1.

0 INTRODUCTION
This experiment is conducted to investigate the grain size distribution of the sample soil
obtained from the field. This experiment is very important in order to determine the properties
and characteristics of the sample soil. Soil can be classified into 2 types, which are coarse
grained soils and also fine grained soils. This is depending to the distribution of particle size. For
the particle with size larger than 0.075mm, it is classified as coarse grain soil while the particle
with size smaller than 0.075mm will be classified as fine grain soil.
This experiment is divided into two parts, which is mechanical sieving and hydrometer
analysis. Mechanical sieving is used to investigate coarse grained soil particles while hydrometer
analysis is for fine grained soil particles. Mechanical sieving is widely used in soil categorisation
as this method is simple and accurate. Mechanical sieving analysis needs sieves with equal size
and shape opening to allow soil particles of smaller sizes to pass through while the bigger size
particles will be retained on the sieve. Sieve with larger size opening will be placed at the top and
smaller size opening sieves will be placed at bottom. When the sieve passed a soil sample
downwards trough a series of sieves, each of the sieve will decrease in size opening. By using
this method, the particles can be separated and classified into groups with different particle size
ranges. In the other hand, mechanical sieving analysis is only can use to determine the soil
particles with size larger than 0.075mm.
Besides that, the soil particles with size smaller than 0.075mm will be determined by
using hydrometer analysis. Stokes law is involved in hydrometer analysis as grain size of the
particles can be made possible to be investigated as different size of particles have different
settling velocity. Hydrometer is inserted into the viscous fluid of the soil solution in order to
determine the soil particles which have size smaller than 0.075mm. In this test, specific gravity
of the suspension particles can be determined and hence the percentage particle of certain
equivalent particle diameter can be calculated. The particles diameter is calculated from
knowledge of the distance and time of fall.

1.1 OBJECTIVE

Study and determine the distributed grain size of soil for soil classification
Classify the soil particles base on unified soil classification system
Investigate the soil particle with size larger than 0.0075mm by using sieving analysis
Determine the soil particle with size smaller than 0.0075mm by using hydrometer
analysis

1.2 HYPOTHESIS
Soil particles can be classified into various types by different grain size. Soil
classification can be done by using the data and results obtained from the graph plotted at

bottom. More than half of the total soil retained when sieving though the 0.075mm sieve size.
The retained soil is known as coarse grained soil.