Application of the Phi Scale to the Description of Industrial Granular Materials

Industry needs a generally applicable means of defining average grain sire and grain size distribution. Students of sediments have explored this field, employing methods that might also prove useful in engineering problems. Before attempting to solve specific problems it is well to review the derivation of commonly used grade scales and the reasons for their selection. This aspect of the problem seems largely to have been lost, and a review of basic factors may suggest causes for failures in using size analysis data.