
7) Place the dish in the drying oven. Maintain the drying oven at 1005C.
Preparation of Portions Passing through No. 10 Sieve
- Determination of Composite Correction for the Hydrometer Reading
8) Prepare 1,000ml of liquid composed of water and dispersing agent in the same proportion
as will prevail in the in the sedimentation (hydrometer) test.
9) Place the liquid in a graduated cylinder and placed it in constant temperature water bath.
10) When the temperature of the liquid becomes constant, insert the hydrometer, and, after a
short interval to permit the hydrometer to come to the temperature of the liquid, read the
hydrometer at the top of the meniscus formed on the stem.
11) For hydrometer 151H, composite correction is the difference between the reading and 1.
- Hygroscopic Moisture
12) To determine the correction factor, a portion of the air-dried sample (from 10 to 15g) is
placed in a container
13) Determine and record the mass of the container plus its content (water and soil) to 0.01g.
14) Place the dish in the drying oven. Maintain the drying oven at 1005C. The time
required to be used is a minimum of 24 hours to obtain constant mass.
15) After the material has dried, remove the container from the oven. Allow the material and
the container to cool to room temperature or until the container can be handled
comfortably with bare hands and the operation of the balance will not be affected by
convection currents or its being heated.
16) Determine and record the mass of the container and oven-dried soil to 0.01g.
17) The hygroscopic moisture correction factor is computed by dividing the oven-dried mass
by the air-dried mass.
- Dispersion of Soil Sample
18) Transfer the remaining soil in this portion into a beaker with 250mL of water.
19) Soak and Stir it until it becomes slurry for about 10 minutes.
20) Then transfer the slurry fraction into the cylinder cup or cup used for the coffee/ malt
mixer.
21) Add more water if needed until the cup is half filled.
22) Place the cup unto the mixer and stir it for 5 minutes.
23) The solid portion remained in the beaker is transferred in the pan for oven-drying.
Hydrometer Analysis Test
24) After dispersion, the soil-water slurry is transferred to a glass sedimentation cylinder or
graduated cylinder.
25) Add water until the level is on the 1000mL marking.
26) Manually agitate the cylinder for about 1 minute (60 turns/ minute).
27) Place the cylinder in a convenient location where the temperature change would be
minimized or place in a water bath.
28) Take hydrometer readings at specific time intervals until 24 hours have elapsed [2, 5, 15,
30, 60, 250, and 1440 minutes, or as desired or availability].
29) In taking the hydrometer reading, carefully insert the hydrometer about 20 to 25 seconds
before the reading is due since it would took many seconds for the instrument from
sinking to float.
30) Carefully remove the hydrometer and carefully place it with a spinning motion in a
graduate of clean water.
31) After each reading take the temperature of the suspension by inserting the thermometer
into the suspension.
32) After taking the final hydrometer reading, transfer the suspension to a #200 sieve or
washing sieve and wash with tap water until the wash water is clear.
33) Transfer all the washed soils in the pan for oven-drying. Use the squeeze bottle to remove
all the particles stocked in the #200 sieve holes.
34) Once the soil is already dried, transfer it into a Ziploc bag and weigh it.
Mechanical (Sieve) Analysis
35) Weigh the mass of the empty set of sieves.
36) Add the dried soil in the top of the set of sieves. Weigh it.
37) Place the set of sieves in to the mechanical shaker.
38) Determine the mass of each fraction on a balance. At the end of weighing, the sum of the
masses retained on all sieves used should equal closely the original mass of the quantity
sieved.

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Experiment #3,4

Standard Test Methods for Particle-Size Analysis of Soils

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