test sieve for aggregate particle size

Wednesday May-14 2025  16:10:11

What is a test sieve for aggregate particle size?

The test sieve for aggregate particle size is a set of wire mesh sieves that meet specific standards, designed to separate aggregate samples into different particle size ranges, so as to determine the particle size distribution of aggregate particles such as sandstone and crushed stone. These sieves are usually stacked from large to small according to the aperture size, and the aggregate particles are forced through the corresponding sieves by mechanical vibration. Commonly used sieve meshes include 4 mesh (aperture 4.75mm), 8 mesh (2.36mm), 16 mesh (1.18mm), 30 mesh (0.6mm), 50 mesh (0.3mm) and 100 mesh (0.15mm), etc., covering the detection needs of coarse aggregate to fine aggregate.

Video of the test sieve for aggregate particle size 

The core role of particle size 

By screening the aggregate through the test sieve, its particle gradation (the distribution ratio of particles of different particle sizes) can be determined, and then:

Evaluate the quality of aggregate: whether it meets the engineering standards (such as the requirements of concrete and asphalt mixtures for aggregate gradation).

Guide the mix design: optimize the strength and durability of materials such as concrete and asphalt.

Quality control: ensure the stability of the particle size distribution of aggregates during production or construction.

Working principle of the test sieve for aggregate particle size 

①The test sieve consists of a series of sieves with different mesh sizes stacked in sequence.

②When the aggregate is placed on the top layer of the sieve and subjected to vibration, the aggregate particles smaller than the mesh size of this layer will pass through the mesh and fall to the next layer of the sieve, while the particles larger than the mesh size will be retained on this layer of the sieve. In this way, the aggregate will be retained on different sieve layers according to the particle size, and finally the purpose of grading by particle size is achieved.

③For example, when screening and analyzing coarse aggregate, the 5mm sieve will keep aggregate particles larger than 5mm in the upper layer, while particles smaller than 5mm will pass through the sieve holes and enter the next layer for further screening.

Recommended mesh size of the test sieve for aggregate particle size 

Sieve hole type	sieve hole size (mm)	mesh number (Mesh)	nominal diameter range (mm)	typical application scenarios
Square hole sieve	50.0	0.35	50.0	coarse aggregate (large particle size)
	37.5	0.5	37.5	concrete coarse aggregate
	25.0	0.71	25.0	asphalt mixture
	19.0	1 .0	19.0	roadbed materials
	9.5	2.0	9.5	ordinary concrete
	4.75	4.0	4.75	fine aggregate boundary
	2.36	8.0	2.36	sand for mortar
	1.18	16.0	1.18	fine sand gradation
	0.6	30.0	0.6	fine aggregate for cement concrete
	0.3	50.0	0. 3	Fly ash gradation
	0.15	100.0	0.15	Ultrafine material
Round hole sieve	53.0	0.35	53.0	Standard coarse aggregate
	37.5	0.5	37.5	Railway ballast
	31.5	0.6	31.5	Commercial concrete
	16.0	1.25	16.0	Ordinary sand and gravel
	5.0	4. 0	5.0	masonry mortar
Square hole sieve	63.0	0.25	63.0	standard coarse aggregate
	31.5	0.6	31.5	asphalt pavement
	16.0	1.25	16.0	concrete fine aggregate
	8.0	2.5	8.0	filter material
	4.0	5.0	4.0	cement mortar

What are the disadvantages of the test sieve for aggregate particle size ?

Manual operation error: The screening process of the test sieve usually requires manual operation, including placing the aggregate sample on the sieve, vibrating the sieve, and weighing the weight of the aggregate on and under the sieve. Manual operation may cause some errors, such as uneven sample placement, inconsistent vibration intensity and time, and weighing errors, which will affect the accuracy and repeatability of the particle size results.

Insufficient sample representativeness: If the test sieve for aggregate particle size is not adequately sampled or the particles are stratified during screening (such as vibration causing fine particles to sink), the results may deviate from the true distribution. The sample may not be used for other experiments after screening (such as fragile particles being destroyed).

Limited particle size range: The minimum sieve hole limit of the test sieve is usually 75μm (200 mesh), and finer particles (such as powders) cannot be effectively separated and need to rely on sedimentation methods. The upper limit of large particles is fixed, the maximum sieve size is limited, and oversized particles need to be crushed in advance or other methods are used.

Not suitable for some special aggregates: For some aggregates with irregular shapes, high viscosity or special physical properties, the screening effect of the test sieve may not be ideal. For example, flake or needle-shaped aggregates may get stuck at the sieve hole, affecting the smooth screening; viscous aggregates are easy to agglomerate and difficult to pass through the sieve hole, resulting in inaccurate particle size results.

Application of test sieves for aggregate particle size 

In concrete production, aggregate particle size can optimize aggregate grading to make concrete have good workability, strength and durability. For road engineering, suitable aggregate particle size distribution can ensure the flatness, skid resistance and bearing capacity of the road surface.

In mining, test sieves for aggregate particle size help to understand the particle size distribution of ore, provide a basis for ore dressing processes such as crushing and grinding, and improve ore dressing efficiency and resource recovery rate.

In industries such as glass manufacturing and ceramic production, particle size of raw aggregates is also crucial, which affects the quality and performance of products. For example, in glass production, precise control of the particle size of aggregates such as quartz sand can improve the transparency and uniformity of glass.

In the field of building material testing, test sieve for aggregate particle size usually refer to a set of standard sieves used to perform particle size distribution analysis of coarse aggregates (such as crushed stone, sand and gravel) or fine aggregates (such as sand) by screening. By properly applying the test sieve, accurate control of aggregate particle size distribution can be ensured, thereby improving the performance of engineering materials and construction quality.