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Version 8.0
A Grain Size Distribution and Statistics Package for the Analysis of
Unconsolidated Sediments by Sieving or Laser Granulometer
Developed by Dr Simon J Blott
Kenneth Pye Associates Ltd.
Crowthorne Enterprise Centre
Old Wokingham Road
Crowthorne
Berkshire RG45 6AW
UK
E-mail: s.blott@kpal.co.uk
Tel/Fax: +44 (0)1344 751610
The development of this program was inspired by Dave Thornley and John Jack at the Postgraduate
Research Institute for Sedimentology at the University of Reading, UK, and the Department of Geology at
Royal Holloway University of London, UK. It is provided in Microsoft Excel format to allow both spreadsheet
and graphical output. The program is best suited to analyse data obtained from sieve or laser granulometer
analysis. The user is required to input the mass or percentage of sediment retained on sieves spaced at any
intervals, or the percentage of sediment detected in each bin of a Laser Granulometer.
The following
sample statistics are then calculated using the Method of Moments in Microsoft Visual Basic programming
language: mean, mode(s), sorting (standard deviation), skewness, kurtosis, D 10, D50, D90, D90/D10, D90-D10,
D75/D25 and D75-D25. Grain size parameters are calculated arithmetically and geometrically (in microns) and
logarithmically (using the phi scale) (Krumbein and Pettijohn, 1938 1; Table 1). Linear interpolation is also
used to calculate statistical parameters by the Folk and Ward (1957) 2 graphical method and derive physical
descriptions (such as very coarse sand and moderately sorted). The program also provides a physical
description of the textural group which the sample belongs to and the sediment name (such as fine gravelly
coarse sand) after Folk (1954)3. Also included is a table giving the percentage of grains falling into each
size fraction, modified from Udden (1914) 4 and Wentworth (1922)5 (see Table 2). In terms of graphical
output, the program provides graphs of the grain size distribution and cumulative distribution of the data in
both metric and phi units, and displays the sample grain size on triangular diagrams. Samples may be
analysed singularly, or up to 250 samples may be analysed together.
The program is ideal for the rapid analysis of sieve data and is freely available from the author at the
above address. Please note that the copyright for the program is held by author, and any distribution or use
of the program should be acknowledged to him.
S. Blott
November 2010
Krumbein, W.C. and Pettijohn, F.J. (1938) Manual of Sedimentary Petrography. Appleton-Century-Crofts, New York.
Folk, R.L. and Ward, W.C. (1957) Brazos River bar: a study in the significance of grain size parameters. Journal of Sedimentary
Petrology, 27, 3-26.
3
Folk, R.L. (1954) The distinction between grain size and mineral composition in sedimentary-rock nomenclature. Journal of Geology,
62, 344-359.
4
Udden, J.A. (1914) Mechanical composition of clastic sediments. Bulletin of the Geological Society of America, 25, 655-744.
Wentworth, C.K. (1922) A scale of grade and class terms for clastic sediments. Journal of Geology, 30, 377-392.
4. If you require a Summary Statistics printout for each sample, select a tick in the option box.
5. Click the "Calculate Statistics" button and wait for the program to finish running (this may take several
minutes). GRADISTAT will give a warning if it detects a sample whose combined weight is greater than the
given sample weight. Click "OK" when prompted on the dialog boxes.
6. The resulting statistics for all samples are summarised on the "Multiple Sample Statistics" sheet. The data
for each sample included in the analysis are also shown on triangular diagrams on the "Gravel Sand Mud"
and "Sand Silt Clay" sheets. Cumulative and distribution plots will show the results for the last sample in the
analysis. If graphical plots for other samples are required, use separate single sample analyses (above).
Unanalysed Sediment
Occasionally, samples may contain sediment in a size fraction of unspecified size, such as material retained
in the pan after sieving. Ideally, the whole size range in a sample should be analysed, and this may require
further analysis of sediment remaining in the pan after sieving. The larger the quantity of sediment
remaining in the pan, the less accurate the calculation of grain size statistics, with statistics calculated by the
Method of Moments being most susceptible. Errors in Folk and Ward parameters become significant only
when more than 5% of the sample is undetermined. If the sample contains sediment in the pan the user
should do one of the following:
1. Enter the weight or percentage of sample in the pan with a class size of zero (or leave the class size
blank). GRADISTAT calculates the statistics assuming all sediment in the pan is larger than 10 (1 m).
The grain size distribution graphs do not however plot the quantity of sediment in the pan.
2. Enter the weight or percentage of sample in the pan with a class size which the user considers to be the
lower size limit of sediment in the pan. GRADISTAT calculates the statistics assuming all sediment in the
pan is larger than this value and plots this quantity on the grain size distribution graphs.
The above two options are recommended where there is less than 1% of the sample remaining in the pan.
3. Do not enter the quantity of sediment in the pan at all. GRADISTAT calculates the statistics ignoring the
sediment in the pan as if it were not present in the sample. This is recommended where there is more than
1% of the sample remaining in the pan.
Samples containing more than 5% of sediment in the pan should ideally be analysed using a different
technique, such as sedimentation or laser granulometry. Great care must however be taken when merging
data obtained by different methods.
Graph Scales
The size scale used in graphical plots is dependent upon the range of sizes specified on the sample input
sheets: the first and last values provide the extreme values on the graphs. While one size class larger than
the largest particles in the sample should be entered, other size classes outside the grain size range of the
sample have no influence on the statistical calculations. These classes may be deleted to narrow the size
scale on graphs. Note that unused size classes within the size range of the sample should also be deleted,
otherwise GRADISTAT assumes that zero sample weight was present in those size classes.
Copyright Simon Blott (2000)
Table 2.
phi
Grain Size
mm
-10
1024
-9
512
-8
256
-7
128
-6
64
-5
32
Descriptive term
Very Large
Large
Medium
Small
Very small
Very coarse
Boulder
phi
mm
-10
1024
-9
512
-8
256
-7
128
-6
64
-5
32
-4
16
-3
-2
-1
0
1
1
microns
500
250
125
63
31
16
Very Large
Large
Medium
Boulder
Small
Very small
Very coarse
Coarse
Medium
Gravel
Fine
Very fine
Very coarse
Coarse
Medium
Sand
Fine
Very fine
Very coarse
Coarse
Medium
Fine
Very fine
Silt
at the Postgraduate
tment of Geology at
ow both spreadsheet
r laser granulometer
ieves spaced at any
er.
The following
Basic programming
D90, D90/D10, D90-D10,
ally (in microns) and
interpolation is also
and derive physical
provides a physical
uch as fine gravelly
ains falling into each
n terms of graphical
bution of the data in
. Samples may be
w York.
Journal of Sedimentary
a, 25, 655-744.
92.
ludes a distribution
tics page. The data
ay" sheets. Further
he sieves or Laser
must be the same for
er. For convenience,
RADISTAT will enter
he statistics may not
ion below if samples
east one size class
box.
as material retained
and this may require
uantity of sediment
ics calculated by the
ome significant only
in the pan the user
considers to be the
g all sediment in the
ed using a different
taken when merging
erm
Boulder
Boulder
Gravel
Sand
Silt
Aperture
(microns)
90000
63000
45000
31500
22400
16000
11200
8000
5600
4000
2800
2000
1400
1000
710
500
355
250
180
125
90
63
Analisis
David Burbano
01/11/2016
81.2
Class Weight
Retained (g or %)
1.232
3.079
4.064
7.143
12.315
15.148
18.719
16.379
12.562
6.773
2.586
(optional)
Enter your data in the columns below, and then click the "Ca
Statistics" button. See the "Information" sheet for more info
Auto. add
apertures
at:
SAMPLE STATISTICS
m
MODE 1:
MODE 2:
MODE 3:
D10:
MEDIAN or D50:
D90:
(D90 / D10):
(D90 - D10):
(D75 / D25):
(D75 - D25):
13600.0
-3.743
5702.9
13997.1
41492.8
7.276
35790.0
2.843
15705.2
-5.375
-3.807
-2.512
0.467
2.863
0.672
1.507
MEAN ( x ):
SORTING ():
SKEWNESS (Sk):
KURTOSIS (K):
METHOD OF MOMENTS
Arithmetic Geometric Logarithmic
m
m
18894.9
12770.3
-3.798
15775.2
3.592
1.123
1.904
-4.852
0.185
6.800
37.13
3.551
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
m
14328.8
-3.841
Medium Gravel
2.165
1.114
Poorly Sorted
0.084
-0.084
Symmetrical
1.012
1.012
Mesokurtic
GRAINParticle
SIZE Diameter
DISTRIBUTION
(f)
5.0000
3.0000
1.0000
-1.0000
-3.0000
-5.0000
-7.0000
18.00
16.00
14.00
12.00
10.00
8.00
6.00
4.00
2.00
0.00
100
1000
Particle Diameter (m)
10000
100000
Auto. add
apertures
at:
Print summary sheets for each sample?
Aperture
Class Weight Retained (g or %) in Different Samples
(microns)
Sample Identity:
Analyst:
Date:
Initial Sample Weight:
90000
63000
45000
31500
22400
16000
11200
8000
5600
4000
2800
2000
1400
1000
710
500
355
250
180
125
90
63
SAMPLE STATISTICS
METHOD OF
MOMENTS
Arithmetic (m)
METHOD OF
MOMENTS
Geometric (m)
METHOD OF
MOMENTS
Logarithmic ()
FOLK AND
WARD METHOD
(m)
FOLK AND
WARD METHOD
()
FOLK AND
WARD METHOD
(Description)
Triangular Diagram
Gravel: 100.
Sand: 0%
0.0%
Mud: 0.0
Gravel
SAMPLE Analisis
IDENTITY:
TEXTURAL Gravel
GROUP:
SEDIMENT NAME: Medium Gravel
Gravel
80%
Medium Gravel:
Fine Gravel:
Very Fine Gravel:
Very Coarse Sand:
Coarse Sand:
Sandy
Gravel
Gravel %
Muddy Gravel
Muddy
Sandy
Gravel
Medium
Fine Sand:
Sand:
Very Fine
Sand:
Very Coarse
Silt:
Coarse Silt:
Medium Silt:
30%
Fine Silt:
Gravelly Mud
Gravelly
Sand
5%
Trace
Mud
Slightly
Gravelly
Mud
Mud
Slightly Gravelly
Sandy Mud
Sandy Mud
1:9
Clay:
Slightly
Gravelly
Sand
Slightly Gravelly
Muddy Sand
Sand
Muddy Sand
1:1 Ratio
Sand:Mud
9:1
Sand
27.8
%
35.1
%
19.3
%
2.6%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
Triangular Diagram
Sand
SAMPLE Analisis
IDENTITY:
TEXTURAL
GROUP:
IGNORING
GRAVEL
FRACTION
Gravel: 100.0
Sand: %
0.0%
Mud: 0.0
NOTE
Gravel is also
present in
this sample
Sand
90%
%
Very Coarse 15.2
Gravel: %
Coarse Gravel:
27.8
Medium Gravel: %
35.1
Fine Gravel: %
19.3
Very Fine Gravel: %
2.6%
Clayey Sand
Sand %
Muddy
Sand
Silty
Sand
Medium 0.0%
Sand:
Fine Sand:
0.0%
50%
0.0%
Sandy Clay
Sandy Silt
Clay: 0.0%
10%
Mud
Clay
Clay
1:2
Silt:Clay Ratio
Silt
2:1
Silt
Chart Title
18.00
16.00
14.00
12.00
10.00
8.00
6.00
4.00
2.00
0.00
-7.0000
-5.0000
-3.0000
-1.0000
Particle diameter (f)
1.0000
3.0000
100.00
90.00
80.00
70.00
60.00
50.00
40.00
30.00
20.00
10.00
0.00
-7.000
-6.000
-5.000
-4.000
Particle diameter (f)
-3.000
-2.000
-1.000
Chart Title
18.00
16.00
14.00
12.00
10.00
8.00
6.00
4.00
2.00
0.00
1000.0
10000.0
Particle diameter (mm)
100000.0
100.00
90.00
80.00
70.00
60.00
50.00
40.00
30.00
20.00
10.00
0.00
1000
10000
Particle diameter (mm)
100000
ARITHMETIC
GEOMETIC
f(m-M)2
f(m-M)3
f(m-M)4
log m
f log m
f(logm-logM)2
###
###
###
###
###
1409946.71902
###
###
###
###
###
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
###
###
###
###
###
###
###
###
###
###
###
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
###
###
###
###
###
###
###
###
###
###
###
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
4.877
4.726
4.576
4.424
4.277
4.127
3.976
3.826
3.675
3.525
3.374
3.224
3.073
2.926
2.775
2.625
2.474
2.327
2.176
2.026
0
15.01564112
19.20758782
32.68466464
54.48499941
64.79078324
77.24711706
65.12542645
48.05767721
24.89161491
9.114638903
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
20.77262
1.82834
1.56258
1.57494
1.24595
0.44285
0.00784
0.27701
0.98882
1.25861
0.87471
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
1.877
0.895
Err:502
Err:502
Err:502
Err:502
Err:502
Err:502
Err:502
Err:502
Err:502
Err:502
Err:502
Err:502
Err:502
Err:502
Err:502
Err:502
Err:502
Err:502
0
0
Err:502
Err:502
Err:502
Err:502
Err:502
Err:502
Err:502
Err:502
Err:502
Err:502
Err:502
Err:502
Err:502
Err:502
Err:502
Err:502
Err:502
Err:502
0.00000
0.00000
Err:502
Err:502
Err:502
Err:502
Err:502
Err:502
Err:502
Err:502
Err:502
Err:502
Err:502
Err:502
Err:502
Err:502
Err:502
Err:502
Err:502
Err:502
D OF MOMENTS
f(logm-logM)3 f(logm-logM)4
-85.29655
1.40890
0.96892
0.73953
0.39631
0.07572
0.00016
-0.03602
-0.27743
-0.54256
-0.50873
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
350.24484
1.08568
0.60080
0.34725
0.12606
0.01295
0.00000
0.00468
0.07784
0.23389
0.29587
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
Err:502
Err:502
Err:502
Err:502
Err:502
Err:502
Err:502
Err:502
Err:502
Err:502
Err:502
Err:502
Err:502
Err:502
Err:502
Err:502
Err:502
Err:502
0.00000
0.00000
Err:502
Err:502
Err:502
Err:502
Err:502
Err:502
Err:502
Err:502
Err:502
Err:502
Err:502
Err:502
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Err:502