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IS 4031:1996 Part 1 is the Indian Standard (BIS) for methods of physical tests for hydraulic cement - part 1: determination of fineness by dry sieving. This standard specifies the method for determining the fineness of hydraulic cement by dry sieving using a 90-micron IS sieve. The test measures the percentage of coarse cement particles, which directly impacts the hydration rate and strength development of the cement.
Describes the procedure for determining the fineness of hydraulic cement by dry sieving method.
! Ensure the sieve mesh is not clogged before the test; carefully clean the 90-micron sieve using a soft nylon or bristle brush.
! Perform the test in a controlled lab environment, as high ambient humidity can cause cement particles to agglomerate and yield false coarse residue values.
! Do not force cement through the sieve mesh by hand or stiff brushes, as this will damage the fine wire mesh.
Standard Test Method for Fineness of Hydraulic Cement by the 150-μm (No. 100) and 75-μm (No. 200) Sieves
Defines a procedure for determining cement fineness by dry sieving, though using different sieve sizes.
EN 196-6:2018CEN (European Committee for Standardization), Europe
HighCurrent
Methods of testing cement - Part 6: Determination of fineness
Specifies fineness determination by sieving, often with an air-jet apparatus, but shares the 90 µm sieve size.
AASHTO T 128-17AASHTO (American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials), USA
HighCurrent
Standard Method of Test for Fineness of Hydraulic Cement by the 150-μm (No. 100) and 75-μm (No. 200) Sieves
Essentially identical to ASTM C184, used for transportation and highway applications.
JIS R 5201:2015JSA (Japanese Standards Association), Japan
MediumCurrent
Physical testing methods for cement
A comprehensive standard for cement testing that includes a method for fineness by sieving on a 90 µm sieve.
Key Differences
≠IS 4031 specifies a sample mass of 100 g, which is significantly larger than the 10 g used in EN 196-6 and 50 g in ASTM C184.
≠The Indian standard mandates a fixed sieving duration of 15 minutes, whereas ASTM C184 uses a performance-based endpoint (sieving until the amount passing per minute is negligible).
≠While IS 4031 describes a manual sieving procedure, EN 196-6 primarily details the use of a more precise and automated air-jet sieving apparatus for its dry sieving method.
≠IS 4031 uses a 90 µm sieve, which differs from the primary sieves of 75 µm (No. 200) and 150 µm (No. 100) specified in ASTM C184.
Key Similarities
≈The fundamental principle of the test is identical: to determine fineness by measuring the mass of cement residue retained on a standard sieve after a defined procedure.
≈The result is universally expressed as the mass of the residue as a percentage of the initial sample mass, reported to the nearest 0.1%.
≈Both IS 4031 and EN 196-6 specify the use of a 90 µm sieve, making comparisons between results from these standards more direct, despite procedural differences.
≈All standards require that the test sieve be thoroughly clean, dry, and verified for conformity (e.g., no damage, correct aperture size) before use.
Parameter Comparison
Parameter
IS Value
International
Source
Primary Sieve Aperture
90 µm
75 µm (No. 200)
ASTM C184-17
Primary Sieve Aperture
90 µm
90 µm
EN 196-6:2018
Test Sample Mass
100 g
50 g
ASTM C184-17
Test Sample Mass
100 g
10 g
EN 196-6:2018
Sieving Procedure
Manual shaking for a fixed time
Primarily automated air-jet sieving
EN 196-6:2018
Sieving Endpoint
15 minutes of continuous sieving
When residue passing in 1 minute is less than 0.10 g
ASTM C184-17
Weighing Balance Accuracy
0.01 g
0.01 g
ASTM C184-17
⚠ Verify details from original standards before use
Key Values5
Quick Reference Values
test sieve size90-micron IS Sieve
sample weight100 g
balance accuracy0.01 g
sieving duration15 minutes
reporting accuracy0.1 percent
Key Formulas
Fineness (R) = (W2 / W1) * 100 — Percentage of cement retained on 90-micron sieve (where W1 is initial weight, W2 is weight of residue)