Specification for apparatus for determining constituents of fresh concrete
1974 Edition

Scope Overview: This section defines the requirements for apparatus used in determining the proportions of cement, fine aggregate, and coarse aggregate in fresh concrete, ensuring standardized testing methods.

Highlights:

• Marking of Components (Clause 6.1): Each piece of equipment shall bear indelible markings of the manufacturer’s name or trademark and the manufacturing date, without affecting functionality.

• Rounding Off Rules (Clause 0.3): Test outcomes must be rounded according to IS 2:1960, maintaining the specified number of significant figures.

• Material Requirements (Clause 5.1): Materials used for apparatus parts are detailed in Table 1 to promote durability and precision.

Apparatus Components and Dimensions:

• Standard Sieves: Diameter of 475 mm for coarse aggregate; 150-micron sieve for fines.
• Supporting Mesh and Spider: Detailed design specifications with millimeter-level precision.
• Funnels: Properly dimensioned to facilitate efficient sample transfer.

Summary Table:

flowchart LR
    A[Fresh Concrete Sample] --> B[Sieving Setup]
    B --> C{Sieves}
    C --> C1[475 mm Sieve]
    C --> C2[150 micron Sieve]
    B --> D[Supporting Mesh & Spider]
    B --> E[Funnel for Transfer]
    B --> F[Sample Bucket Base]

Working Principle Overview: This part describes how the apparatus separates and quantifies cement, fine aggregate, and coarse aggregate in fresh concrete with a maximum aggregate size of 40 mm.

Key Steps (Clause 2):

• Separation by washing and sieving techniques.
• Utilization of nested sieves (475 mm and 150-micron diameters) to differentiate coarse and fine aggregates.
• Washing the concrete sample with a fine water spray to remove adhered cement paste.
• Employing a bucket-shaped container submerged in a water tank to prevent loss during washing.

Essential Specifications:

Apparatus Flow Representation:

flowchart LR
    A[Concrete Sample] --> B[Bucket Container]
    B --> C[Water Tank with Tap & Baffle]
    C --> D[Fine Spray Washing]
    D --> E[Nested Sieves]
    E --> F[Separated Cement, Fine and Coarse Aggregates]

Component Dimensions and Specifications:

Principal Measures (in millimeters):

Material Requirements (Clause 5.1):

• Corrosion-resistant metals such as stainless steel or chromium/nickel plated steel sheet.
• Tank thickness: 2.0 mm.
• Baffle plate thickness: approximately 1.6 mm.

Marking Instructions (Clause 6.1):

• Manufacturer’s name or trademark and date of manufacture must be clearly inscribed without impairing performance.

Diagram of Water Tank Setup:

flowchart TB
    A[Subsidiary Water Tank]
    B[Flexible Pipe and Tap (20 mm below top)]
    C[Main Water Tank (300 mm dia x 300 mm depth)]
    D[Overflow Spout (5 mm below rim)]
    E[Baffle Plate (70 x 100 mm, 1.6 mm thick)]
    F[Bucket Container]

    A --> B --> C
    C --> D
    C --> E
    C --> F

Overview of Parts and Associated Components:

Marking Requirements (Clause 6.1):

• Each apparatus part must bear:
  • The manufacturer’s name or registered trademark.
  • Date of manufacture.
• Markings should not interfere with the apparatus function.

Materials for Various Components (Clause 5.1 and Table 1):

Additional Accessories:

• Fine spray apparatus for washing samples.
• Spider supporting mesh with specified dimensions.
• Base support for sample buckets.
• Funnel designed for material transfer.
• Counterpoises for air and water weighing.
• Flexible connections between tanks.

Material Flow Diagram:

graph LR
A[Bucket & Handle] -->|Material| B[Non-corrodible Metal]
C[Tank] -->|Material| B
D[Spider] -->|Material| E[Brass]
F[Stand] -->|Material| G[Cast Iron]

Materials Designated for Construction (Clause 5.1 & Table 1):

Notes:

• Use corrosion-resistant metals in all parts contacting cement to prevent deterioration.
• Surfaces must be finished smoothly to avoid material sticking and to maintain measurement accuracy.
• Brass and cast iron components are specified according to relevant Indian Standards.

Reference Standards:

• IS 292-1961: Specifications for brass ingots and castings.
• IS 210-1970: Specifications for grey iron castings.

flowchart LR
    A[Bucket & Handle] -->|Material| B[Stainless Steel / Chromium or Nickel Plated Steel]
    C[Tank] -->|Material| B
    D[Spider] -->|Material| E[Brass (IS 292-1961)]
    F[Stand for Sample Bucket] -->|Material| G[Cast Iron (IS 210-1970)]

Marking and Identification Protocol (Clause 6.1 & 6.1.1):

• Mandatory Marking Elements:

  • Manufacturer’s name or registered trademark (or both).
  • Date of manufacture.

• Markings must be permanent, clear, and must not hinder apparatus operation.

• Optional Mark:

  • The ISI certification mark may be applied in accordance with Indian Standards Institution regulations, indicating conformity to quality and testing criteria.

Material Information (Table 1, Clause 5.1):

Marking Notes:

• Markings should be placed to avoid any negative impact on the apparatus functionality.
• Use of the ISI mark is regulated under the Indian Standards Institution Certification Marks Act.
• For detailed apparatus layouts and dimensions, refer to IS 7325 figures (e.g., Fig. 4 for sieves, Fig. 5 for funnel).

flowchart TD
    A[Apparatus Component] --> B[Mark Manufacturer Name/Trademark]
    A --> C[Mark Date of Manufacture]
    A --> D{Optional: ISI Certification Mark}
    D --> E[Complies with ISI regulations]