AASHTO does permit a preliminary split of the moist sand through a coarse aggregate splitter with chute widths set wide ( 1 ½ in . or greater ) to a size of not less than 5,000 g.

• A. Not specified
• B. True
• C. False
• D. Only for coarser materials

Answer: (B)

When preparing a sample for sieve analysis, you want a portion large enough to be representative and to run all the required tests, even if the material is moist. AASHTO allows a preliminary split of moist sand using a coarse aggregate splitter with wide chute widths (1 1/2 inches or greater) to produce a portion not smaller than 5,000 g. The wide chutes help prevent clogging or uneven flow caused by moisture and clumping, which helps the split stay representative of the whole sample. Keeping the test portion at 5,000 g or more ensures there is enough material to perform all analyses with acceptable accuracy, reducing variability in results. So the statement is true.