Similar International Standards
BS 776:1976British Standards Institution (BSI), UK
HighWithdrawn
Specification for materials for magnesium oxychloride (magnesite) flooring
Specifies requirements for calcined magnesite, magnesium chloride, and fillers for magnesite flooring, mirroring the IS code's scope.
ASTM C257-78American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), USA
HighWithdrawn
Standard Test Method for Evaluating Properties of Sorel Cement (Magnesium Oxychloride)
Details test methods for setting time, strength, and linear change of the cement paste, which is a core part of IS 10132.
GOST 1216-87Euro-Asian Council for Standardization, Metrology and Certification (EASC), Russia/CIS
MediumCurrent
Building magnesite powder (caustic magnesite). Specifications.
Provides specifications and test methods specifically for the caustic magnesite powder used in Sorel cement, covering one major material from IS 10132.
Key Differences
≠IS 10132 remains an active standard in India, whereas its direct counterparts in the UK (BS 776) and USA (ASTM C257 series) were withdrawn in the late 1970s and early 1980s, reflecting a divergence in the continued use of this flooring technology.
≠For determining setting time, IS 10132 specifies a modified Vicat apparatus, while the withdrawn ASTM C257 standard specified the use of Gillmore needles, which measure setting time based on surface indentation without a weighted plunger.
≠IS 10132 is a single, comprehensive standard covering test methods for all constituent materials (magnesite, chloride, fillers). The historic ASTM approach was more fragmented, with separate standards for materials (e.g., ASTM C276 for magnesite) and test methods (e.g., ASTM C257 for cement properties).
≠The Indian standard requires soundness to be tested using the Le Chatelier apparatus, with a maximum expansion of 5 mm. The equivalent British standard, BS 776, also used the Le Chatelier test but permitted a more lenient maximum expansion of 10 mm.
Key Similarities
≈All standards (IS 10132, BS 776, ASTM C257) are fundamentally concerned with evaluating the properties of the same three core components: calcined magnesite (MgO), a gauging solution of magnesium chloride (MgCl2), and various fillers.
≈The critical performance properties tested are consistent across the standards, including setting time (initial and final), mechanical strength (transverse/flexural), and dimensional stability (soundness and linear change).
≈All standards emphasize the importance of particle size distribution for the calcined magnesite and fillers, prescribing mandatory sieve analysis procedures to ensure proper reaction kinetics and final texture.
≈There is a shared understanding of the need to control impurities. Both IS 10132 (by reference) and BS 776 place limits on the active lime (CaO) content in the calcined magnesite, as it can cause unsoundness and degradation of the flooring.