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D5387-93 – Standard Test Method Technical Guide
📐 Scope and Application
ASTM D5387-93 (Reapproved 2019), formally titled the Standard Guide for Elements of a Complete Data Set for Non-Cohesive Sediments, establishes the essential criteria for collecting and documenting sediment and hydraulic data. The primary objective is to ensure that field data sets are sufficiently comprehensive to be applied with any prominently known sediment-transport equation. This guide strictly applies to non-cohesive, alluvial sediments and mandates that all values be stated in SI units. The standard explicitly addresses only the collection of data for non-cohesive sediments, which consist of discrete particles whose movement depends on the forces of fluid flow.
📏 SI Unit Standardization: Per Section 1.4, all values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the standard for this guide. Strict adherence to metric measurement protocols is required for compliance.
⚙️ Key Terminology and Sediment Definitions
Accurate data collection and transport computation rely on precise definitions of sediment particle sizes. The standard defines several critical diameter measurements to describe sediment samples.
| 🟦 Term | 📏 Definition | 🔢 Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Intermediate Axis Diameter | Diameter determined by direct measurement of the axis normal to a plane containing the longest and shortest axes. | Section 3.2.1 |
| Nominal Diameter | Diameter of a sphere having the same volume as the given particle. | Section 3.2.2 |
| Sieve Diameter | The size of the sieve opening through which a given particle will just pass. | Section 3.2.3 |
| Dx Diameter | The diameter where x percent of the sample is finer (e.g., D45 means 45% of particles are finer by mass, volume, or number). | Section 3.2.4 |
📊 Core Data Set Collection Guidelines
A complete data set, as outlined by the guide, must include parameters that characterize both the sediment bed and the hydraulic regime. This involves particle size distribution, sediment concentration, and flow characteristics. The standard links directly to established ASTM methods for sampling and analysis.
| 📜 Standard | 📖 Title |
|---|---|
| D1129 | Terminology Relating to Water |
| D4410 | Terminology for Fluvial Sediment |
| D4411 | Guide for Sampling Fluvial Sediment in Motion |
| D4822 | Guide for Selection of Methods of Particle Size Analysis of Fluvial Sediments |
| D4823 | Guide for Core Sampling Submerged, Unconsolidated Sediments |
⚠️ Safety and Regulatory Compliance: As stated in Section 1.5, this standard does not address all safety concerns. It is the responsibility of the user to establish appropriate safety, health, and environmental practices prior to field data collection.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
🔍 What is the primary purpose of ASTM D5387?
The standard provides guidelines for the parameters that must be measured and stored to obtain a complete sediment and hydraulic data set specifically for non-cohesive sediments, enabling the use of sediment-transport equations.
💡 How does the standard classify a non-cohesive sediment?
A non-cohesive sediment is defined as one consisting of discrete particles whose movement depends on the forces exerted by the fluid flow, as opposed to chemical or electrostatic inter-particle cohesion.
⚡ What does Dx represent in particle size analysis?
Dx refers to the diameter of the sediment particle that has x percent of the sample less than this size. The percentage may be determined by mass, volume, or number count from a particle size distribution analysis.
📌 Which standards are foundational for the terminology in this guide?
Users must refer to Terminologies D1129 (Relating to Water) and D4410 (Fluvial Sediment) for the complete definitions of terms used throughout this standard.