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ASTM C136 (also written ASTM C 136 or ASTM C-136) is the ASTM International test method for sieve analysis of fine and coarse aggregates. It determines particle size distribution by passing a sample through a stack of sieves. Its own significance statement says sieving alone cannot accurately measure material finer than the 75 µm (No. 200) sieve, so a companion washing method, ASTM C117, covers that fraction.
Short answer
ASTM C136/C136M is the method used to find the grading of an aggregate: how its particles are distributed across sieve sizes. The ASTM store lists C136/C136M-25 as the active edition.
Definition and scope
The standard’s full title is Standard Test Method for Sieve Analysis of Fine and Coarse Aggregates. According to the scope statement in the ASTM store listing (checked 2026-10-29), it covers four points:
- It determines the particle size distribution of fine and coarse aggregates by sieving.
- It includes instructions for aggregates whose specifications call for grading of both the coarse and the fine fractions.
- SI and inch-pound values are each regarded as standard, and they are not exact equivalents, so each system is to be used independently of the other rather than mixed.
- It does not claim to address every safety concern; the user sets appropriate safety, health and environmental practices.
This page summarises scope-level information only. The full text, including the procedure, is sold by ASTM, and anyone running the test should work from a licensed copy of the current edition.
How it is used in practice
The significance statement of the standard (section 5) names three uses for the result:
- Grading of proposed aggregates: the test is used primarily to determine the grading of materials proposed for use as aggregates.
- Compliance and production control: the same data are used to check compliance with grading requirements and to control production.
- Porosity and packing studies: the data may also be useful in studies relating to porosity and packing.
For a laboratory, this makes C136 a recurring routine test rather than a one-off. Writing the local procedure into a controlled document is a standard step; see standard operating procedure (SOP) for how those documents are structured.
Related standards at a glance
Sieve analysis sits among several ASTM documents. Each row below comes from the ASTM store listing for that standard, checked 2026-10-29.
| Standard | What it covers | Relationship to C136 |
|---|---|---|
| ASTM C136/C136M | Sieve analysis of fine and coarse aggregates | The grading test itself |
| ASTM C117 | Materials finer than the 75 µm (No. 200) sieve in mineral aggregates by washing; Procedure A (water only) is used unless otherwise specified, Procedure B adds a wetting agent | Named by C136 for the fraction sieving alone cannot measure accurately |
| ASTM E11 | Woven wire test sieve cloth and test sieves: construction, frame sizes and inspection, with nominal apertures from 125 mm down to 20 µm | Sets requirements for woven wire test sieves |
| ASTM C637 | Specification for heavyweight aggregates | C136 directs heavyweight aggregates to C637 for sampling and testing |
Where it matters for labs and supply decisions
Because C136 relies on test sieves, the sieve set is an equipment question as well as a method question. ASTM E11 is the document that sets out sieve cloth and test sieve requirements, and it describes three inspection confidence levels, with tolerances based on truncated Gaussian statistics. The ASTM store lists E11-24 as the active edition. A lab that keeps sieve sets can record the C136 edition it follows and the E11 edition and inspection level its sieves are documented against. Both can be recorded in the equipment file alongside the other items covered in lab equipment lifecycle assessment.
Measuring instruments are usually handled through a calibration programme as well; what is calibration and what is an analytical balance give general background on that side of lab equipment management.
The C136 scope also says SI and inch-pound units must not be mixed. Reports and records for a given test should therefore stay within one unit system.
Common misunderstandings
“ASTM C136 measures everything down to the finest particle”
It does not. Section 5.2 states that sieving alone cannot accurately measure material finer than the 75 µm (No. 200) sieve and points to C117 for that fraction.
“ASTM C136 vs ASTM C117: pick one”
They answer different questions. C136 gives the grading by sieving; C117 addresses material finer than 75 µm by washing. The C136 text itself refers readers to C117, so the two are companions, not alternatives.
“The version I have is current”
The ASTM store page for C136/C136M-19 marks that version as historical and lists C136/C136M-25 as active. Check the edition referenced in your specification or contract before testing.
“C136 covers all aggregates”
Heavyweight aggregates are directed to Specification C637 for sampling and testing.
FAQ
What is ASTM C136?
It is ASTM International’s standard test method for sieve analysis of fine and coarse aggregates, used to determine particle size distribution by sieving.
Can I use SI and inch-pound units together?
No. The scope says each system is regarded as standard in its own right, the two are not exact equivalents, and each is to be used independently.
Is ASTM C 136 the same as ASTM C-136?
Yes. The spacing and hyphen are spelling variants of the same designation, C136.
Which edition is current?
The ASTM store lists C136/C136M-25 as the active edition (checked 2026-10-29).
Sources
- ASTM International store, C136/C136M-19, Standard Test Method for Sieve Analysis of Fine and Coarse Aggregates (scope, significance and edition list; date checked 2026-10-29).
- ASTM International store, C117-23, Materials Finer than 75-µm (No. 200) Sieve in Mineral Aggregates by Washing (date checked 2026-10-29).
- ASTM International store, E11-22, Woven Wire Test Sieve Cloth and Test Sieves (date checked 2026-10-29; the store lists E11-24 as active).
