Should I always use quarry sand?
This sand, which is mined by the quarry method, is due to its origin of weathering. As the rocks are destroyed, they are deposited nearby by deep layers, century after century, until a person comes and begins to extract this natural resource.
At the same time, even the caked sand remains a rather loose mass, which is made up of particles of different sizes, from 0.16 to 5 millimeters. Career sand is formed from such rocks as quartz, mica and feldspar, limestone fractions occur. All types of sand are mined in different quarries.
The only minus of sand arising during weathering, which can be encountered - is clay contamination and the presence of large enough particles that can be attributed to gravel .However, for construction works, sand fractions mined in the quarry are most preferable because of their angular shape, which provides better adhesion to astringent components.
It should be remembered that even with a high roughness, the smaller the sand, the more water is needed to moisten it, and the more binding agents are needed to coat the filler.
On the sand, the career standard specifies the strict standards of
Not only the producers of various goods submit to the norms, the extracted natural materials are also selected according to GOST.Inspections for determining compliance with requirements exist very different.
So, for example, in order to select sand quarry, GOST 8736-93 requires the determination of the grain composition by sieving through sieves with cells of different calibers( 0.16, 0.315, 0.63, 1.25, 2.5 and 5 millimeters). As a rule, sand from the quarry with inclusions of gravel without sifting goes only to the pillow under the foundation.
If you list only some of the existing quality checks of sand, the picture is as follows. Determination of the resistance of sand to alkali, this requirement must be taken into account in the manufacture of concrete. There is a whole list of minerals, the use of which for building mixtures is unacceptable.
Among other things, construction quarry sand is subjected to a trial treatment with sodium hydroxide solution in accordance with GOST 8735( examination for organic impurities), as a result of which it should not change the color of the mixture to the corresponding standard or darker.
What is better to use, sand river or quarry?
Having become acquainted with the characteristics of quarry sand( angular, with increased roughness, ideal for bonding with astringent additives in building mixtures), compare it with the river analog. Actually, the requirements for the latter regarding the grain composition are the same as for the quarry, but the tests under the GOST are slightly different.
The difference between sand of river and career origin in the form, the river looks much more aesthetic, it is round, thanks to a long run-in with water. However, there is another difference - the price, and if you choose sand river or quarry, then, based on the cost, it is better to choose the first.
River sand, unlike other types of this material, is highly environmentally friendly, which determines its popularity in finishing the premises.
River sand is used as in landscape design for sprinkling of paths and flower beds, and in finishing works for various plaster mixtures. Particularly favorable for the quality of finishing is the absence of foreign particles in the sand, that is, its purity.
Among other things, sand produced in rivers and along the sea coast, perfectly passes through moisture, without retaining it in the thickness of the road surface. This property is widely used in the construction of transport highways.