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IS 13074:1991 is the Indian Standard (BIS) for laying bitumen mastic flooring for industries handling lpg and other light hydrocarbon products. This code provides guidelines for laying bitumen mastic flooring in industrial areas where flammable products like LPG and light hydrocarbons are handled. It covers material requirements, base preparation, application techniques, and crucial safety precautions to ensure a non-sparking, durable, and chemically resistant surface.
Code of practice for laying bitumen mastic flooring for industries handling LPG and other light hydrocarbon products
Overview
Status
Current
Usage level
Specialized
Domain
Materials Science — Flooring, Wall Finishing and Roofing
DIN 18354:2019-09DIN (Deutsches Institut für Normung), Germany
HighCurrent
VOB Contract procedures for building works - Part C: General technical specifications in construction contracts (ATV) - Mastic asphalt works
Provides a detailed code of practice for the execution and laying of mastic asphalt (Gussasphalt), similar to the procedural focus of IS 13074.
BS EN 13108-6:2016BSI (British Standards Institution), UK / CEN (European Committee for Standardization)
MediumCurrent
Bituminous mixtures. Material specifications. Mastic Asphalt
Specifies the material properties of mastic asphalt, which IS 13074 relies on (via IS 5871), but is not a code of practice for laying.
PD 6691:2015+A1:2016BSI (British Standards Institution), UK
MediumCurrent
Guidance on the use of BS EN 13108 Bituminous mixtures - Material specifications
Provides the application and laying guidance for materials specified in BS EN 13108-6, acting as a de facto code of practice in the UK.
BS 6925:1988BSI (British Standards Institution), UK
MediumWithdrawn
Specification for mastic asphalt for building and civil engineering (limestone aggregate)
The historical UK equivalent material specification, contemporary to IS 13074, covering the base material for flooring applications.
Key Differences
≠IS 13074 is a specific, all-in-one code for laying flooring in hydrocarbon-handling areas, mandating non-sparking and resistant properties. European standards like DIN 18354 are general laying codes, requiring the specifier to separately request special grades (e.g., hydrocarbon-resistant binder, non-sparking aggregates) to achieve the same result.
≠The Indian standard is prescriptive, suggesting a specific thickness of 25 mm. European practice, guided by standards like PD 6691, is more performance-based, with thickness determined by design based on traffic and load conditions.
≠IS 13074 explicitly mandates the use of non-sparking tools (e.g., wood or non-ferrous metal) due to its focus on explosive environments. While this is a common safety practice, it is not a mandatory clause within general international mastic asphalt laying standards like DIN 18354.
≠The underlying material specification for IS 13074 is IS 5871 (Acid-resistant bitumen mastic), whereas the European system is based on BS EN 13108-6, which has a different classification system and allows for a wider range of specified properties.
Key Similarities
≈All standards are based on the principle of applying a hot, voidless mixture of bitumen and aggregate at high temperatures (typically 180-220°C) and spreading it with hand floats.
≈Both IS 13074 and international codes of practice (like DIN 18354 and UK practice in PD 6691) emphasize the critical importance of a clean, dry, and stable substrate, and the use of a separating layer (e.g., building paper or felt) for unbonded applications over concrete.
≈For flooring applications, applying the mastic asphalt in two distinct layers to achieve the final thickness is a common technique recommended in both IS 13074 and international practices to ensure good compaction and quality.
≈The finishing technique of rubbing clean, coarse sand onto the surface of the mastic asphalt while it is still warm to create a durable, non-slip matte finish is a standard procedure in both the Indian and European standards.
Parameter Comparison
Parameter
IS Value
International
Source
Application Temperature
Remelting between 175°C and 210°C; laid as hot as possible.
Typically 180°C to 220°C, depending on grade and ambient conditions.
PD 6691:2015
Recommended Total Thickness
Preferably 25 mm, laid in two layers of 12-13 mm each.
Typically 20-50 mm depending on expected traffic and load. Not a single prescribed value.
DIN 18354 / General Practice
Aggregate Type for this Application
Mandatory non-sparking aggregates (limestone, barytes, or other non-siliceous material) as per IS 5871.
Limestone is standard for flooring, but non-sparking properties must be explicitly specified by the designer.
BS EN 13108-6:2016
Separating Layer on Concrete Base
Required; specifies bitumen felt (IS 1322) or building paper (IS 1397).
Required for unbonded screeds; specifies sheathing felt or appropriate building paper.
DIN 18354:2019
Surface Finish
Surface to be warmed and rubbed with clean coarse sand.
Standard finish is 'Absanden' (sanding), where sand is rubbed into the still-warm surface.
DIN 18354:2019
Hardness Specification (Principle)
Defined by a hardness number (indentation in 0.1mm at 25°C) specified in the material standard IS 5871.
Defined by indentation class (max depth in mm at a specified temperature, e.g., 40°C) as per EN 12697-20.
BS EN 13108-6:2016
⚠ Verify details from original standards before use