AASHTO & ASTM Standard Sieve sizes

Sr.No Standard sieve size Sieve size in inch or No.

1 75mm (3in)
2 63mm ( 2½in)

3 50mm (2 in)

4 37.5mm (1½in)

5 25mm (1in)

6 19mm (¾in)

7 12.5 mm (½in)

8 9.5mm (3/8in)

9 4.75mm (No.4)
10 2.36mm (No.8)

11 2.00mm (No.10)
12 1.18mm (No.16)

13 0.6 mm (No.30)

14 0.3 mm (No.50)

15 0.15mm (No.100)

16 0.075mm (No.200)
Fine aggregate/sand
Fine aggregate shall consist of natural sand, manufactured sand or combination of both.

1.1 Grading Requirement

Fine aggregate shall fulfill the grading requirement given below.

Table 1 ASTM Requirement

Sieve
ASTM C33/ESC.D3.201
Size
(% pass)
(mm)
9.50 100
4.75 95 - 100
2.36 80 – 100
1.18 50 – 85
0.60 25 – 60
0.30 10 – 30
0.15 2 – 10

Table 2 BS Requirement
Sieve
BS 812
Size
(% pass)
(mm)
10.00 100
5.00 89 – 100
2.36 60 – 100
1.18 30 – 100
0.60 15 – 100
0.30 5 – 70
0.15 0 – 15
 Fine Aggregate for Portland Cement Concrete.

ERA Grading Requirement for Fine

Sieve
Aggregate BS 812
Size
(% pass)
(mm)
10 100
4.76 95-100
2.38 68 - 86
1.19 47 - 65
0.59 27 - 42
0.30 9 - 20
0.15 0-7
0.075 0 - 2.5

Note:
 ERA Requirement (Standard Technical Specification – 2002, Series 8000: Structures, Division
8400: Concrete For Structures- Table 8402-2 Page 71)
 Fine aggregate shall consist of natural sand, manufactured sand, or a combination of
natural and manufactured sand conforming to AASHTO M 6 class B including the
reactive aggregate supplementary ( Additional) requirement, except as amended or
supplemented by the following:
 Material passing standard sieve size 0.075 mm shall not exceed 3.0% when tested in
accordance with AASHTO T 11.
 The Sand equivalent value in accordance with AASHTO T 176 shall not be more than 75.
 For lightweight fine aggregate, conform to AASHTO M 195.
 The maximum soluble sulphate salt content of aggregates, expressed as percentage SO 3
by mass, shall not exceed 0.1 %.
1.2 General Requirement

Fine aggregate shall fulfill the following requirements when tested by the
following methods.

Item
Type of Test Method Allowable Limits
No.
Organic impurity content
1 ASTM C40 Max. plate No. 3

Silt and clay content

2 a) for concrete subjected to Abrasion ASTM C117 Max 3%
b) All other concrete ASTM C117 Max 5%

3 Clay lumps and friable particles ASTM C142 Max 3%

a) Soundness test by sodium Sulfate ASTM C88 Max 10%
b) Soundness test by Magnesium ASTM C88 Max 15%
4
Sulfate

Fineness modulus
a) Fine sand
2.20 – 2.60
5 b) Medium sand
2.60 – 2.90
c) Coarse sand
2.90 – 3.20
6 Chloride content (Max) BS812 600mg/liter
7 Sulfate content (Max) BS812 1000mg/liter
Sand for making Mortar
 Sand used for making mortar should be well graded, that the particles should not all be
fine nor all coarse.

If the sand is well graded:

 .
The finer particles help to occupy the space (voids) b/n the larger particles
 A dense mortar which permits the most economical use of cement and/or lime can
be obtained.
Sand should be clean, free from dust, loam, clay, and vegetable matter. These foreign
particles are objectionable because they:

 Prevent adhesion,
 Reduce strength, and
 Increase porosity.
2. Coarse aggregate

2.1 Gradation

Coarse aggregate shall consist of gravel, crushed gravel, crushed stone etc. The
grading of coarse aggregate shall conform to the following table (ASTM C33).

Sieve Gradation
Size requirements %
(mm) pass (ASTM C33)

37.5 100

25.00 95 - 100

19.00 40 – 85

12.5 10 – 40

9.50 0 – 15

4.75 0-5

2.2 General
Requirement
Coarse aggregate shall fulfill the following requirements when tested by the
method adopted
 Allowa
Item No. Type of Test Method ble
Limits

1 Coal and lignite content ASTM C142 1%

2 Clay lumps and friable particles ASTM C142 1%
content
3 Dust Content ASTM C117 1%
4 a) Soundness test by sodium ASTM C88 Max
Sulfate ASTM C88 12%
b) Soundness test by Magnesium Max
Sulfate 18%
5 Los Angeles abrasion (%) wear

a) For aggregates to be used in ASTM C131 Max 30

concrete wearing surfaces
b) For aggregates to be used in all “ Max 50
other concrete work

6 Aggregate crushing value BS812 Max

45%
7 Flakiness index BS812 Max
35%
8 Chloride content (Max) BS812 600mg/
litre
9 Sulfate content (Max) BS812 1000mg
/litre
Aggregates shall not contain deleterious amounts of organic materials such as grass, timber or
similar materials as shown in Table 8402-1.

Item Percentage Percentage by Mass

Coarse
Fine Aggregate
Aggregate

Material Passing 0.075 mm 2 1

sieve

Lightweight material 2 2
Organic matter 0 0

Clay lumps 1 0.5

Other deleterious substances 2 1

3. Reinforcement bars
A deformed bar is defined as a bar that is intended for use as reinforcement in
reinforced concrete construction. The surface of the bar is provided with
protrusions called deformations. Bars are of two minimum yield levels namely: as
Grade 220 and Grade 400 respectively.

Preferred nominal sizes and Grades are shown below.

Grade Nominal Diameters (mm)

220 8, 10, 12
400 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 26, 32
4.1 Mechanical Properties

Tensile strength, yield stress and elongation of steel bar shall be in accordance
with the following table (ESC.D7 101)

Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength Yield stress Elongation minimum
Grade
(Mpa) (Mpa) (%)
Grade 220 400 – 550 220 20
Grade 400 > 600 400 16

(a) Cement

Cement used for structures shall be either ordinary Portland or sulphate resisting cement
complying with the requirements of AASHTO M-85 or blended hydraulic cement complying
with the requirements of AASHTO M-240.

(b) Admixtures

Admixtures shall not be used in concrete without the approval of the Engineer who may
require tests to be made before their use to prove their suitability.
Admixtures, if allowed, shall comply with the following:
(i) Air-Entraining Admixtures
Air-entraining admixtures shall comply with AASHTO M 154.
For structural concrete, air- entraining admixtures shall be admixtures classified as vinsol
resin or neutralized vinsol resin.
Where the contractor wishes to use an alternative air-entraining agent, he shall demonstrate, to
the satisfaction of the Engineer, its compliance with AASHTO M 154 when tested with the
cement, aggregates and other admixtures approved for use in the Works.
(ii) Chemical Admixtures
Chemical admixtures can be accelerating, retarding and /or water reducing, and combinations
thereof , conforming to the requirements of AASHTO M 194.
When a retarding admixture is required it shall be Type D, a water - reducing -retarding
admixture as designated in AASHTO M 194.
Type F or G high range admixtures may be used if approved by the Engineer for additional
workability and/or to reduce the water cement ratio.
Chemical admixtures shall be compatible with the other ingredients of the mix as
demonstrated by tests carried out on site by the Contractor in the presence of the Engineer at
least 30 days before it is proposed to use the agent.