Sieve Analysis Explained for Construction Materials
Why almost every aggregate and soil specification references gradation
A test that recurs across many materials
Sieve analysis isn't specific to one material — it's used for aggregate destined for concrete, aggregate for asphalt mixes, road-base material, and soil samples in geotechnical work. In each case, the underlying method is similar: shake a weighed sample through a stack of sieves and weigh what's retained on each.
Aggregates are tested under ASTM C136 and soils under ASTM D6913. The equipment is simple, the result is easy to compare against a specification, and it predicts a lot about how a material will behave, which is why it appears in nearly every aggregate specification.
How the test is run
- Dry the sample to constant mass and weigh it.
- Where fines matter, wash it over the No. 200 (75 µm) sieve first (ASTM C117), dry it again and record the loss.
- Stack the sieves from largest opening at the top to smallest at the bottom, with a pan underneath.
- Shake by hand or mechanical shaker until little more passes each sieve.
- Weigh the material retained on each sieve and in the pan; the total should closely match the starting mass.
| Sieve | Opening |
|---|---|
| 3/4 in | 19.0 mm |
| 3/8 in | 9.5 mm |
| No. 4 | 4.75 mm |
| No. 8 | 2.36 mm |
| No. 16 | 1.18 mm |
| No. 30 | 600 µm |
| No. 50 | 300 µm |
| No. 100 | 150 µm |
| No. 200 | 75 µm |
Equipment and sample size
The kit is simple: a nest of square-opening wire-cloth sieves with a pan, a balance, a drying oven held at 110 ± 5 °C (230 ± 9 °F), and often a mechanical shaker. ASTM C136 sets the details that make results repeatable.
- Balance: readable to 0.1 g for fine aggregate (accurate to 0.1 g or 0.1% of the test load, whichever is greater), and to 0.5 g or 0.1% for coarse aggregate.
- Sample size: at least 300 g of fine aggregate; coarse aggregate scales with nominal maximum size, from 1 kg at 9.5 mm (3/8 in) to 10 kg at 25 mm (1 in) and 20 kg at 50 mm (2 in).
- Sieve load: no more than 7 kg per square metre of sieving surface on sieves finer than No. 4, which is about 200 g on an 8 in sieve.
- End point: keep sieving until no more than 0.5% of the sample passes any sieve during one minute of continuous hand sieving.
Worked example: a concrete sand
A 500 g sample of fine aggregate retains the masses below. Cumulative percent retained is the running total divided by 500; percent passing is 100 minus that.
For reading a full report, including the mass check, specification bands, D10, D30 and D60, see how to read a sieve analysis.
| Sieve | Retained (g) | Cumulative retained | % passing |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/8 in | 0 | 0% | 100% |
| No. 4 | 10 | 2% | 98% |
| No. 8 | 55 | 13% | 87% |
| No. 16 | 80 | 29% | 71% |
| No. 30 | 105 | 50% | 50% |
| No. 50 | 115 | 73% | 27% |
| No. 100 | 95 | 92% | 8% |
| No. 200 | 35 | 99% | 1% |
| Pan | 5 | 100% | — |
Fineness modulus
The fineness modulus (FM) adds the cumulative percentages retained on the standard sieves (3/8 in, No. 4, 8, 16, 30, 50 and 100 here, plus larger sieves when present) and divides by 100: (0 + 2 + 13 + 29 + 50 + 73 + 92) ÷ 100 = 2.59. ASTM C33 requires concrete sand's FM to fall between 2.3 and 3.1, and this sample's percent-passing values also sit inside the C33 grading band. The Sieve Analysis Calculator produces the same table and FM from your retained masses.
Concrete mix design
Fine and coarse aggregate gradation directly affects a concrete mix's workability, the amount of cement paste needed to fill voids, and the finished material's strength and durability — mix designers reference sieve analysis results (including the fineness modulus for fine aggregate) when proportioning a mix.
A change in FM of more than 0.20 from the value used in the mix design is a common trigger for adjusting proportions, because a finer sand needs more water and paste to coat its larger surface area. What Is Concrete Made Of? covers the ingredients.
Asphalt and base materials
Asphalt mix designs specify a target gradation band, and the aggregate supply is checked against it via sieve analysis. Road base and crusher-run materials are similarly specified by a gradation envelope, since their compacted density and drainage behavior both depend on having the right blend of particle sizes.
See Road Base Materials Explained for why a dense-graded base relies on that blend.
Soils and classification
In geotechnical work, the sieve analysis provides the grain-size part of soil classification: the percentage of gravel, sand and fines, and the Cu and Cc coefficients that separate well-graded from poorly graded soils. For soils with a significant fine fraction, a hydrometer test extends the curve below 75 µm, and Atterberg limits classify the fines. What Is Aggregate and Why Does Gradation Matter? explains Cu and Cc.
Common mistakes
- Overloading sieves, which blocks the openings and makes material appear coarser than it is.
- Under-shaking, with the same effect.
- Skipping the wash, so fine particles clinging to coarse ones are counted in the wrong fraction.
- Not checking that the retained masses add back up to the starting mass.
FAQ
- What is the purpose of a sieve analysis?
- To measure the particle-size distribution (gradation) of an aggregate or soil, so it can be checked against a specification, used in mix design, or used to classify the soil.
- How do you calculate percent passing?
- Add the masses retained on each sieve and all sieves above it, divide by the total sample mass and multiply by 100 to get cumulative percent retained. Percent passing is 100 minus that.
- What is a good fineness modulus for concrete sand?
- ASTM C33 requires a fineness modulus between 2.3 and 3.1. Values toward the lower end mean a finer sand, which generally needs more water and paste.
- Which standard covers sieve analysis?
- ASTM C136 for fine and coarse aggregates and ASTM D6913 for soils. Washing to measure fines finer than the No. 200 sieve is covered by ASTM C117.
Related Calculators
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More From the Blog
Sources
ASTM C136
Standard Test Method for Sieve Analysis of Fine and Coarse Aggregates.
ASTM D6913
Particle-size distribution (gradation) of soils using sieve analysis.
ASTM C33
Concrete aggregate grading limits and fineness-modulus range.
NICET performance checklist, ASTM C136/C136M-14
Balance, oven, minimum sample mass, sieve-overload and end-point requirements.
NICET performance checklist, ASTM C136/C136M-14 — reference