Under what condition can a sieve analysis be performed with moist material?

The correct response indicates that a sieve analysis can be satisfactorily performed with moist material when the nominal maximum size is at least 1/2" and there is negligible finer material than the #4 sieve. This condition is essential because larger aggregates can maintain their structural integrity despite moisture, allowing for an effective separation process during the analysis.

Moisture in aggregates can adhere to particles, especially finer materials, which might lead to clumping. If there is a significant amount of fine material smaller than the #4 sieve, the risk of such clumping increases, potentially skewing the results of the sieve analysis. Therefore, the specified condition of having negligible finer materials helps ensure that the moisture does not adversely affect the accuracy of the analysis.

Additionally, larger aggregates (1/2" and above) are less prone to such clumping issues because they're less likely to bond together in the presence of moisture compared to smaller pieces. This makes the sieving process more reliable in separating different sizes accurately and obtaining an adequate assessment of the material's gradation.

In contrast, conditions that allow the sieve analysis under maximum sizes smaller than 1/2" can result in significant inaccuracies due to the properties of the finer aggregate materials interacting with moisture, leading to potentially misleading results