Numerous methodological approaches and fractionation procedures contribute to the continuation of discussions about soil aggregate formation. This study aims to justify the dry sieving procedure and suggest an optimal sieving regime for automatic shakers for soil samples. For this approach to calculating total sieving energy, using oscillation frequency, vibration amplitude, and time was proposed. Retisol, Phaeozem, and Chernozem topsoil samples from agricultural and native ecosystems were analyzed using a sieving test, in which 50-kg soil samples were divided into 500–700 g subsamples and sieved with a constant oscillation frequency (50 Hz), but with varying vibrational amplitudes (0–2.5 mm), for sieving times that ranged from 1 to 5 min. We found that the optimal sieving regime is characterized by total sieving energy of 1850 J kg⁻¹, reached during 2 min of sieving with a 50 Hz frequency and a 2.5 mm amplitude. Based on results of the dry sieving test, we have proposed the indicators of mechanical stability of soil structure: index of soil structure stability (SS) which characterize the degree of change in the soil aggregates size during sieving with minimal and optimal sieving energy, and modified the soil friability index (F4), that characterizes the rate of change in the soil aggregates size under mechanical load by dry sieving. The proposed formula of total sieving energy calculation allows comparing results between soil studies. Our meta-analysis showed that most (26 of 34) studies used insufficient sieving energy, where the aggregate size distribution did not reach the equilibrium state. A detailed protocol for soil dry sieving analysis is provided.

许多方法论方法和分馏程序有助于继续讨论土壤团聚体的形成。本研究旨在证明干筛程序的合理性，并为土壤样品的自动振动筛提出最佳筛分方案。对于这种计算总筛分能量的方法，提出了使用振荡频率、振动幅度和时间的方法。使用筛分试验分析了来自农业和本地生态系统的 Retisol、Phaeozem 和 Chernozem 表土样品，其中 50 kg 土壤样品分为 500–700 g 子样品，并以恒定振荡频率 (50 Hz) 进行筛分，但具有不同的振动幅度（0-2.5 毫米），筛分时间为 1 到 5 分钟。我们发现最佳筛分方案的特点是总筛分能量为 1850 J kg^-1，在以 50 Hz 频率和 2.5 mm 振幅进行 2 分钟筛分期间达到。根据干筛试验的结果，我们提出了土壤结构机械稳定性的指标：土壤结构稳定性指数（SS），它表征了用最小和最佳筛分能量进行筛分时土壤团聚体尺寸的变化程度，以及修改了土壤脆性指数（F4)，它表征了通过干筛分在机械载荷下土壤团聚体尺寸的变化率。总筛分能量计算的建议公式允许比较土壤研究之间的结果。我们的荟萃分析表明，大多数（34 项中的 26 项）研究使用的筛分能量不足，其中聚集体尺寸分布未达到平衡状态。提供了土壤干筛分分析的详细协议。