Field identification test No 1 – Silt identification

A1.6.2: High silt content materials can usually be identified by a simple hand test:
A1.6.3: Preparation
Select a moist sample of the fine material only.
A1.6.4: Test – Silt identification
With clean dry hands, rub the sample between the palms, remove the excess material by striking the palms together and wait a few minutes for body heat to dry out any material adhering to the hands. Finally, rub hands together briskly.
A1.6.5: Result
If no significant quantity of material remains adhering to the palms, i.e. the palms are relatively clean, then the sample tested is essentially a silt.
Note: The proportion of granular material discarded to produce the fine sample must be taken into account when estimating the approximate silt content of the bulk material.

Preparation