Sand is a naturally occurring granular material composed of finely divided rock and mineral particles. The main composition of sand is silica (Silicon dioxide, SiO2), and it is commonly used for construction and glass manufacturing industry. Before sand can be used for construction or any other industrial purpose, it is important to determine several physical and chemical properties of sand. One of the most important analysis is impurities present in the sand such as organic matter, chloride, and sulphate. These impurities can cause corrosion and cracks on the building and lead to considerable deterioration of durability, strength and appearance.
CCIC provide following chemical analysis for river sand, quartz sand, sea sand, soil and mud.
River Sand Constructions
| Test Items | Code | Instrument / Method |
|---|
| Apparent Density | GB/T 14684-2011 | Gravimetric |
| Chloride | GB/T 14684-2011 | Titrimetric |
| Clay and Fine Content | GB/T 14684-2011 | Gravimetric |
| Moisture | GB/T 14684-2011 | Gravimetric |
| Fineness Modulus | GB/T 14684-2011 | Calculation |
| Sulphate | GB/T 14684-2011 | Gravimetric |
| Organic Matter | GB/T 14684-2011 | Colorimetric |
| Particle Size | GB/T 14684-2011 | Gravimetric |
| Shell content | GB/T 14684-2011 | Gravimetric |
Quartz Sand (China Standard)
| Test Items | Code | Instrument / Method |
|---|
| Titanium Dioxide | SN/T 0483-95 | ICP/UV-Vis |
| Iron Oxide | SN/T 0483-95 | ICP/UV-Vis |
| Aluminium Oxide | SN/T 0483-95 | ICP/UV-Vis |
| Silica | SN/T 0483-95 | Gravimetric |
| Loss on Ignition | SN/T 0483-95 | Gravimetric |
| Metals by ICP | SN/T 3365-2012 | ICP |
| Particle Size (20-140 mesh) | BS 812-103.1: 1985 | Gravimetric |
General Sand Enquiry
| Test Items | Code | Instrument / Method |
|---|
| Potential Alkali Silica Reactivity | ASTM C289-03 | Titrimetric and ICP |
| Chloride | BS 812-117: 1988 | Titrimetric |
| Sulphate | BS 812-118: 1988 | Gravimetric |
| Clay, Silt, and Dust | BS 882: 1992 | Gravimetric |
| Moisture | BS 812-109: 1990 | Gravimetric |
| Density | BS 812-2 :1995 | Gravimetric |
| Particle Size Distribution | BS 812-103.1: 1985 | Gravimetric |
| Organic Matter | ASTM C40/C40M-11 | Colorimetric |