Designation: C 430 – 08

Standard Test Method for

Fineness of Hydraulic Cement by the 45-µm (No. 325) Sieve1
This standard is issued under the fixed designation C 430; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.

1. Scope* Type 304 woven-wire sieve cloth, conforming to the require-

1.1 This test method covers the determination of the fine- ments of Specification E 11 or a 45-µm electroformed rein-
ness of hydraulic cement by means of the 45-µm (No. 325) forced nickel sieve sheet conforming to the requirements of
sieve. Specification E 161 with the exception that the number of
1.2 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the openings shall be 71 6 2 per linear centimetre (180 6 5 per
standard. The inch-pound equivalents of SI units may be linear inch).
approximate. 3.1.3 Cloth or Sheet Mounting:
1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of the 3.1.3.1 Woven-Wire Cloth Mounting—Type 304 stainless
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the steel woven-type cloth shall be mounted in the frame without
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro- distortion, looseness, or wrinkling. For a sieve fabricated by
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica- soldering the cloth to the frame, the joint shall be made smooth
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use. to prevent the cement from catching in the joints between the
sieve cloth and the frame. Two-piece sieves shall clamp tightly
2. Referenced Documents on the cloth to prevent the cement from catching in the joints
2.1 ASTM Standards:2 between the sieve cloth and the frame.
E 11 Specification for Wire Cloth and Sieves for Testing 3.1.3.2 Electroformed Sieve Sheet Mounting—
Purposes Electroformed reinforced nickel sieve sheet shall be mounted
E 161 Specification for Precision Electroformed Sieves in the frame without distortion, looseness, or wrinkling. The
E 177 Practice for Use of the Terms Precision and Bias in joint between the sieve cloth and the frame shall be made
ASTM Test Methods smooth with a material impervious to water.
3.2 Spray Nozzle—The spray nozzle (Fig. 1) shall be
3. Apparatus constructed of metal not subject to corrosion by water and shall
3.1 Sieve: be 17.5 mm (0.69 in.) in inside diameter with a central hole
3.1.1 Sieve Frame—The sieve frame shall be of metal not drilled in line with the longitudinal axis, an intermediate row of
subject to corrosion by water and shall be circular, either 51 6 eight holes drilled 6 mm (0.23 in.) center-to-center at an angle
6 mm (2.0 6 0.25 in.) when woven-wire cloth is mounted in of 5° from the longitudinal axis, and an outer row of eight holes
the frame or 76 6 6 mm (3.0 6 0.25 in.) in diameter when an drilled 11 mm (0.44 in.) center-to-center at an angle of 10°
electroformed sheet is mounted in the frame. The depth of the from the longitudinal axis. All holes shall be 0.5 mm (0.02 in.)
sieve from the top of the frame to the cloth or sheet shall be 76 in diameter. The spray nozzle shall have been checked within
6 6 mm (3.0 6 0.25 in.). The frame shall have either side walls six months prior to testing a cement sample to ensure that the
of 89 6 6 mm (3.5 6 0.25 in.) in total height, or legs at least flow rate is between 1500 and 3000 g/min at 69 6 3 kPa (10
12 mm (0.5 in.) in length, sufficient to allow air circulation 6 0.4 psi).
beneath the sieve cloth or electroformed sheet. 3.3 Pressure Gage—The pressure gage shall be 76 mm (3.0
3.1.2 Sieve Cloth or Electroformed Sheet—The sieve frame in.) minimum diameter, and shall be graduated in 7-kPa (1-psi)
shall be fitted with either a 45-µm (No. 325) stainless steel AISI increments, and shall have a maximum capacity of 207 kPa (30
psi). The accuracy at 69 kPa (10 psi) shall be 62 kPa (60.25
1
psi).
This test method is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee C01 on Cement
and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee C01.25 on Fineness. 4. Calibration of 45-µm (No. 325) Sieve
Current edition approved Dec. 1, 2008. Published January 2009. Originally
approved in 1959. Last previous edition approved in 2003 as C 430 – 96(2003). 4.1 Place 1.000 g of the current lot of National Institute of
2
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or Standards and Technology standard sample No. 114 or No. 46h
contact ASTM Customer Service at [email protected]. For Annual Book of ASTM
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
on the clean, dry, 45-µm (No. 325) sieve and proceed as in
the ASTM website. Section 5. The sieve correction factor is the difference between

*A Summary of Changes section appears at the end of this standard.

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 C 430 – 08
NOTE 2—Care should be taken not to heat the sieve hot enough to
soften the solder.

6. Cleaning of 45-µm (No. 325) Sieves

6.1 Frequency of Cleaning and Calibration—Sieves fitted
with woven wire sieve cloth shall be cleaned after no more than
five determinations. Sieves fitted with an electroformed rein-
forced sieve sheet having 71 openings per linear centimetre
shall be cleaned after no more than three determinations. Both
types of sieves shall be recalibrated after no more than 100
determinations.
6.2 Acceptable Cleaning Procedures—One option for
cleaning is to place the sieve in a low-power (150 W maximum
power input) ultrasonic bath containing an appropriate labora-
tory cleaning solution. The bath is to be operated for sufficient
time (approximately 10 to 15 min at room temperature) to
remove particles lodged in the openings. Be apprised that
electroformed sieve sheets containing more than 71 openings
per linear centimetre may well be damaged by ultrasonic
cleaning. An option for cleaning which does not require an
ultrasonic bath can also be employed. Immerse the sieve in a
FIG. 1 Spray Nozzle with Seventeen 0.02-in. (0.51-mm) Holes bath of appropriate laboratory cleaning solution heated to just
below boiling point. Cover with a watch glass to reduce
evaporation. Continue this soaking for a time sufficient to
the test residue obtained and the assigned residue value loosen lodged particles with a rinse following the bath.
indicated by the electroformed sheet sieve fineness specified Overnight soaking in similar but unheated cleaning solutions is
for the standard sample, expressed as a percentage of the test also acceptable, provided a rinse following the bath is able to
residue. wash away lodged particles. Cleaning or rinsing with dilute
hydrochloric or acetic acid solutions is to be avoided. Appro-
NOTE 1—It should be observed that the sieve correction as specified is
a factor to be multiplied by the residue obtained and that the amount to be
priate cleaning solutions are restricted to soap or detergent-type
added to or subtracted from the residue in any given test is therefore solutions.
proportional to the amount of residue.
Example of Determination of Sieve Correction Factor: 7. Calculation
Residue on 45-µm (No. 325) Sieve, sample No. 114 12.2 % 7.1 Calculate the fineness of the cement to the nearest 0.1 %
or No. 46h as follows:
Residue for a 1-g sample 0.122 g
Residue on sieve being calibrated 0.093 g Rc 5 Rs 3 ~100 1 C! (1)
Difference = + 0.029 g F 5 100 – Rc (2)
Correction factor = + 0.029/0.093 3 100 = + 31.18 = + 31.2 %
where:
5. Procedure F = fineness of the cement expressed as the corrected
5.1 Place a 1.000 g sample of the cement on the clean, dry percentage passing the 45-µm (No. 325) sieve,
45-µm (No. 325) sieve. Wet the sample thoroughly with a Rc = corrected residue, %,
gentle stream of water. Remove the sieve from under the Rs = residue from the sample retained on the 45-µm (No.
nozzle and adjust the pressure on the spray nozzle to 69 6 4 325) sieve, g, and
C = sieve correction factor (determined as prescribed in
kPa (10 6 0.5 psi). Return the sieve to its position under the
Section 4) which may be either plus or minus.
nozzle and wash for 1 min, moving the sieve with a circular
motion in a horizontal plane at the rate of one motion per Example:
second in the spray. The bottom of the spray nozzle should Sieve correction factor, C = +31.2 %
Residue from sample being tested, Rs = 0.088 g
extend below the top of the sieve frame about 12 mm (0.5 in.). Corrected residue, Rc = 0.088 3 (100 + 31.2)
Immediately upon removing the sieve from the spray, rinse = 11.5 %
once with about 50 cm3 of distilled or deionized water, using Corrected amount passing, F = 100 − 11.5 % = 88.5 %

caution not to lose any of the residue, and then blot the lower
surface gently upon a damp cloth. Dry the sieve and residue in 8. Precision and Bias
an oven or over a hot plate (see Note 2), supporting the sieve 8.1 Normal Fineness Product—The multilaboratory preci-
in such a manner that air may pass freely beneath it. Cool the sion has been found to be 60.75 % (IS) as defined in Practice
sieve; then brush the residue from the sieve and weigh on an E 177, therefore, results of properly conducted tests from two
analytical balance capable of reproducing results within 0.0005 different laboratories on identical samples of cement should
g. agree 95 % of the time within 62.1 %.

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 C 430 – 08
8.2 High Fineness Product—The multilaboratory precision 8.3 Since there is no accepted reference material suitable for
has been found to be 60.50 % (IS) as defined in Practice determining the bias for the procedure in this test method, no
E 177; therefore, results of properly conducted tests from two statement on bias is being made.
different laboratories on identical samples of cement should
agree 95 % of the time within 61.4 %. 9. Keywords
NOTE 3—The use of outside threads instead of inside threads as shown 9.1 fineness of hydraulic cement
in this figure is permissible.

SUMMARY OF CHANGES

Committee C01 has identified the location of selected changes to this test method since the last issue,
C 430 – 96(2003), that may impact the use of this test method. (Approved December 1, 2008)

(1) Revised 4.1.

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