Used to indicate, under standard conditions, the relative proportions of clay-size or plastic fines and dust in granular soils and fine aggregates that pass the 4.75-mm (No. 4) sieve. The term “Sand Equivalent” expresses the concept that most granular soils and some fine aggregates are mixtures of desirable coarse particles, sand-size particles, and generally undesirable clay or plastic fines and dust.

This test method serves as a rapid field-correlation test, separating settled sand and suspending clay in the measuring cylinder.