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ISBN 0-626-17304-3
SANS 5838:2006
Edition 2

SOUTH AFRICAN NATIONAL STANDARD

Sand equivalent value of fine aggregates

Published by Standards South Africa

1 dr lategan road groenkloof private bag x191 pretoria 0001
tel: 012 428 7911 fax: 012 344 1568 international code + 27 12
www.stansa.co.za
© Standards South Africa

© SABS. This non-printable standard is exclusively for approved users of the SABS’ Complete Collection of Standards and Related Documents.
© SABS. This non-printable standard is exclusively for approved users of the SABS’ Complete Collection of Standards and Related Documents.
The standard must reside on an internal network or intranet and may only be used for reference purposes in compliance with SABS
copyright rules. The standard or parts thereof may not be distributed in any form without permission from the SABS.

SANS 5838:2006
Edition 2

Table of changes
Change No. Date Scope

Foreword
This South African standard was approved by National Committee StanSA SC 5120.61A,
Construction standards – Cement, lime and concrete, in accordance with procedures of Standards
South Africa, in compliance with annex 3 of the WTO/TBT agreement.

This edition cancels and replaces the first edition (SABS SM 838:1976).

© SABS. This non-printable standard is exclusively for approved users of the SABS’ Complete Collection of Standards and Related Documents.
© SABS. This non-printable standard is exclusively for approved users of the SABS’ Complete Collection of Standards and Related Documents.
The standard must reside on an internal network or intranet and may only be used for reference purposes in compliance with SABS
copyright rules. The standard or parts thereof may not be distributed in any form without permission from the SABS.

SANS 5838:2006
Edition 2

Contents
Page

Foreword

1 Scope .................................................................................................................................. 3

2 Normative reference ............................................................................................................ 3

3 Apparatus ............................................................................................................................ 3

4 Stock and working solutions ................................................................................................ 4

5 Preparation of the test specimen ......................................................................................... 4

6 Procedure ............................................................................................................................ 5

7 Calculation .......................................................................................................................... 6

Bibliography ........................................................................................................................... 8

© SABS. This non-printable standard is exclusively for approved users of the SABS’ Complete Collection of Standards and Related Documents.
© SABS. This non-printable standard is exclusively for approved users of the SABS’ Complete Collection of Standards and Related Documents.
The standard must reside on an internal network or intranet and may only be used for reference purposes in compliance with SABS
copyright rules. The standard or parts thereof may not be distributed in any form without permission from the SABS.

SANS 5838:2006
Edition 2

This page is intentionally left blank

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copyright rules. The standard or parts thereof may not be distributed in any form without permission from the SABS.

SANS 5838:2005
Edition 2

Sand equivalent value of fine aggregates

1 Scope
This standard covers the method to determine the sand equivalent value of fine aggregates.

2 Normative reference
The following referenced document is indispensable for the application of this document. All
normative documents are subject to revision and, since any reference to a normative document is
deemed to be a reference to the latest edition of that document, parties to agreements based on
this document are encouraged to take steps to ensure the use of the most recent edition of the
normative document indicated below. Information on currently valid national and international
standards can be obtained from Standards South Africa.

SANS 197, Preparation of test samples of aggregates.

3 Apparatus (see figure 1)

NOTE Further details of the apparatus are given in ASTM D 2419.

3.1 Measuring cylinder, transparent and of internal diameter 31,75 mm and height about
430 mm, and graduated (from the bottom) up to at least 381 mm in divisions of not more than
2,54 mm.

3.2 Irrigator tube, of brass or copper and of nominal outside diameter 6,35 mm and length at least
500 mm, the lower end of which is so flattened and sealed as to form a wedge with a watertight
base. The wedge has, near the bottom of each flat face, a hole of nominal diameter 1 mm.

3.3 Reservoir, that consists of a glass container of capacity at least 4 L and is fitted with a siphon
assembly that consists of a stopper with two holes, one of which is fitted with a blow tube and the
other with a bent copper tube to which is attached a length of 5 mm diameter rubber tubing with a
pinch clamp (to stop the flow when so required). The reservoir is located on a shelf that is at such a
height as to maintain the liquid level at a height of between 0,915 m and 1,170 m above the work
surface.

3.4 Weighted foot assembly, that comprises a brass rod of diameter 6,35 mm and length
450 mm and that has, at the lower end, a 25,4 mm diameter conical bronze foot that has three small
centring screws that enable the foot to be centred loosely in the measuring cylinder. An acrylic,
plastic, or nylon indicator, of the shape and dimensions shown in figure 1 and provided with a fixing

© SABS. This non-printable standard is exclusively for approved users of the SABS’ Complete Collection of Standards and Related Documents.
© SABS. This non-printable standard is exclusively for approved users of the SABS’ Complete Collection of Standards and Related Documents.
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SANS 5838:2006
Edition 2

screw, is fixed to the brass rod in such a position that the distance between the upper end of the
indicator and the lower end of the weighted foot is 200 mm. The brass rod moves freely through a
hole in a guide which fits the top of the cylinder. A mild steel masspiece, of diameter 50 mm and
length about 53 mm, is screwed to the top end of the brass rod to provide a total mass of the
assembly (excluding the guide) of 1 000 g ± 5 g.

3.5 Measure, of internal diameter approximately 55 mm and capacity 85 mL ± 5 mL and provided

with a cover. The measure may be of any suitable material which will not deform during normal
usage.

3.6 Stop-watch.

4 Stock and working solutions

4.1 Stock solution
Dissolve 454 g of technical grade anhydrous calcium chloride in about 2 L distilled or demineralized
water. Cool the solution and filter it through a medium-textured, smooth-surface filter paper. Add to
the filtered solution, 2,05 kg of glycerine (BP grade) and 47 g of a 40 % (mass concentration)
solution of formaldehyde, mix well, and dilute to 3,78 L with distilled or demineralized water.

4.2 Working solution

Prepare a working solution by diluting one measureful (85 mL ± 5 mL) of the stock solution to 3,78 L
with distilled or demineralized water, and maintain the temperature of the solution at 22 °C to 25 °C
throughout the test.

5 Preparation of the test specimen

5.1 Sieve the test sample (see SANS 197) (which might have been dampened to avoid
segregation and loss of fines) through a sieve with square apertures of nominal size 4,75 mm.
Remove all fines adhering to the sieve and add to the material passing through the sieve. By means
of a sample splitter or by coning and quartering, obtain an initial sample of this material.

5.2 Determine the exact amount of initial sample needed to completely fill the measure by
scooping out four successive measurefuls of the initial sample ensuring (at each filling) that the
measure is accurately filled with consolidated material by overfilling it, tapping the bottom edge of
the measure on a hard surface, jogging the measure slightly, and then striking off the material level
with the rim of the measure.

Determine the amount (by mass or by volume) of material contained in the four measurefuls, return
this material to the initial sample, and mix well.

5.3 By splitting or coning and quartering as in 5.1 (followed, if necessary, by adjusting the
apparatus) obtain a quantity of the initial sample equal to the predetermined amount.

5.4 Obtain, as in 5.3, the amount of material needed to fill one measure (i.e. the test specimen).
Dry the test specimen at 100 °C to 110 °C and allow it to cool to room temperature.

© SABS. This non-printable standard is exclusively for approved users of the SABS’ Complete Collection of Standards and Related Documents.
© SABS. This non-printable standard is exclusively for approved users of the SABS’ Complete Collection of Standards and Related Documents.
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SANS 5838:2005
Edition 2

6 Procedure
6.1 Siphon the working solution into the measuring cylinder to a depth of 100 mm to 102,5 mm
and, using a wide-mouth funnel to avoid spillage, add the prepared test specimen. Tap the cylinder
on the heel of the hand to release air bubbles and to promote thorough wetting of the material.
Allow to stand undisturbed for 10 min ± 1 min.

6.2 At the end of the 10 min soaking period, stopper the cylinder, and loosen the material from the
bottom by partially inverting the cylinder and simultaneously shaking it.

Shake the cylinder and its contents exactly as follows, as the manner of shaking influences the
result of the test:

a) hold the cylinder in a horizontal position; and

b) subject it (during the period of approximately 30 s) to 90 shaking cycles, each cycle consisting of
a to-and-fro motion over a distance of 230 mm ± 25 mm.

Proper shaking of the cylinder at the required rate is achieved if the operator uses his forearms
only, relaxing the body and shoulders.

6.3 After shaking, place the cylinder upright on the work table and remove the stopper. Connect
the irrigator tube to the rubber tubing attached to the siphon, open the pinch clamp, and push the
irrigator through the material to the bottom of the cylinder by applying a gentle stabbing and twisting
motion while the working solution flows from the irrigator tip. This flushes the fine material into
suspension above the coarser sand particles.

Continue to apply a stabbing and twisting motion while flushing the fines upward until the cylinder is
filled to the 381 mm mark. Then, without shutting off the flow, raise the irrigator at such a rate that
the liquid level is maintained at about 380 mm while the irrigator is being withdrawn. Just before the
irrigator is entirely withdrawn, decrease the rate of flow and adjust the final level to exactly 381 mm.

Allow the cylinder and contents to stand undisturbed for 20 min ± 0,25 min, starting the timing
immediately after withdrawing the irrigator tube.

6.4 At the end of the 20 min sedimentation period, read and record the level of the top of the fines
suspension. This is the fines reading.

If no clear line of demarcation has formed at the end of the specified 20 min sedimentation period,
allow the cylinder and contents to stand undisturbed until a fines reading can be obtained, then
immediately read and record the level of the top of the fines suspension and the total sedimentation
time.

6.5 If the total sedimentation time exceeds 30 min, repeat the test on a further three test
specimens of the same material (prepared from the remainder of the initial sample used in 5.4) and
record only the fines column height of the specimen that required the shortest sedimentation period.

6.6 After the fines reading has been taken, locate the guide of the weighted foot assembly on the
top of the cylinder and gently lower the assembly until it comes to rest on the sand. Do not allow the
indicator to knock against the mouth or sides of the cylinder as the assembly is being lowered.

When the foot has come to rest on the sand, move the assembly carefully towards the graduations
on the cylinder until the indicator just touches the inside of the cylinder.

© SABS. This non-printable standard is exclusively for approved users of the SABS’ Complete Collection of Standards and Related Documents.
© SABS. This non-printable standard is exclusively for approved users of the SABS’ Complete Collection of Standards and Related Documents.
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SANS 5838:2006
Edition 2

Read the height at the top edge of the indicator and record this value as the sand reading. When
taking the sand reading, take care not to press down on the weighted foot assembly as this could
give an erroneous reading. If fines or sand readings fall between the graduations of the cylinder,
record the level of the higher graduation as the reading.

7 Calculation
Calculate the sand equivalent as follows:

s − 200
S =
e
× 100
f

where

Se is the sand equivalent;

s is the sand reaction;

f is the sand reading.

Record the sand equivalent to the next higher whole number.

© SABS. This non-printable standard is exclusively for approved users of the SABS’ Complete Collection of Standards and Related Documents.
© SABS. This non-printable standard is exclusively for approved users of the SABS’ Complete Collection of Standards and Related Documents.
The standard must reside on an internal network or intranet and may only be used for reference purposes in compliance with SABS
copyright rules. The standard or parts thereof may not be distributed in any form without permission from the SABS.

SANS 5838:2005
Edition 2

Figure 1 — Apparatus to determine sand equivalent of fine aggregates

© SABS. This non-printable standard is exclusively for approved users of the SABS’ Complete Collection of Standards and Related Documents.
© SABS. This non-printable standard is exclusively for approved users of the SABS’ Complete Collection of Standards and Related Documents.
The standard must reside on an internal network or intranet and may only be used for reference purposes in compliance with SABS
copyright rules. The standard or parts thereof may not be distributed in any form without permission from the SABS.

SANS 5838:2006
Edition 2

Bibliography
ASTM D 2419, Standard test method for sand equivalent value of soils and fine aggregate.

© Standards South Africa

© SABS. This non-printable standard is exclusively for approved users of the SABS’ Complete Collection of Standards and Related Documents.