SPECIFICATIONS OF SAND

GROUP MEMBERS
Apurv Shelke
Arya Phatak
Ashish Nagpure
Sumit Kolekar
Abhijeet Gadade
Shivani Arolkar
Ganesh Waghmare
Saurabh Yadav
Prathmesh Pise
 SPECIFICATION OF SAND
• Fine aggregate/ coarse sand consists of natural sand, crushed stone sand or crushed gravel stone dust.
• It should be hard, durable chemically inert, clean and free from organic matter, not containing any
appreciable amount of clay balls or pellets and other harmful impurities i. e. alkaline, salt, mica, decayed
vegetation, lumps etc.
• It should be passed through I. S. Sieve 4.75 MM.
• It should have the finest modulus 2.50 to 3.50 and silt contents should not be more than 4%.
• Coarse sand should be either river sand or pit sand; or combination of the two.
• It should be obtained from Badarpur Sand or Stone dust obtained by crushing hard stones or gravel.
• It should also be obtained from river bed such as Tajewala , Dadupur sand.
• The sand should contain less than 3% silt content, it should not contain any kind of impurities.
• It should be free from any organic or vegetable matter, 3-4 per cent clay is permitted.
• It should be chemically inert.
• It should contain sharp, angular, coarse and durable grains.
• It should not contain salts which attract moisture from the atmosphere.
 LAB TEST
• All tests are conducted per 20m3 • Table below gives the relation
• Silt Content Test: The maximum quantity of silt in sand between moisture content and percentage of
shall not exceed 8%. Fine aggregate containing more than bulking for guidance only.
allowable percentage of silt shall be washed so as to bring
the silt content within allowable limits.
Moisture Content (%) Bulking Percentage (by
• Test for Grading of sand: On the basis of particle size, fine volume)
aggregate is graded into four zones. Where the grading
falls outside the limits of any particular grading zone of 2 15
sieves, other than 600 micron IS sieve, by a total amount
not exceeding 5 percent, it shall be regarded as falling
within that grading zone. 3 20
• Test for Bulking of Sand: Fine aggregate, when dry or
saturated, has almost the same volume but dampness 4 25
causes increase in volume. In case fine aggregate is damp
at the time of proportioning the ingredients for mortar or 5 30
concrete, its quantity shall be increased suitably to allow
for bulkage.
 LAB TEST
• Test procedure to determine the bulking of sand
• Apparatus required:
1. Measuring container
2. Fine aggregates (Sand)
3. Water
• Procedure:
• An elementary test, as shown in the below figure. This test is carried out to find the percentage
of the bulking of sand. The following steps are adopted: method-for-bulking-of-sand
• Figure 3: Methodology for testing of bulking of sand
1. A container is taken and it is filled with the sample sand to be tested.
2. The height is measured, say it is H1 = 200 mm.
3. The sand is taken out of the container. Care should be taken to see that there is no loss of sand
during this transaction.
4. The container is filled with water.
5. The same sand sample is slowly poured into the container, and it is thoroughly stirred/mixed
using a rod to remove all air bubbles.
6. The height of sand is again measured, say it is H2 = 160 mm. Bulking of Sand = (Difference in the
measured heights/ submerged height) x 100= (200-160)/160 x 100= 25 %This example signifies the
bulking of sand is 25 %, which means the sand of this sample has 25 per cent more volume.
 ON SITE TEST
• Rubbing Test: Rub the sample of the sand with wet palms. Good clean sand will not stick to the hand, whereas
sand with clay will stick and change the color of the palm. You need to test it for “silt content” on site.
• Silt Content Test : Take a glass of water and add some quantity of sand and stir the mix. Now allow the mix to
settle and observe it after an hour. Clean sand will settle immediately but if it forms the distinct top layer of silt
than sand contains silt or clay particles. The thickness of the silt layer should not exceed the thickness of the
sand layer by 8% , if it contain more than 8% the sand should be washed with clear water And also if fine
aggregate containing more than allowable percentage of silt shall be washed so as to bring the silt content
within allowable limits.
• Visualization Test : The size of particles and sharpness of sand (fine aggregates) is checked by visualization. Sand
should be free from organic impurities (like shell, shingle, and other impurities) or they should be in limits which
are easily identified by visualization.
• Taste Test: You Should taste a pinch of sand and if it taste salty ,the salt must be present in sand and hence it
should not be used at all in any construction. such sand is naturally from the river but either it is sea sand or
from an area of river frequently affected by tidal water near the sea.
• Clay Test: The presence of clay in the sand effect the performance of the concrete strength. So the presence of
clay in sand can be detected by doing two physical test on sand. Take a some amount of sand in to your hand and
drop it in to the glass which contain water. After drooping the sand than shake the glass. If clay is present in the
sand it will make a separate layer above the water surface. So it indicate sand is not good. In another simple test
take some amount of sand in your hand and then drop it. If sand stick in to you fingers it indicate the presence of
clay in sand.
 STACKING OF SAND
• Rubbing Test: Rub the sample of the sand with wet palms. Good clean sand will not stick to the hand,
whereas sand with clay will stick and change the color of the palm. You need to test it for “silt content” on
site.
• Silt Content Test : Take a glass of water and add some quantity of sand and stir the mix. Now allow the mix
to settle and observe it after an hour. Clean sand will settle immediately but if it forms the distinct top
layer of silt than sand contains silt or clay particles. The thickness of the silt layer should not exceed the
thickness of the sand layer by 8% , if it contain more than 8% the sand should be washed with clear water
And also if fine aggregate containing more than allowable percentage of silt shall be washed so as to bring
the silt content within allowable limits.
• Visualization Test : The size of particles and sharpness of sand (fine aggregates) is checked by visualization.
Sand should be free from organic impurities (like shell, shingle, and other impurities) or they should be in
limits which are easily identified by visualization.
• Taste Test: You Should taste a pinch of sand and if it taste salty ,the salt must be present in sand and hence
it should not be used at all in any construction. such sand is naturally from the river but either it is sea sand
or from an area of river frequently affected by tidal water near the sea.
 CLASSIFICATION ON THE BASIS OF FORMATION

PIT SAND RIVER SAND SEA SAND

• This sand is obtained by forming • The river sand is available in • This is obtained from sea shores.
pits in soils. clean conditions. • It is brown in color & it also has
• It is excavated from a depth of • The river sand is almost white in the fine rounded grain.
about 1-2 m from the ground color. • As it is obtained from sea it
level. • It is mainly used for plastering. contains salt, which is used in
• This sand is found as deposits in In north India, Yamuna banks attracting moisture from
soil and it consists of sharp are a great source of River sand. atmosphere.
angular grains, which are free • It is obtained from the banks or • Such absorption causes dampness
from salts. beds of rivers & it consists of and disintegration of work.
fine rounded grains.
 CLASSIFICATION ON THE BASIS OF SIZE PARTICLES

FINE SAND COARSE SAND GRAVELLY SAND

Sand passing through a Sand passing through a Sand passing through a
sieve with clear openings sieve with clear openings sieve with clear openings
of 1.5mm is known as fine of 3.5mm is known as of 7.62mm is known as
sand. It is mainly used for coarse sand. It is generally gravelly sand. It is
plastering. used for masonry work. generally used for concrete
work.
 CLASSIFICATION ON THE BASIS OF COMPOSITION

CLEAN SAND SILTY SAND CLAYEY SAND

These are well graded sand These are poorly graded This sand have prominent
containing mostly quartz sand with considerable clay fraction and plastic
It is free from any organic amount of slit. fines
or inorganic impurities The size of silt particles are Traditionally used for the
It is good for construction very small and form lump construction of walls
purpose Not good for construction