What size sieve for soil?

Saturday June-28 2025  13:57:46

Size of soil sieve mainly involves the sieve frame diameter and the sieve hole size. Commonly used sieve frame diameters are 200mm, 300mm, 400mm, etc. The choice of sieve frame diameter depends on the number of soil samples to be screened and the specific requirements of the experiment. For small sample amounts, a sieve frame with a smaller diameter can be selected; for large sample amounts, a sieve frame with a larger diameter needs to be selected.

The aperture range of standard soil sieves is usually between 0.075mm and 60mm. Specific apertures include but are not limited to: 0.075mm, 0.25mm, 0.5mm, 1mm, 2mm, 5mm, 10mm, 20mm, 40mm, 60mm, etc. These different apertures are used to separate soil particles of different sizes. For example, a 1mm sieve can be used to screen out dust powder in the soil, while a 3mm sieve can screen out soil particles of 1-3 mm in size.

In addition, standard soil sieves usually consist of a set of sieves with multiple sieves of different apertures to facilitate a series of graded screening. For example, a set of standard soil sieves may include 10 sieves of different apertures plus a top cover and a bottom cover.

Common soil sieve sizes

200 mesh (0.075mm aperture): used to separate extremely fine soil particles, such as clay particles. In soil texture analysis, it can help distinguish the amount of clay in the soil. For example, when studying the water retention and nutrient adsorption capacity of the soil, the clay content is an important indicator because clay particles have a larger specific surface area and can absorb more water and nutrients.

100 mesh (0.15mm aperture): can separate particles slightly larger than 200 mesh, usually used for preliminary screening of fine particles in soil. In some soil sample preparation processes, a 100 mesh sieve is first used to screen to remove larger impurities, and then a finer sieve is used for further separation.

60 mesh (0.25mm aperture): used to separate fine sand and silt in soil. In soil texture classification, the distinction between silt and fine sand is important for judging the air permeability and water permeability of soil. For example, soil with a high silt content has a water permeability between clay and sand.

40 mesh (0.425mm aperture): can separate larger soil particles, such as coarse sand. In the construction industry, for some projects that require sand as filling material, a 40 mesh sieve can be used to screen out the appropriate sand particle size to ensure the performance of the filling material.

20 mesh (0.85mm aperture): used to separate gravel and coarse sand. In water conservancy projects, for the analysis of riverbed soil, a 20-mesh sieve can help determine the gravel content, which is important for evaluating the stability of the riverbed and the scouring effect of water flow.

10 mesh (2mm aperture): used to separate larger gravel and small stones. In the agricultural field, for some operations that require land leveling, a 10-mesh sieve can be used to screen out larger stones so that they can be removed to ensure the farming conditions of the land.

Conversion of sieve size and mesh number

 

Net	Aperture (mm)	Net	Aperture (mm)	Net	Aperture (mm)
2 mesh	12.5	45 mesh	0.4	220 mesh	0.065
3 Mesh	8	50mesh	0.355	240mesh	0.063
4 mesh	6	55 mesh	0.315	250 mesh	0.061
5 mesh	6	60 mesh	0.28	280 mesh	0.055
6 mesh	4	65 mesh	0.25	300 mesh	0.050
8 mesh	3	70 mesh	0.224	320 mesh	0.045
10 mesh	2	75 mesh	0.2	325 mesh	0.043
12 mesh	1.6	80 mesh	0.18	340 mesh	0.041
14 mesh	1.43	90 mesh	0.16	360 Head	0.040
16 mesh	1.25	100 mesh	0.154	400 mesh	0.0385
18 mesh	1	110 mesh	0.15	500 mesh	0.0308
20 mesh	0.9	120 mesh	0.125	600 mesh	0.026
24 mesh	0.8	130 mesh	0.112	800 mesh	0.022
26 mesh	0.71	140 mesh	0.105	900 mesh	0.020
28 mesh	0.68	150 mesh	0.100	10 00 mesh	0.015
30 mesh	0.6	160 mesh	0.096	1800 mesh	0.010
32 mesh	0.58	180 mesh	0.09	2000 mesh	0.008
35 mesh	0.50	190 mesh	0.08	2300 mesh	0.005
40 mesh	0.45	200 mesh	0.074	2800 mesh	0.003

Precautions for using soil sieve

Preparation before screening: Before screening the soil, the soil needs to be air-dried to remove the moisture. Because wet soil particles tend to stick together, affecting the accuracy of screening. At the same time, make sure that there are no large impurities in the soil, such as plant roots, plastic fragments, etc., which may block the sieve holes and interfere with the screening process.

Sieving operation: Place the soil sample on the sieve and gently vibrate the sieve to allow the soil particles to pass through the sieve holes. The amplitude of vibration should not be too large to avoid damaging the screen or splashing soil particles. For finer sieves, such as 200 mesh sieves, it may take a long time to vibrate to allow most of the fine particles to pass through the sieve holes. During the screening process, pay attention to the condition of the screen. If the sieve holes are found to be blocked, they should be cleaned in time.

Post-screening treatment: After the screening is completed, collect the soil particles on and under the sieve separately. For the soil particles on the sieve, further analysis or treatment can be carried out as needed. For the soil particles under the sieve, if further separation is required, a finer sieve can be used to continue screening. At the same time, the sieved soil particles should be marked and recorded for subsequent research or application.

In short, the size of the soil sieve should be determined according to the specific purpose and requirements of the soil analysis. The correct use of the soil sieve can effectively help us understand the physical properties of the soil and provide important data support for the research and application of the soil.