Sand for Construction

 How to know Good Sand for Construction? 

Although cement is the main component of building materials, we must not ignore the rest of the materials that are besides cement, which all enter into the construction process of concrete, and are also required in the rendering processes and cement mortar, and some of these materials include sand, rubble and water. So we must pay attention to these materials and look at their specifications to know whether they are valid in the construction process or are not acceptable, and the concrete will weaken and cause trouble at a later time.

Therefore, in this article, we will provide you with an adequate study of the sand and water that should be used, and we will study it in terms of color, texture, moisture, and freedom from impurities, so that after reading this article, we will be able to distinguish whether the sand and water in front of us on the site’s land are valid in the construction process or not.

First: sand 

1) Color: The more the color of the sand tends to yellow, the better the type of sand, and the percentage of impurities in it is few. Sands of reddish color, black color or dark color should not be used, and when rubbing it leaves a trace of red, yellow or brown. 

Reddish-colored sand often contains a high percentage of clay, which absorbs the mixing water from the concrete, and also swells, meaning it expands and causes fractures in the concrete cover. 

Brown-brown sands contain a high percentage of clay and clay, which absorb the mixing water and also compress strongly and lead to the formation of weak concrete filled with voids and weak particles.

2) Texture:

It is preferable to use coarse sand in general in all types of construction works, whether it is regular or reinforced concrete or cement mortar for pasting buildings and load-bearing walls, because it gives a more powerful mortar or concrete than concrete made with fine sand that leads to the withdrawal of the mixing water from Concrete mixture, and coarse sand gives higher cohesion to concrete mortar.

3) Free from impurities:

The sand must be pure and free from impurities such as dust, pieces of wood, clay and clay, and all sand grains should be of the same color and a single, coarse yellow texture.

4) Moisture:

The sand used in concrete must be dry and not have a high percentage of moisture, to give a homogeneous mixture where excess moisture does not seep into the concrete and change its properties.

Second: water

1) Take into account the test of concrete mixing water, which must be free of impurities, green algae or any harmful salts, as the salts that are found in water (such as hard water), lead to damage to the steel reinforcement inside the concrete and accelerate the occurrence of rust.

2) It should also be taken into account that its smell is acceptable, that is, it does not contain organic residues or putridity, and warns against using hard water (water in which soap is not foamed) in mixing concrete because it contains a high percentage of sulfates, and if no other is available, it is recommended to use sulfate-resistant cement in mixing this concrete. 

3) The use of sewage and canals should be avoided, because the presence of impurities of clay granules and algae leads to weak concrete cohesion, as these materials work to isolate the components of concrete and prevent a good connection between them. 

4) Clearly, potable water can be used for pouring concrete.

In this article, we have provided with the importance of the materials used in concrete and cement mortar, a detailed explanation of how to know whether sand is valid in the construction process or not, and important information about water specifications to assess whether it is valid in the concrete pouring process, in case you have any comments or inquiries What you have read, leave it in the comments at the bottom of this article.

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