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IS 3118:1965 is the Indian Standard (BIS) for sand for use in mortar. This standard provides specifications for sand used in the preparation of mortar, detailing the required grading limits and maximum permissible levels of deleterious substances like clay and silt.
Lays down requirements for naturally occurring sand used as fine aggregate in mortars.
! Always account for the bulking of sand due to moisture when batching mortar by volume on site.
! Excessive silt and clay content in sand significantly reduces the bond strength of the mortar and increases the risk of shrinkage cracks.
! Ensure sand is properly sieved before use to remove oversized particles and organic impurities.
sandmortarfine aggregatecement
International Equivalents
Similar International Standards
ASTM C144-21ASTM International, USA
HighCurrent
Standard Specification for Aggregate for Masonry Mortar
Specifies grading and quality requirements for sand used in masonry mortar, covering very similar properties.
EN 13139:2002CEN (European Committee for Standardization), Europe
HighCurrent
Aggregates for mortar
Defines requirements for aggregates (including sand) for use in mortars for buildings, roads, and civil engineering.
BS 882:1992BSI (British Standards Institution), UK
MediumWithdrawn
Specification for aggregates from natural sources for concrete
Covered fine aggregates for concrete, with grading zones similar to those used for mortar sand, but is now superseded.
AS 1141 SeriesStandards Australia, Australia
LowCurrent
Methods for sampling and testing aggregates
This is a series of test methods, not a material specification, but it defines the procedures used in Australian aggregate standards like AS 2758.1.
Key Differences
≠IS 3118 provides a single, prescriptive grading table. In contrast, EN 13139 provides multiple grading categories (e.g., 0/1, 0/2, 0/4 mm) allowing for more flexibility based on the mortar's intended use.
≠For organic impurities, IS 3118 specifies a strict pass/fail based on a colorimetric test. ASTM C144 allows the sand to be used even if it fails the color test, provided it subsequently passes a comparative mortar strength test, introducing a performance-based alternative.
≠ASTM C144 specifies different limits for fine material (passing 75-μm sieve) based on the sand's origin: 3.0% for natural sand and 5.0% for manufactured sand. IS 3118 has a single limit of 5.0% for 'Clay, fine silt and fine dust' regardless of origin.
≠The Indian standard is significantly older (1965) and simpler in its structure, whereas modern standards like ASTM C144 and EN 13139 are more detailed and include references to a wider array of updated test methods.
Key Similarities
≈All standards specify requirements for particle size distribution (grading) to ensure the workability, strength, and durability of the mortar.
≈IS 3118, ASTM C144, and EN 13139 all place strict limits on deleterious substances such as clay lumps, friable particles, silt, and organic impurities.
≈The use of a soundness test (using sodium sulfate or magnesium sulfate) to assess the durability of the aggregate against weathering is a common requirement in both IS 3118 and ASTM C144, with very similar loss limits.
≈The core objective of all these standards is identical: to define a set of minimum quality requirements for sand to ensure it performs adequately when used in mortar.
Parameter Comparison
Parameter
IS Value
International
Source
Clay, Fine Silt & Dust (by washing)
Not more than 5.0% by weight
Natural Sand: ≤ 3.0%; Manufactured Sand: ≤ 5.0%
ASTM C144-21
Clay Lumps and Friable Particles
Not more than 1.0% by weight
Not more than 1.0% by weight
ASTM C144-21
Grading - % Passing 2.36 mm Sieve (No. 8)
90 - 100%
95 - 100%
ASTM C144-21
Grading - % Passing 150 micron Sieve (No. 100)
0 - 20%
2 - 10%
ASTM C144-21
Grading - % Passing 75 micron Sieve (No. 200)
Not explicitly defined in grading table (covered under silt/clay limit)
0 - 5%
ASTM C144-21
Soundness Loss (Sodium Sulfate, 5 cycles)
Not more than 10%
Not more than 10%
ASTM C144-21
Organic Impurities Test
Mandatory pass on colorimetric test.
Permitted to fail color test if mortar strength is satisfactory.
ASTM C144-21
⚠ Verify details from original standards before use