A theoretical method for determining sample mass in a sieving test

Obtaining a representative particle size distribution for soil is a common challenge in earth works and is affected by the size of sieving samples. While the current standards usually specify a minimum sample mass, there is no scientific justification for the specification. Treating the preparation of sieving samples as a process of random sampling, a new method is proposed for determining the minimum mass of a sieving test sample. The proposed method is validated via laboratory tests and will improve standard specification and engineering practice.