PETE 3100 02 SEPTEMBER 30, 2019

LAB REPORT

Rock Grain Size

(Sieve Analysis)

Dated:

Name:

Group#:

INSTITUTION

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PETE 3100 02 SEPTEMBER 30, 2019

Table of Contents

Introduction ......................................................................................................................................... 3
Objective of Experiment:..................................................................................................................... 3
Principle of Operation: ........................................................................................................................ 5
Procedure of Experiment ..................................................................................................................... 8
Observation:......................................................................................................................................... 9
Calculation: ........................................................................................................................................ 10
Results .............................................................................................................................................. 11
Discussion & Conclusions ................................................................................................................. 11
Question/Answers .............................................................................................................................. 12
References ......................................................................................................................................... 15

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PETE 3100 02 SEPTEMBER 30, 2019

Introduction
Grain size assortment is one of the most significant attributes of sediment. This is genuine in light
of the fact that grain size is an integral asset for depicting a rock geomorphic setting, deciphering
the geomorphic criticalness of fluid dynamics in the natural environment, and recognizing regional
versus local sediment transport instruments, also that grain size is an overwhelming controlling
element in sediment geochemistry. Cations got from mineral weathering and contamination
sources are specially adsorbed onto clay, which has the most largest surface area to volume ratio
of any particle size class.

The grain size assortment of a sediment test sample is controlled by any of various systems or
strategies relying upon the different sizes of particles present in a sample. In this experiment
Tyler’s Method has been used, for this purpose any particle lesser than 63.5 microns can be used.
Such as sand which has particles smaller than 63.5 microns or gravel which has particle greater
than 2mm.

Describing the physical properties of sediment is significant in deciding its appropriateness for
different uses such as considering sedimentary environments and geologic history.

The physical properties of sediment can be depicted by a few parameters. Grain size is the most
significant of these and is the fundamental manner by which sediment (and clastic sedimentary
rocks) is characterized. Other regularly utilized properties of sediment are sorting and shape
(roundness and sphericity). These properties are significant in depicting sediment and deciding its
reasonableness for different uses, for example, filling for a sea shore volleyball court.

Standard grain size terms of sedimentary particles and the arbitrary boundaries between them are as
follows:

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PETE 3100 02 SEPTEMBER 30, 2019

Objective of the Experiment

The objective of this experiment is to determine the surface area and distribution of rock grain
size by using Tyler’s Screen Method.

Soils can be divided into cohesive and non-cohesive soils.

1. Cohesive soil contains clay minerals and posses plasticity.

2. Non-cohesive means the soil has no shear strength if no confinement. Sand is non-
cohesive and non-plastic.

Particle Size Furthermore, gravel and sand can be roughly classified as

1. Coarse texture soils contain larger grains of sand or rock particles.

2. Fine textures soils contains smaller grains of sand or rock particles.

Types of Rock Grain Structures

• Single grained structure.

Single grained structure Found in the case of coarse-grained soil deposits. When
such soils settle out of suspension in water, the particles settle independently of each
other. Major force causing their deposition is gravitational and the surface forces are too
small to produce any effect. There will be particle-to-particle contact in the deposit. The
void ratio attained depends on the relative size of grains.
• Honeycomb structure.
Honeycomb structure Associated with silt deposits. When silt particles settle out of
suspension, in additional to gravitational forces, the surface forces also play a significant
role. When particles approach the lower region of suspension they will be attracted by
particles already deposited as well as the neighbouring particles leading to formation of
arches. The combination of a number of arches leads to the honey comb structure.
• Flocculated structure and dispersed structure – in the case of clay deposits.
There will be edge-to-edge and edge-to-face contact between particles.
• Course-grained skeleton structure and matrix structure – in the case of composite soils.
The course-grained skeleton structure can be found in the case of composite soils
in which the course-grained fraction is greater in proportion compared to fine-grained
fraction. The course- grained particles form the skeleton with particle to particle contact
and the voids between these particles will be occupied by the fine-grained particles.

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PETE 3100 02 SEPTEMBER 30, 2019

Principle of the Operation

Sieving or screening is a strategy for isolating amixure of grains or particles into at least 2 size
fractions, the oversized materials are caught over the screen, while undersized materials can go
through the screen.

Sieves can be utilized in stacks, to split samples into different size fractions and subsequently
decide particle size distributions. Sieves and screen are generally utilized for bigger particle sized
materials i.e., more noteworthy than around 50µm (0.050mm).

Grain size is a principal physical property of sedimentary rocks, and all things considered is a
helpful descriptive property. The grain size of the rock sample influences the permeability and
porosity of the rocks which is of extensive enthusiasm to petroleum geologists. Grain size data
reflects sedimentation instruments, transportation and depositional conditions.

Apparatus for Sieve Analysis

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There are different techniques to measure grain size of the rock

1. Manual measurements of the clasts
2. Sieve analysis
3. Settling tube analysis
4. Pipette analysis
5. Sedigraph
6. Laser diffractometer
7. Coulter counter
8. Image analysis
9. Photohydrometer
10. Thin section measurement
11. Electron microscope

The sieve analysis method is used to measure unconsolidated sediments by sieving them
through a set of nested wire mesh screens. Particle having size smaller than the mesh passes
through while the smaller particles remain outside. The size of mesh is standardized and is
identified using mesh number. The mesh number denotes the number of square present in one
square inch of area.

For uniform grains the porosity does not depend on their size. For cubic packing the porosity is
47.6%, for rhombohedral packing it is 26%. Porosity is relying upon grain size distribution, grain
arrangement, cementing material quantity. Spherical grains makes great packing in this manner
decrease pore volume, uniformity in size causes uniformity in pore volume.

Sorting

An accumulation of sediment can likewise be described by the grain size distribution. A sediment
deposit can experience sorting when a particle size range is expelled by an agent, for example, a
river or the wind. Sorting depicts the distribution of grain size of sediments, either in
unconsolidated deposits or in sedimentary rocks. This ought not be mistaken for crystallite size,
which alludes to the individual size of a crystal in a solid. Crystallite is the building block of a grain.
Poorly sorted demonstrates that the sediment sizes are blended (enormous fluctuation); while
well sorted shows that the sediment sizes are comparative (low change). Well sorted rocks are
commonly porous, while poorly sorted rocks have low porosity.

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The diameter or width of a clastic sediment grain decides its grain size. Explicit ranges of grain size
have explicit names.
•Gravel is a general name for huge sediment grain size, which incorporates boulder, cobble, and
pebble.
•Sand incorporates sediment grains extending in size from 2mm to 0.625 mm.
•Silt is the name of a sediment grain that range in size from 0.625 mm to 0.0039 mm.
•Mud is the littlest grain size and is otherwise called clay. It is imperative to recognize the grain
size called clay from the mineral called clay. Clay sized grains are too little to even think about
seeing separately without the guide of a microscope.
Clastic sediment grains can be round, angular, or in the middle of (subangular or subrounded).
Breccia is a clastic sedimentary rock that by definition comprises generally of angular grains of
pebble size or bigger. Conglomerate, another sedimentary rock, comprises generally of rounded
grains of pebble size or bigger.

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PETE 3100 02 SEPTEMBER 30, 2019

Procedure of the Experiment:

Grain size examination is an analytical method regularly led inside the earth sciences and
actualized as a standard laboratory study. Different orders, for example, geoarchaeology and
archaeology, additionally use it routinely. It is a sedimentological examination completed so as to
decide the size of the various particles that comprise a specific unconsolidated sedimentary
deposit, sedimentary rock, archeological locus, or soil unit. The primary objective of this method is
to decide the sort of condition and energy-related with the vehicle component at the hour of
deposition; this is performed by interference from the sizes of the sediment particles investigated
and their along with their distributions.

The size of particles is straightforwardly reliant on the kind of environmental setting, transporting
agent, length and time during transportation, and depositional conditions, and henceforth it has
huge utility as an environmental proxy. Grain size is identified with a huge number of outer
elements following up on a local or regional scale. For instance, in the coastal and marine setting,
grain size is identified with the bathymetry and geometry of the basin, nutrient regime,
biogeochemical oceanography, coastal procedures, net sedimentary contributions from land
sources, and outputs.

1. Take 50g of sandstone sample

2. With the help of mortar pestle crush the dry clean sandstone sample, such that the rock
sample is distributed into various grains
3. Weigh the sample and record its readings.
4. Make the sieves dry and clean, and weight each of the dry sieves.
5. Arrange the sieves in order, such that the biggest sieves goes to the top while the smallest
at the bottom.
6. Now place the crushed sample on the top sieve and place cork on the top of it.
7. Set the timer for twenty minutes, and pull the roto tap arm down, to start the experiment.
8. After completion of twenty minutes, record the weight of each sieve containing the
crushed sample and the sieve size respectively. Finally calculate the net sample weight for
each sieve containing the crushed sample.

The mesh number system is a measure of how many openings there are per linear inch in a
screen. Sizes vary by a factor of √2. This can easily be determined as screens are made from
wires of standard diameters, however, opening sizes can vary slightly due to wear and
distortion.

Clastic Sedimentary Rocks

Grain Size Rounding Sorting Rock Name
gravel coarse angular poorly breccia

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(> 2 mm) rounded poorly conglomerate

variable variable sandstone
sand medium rounded to subangular well to moderately quartz arenite— >90%
(0.0625–2 mm) quartz
subrounded to angular well to moderately arkose— >25%
feldspar
subangular to angular moderately to poorly graywacke—high %
lithics, clay matrix
silt fine variable well siltstone
(0.004–0.0625 mm)
Clay extra fine Not visible well Mudstone
(<0.004 mm) claystone

Observations
Sample dry weight = 50.397 g

Porosity= 46.25 %

Grain Density= 2.65 g/cc

Bulk Volume= 36.5 cc

Pore Volume= 16.88 cc

Weight (g) Opening Size

Clean Sieve+sample Sample (net)
Cover 39.97 39.97 0
Sieve #30 81.01 85.43 4.42 600
Sieve #40 79.06 80.33 1.27 425
Sieve #50 78.69 80.08 1.39 300
Sieve #70 79.4 82.24 2.84 212
Sieve #100 75.39 85.94 10.55 150
Sieve #140 74.22 95.53 21.31 106
Sieve #200 73.89 78.11 4.22 75
Pan 78.3 77.77 4.43 0.00

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PETE 3100 02 SEPTEMBER 30, 2019

Calculations
Following formula is used

𝑆 = 𝑆𝑔 𝑉𝑔
6 𝑊𝑖
Assuming spherical shape 𝑆𝑔 = ∗ ∑𝐼
𝑊 𝑑𝑖

Sg= Surface area/ sphere volume, mm-1

S= Total surface area
Vg= Grain volume, mm3
W= Total weight, g
Wi= Incremental weight per each sieve
di= Incremental diameter per each sieve
6 𝑊𝑖 6 4.42 1.27 1.39 2.84 10.55 21.31 4.2
𝑆𝑔 = ∗ ∑ = ∗( + + + + + + )
𝑊 𝑑𝑖 30.43 0.6 0.425 0.3 0.212 0.15 0.106 0.075
𝐼

𝑆𝑔 = 70.145 𝑚𝑚−1
Sample dry weight 50.397
𝑉𝑔 = = = 19017.74 𝑚𝑚3
𝜌 0.00265

𝑆 = 𝑆𝑔 𝑉𝑔 = 70.145 ∗ 19017.74 = 1333999.08𝑚𝑚2 = 1.334 𝑚2 𝑨𝒏𝒔

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Results
The plot of cumulative percentage versus grain volume is shown below,

120

100
Cumulative Percentage%

80

60

40

20

0
0.01 0.1 1
Sieve/Grain Size

It is a semi-logarithmic graph with x-axis being logarithmic and y-axis being linear.

Discussions and conclusions

Necessary precautions must be taken in order to maintain safer workplace environment

 Confined space within workplace: Since the workplace employed is itself a laboratory, extreme
care was involved in transport and exchange of various equipment.
 Choice of Workplace: Petroleum Department’s lab was selected because of larger space,
proximity to water showers, fire extinguishers and vacuum pump.
 Equipment Maintenance: All vessels and components were carefully cleaned and checked for
damage before use.
 Use of PPEs: Goggles were involved to prevent contamination and other risks to minimize. Lab
coats were worn.

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PETE 3100 02 SEPTEMBER 30, 2019

Question/Answers
1. List tabulated data with sieve number, opening size, weight on each sieve, and average
grain diameter on each sieve.

Answer 1

Weight (g) Opening Size

Clean Sieve+sample Sample (net)
Cover 39.97 39.97 0
Sieve #30 81.01 85.43 4.42 600
Sieve #40 79.06 80.33 1.27 425
Sieve #50 78.69 80.08 1.39 300
Sieve #70 79.4 82.24 2.84 212
Sieve #100 75.39 85.94 10.55 150
Sieve #140 74.22 95.53 21.31 106
Sieve #200 73.89 78.11 4.22 75
Pan 78.3 77.77 4.43

2. Plot the cumulative percent versus the grain diameter. Determine the mean grain
diameter from these data.
Answer 2

120

100
Cumulative Percentage%

80

60

40

20

0
0.01 0.1 1
Sieve/Grain Size

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3. Calculate the surface area/unit grain volume of your sample.

𝑆 = 𝑆𝑔 𝑉𝑔

6 𝑊𝑖
Assuming spherical shape 𝑆𝑔 = ∗ ∑𝐼
𝑊 𝑑𝑖

Sg= Surface area/ sphere volume, mm-1

S= Total surface area
Vg= Grain volume, mm3
W= Total weight, g
Wi= Incremental weight per each sieve
di= Incremental diameter per each sieve
Answer 3

The calculations are already done in above section.

4. Discuss the relationship of sorting and particle size to the overall surface area of clastic
rocks.
Answer 4

Particle size indicates the energy of the transporting medium. The larger the size of grains in a
clastic rock, the more energy it took to move that particle to the place of deposition.

Degree to which the sedimentary particles are the same size is called sorting.

 POORLY SORTED - large and small grains jumbled together

 WELL SORTED - all grains are the same size!

Poor sorting suggests that the particles have not been transported very far.

Clastic sedimentary rocks, are subdivided according to the dominant particle size. Most geologists
use the Udden-Wentworth grain size scale and divide unconsolidated sediment into three
fractions: gravel (>2 mm diameter), sand (1/16 to 2 mm diameter), and mud (clay is <1/256 mm
and silt is between 1/16 and 1/256 mm). The classification of clastic sedimentary rocks parallels
this scheme; conglomerates and breccias are made mostly of gravel, sandstones are made mostly
of sand, and mudrocks are made mostly of the finest material.

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5. How can knowledge of the grain size distribution aid in the evaluation of a petroleum
reservoir?
Answer 5

Particle size is an important textural parameter of clastic rocks because it supplies

information on the conditions of transportation, sorting, and deposition of the sediment
and provides some clues to the history of events that occurred at the depositional site
prior to final induration. Determining the sizes of the discrete particles that constitute a
sedimentary rock can be difficult, particularly if the rock is firmly indurated (cemented,
compacted, and lithified). Various methods of measuring grain-size distribution have been
devised; likewise several different grade-size schemes exist.

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References
1. https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Sieve_analysis#/Preparation
2. https://www.basiccivilengineering.com/2017/06/sieve-analysis-test.html
3. https://www.sgs.com/en/oil-gas/upstream/tight-and-unconventional-reservoirs/oil-
sands/grain-size-analysis
4. http://www.geo.utexas.edu/courses/303/303_Lab/Sedimentary%20Lab303.html#sedtopic
s
5. https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Figure-4-Example-of-cumulative-percentage-versus-
grain-size-for-three-selected-bottom_fig4_314906157

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