Applies to QEST Web App

This article describes how to use the ASTM D6913 particle size distribution by sieving test method worksheet, which is based on ASTM D6913/D6913M - 17.

QestID: 110430

1 Overview
2 Using Results from Other Tests
3 Data Entry
- 3.1 Test Preparation
  - 3.1.1 Section Functionality
  - 3.1.2 Method
  - 3.1.3 Manage Separations
- 3.2 Specimen Preparation
  - 3.2.1 Section Functionality
4 Separation Choices
5 Results
- 5.1 Section Functionality
- 5.2 Classification Table
- 5.3 Additional Results
6 Equipment
7 Reporting
- 7.1 1. Material Test Report (PSD Dominant View)
  - 7.1.1 Properties
  - 7.1.2 Reported Values - Mandatory
  - 7.1.3 Reported Values - Conditional
- 7.2 2. Multiple Sample Agg/Soil Test Report
  - 7.2.1 Properties
  - 7.2.2 Reported Values - Mandatory
  - 7.2.3 Reported Values - Conditional
8 Batch Update Support
9 Work Progress and Complete Status

Overview

The ASTM D6913 Particle-Size Distribution (Gradation) of Soils Using Sieve Analysis worksheet can be used to determine the particle size distribution of soils and aggregates. It is based on the methodology of ASTM D6913/D6913M - 17 Particle-Size Distribution (Gradation) of Soils Using Sieve Analysis

The standard structure and functionality of this worksheet is described in the article Particle Size Distribution by Sieving Tests and its related articles. This article focuses on those parts of the worksheet where the functionality varies from, or is additional to, the standard functionality.

Together, these articles provide information on how the various choices available within the QEST Web App version of this test method provide the required pathways to deal with the variations within the test.

This worksheet contains a wide grid for some results.
When using tablet devices, landscape orientation will allow more of the grid to be shown at once.

Using Results from Other Tests

General functionality is described in the article Associated Test Results.

The following test method is embedded in this worksheet:

ASTM D2216: Water Content of Soil and Rock

Data Entry

Test Preparation

Section Functionality

Standard functionality is described in these places:

Function	Description

Function	Description
Method	Test Method
Sieve Retained Masses Are	Sieve Weighing Method
Pan Masses Are	Weighing Pan Masses
Sieves Are Added	Adding Sieves
	Refreshing Sieves
Separating Sieve(s)	Separation Sieve(s)
Additional Visual Description Required Checkbox	Visual Description
	Managing Separations

Additional functionality and variations specific to this worksheet are described below.

Method
Manage Separations

Method

Selection	Action

Selection	Action
Default	Allows separations and composite sieving. No limits on maximum particle size present in sieve portion. Only restrictions are those caused by the non-availability of suitable sieves. Percentages passing are displayed and reported to the nearest 1%
	No separations can be added to the test (the `Manage Separations` button is disabled and the `Separate on Sieve` button on all sieve portions is disabled). A warning will be shown if the there is a mass retained greater than 0 present on a sieve portion for a sieve equal to or larger than the 4.75 mm sieve. Percentages passing are displayed and reported to the nearest 0.1% .

Manage Separations

If any separations have been added to the test, the ability to select method B will be disabled.

Specimen Preparation

Section Functionality

Standard functionality is described in these places:

Function	Description

Function	Description
State of Material Prior to Preparation	Condition of Sample as Tested
Material Preparation Method	Test Portion Preparation

This worksheet has no departures from the standard functionality, for this section.

Separation Choices

Up until this point, all ASTM D6913 worksheets will basically look the same.
What happens next depends on the number of separations that are used in the test.
- No separations - single sieve set used
- One separation - more than one sieve set could be used
- Two separations - more than one sieve set could be used
The number of separations used causes changes to the appearance of various sections and to the workflow of the test.

The following links connect to articles describing the alternative ways of using the worksheet:

Results

Section Functionality

Standard functionality is described in the following places:

Function	Description

Function	Description
Particle Size Distribution Chart	PSD Chart
	Curve Fitting
	Specifications/Limits
	Classification Table
Calculated Properties	Calculated results
	Sieving results
	Additional Results

Additional functionality and variations specific to this worksheet are described below.

Classification Table
Additional Results

Classification Table

Description		Size Range (mm)

Description		Size Range (mm)
Cobbles (and Boulders)		>3” (>75.0)
Gravel	Coarse	3” to ¾” (75.0 to 19.0)
Gravel	Fine	¾” to #4 (19.0 to 4.75)
Sand	Coarse	#4 to #10 (4.75 to 2.00)
	Medium	#10 to #40 (2.00 to 0.425)
	Fine	#40 to #200 (0.425 to 0.075)
Fines	Silt and Clay	<#200 (< 0.075)

The boundaries used for the material classification table are consistent with ASTM D2487 [2017]

As for the particle properties discussed elsewhere, the choice of curve fitting method will affect the reported classification quantities and the user can be expected to notice small differences between the two methods.

Additional Results

The following calculated results are normally reported, if all requirements are met:

Percentile Values - D10, D15, D30, D50, D60, D85:
Coefficient of Uniformity (Cu);
Coefficient of Curvature (Cc).

Equipment

For equipment to be available for selection in equipment drop down boxes, the equipment item must first be created in QESTLab's Equipment list. Refer to article Creating Equipment.

The following equipment can be selected on the worksheet:

Worksheet Equipment Item	Equivalent to QEST Equipment Item (QestID)

Worksheet Equipment Item	Equivalent to QEST Equipment Item (QestID)
Balance	Balance (30005)
Oven	Oven (30004)
Wash Sieve	Sieve (30137)
Guard Sieve	Sieve (30137)
Sieve Set (Portion Sieving)	Sieve Set (30008)
Sieve (Portion Sieving)	Sieve (30137)

Some equipment on this worksheet imports equipment properties or calibration values. Ensure that these properties and values are set on the relevant equipment in order to avoid having to enter these values every time.

Reporting

The results from this worksheet can be reported on the following test report.

1. Material Test Report (PSD Dominant View)

Properties

QESTID	18909
Name	Material Test Report
Child Of	Sample

Reported Values - Mandatory

These values are always reported.

Field	Unit	Precision

Field	Unit	Precision
Testing Method	Text	N/A
Drying By	Text	N/A
Date Tested	Date	Nearest day
Tested By	N/A	N/A
Sieving Results	%	Method A: nearest 1; Method B: nearest 0.1 An extra digit is provided for separation sieves
Method	A/B	N/A
Preparation Method	Text	N/A
Composite Sieving?	Yes/No	N/A

Reported Values - Conditional

These values are reported if the field to be reported is not blank, or, some other condition is met.

Field	Unit	Precision

Field	Unit	Precision
Visual Description	N/A	N/A
Separating Sieve(s)	N/A	N/A
Fractional Percent Retained on Separating Sieve(s) in Finer Set(s)	%	Nearest 0.01
D10, D15, D30, D50, D60 and D85	See below for details. These are always reported as a group and not individually.
Cu and Cc
Remarks	N/A	N/A

Field	Condition for Reporting

Field	Condition for Reporting
Visual Description	Only shown if not blank and the `Additional Visual Description Required` checkbox is checked.
Separating Sieve(s)	Only shown if not blank and `Composite Sieving?` = “Yes”
Fractional Percent Retained on Separating Sieve(s) in Finer Set(s)	Only shown if not blank and `Composite Sieving?` = “Yes”
D10, D15, D30, D50, D60, D85, Cu and Cc	Values from the test worksheet, if not blank
Remarks	Remarks from the test worksheet, if not blank

Field	Unit	Precision

Field	Unit	Precision
D85	mm	Nearest 0.0001
D60	mm	Nearest 0.0001
D50	mm	Nearest 0.0001
D30	mm	Nearest 0.0001
D15	mm	Nearest 0.0001
D10	mm	Nearest 0.0001
Cu	Unitless	Nearest 0.01
Cc	Unitless	Nearest 0.01

2. Multiple Sample Agg/Soil Test Report

Properties

QESTID	18980
Name	Multiple Sample Agg/Soil Test Report
Child Of	Work Order

Reported Values - Mandatory

These values are always reported.

Field	Unit	Precision

Field	Unit	Precision
Testing Method	Text	N/A
Description	Text	N/A
Sieving Results	%	Method A: nearest 1; Method B: nearest 0.1 An extra digit is provided for separation sieves
Drying By	Text	N/A
Washed	Text	N/A
Method	A/B	N/A
Preparation Method	Text	N/A
Composite Sieving?	Yes/No	N/A

Reported Values - Conditional

These values are reported if the field to be reported is not blank, or, some other condition is met.

Field	Unit	Precision

Field	Unit	Precision
Visual Description	N/A	N/A
Separating Sieve(s)	N/A	N/A
Fractional Percent Retained on Separating Sieve(s) in Finer Set(s)	%	Nearest 0.01
Cu and Cc	See below for details. These are always reported as a group and not individually.
Remarks	N/A	N/A

Field	Condition for Reporting

Field	Condition for Reporting
Visual Description	Only shown if not blank and the `Additional Visual Description Required` checkbox is checked.
Separating Sieve(s)	Only shown if not blank and `Composite Sieving?` = “Yes”
Fractional Percent Retained on Separating Sieve(s) in Finer Set(s)	Only shown if not blank and `Composite Sieving?` = “Yes”
Cu and Cc	Values from the test worksheet, if not blank
Remarks	Remarks from the test worksheet, if not blank

Field	Unit	Precision

Field	Unit	Precision
Cu	Unitless	Nearest 0.01
Cc	Unitless	Nearest 0.01

Batch Update Support

This worksheet is not supported on the batch update page.

Work Progress and Complete Status

The work progress rules noted below are the default set of rules for this test, these may be overwritten by system administrators and therefore behave differently on each QEST Platform instance.

Progress (%)	Criteria

Progress (%)	Criteria
0%	Test has been registered
30%	Specimen Wet Mass has a non-zero value
50%	Specimen Dry Mass has a valid non-zero value
100%	Test is complete

This test method is determined as complete when both of the following criteria are true:

Specimen total dry mass has been determined and
All sections are complete based on the rules below

Section Type	Completion Status

Section Type

Completion Status

Separation

The following have been determined:

Coarse portion dry mass
Fine portion subspecimen dry mass

Portion Preparation

If washed, portion dry washed mass determined
If not washed, portion dry mass determined

Sieving

Pan has a mass

QEST Platform 5.7 Documentation

ASTM D6913 Particle-Size Distribution (Gradation) of Soils Using Sieve Analysis

Contents

Overview

Using Results from Other Tests

Data Entry

Test Preparation

Section Functionality

Method

Manage Separations

Specimen Preparation

Section Functionality

Separation Choices

Results

Section Functionality

Classification Table

Additional Results

Equipment

Reporting

1. Material Test Report (PSD Dominant View)

Properties

Reported Values - Mandatory

Reported Values - Conditional

2. Multiple Sample Agg/Soil Test Report

Properties

Reported Values - Mandatory

Reported Values - Conditional

Batch Update Support

Work Progress and Complete Status

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