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IS 111~-1914
( Reaffirmed 2003 )
. indian Standard (Reaffirmed!2013)!
(Reaffirmed 2017)
METHOD OF TEST FOR
DETER~YHNATION OF TRUE SPECIFIC GRAVITY
OF NATURAL BUILDING STONES

( First Revision)
Third Reprint APRIL 1988

ODe 691.21:531. 75

© Copyright 1975
BUREAU OF INDIAN STANDARDS
MANAK BHAVAN. 9 BAHADUR SHAH ZAFAR MARG
NEW DELHI 110002

Gr 1 February 1975
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IS lUll -1974

Indian Standard
METHOD OF TEST FOR
DETERMINATION OF TRUE SPECIFIC GRAVITY
OF NATURAL BUILDING STONES

( First Revision)
Stonp Sectional Committee, BDC 6
Chairmall Rtprtsl1llillg
SBlU C. B. L. MATHUR Public Worb Departme.nt, Government of
Rajasthan, Jaipur
Members
SHlU 'K. K. AGRAWALA Builders' Association ofIndia, Bombay
SUI K. K. MADHOK ( AlterMI' )
SUI T. N. BHAlIGAVA Ministry of Shipping & Tranaport (Roads Wing)
Cmu ARCHITBCT Central Public Worb Department, New Delhi
LALA G. C. DAs National Test House, Calcutta
SJlRI P. R. DAS ( AlleTlltJle )
DBPu~Y DIRBCTOR (RBsBAllOH) Public WorkS Department, Government of
Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow
DBPUTY DIRECTOR (RlIisBAROH), Public Works Department, Government of Orilla,
CON T R 0 L & R1II8111AR(lH Bhuvaneshwar
LABORATORY
DR M. P. DmR Central Road Research Institute (CSIR), New
Delhi
SUI R. L. N.~NDA ( AltlTTlat, )
DmJtCToR Engineering Research Institute, Baroda
DI8ECTOR (CSMRS ) Central Water & Power Commission, New Delhi
PEPUTY DIll ECTOR ( CSMRS) (Altr.nat,)
DIllBCTOR, MERI Building & Communication Department,
Government of Maharaahtra, Bomba y
RESEARCII OFFICER, MERI (AlIlI'IIIJIlI)
SUI M. K. GUPTA Himalayan Tiles & Marble Pvt Ltd, Bombay
SJlRI S. D. PATHAK (A/temale)
DR IQBAL ALl Engineering Research Laboratory, Government of
Andhra Pradesh, Hyderabad
SHRI A. B. LINGA.M (A/tema~,)
( Continued on page 2 )

@ Cof!yright 1975
BUREAU OF INDIAN STANDARDS
This publication is protected under the Indian Copyright Ad (XIV of 1957) and
reproduction in whole or in part by any means except with written permission of the
publisher shall be deemed to be an infringement of copyright under the K;d Act.
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IS: lW-1914
( Contiueri from page 1 )
Nlembers Representing
SHRI D. G. KADKADE Hindustan Construction Co Ltd, Bombay
SHRI V. B. DESAI (Alternate)
SHln T. R. MEHANDRU Institution of Engineers ( In.~ia), Calcutta
SHRI PREM Sw ARUP Department of Geology & Mming, Government of
Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow
SHIn A. K. AGARWAL ( Alternate)
Dlt A. V. R. RAO National Buildings Organization, New Delhi
DEPUTY DIRECTOR (MATERIALS) (Alternate)
SlIBI M. L. Sl!.'THI Department of Geology and Mining, Government
of Rajasthan, Jaipur
SHRI Y. N. DAVE ( Alternate)
DR B. N. SINHA . . Geological Survey of India, Calcutta
SUPE.llINTENDING ENG I NEE R Public Works Department, Government of Mysore,
( DESIGN & MARINE WORKS) Bangalore
SUPERINTENDING ENG IN E E R Public Works Department, Government of Tamil
( DESIGN) Nadu, Madras
DEPUTY CRIEF ENGINEER ( I & D) (Alternate)
SUPERINTENDING ENG IN E E R Public Works Department, Government of Andhra
( DESIGN) Pradesh, Hyderabad
SUPERINTENDING ENG 1 NEE R Public Works Department, Government of West
( PLANNING CIRCLE) Bengal, Calcutta
SUPERINTENDING SURVEYOR OF Public Works Department, Government of
WORKS Himachal Pradesh, Simla
SlUU M. V. Yom Engineer-in-Chief's Branch ( Ministry of Defence)
SHRI J. K. CHABAN (Altemate)
SNB.l D. AJlTRA SumA, Director General, BIS ( Ex.-tdficio Member )
Director ( Civ Engg )

Secutary
SHRI K. M. MATHUR
Deputy Director (Civ Engg ), BIS

2
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IS: 1122.1974

Indian Standard
METHOD OF TEST FOR
DETERMINATION OF TRUE SPECIFIC GRAVITY
OF NATURAL BUILDING STONES

( First Revision)
o. FOREWORD
0.1 This Indian Standard (First Revision) was adopted by the Indian
Standards Institution on 8 October 1974, after the draft finalized by .the
Stones Sectional Committee had been approved by the Civil Engineering
Division Council.
0.2 Building stones are available in large quantity in various parts of the
country and to choose and utilize them for their satisfactory performance it
is necessary to know the various strength properties determined according to
standard procedure. This standard had, therefore, been formulated to cover
the standard method for determining the specific gravity, apparent and true
porosity of various stones. This standard was first published in 1957 and is
being revised based on the actual use of the standard in the past 17 years and
the experience gained in testing of building stones for these properties in the
various research laboratories of this country. In this revision only the property
of true specific gravity has been covered as apparent specific gravity and true
porosity have been covered in IS : 1124-1974*. It is further clarified that
the property of true specific gravity is generally not used for selecting stones
for construction purposes and for this generally apparent specific gravity as
covered in IS: 1124.1974* is followed. However, for research work and
also for certain specialized river valley projects where it is important to know
the total porosity of stone, this property may be needed and hence it has
been retained in this revision.
0.3 In reporting the results of a test or analysis made in accordance with
this standard, if the final value, observed or calculated, is to be rounded off,
it shall be done in accordance with IS : 2-1 960t .
-Method of test for determination of water absorption, apparent specific gravity and
porosity of natural building stones (first revision).
tRules for rounding off numerical values ( revised).

3
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IS: 1121· 1914

1. SCOPE
1.1 This standard lays down the procedure for determining true specific
gravity of natural building stones used for constructional purposes.

2. SELECTION OF SAMPLE
2.1 The sample shall be selected to represent a true average of the type of
grade of stone under consideration.
2.2 The sample shall be selected from the quarried stone or taken from the
natural rock, as described in 2.2.1 an~ 2.2.2 and shall be of adequate size to
permit the preparation of the requisite number of tcst pieces.
2.2.1 Stones from Ledges or Quarries - The ledge or quarry face of the
stone shall be inspected to determino any variation in different strata.
Differences in colour, texture and structure shall be observed. Se}ll1rate
samples of stone weighing at lea~t 25 kg each of the unweathered specimens
shall be obtained from all strata that appear to vary in colour, texture and
structure. Pieces that have been damaged by blasting, driving wedges,
heating, etc, shall not be included in the sample.
2.2.2 Field Stone and Boulders - A detailed inspection of stone and boulders
over the area shall be made where the supply is to be obtained. 1'he
different kinds of stone and their condition at various quarry sites shall be
recorded. Separate samples for each class of stone that would be considered
for use in construction as indicated by visual inspection shall be selected.
2.3 When perceptible variations occur in the quality of rock, as many
samples as are necessary for determining the range in properties shall be
selected.

3. TEST SAMPLE
3.1 FrOID" the specimen as selected in 2, take 0'5 kg of stone. Thoroughly
wash to remove dust and other coatings from surface and dry the pieces.
Crush the pieces between hardened steel surfaces to a maximum of 3 rom
.
size particles, thoroughly mix and reduce to a test sample of 50 g .
3.2 The entire 50 g sample shall be ground in an agate mortar to such
fineness that it will pass 150-micron IS Sieve. Any magnetic material
introduced in crushing or grinding shall be removed by a magnet.

4. APPARATUS
4.1 Analytical Balance and Weight
4.2 Specific Gravity Bottle - 50-ml with capillary tube stopper.

4
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IS : lU2 - 1974

4.3 Thermometer
4.4 Drying OVeD
4.5 Weighing Bottle aud Desiccator
5. PROCEDURE
5.1 The 50 g sample shall be placed in a weighing bottle and dried to a
constant weight at 105 to 1100 e and cooled in a desiccator.
5.2 The specific gravity bottle with the stopper shall be cleaned, washed
and dried to constant weight at 105 to 11 o°Cf' and cooled in a desiccator ap.d
weighed in an analytical balance ( WI ).
S.2.1 The stopper of the specific gravity bottle is removed and about 15 g
of the dried stone powder from the weighing bottle is introduced in the
bottle. The specific gravity bottle is closed with the stopper and weighed
with the sample ( W 2 ). The stopper shall be removed again and distilled
water shall be poured to fill the bottle to about three-fourths of its volume.
Entrapped air shall be removed by boiling gently the contents of the bottle
for at least 10 minutes while occasionally rolling the bottle to assist in
the removal of the air. The bottle shall then be cooled to room temperature
and then filled fully with distiIled water, stoppered and then outside of the
bottle cleaned and dried with a clean dry cloth. The bottle with its stopper
and contents shall then be weighed ( Wa ) . The specific gravity bottle shall
then be emptied, cleaned and washed. It shall then be filled fully with
distilled water, stoppered and weighed at room temperature (W4 ). The
room temperature (t) during the test shall be recorded from the
thermometer.
6. EVALUATION AND REPORTING
6.1 The true specific gravity shall be calculated from the following formula:
W 2 - WI
True specific gravity at tOe = (W, _ W ) _ ( Wa _ W )
2 2
where
t = room temperature;
W2 = weight in g of the bottle with stopper and powder;
WI = weight in g of the empty specific gravity bottle with stopper;
W4 ' = weight in g of the bottle with stopper filled with distilled
water at room temperature; and
Wa = weight in g of the bottle with stopper, powder and distilled
water to fill rest of the bottle at room temperature.
6.2 The true specific gravity shall be expressed as a numerical value and
shall be based on average of three determinations.
6.3 Identification of the sample, date when sample was taken and type of
stone shall be reported.

5
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BUREAU OF INDIAN STANDARDS

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