BRITISH STANDARD BS EN

451-2:1995

Method of testing fly

ash —
Part 2: Determination of fineness by
wet sieving

The European Standard EN 451-2:1994 has the status of a

British Standard

UDC 666.952.2:620.168.32:539.215.4
BS EN 451-2:1995

Committees responsible for this

British Standard

The preparation of this British Standard was entrusted by Technical

Committee B/516, Cement and lime, to Subcommittee B/516/101, Pozzolanas,
upon which the following bodies were represented:

British Aggregate Construction Materials Industries

British Cement Association
British Precast Concrete Federation
British Ready Mixed Concrete Association
Cementitious Slag Makers’ Association
Department of the Environment (Building Research Establishment)
Department of Transport
Electricity Association
Federation of Civil Engineering Contractors
Quality Ash Association

This British Standard, having

been prepared under the
direction of the Sector Board
for Building and Civil
Engineering, was published
under the authority of the
Standards Board and
comes into effect on Amendments issued since publication
15 September 1995
Amd. No. Date Comments
© BSI 12-1999

The following BSI references

relate to the work on this
standard:
Committee reference B/516/101
Draft for comment 91/11364 DC

ISBN 0 580 24528 4

 BS EN 451-2:1995

Contents

Page
Committees responsible Inside front cover
National foreword ii
Foreword 2
Text of EN 451-2 3

© BSI 12-1999 i
BS EN 451-2:1995

National foreword

This Part of BS EN 451 has been prepared by Subcommittee B/516/101 and is the
English language version of EN 451-2:1994 Method of testing fly ash —
Part 2: Determination of fineness by wet sieving published by the European
Committee for Standardization (CEN). This standard has been prepared as part
of a package of standards harmonized within the member countries of CEN to
support the essential requirements of the Construction Products Directive.
BS EN 451-2 describes a method for the determination of fineness of fly ash by
wet sieving on a calibrated 0.045 mm (45 Èm) sieve as a reference procedure.
The method described in BS EN 451-2 is based on other internationally
recognized standard methods for the determination of fly ash fineness, as is the
method described in Annex D of BS 3892-1:1993.
The importance of checking (calibrating) each test sieve is essential to obtaining
the correct results from this test method. While BS 3892-1 specifies that
calibration be performed with standard reference powders, appropriate to the
grade of ash to be tested, BS EN 451-2 has not made such a stipulation, except
that the reference sample is to consist of rounded sand particles1).
While calibration or recalibration of each test sieve in both standards is made
after 100 tests, BS 3892 requires also that test sieves are re-calibrated
every 3 months, if this is sooner than the maximum of 100 tests permitted. There
are also some minor differences between the two methods, e.g.
a) the pressure of the water supply is specified as (80 ± 5) kPa in
BS EN 451-2, while it is 70 kPa to 80 kPa in Annex D of BS 3892-1:1993;
b) the mass of the sample to be tested is to be approximately 1.0 g in
BS EN 451-2, while it is 1.0 g to 1.1 g in Annex D of BS 3892-1:1993;
c) the determination of the sieve correction factor in BS EN 451-2 is not
required to be repeated if the two determinations differ by more than 0.3 %, as
is required by Annex D of BS 3892-1:1993.
With the exception of the constraint on the maximum of 3 months in use and the
omission of specifying the origin of the calibration powder, any other minor
differences are not considered sufficient to cause significant differences in the test
results obtained by the two methods.
A British Standard does not purport to include all the necessary provisions of a
contract. Users of British Standards are responsible for their correct application.

Compliance with a British Standard does not of itself confer immunity

from legal obligations.

Summary of pages
This document comprises a front cover, an inside front cover, pages i and ii,
the EN title page, pages 2 to 6, an inside back cover and a back cover.
This standard has been updated (see copyright date) and may have had
amendments incorporated. This will be indicated in the amendment table on the
inside front cover.

1)
The source of supply of the reference material will be announced by the Secretariat of
CEN/TC 104, DIN Deutsches Institut für Normung, Burggrafenstrasse 6, D-1000 Berlin 30,
Germany.

ii © BSI 12-1999
EUROPEAN STANDARD EN 451-2
NORME EUROPÉENNE
September 1994
EUROPÄISCHE NORM

UDC 666.952.2:620.168.32:539.215.4

Descriptors: Fly ash, determination, fineness, sieving, wet processes

English version

Method of testing fly ash — Part 2: Determination of

fineness by wet sieving

Méthode d’essai des cendres volantes — Prüfverfahren für Flugasche —

Partie 2: Détermination de la finesse par Teil 2: Bestimmung der Feinheit durch
tamisage humide Naßsiebung

This European Standard was approved by CEN on 1994-09-09. CEN members

are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which
stipulate the conditions for giving this European Standard the status of a
national standard without any alteration.
Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references concerning such national
standards may be obtained on application to the Central Secretariat or to any
CEN member.
This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French,
German). A version in any other language made by translation under the
responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the
Central Secretariat has the same status as the official versions.
CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium,
Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy,
Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and
United Kingdom.

CEN
European Committee for Standardization
Comité Européen de Normalisation
Europäisches Komitee für Normung
Central Secretariat: rue de Stassart 36, B-1050 Brussels

© 1994 Copyright reserved to CEN members

Ref. No. EN 451-2:1994 E
EN 451-2:1994

Foreword Contents
This European Standard was drawn up by the Page
Technical Committee CEN/TC 104, Concrete, the Foreword 2
Secretariat of which is held by DIN.
1 Scope 3
The preparatory work was carried out by WG 4 of
2 Normative references 3
CEN/TC 104 since June 1988 in which the following
countries participated: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, 3 Apparatus 3
France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, 3.1 Sieve 3
Norway, Portugal, Sweden and United Kingdom. 3.2 Spray nozzle 3
This European Standard has been prepared under a 3.3 Pressure gauge 3
mandate given to CEN by the European
Commission and the European Free Trade 3.4 Oven 3
Association, and supports essential requirements of 3.5 Balance 3
EC Directive(s). 4 Checking the test sieve 3
This European Standard shall be given the status of 5 Procedure 6
a national standard, either by publication of an 6 Calculation 6
identical text or by endorsement, at the latest by
March 1995, and conflicting national standards 7 Results 6
shall be withdrawn at the latest by March 1995. Figure 1 — Device 4
No existing European Standard is superseded. Figure 2 — Spray nozzle 5
According to the CEN/CENELEC Internal
Regulations, the following countries are bound to
implement this European Standard: Austria,
Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany,
Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,
Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden,
Switzerland, United Kingdom.

2 © BSI 12-1999
 EN 451-2:1994

1 Scope 3.2 Spray nozzle

This test method describes the determination of fly The spray nozzle (Figure 2) shall be constructed of
ash fineness by wet sieving on a 0,045 mm sieve metal not susceptible to corrosion by water, with an
(ISO 565). inside diameter of 17,5 mm. The spray nozzle shall
have a central hole drilled parallel to the
The standard describes the reference procedure. If
longitudinal axis, an intermediate row of eight holes
other methods are used it shall be shown that they
drilled 6 mm centre-to-centre at an angle of 5° to the
give results equivalent to those obtained by the
longitudinal axis and an outer row of eight holes
reference method. In case of a dispute, only the
drilled 11 mm centre-to-centre at an angle of 10° to
reference method shall be used.
the longitudinal axis. All holes shall be 0,5 mm in
diameter and be fully functional.
2 Normative references
3.3 Pressure gauge
This European Standard incorporates by dated or
undated reference, provisions from other The pressure gauge shall have a minimum diameter
publications. These normative references are cited of 80 mm and a maximum scale capacity of 160 kPa,
at the appropriate places in the text and the graduated at maximum intervals of 5 kPa. The
publications are listed hereafter. For dated accuracy of the gauge shall be ± 5 kPa.
references, subsequent amendments to or revisions 3.4 Oven
of any of these publications apply to this European
A well ventilated drying oven regulated
Standard only when incorporated in it by
at (105 ± 5) °C.
amendment or revision. For undated references the
latest edition of the publication referred to applies. 3.5 Balance
ISO 565:1990, Test sieves — Woven metal wire cloth, A balance capable of weighing to the
perforated plate and electroformed sheet — Nominal nearest 0,001 g.
sizes of openings.
ISO 3310-1:1990, Test sieves — Technical 4 Checking the test sieve
requirements and testing — Part 1: Test sieves of A reference material, consisting of rounded sand
metal wire cloth. particles2) with a known proportion of material
coarser than the specified mesh size shall be used
3 Apparatus for checking the sieve (3.1). The material shall be
The complete apparatus is shown in Figure 1 and stored in sealed, airtight containers, to preclude
consists of: changes in its properties due to deposition or
absorption from the atmosphere. Containers with
3.1 Sieve the 0,045 mm sieve residue of the reference
The sieve frame shall be constructed of durable material shall be marked.
material not susceptible to corrosion or distortion by Test sieves shall be checked when new and at
oven heat. The frame is essentially a tube of 50 mm intervals not exceeding 100 tests. The sieve cloth
nominal diameter and measuring 75 mm from the shall first be inspected visually as described in
top of the frame to the sieve cloth, with facilities for ISO 3310-1. Any sieve with an imperfect or
removing and replacing the cloth. The stainless damaged sieve cloth shall be rejected. The sieve
steel sieve cloth of a mesh size of 0,045 mm shall shall be cleaned after every five tests, for example
conform to ISO 565 and ISO 3310-1 and be free of by back-flushing with water.
visible irregularities such as creases, poor cloth
Determine the fineness of the reference material as
tension, scratches or irregular markings when
described in clause 5. Calculate the correction factor
inspected visually as described in ISO 3310-1. The
f for the test sieve from the equation:
sieve cloth shall be suitably sealed in the case and
uniformly tensioned in the frame to prevent loss of f = rt/rr
material. where
f is the correction factor;
rr is the percentage by mass of the reference
material retained by the test sieve;
rt is the known 0,045 mm sieve residue in
percentage by mass of the reference
material.

2) Reference samples may be obtained from (addresses to be inserted later).

© BSI 12-1999 3
EN 451-2:1994

Figure 1 — Device

4 © BSI 12-1999
 EN 451-2:1994

Figure 2 — Spray nozzle

© BSI 12-1999 5
EN 451-2:1994

The test shall be performed twice and the mean 6 Calculation

value of f taken as the correction factor. It shall be
Calculate the fineness as a percentage by mass to
within the limits 0,8 and 1,2 otherwise the sieve
the nearest 0,10 % from the following equation:
cloth shall be replaced and the test repeated.
f×m
5 Procedure r = ---------------s- × 100
mo
Dry a sample of at least 1 g in the oven (3.4)
where
at (105 ± 5) °C to constant mass.
r is the fineness expressed as the 0,045 mm
For the test sample, transfer approximately 1,0 g,
sieve residue fraction (in % m/m);
weighed to the nearest 0,001 g, of the oven-dry
sample to a clean, dry sieve (3.1). f is the sieve correction factor (see 4);
Wet the sample thoroughly with a gentle flow of ms is the mass of the residue (in g);
water, for example, by using a hand-held wash mo is the mass of test sample (in g).
bottle.
Set the water pressure to (80 ± 5) kPa and place the 7 Results
sieve in position under the spray nozzle (3.2) and Report the mean value of r from the two tests,
wash for (60 ± 10) s, keeping the lower end of the expressed to one decimal place, as the fineness of
nozzle between 10 mm and 15 mm below the top of the fly ash. If the two values differ by more
the sieve frame, and swirling the sieve horizontally than 0,3 %, repeat the test on further samples until
at about 1 r/s. two values are obtained that differ by not more
Remove the sieve from under the nozzle, rinse with than 0,3 %.
approximately 50 ml alcohol or distilled water and
blot up residual moisture from the underside of the
sieve cloth. Dry the sieve and residue to a constant
mass in the oven at (105 ± 5) °C. Cool the sieve and
the residue in a desiccator and weigh the residue to
the nearest 0,001 g.

6 © BSI 12-1999
blank
BS EN
451-2:1995
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