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IS 1607:1977 is the Indian Standard (BIS) for methods for test sieving. This standard lays down the general principles and procedures for test sieving of granular and powdery materials. It provides guidelines on sample preparation, sieving techniques (dry and wet), and the correct method for calculating and reporting particle size distribution.
Methods for test sieving
Overview
Status
Current
Usage level
Frequently Used
Domain
Materials Science — Sieves, Sieving and Other Sizing Methods
Test sieving — Part 1: Methods using test sieves of woven wire cloth and perforated metal plate
Provided a general framework for test sieving, very similar in intent to IS 1607.
ASTM C136 / C136M-19ASTM (US)
HighCurrent
Standard Test Method for Sieve Analysis of Fine and Coarse Aggregates
Covers the same fundamental sieving procedure but is specifically for mineral aggregates used in concrete.
BS EN 933-1:2012BSI (UK) / CEN (Europe)
HighCurrent
Tests for geometrical properties of aggregates - Part 1: Determination of particle size distribution - Sieving method
European standard for determining particle size of aggregates, similar in procedure to IS 1607 but with a specific material scope.
AS 1141.11-2009Standards Australia (AU)
HighCurrent
Methods for sampling and testing aggregates - Particle size distribution - Sieving method
Australian standard for sieve analysis of aggregates, following a very similar methodology.
Key Differences
≠IS 1607 is a general method applicable to a wide range of materials, whereas modern international counterparts like ASTM C136 and BS EN 933-1 are specific to construction aggregates.
≠International standards like ASTM C136 provide explicit, tabulated minimum sample masses based on the nominal maximum particle size, while IS 1607 gives only general guidance to refer to the material specification.
≠The end-point determination criterion differs. IS 1607 specifies that less than 0.1% of the original sample mass should pass a sieve in one minute, whereas ASTM C136 uses a limit of 0.5% of the total sample mass.
≠ASTM C136 and BS EN 933-1 specify a drying temperature of 110 ± 5 °C for the sample, while IS 1607 does not specify a temperature, leaving it to the relevant material standard.
≠While IS 1607 mentions wet sieving as an option, ASTM C136 often requires a mandatory preliminary washing step (per ASTM C117) if the aggregate contains significant material finer than 75 μm.
Key Similarities
≈All standards are based on the same fundamental principle of separating a material into size fractions using a series of nested sieves with progressively smaller aperture sizes.
≈They all mandate the use of test sieves that conform to national or international specifications (e.g., IS 460, ASTM E11, ISO 3310-1), ensuring consistency of the measurement apparatus.
≈The basic procedural sequence is identical: obtaining a representative sample, drying it, weighing, sieving on a mechanical shaker or by hand, weighing the retained fractions, and calculating cumulative percentages.
≈The final results in all standards are expressed similarly, typically as a table of percentage passing or retained on each sieve, and can be plotted as a particle size distribution curve.
Parameter Comparison
Parameter
IS Value
International
Source
Primary Scope
General method for test sieving of any material.
Specific to fine and coarse aggregates for use in concrete.
ASTM C136 / C136M
Sieving End-Point Criterion (1-min test)
< 0.1% of original total sample mass passes.
< 0.5% of total sample mass passes.
ASTM C136 / C136M
Sample Drying Temperature
Not specified; refers to material specification.
110 ± 5 °C (230 ± 9 °F)
ASTM C136 / C136M
Sieve Overload Limit
General guidance: avoid overloading.
Specific limit, e.g., not to exceed 7 kg/m² of sieve surface area (or 200 g for 200 mm sieve on sieves smaller than 4.75 mm).
ASTM C136 / C136M
Minimum Sample Mass (37.5 mm aggregate)
Not specified; refers to material specification.
15 kg (35 lb)
ASTM C136 / C136M
Governing Sieve Specification
IS 460
ASTM E11
ASTM C136 / C136M
Governing Sieve Specification (Europe)
IS 460
ISO 3310 Series
BS EN 933-1
⚠ Verify details from original standards before use
Key Values2
Quick Reference Values
weighing accuracy0.1 percent of the mass of the test sample
sample drying temperature105 to 110 °C
Key Formulas
Percentage retained = (Mass retained on sieve / Total mass of sample) x 100
When should wet sieving be preferred over dry sieving?+
Wet sieving is preferred when the material contains lumps, agglomerates, or a high percentage of fine dust that clings to larger particles.
What is the acceptable tolerance for weighing the sample?+
The sample and retained fractions must be weighed to an accuracy of 0.1 percent of the total sample mass.
How should the final results be presented?+
Results are typically presented as a table of cumulative percentage passing or retained, and often plotted on a semi-logarithmic particle size distribution curve.