BS EN 196-6:2010

Foreword
1 Scope
2 Normative references
3 Sieving method
4 Air permeability method (Blaine method)
5 Air-jet sieving method
National Annex NA (informative) - Material for
                  checking the sieve
National Annex NB (informative) - Method of testing
                  the 'absolute' specific surface of
                  a reference cement
National Annex NC (informative) - Method of testing
                  cement for density
National Annex ND (informative) - Reporting of results
                  for density and specific surface
National Annex NE (informative) - Cross-references

Specifies three methods of determining the fineness of cement.

This European Standard describes three methods of determining the fineness of cement.

The sieving method serves only to demonstrate the presence of coarse cement particles. This method is primarily suited to checking and controlling the production process.

The air-jet sieving method measures the retention on sieving and is suitable for particles which substantially pass a 2,0 mm test sieve. It may be used to determine the particle size distribution of agglomerates of very fine particles. This method may be used with test sieves in a range of aperture sizes, e.g. 63 μm and 90 μm.

The air permeability method (Blaine) measures the specific surface (mass related surface) by comparison with a reference cement sample. The determination of the specific surface serves primarily to check the consistency of the grinding process of one and the same plant. This method only enables a limited assessment to be made of the properties of the cement in use.

NOTE The air permeability method may not give significant results for cements containing ultrafine materials.

The methods are applicable to all the cements defined in EN 197.