ESTIMATION OF ORGANIC IMPURITIES

IS 2386(PART –II) -1963

OBJECT
This method of test covers an approximate method of estimating whether organic
compounds are present in natural sand in sufficient quantities to be harmful, and hence
intended to show whether tests are necessary or desirable.
Note : Harmless organic materials may cause colouration, and certain naturally occurring
organic compounds do not cause colouration.
APPARATUS.

PROCEDURE
The sand shall be tested as delivered without drying. A 350 ml graduated clear glass
medicine bottle shall be filled to the 75 ml mark with 3 percent solution of sodium hydroxide
in water. The sand shall be added gradually until the volume measured by the sand layer is
125 ml. The volume shall then be made up to 200 ml by adding more solution. The bottle
shall be closed by stopper and shaken vigorously and then allowed to stand for 24 hours.
Other tests shall be made if the colour of the liquid above the sand is darker than a standard
solution freshly prepared as follows :
Add 2.5 ml of 2 percent solution of tannic acid in 10 percent alcohol, to 97.5 ml of a 3
percent sodium hydroxide solution. Place in a 350 ml bottle, put the stopper, shake
vigorously, and allow standing for 24 hours before comparison with the solution above the
sand. Alternatively, an instrument or coloured acetate sheets for making the comparison
can be obtained, but it is desirable that these should be verified on receipt by comparison
with the standard solution.
30 TESTS MANNUAL
 DETERMINATION OF BULKING OF SAND
OBJECT
To determine the bulking of sand
The standard test for bulking is based on the fact that while damp sand bulks the volume of
saturated sand completely soaked with water is the same as if the sand were dry.
To make a field test one needs a measuring jar or in its absence any straight sided
container and a rule, a steel rod to tamp sand with and a second container to tip it into.
Fill the container about two thirds full with the sand to be tested. Drop it loosely, do not pack
it down. Level off the top y pushing a steel rule down through it to the bottom, measure the
height of the sand. Suppose it is 15 cm.
Empty the sand into another container (taking care that none of it is lost in the process) and
half fill the first container with water, put back the sand into the water bit by bit and keep
tamping to remove the air when the entire sand is fully saturated, push the rule through the
sand as before and measure the height, say it measured 12.5 cm.
The bulking is calculated from the volume of dry sand or saturated sand and hence in this
cae bulking is 2.5 cm, i.e. :
Bulking = 2.5 x 100 = 20%
12.5
The volume used should therefore be 20% more than quoted in the specification. 31