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BS EN ISO 17892-4:2016

BSI Standards Publication

Geotechnical investigation and

testing — Laboratory testing of
soil
Part 4: Determination of particle size
distribution (ISO 17892-4:2016)
 BS EN ISO 17892-4:2016 BRITISH STANDARD

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National foreword
This British Standard is the UK implementation of EN ISO
17892-4:2016. It partially supersedes BS 1377-2:1990,
specifically clause 9.
The UK participation in its preparation was entrusted to Technical
Committee B/526/3, Site investigation and ground testing.
A list of organizations represented on this committee can be
obtained on request to its secretary.
This publication does not purport to include all the necessary
provisions of a contract. Users are responsible for its correct
application.
© The British Standards Institution 2016.
Published by BSI Standards Limited 2016
ISBN 978 0 580 85381 4
ICS 13.080.20; 93.020
Compliance with a British Standard cannot confer immunity from
legal obligations.
This British Standard was published under the authority of the
Standards Policy and Strategy Committee on 31 December 2016.
Amendments/corrigenda issued since publication
Date Text affected
 EUROPEAN STANDARD EN ISO 17892-4
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NORME EUROPÉENNE
EUROPÄISCHE NORM November 2016

ICS 13.080.20; 93.020 Supersedes CEN ISO/TS 17892-4:2004

English Version

Geotechnical investigation and testing - Laboratory testing

of soil - Part 4: Determination of particle size distribution
(ISO 17892-4:2016)
Reconnaissance et essais géotechniques - Essais de Geotechnische Erkundung und Untersuchung -
laboratoire sur les sols - Partie 4: Détermination de la Laborversuche an Bodenproben - Teil 4: Bestimmung
distribution granulométrie des particules (ISO 17892- der Korngrößenverteilung (ISO 17892-4:2016)
4:2016)

This European Standard was approved by CEN on 25 September 2016.

CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this
European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration. Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references
concerning such national standards may be obtained on application to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre or to any CEN
member.

This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other language made by
translation under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC Management
Centre has the same status as the official versions.

CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania,
Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and
United Kingdom.

EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION

COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION
EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG

CEN-CENELEC Management Centre: Avenue Marnix 17, B-1000 Brussels

© 2016 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. EN ISO 17892-4:2016 E
worldwide for CEN national Members.
BS EN ISO 17892-4:2016
EN ISO 17892-4:2016 (E)
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European foreword

This document (EN ISO 17892-4:2016) has been prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 182
“Geotechnics” in collaboration with Technical Committee CEN/TC 341 “Geotechnical Investigation and
Testing” the secretariat of which is held by AFNOR.

This European Standard shall be given the status of a national standard, either by publication of an
identical text or by endorsement, at the latest by May 2017, and conflicting national standards shall be
withdrawn at the latest by May 2017.

Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. CEN [and/or CENELEC] shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent
rights.

This document supersedes CEN ISO/TS 17892-4:2004.

According to the CEN-CENELEC Internal Regulations, the national standards organizations of the
following countries are bound to implement this European Standard: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria,
Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia,
France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta,
Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Turkey and the United Kingdom.

Endorsement notice

The text of ISO 17892-4:2016 has been approved by CEN as EN ISO 17892-4:2016 without any
modification.

3
 BS EN ISO 17892-4:2016
ISO 17892-4:2016(E)

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Contents Page

Foreword......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... iv
Introduction...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................v
1 Scope.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 1
2 Normative references....................................................................................................................................................................................... 1
3 Terms and definitions...................................................................................................................................................................................... 1
4 Apparatus...................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 2
4.1 General............................................................................................................................................................................................................ 2
4.2 Sieving method........................................................................................................................................................................................ 3
4.3 Hydrometer method............................................................................................................................................................................ 4
4.4 Pipette method......................................................................................................................................................................................... 4
4.5 Reagents........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 6
5 Test procedure......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 6
5.1 Selection of test method.................................................................................................................................................................. 6
5.2 Sieving method........................................................................................................................................................................................ 7
5.2.1 General...................................................................................................................................................................................... 7
5.2.2 Specimen preparation.................................................................................................................................................. 9
5.2.3 Test execution................................................................................................................................................................... 10
5.3 Hydrometer method......................................................................................................................................................................... 12
5.3.1 General................................................................................................................................................................................... 12
5.3.2 Specimen preparation............................................................................................................................................... 14
5.3.3 Test execution................................................................................................................................................................... 15
5.4 Pipette method...................................................................................................................................................................................... 15
5.4.1 General................................................................................................................................................................................... 15
5.4.2 Specimen preparation............................................................................................................................................... 16
5.4.3 Test execution................................................................................................................................................................... 16
5.5 Combined tests..................................................................................................................................................................................... 16
6 Test results................................................................................................................................................................................................................18
6.1 Sieving.......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 18
6.1.1 Fraction passing each sieve.................................................................................................................................. 18
6.2 Hydrometer.............................................................................................................................................................................................. 18
6.2.1 Total dry mass.................................................................................................................................................................. 18
6.2.2 Fraction passing each sieve.................................................................................................................................. 19
6.2.3 True hydrometer reading....................................................................................................................................... 19
6.2.4 Effective depth................................................................................................................................................................. 19
6.2.5 Equivalent particle diameter............................................................................................................................... 19
6.2.6 Modified hydrometer reading............................................................................................................................ 20
6.2.7 Fraction smaller than equivalent particle diameter........................................................................ 20
6.2.8 Correction for material larger than 2 mm............................................................................................... 21
6.3 Pipette.......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 21
6.3.1 Total dry mass.................................................................................................................................................................. 21
6.3.2 Fraction passing each sieve.................................................................................................................................. 21
6.3.3 Equivalent particle diameter............................................................................................................................... 21
6.3.4 Fraction smaller than equivalent particle diameter........................................................................ 22
6.3.5 Correction for material larger than 2 mm............................................................................................... 22
7 Test report................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 22
Annex A (normative) Calibration, maintenance and checks.....................................................................................................24
Annex B (informative) Pre-treatment of samples.................................................................................................................................30
Bibliography.............................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 31

© ISO 2016 – All rights reserved  iii

BS EN ISO 17892-4:2016
ISO 17892-4:2016(E)

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Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards
bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out
through ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical
committee has been established has the right to be represented on that committee. International
organizations, governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work.
ISO collaborates closely with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of
electrotechnical standardization.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are
described in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular the different approval criteria needed for the
different types of ISO documents should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the
editorial rules of the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www.iso.org/directives).
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights. Details of
any patent rights identified during the development of the document will be in the Introduction and/or
on the ISO list of patent declarations received (see www.iso.org/patents).
Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not
constitute an endorsement.
For an explanation on the meaning of ISO specific terms and expressions related to conformity assessment,
as well as information about ISO’s adherence to the World Trade Organization (WTO) principles in the
Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) see the following URL: www.iso.org/iso/foreword.html.
ISO 17892-4 was prepared by the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) Technical Committee
CEN/TC 341, Geotechnical investigation and testing, in collaboration with ISO Technical Committee
TC 182, Geotechnics, in accordance with the agreement on technical cooperation between ISO and CEN
(Vienna Agreement).
This first edition cancels and replaces the first edition (ISO/TS 17892-4:2004), which has been
technically revised.
It also incorporates the Technical Corrigendum ISO/TS 17892-4:2004/Cor 1:2006.
A full list of parts in the ISO 17892 series, published under the general title Geotechnical investigation
and testing — Laboratory testing of soil, can be found on the ISO website.

iv  © ISO 2016 – All rights reserved

 BS EN ISO 17892-4:2016
ISO 17892-4:2016(E)

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Introduction
This part of ISO 17892 covers areas in the international field of geotechnical engineering never
previously standardized. It is intended that this part of ISO 17892 presents broad good practice
throughout the world and significant differences with national documents is not anticipated. It is based
on international practice (see Reference [2]).

© ISO 2016 – All rights reserved  v

BS EN ISO 17892-4:2016

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 BS EN ISO 17892-4:2016
INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO 17892-4:2016(E)
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Geotechnical investigation and testing — Laboratory

testing of soil —
Part 4:
Determination of particle size distribution

1 Scope
This part of ISO 17892 specifies a method of determining the particle size distribution of soils.
This part of ISO 17892 is applicable to the laboratory determination of the particle size distribution
of a soil test specimen by sieving, or sedimentation, or a combination of both within the scope of
geotechnical investigations.
The particle size distribution is one of the most important physical characteristics of soil. Classification
of soils is mainly based on the particle size distribution. Many geotechnical and geohydrological
properties of soil are related to the particle size distribution.
The particle size distribution provides a description of soil based on a subdivision in discrete classes of
particle sizes. The size of each class can be determined by sieving and/or sedimentation. Coarse soils
are usually tested by sieving, but fine and mixed soils are usually tested by a combination of sieving and
sedimentation, depending on the composition of the soil.
The sieving method described is applicable to all non-cemented soils with particle sizes less than
125 mm. Two sedimentation methods are described: the hydrometer method and the pipette method.
NOTE This part of ISO 17892 fulfils the requirements of the particle size distribution testing in accordance
with EN 1997-2.

2 Normative references
The following documents, in whole or in part, are normatively referenced in this document and are
indispensable for its application. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated
references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
ISO 3310-1, Test sieves —Technical requirements and testing — Part 1: Test sieves of metal wire cloth
ISO 3310-2, Test sieves — Technical requirements and testing — Part 2: Test sieves of perforated metal plate
ISO 4788, Laboratory glassware — Graduated measuring cylinders
ISO 14688-1, Geotechnical investigation and testing — Identification and classification of soil — Part 1:
Identification and description
ISO 17892-1, Geotechnical investigation and testing — Laboratory testing of soil — Part 1: Determination
of water content
ISO 17892-3, Geotechnical investigation and testing — Laboratory testing of soil — Part 3: Determination
of particle density

3 Terms and definitions

For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.

© ISO 2016 – All rights reserved  1