American Water Works Association

-- .A
ANSI/AWWA 8100..96
(Revision of ANSI/AWWA 810()..89)

AWWA STANDARD fOR

FILTERING MATERIAL

SECTION t: GENERAL
Sec. 1.1 Scop e
This standa rd covers gravel, high-density gravel, silicasand. high-density media,
ials in filters for water sup-
anthracite filter materials, and the placement of the mater
B604 Stand ard for Granu lar
ply service application. A planned revision to ANSJJAWWA

c Activated Carbon will address the use of GAC as a filter mediu

Sec. 1.2 Purp ose
m and as an adsorbent.

rd for purchas-
The purpose of this standa rd is to provide purchasers with a standa
for filter design.
ing and installing filtration materials; it is not intended as a guide
...
Sec. 1.3 Appl icatio n
asing and receiving
This stand ard can be referenced in specifications for purch
the physic al and chemical
filtering mater ial and qm be used as a guide for testin g
of this stand ard apply
properties of filteri ng mater ial samples. The stipul ations
ng mater ials used in the
when: this docum ent has been referenced and only to filteri
treatm ent .of drink ing water supplies.

SECfiON 2:. REfERENCES

editions,
stand ard references
this stand ard to the exten t specif ied within the
these documents form a part l.
ard shall prevai
standa rd. In any case of conflict, the ;requirements of this stand
2 AWWA Bl00- 96

nic Impu ritie s in Fine Aggregates

ASTM* C40 -Sta ndar d Thst Meth od for Orga
for Concrete.
rials Fine r Than 75-J.UD (No. 200)
ASTM Cll7 -Sta ndar d Thst Method for Mate
Sieve in Mine ral Aggregates by Washing.
ght Pieces in Aggregate.
ASTM C12 3-St anda rd Thst Meth od for Ligh twei
ific Grav ity and Absorption of
ASTM C12 7-St anda rd Thst Method for Spec
Coar se Aggregate.
ific Grav ity and Absorption of
ASTM C12 8-St anda rd Thst Meth od for Spec
Fine Aggregate.
e Anal ysis of Fine and Coar se
ASTM C13 6-St anda rd Test Meth od for Siev
Aggregates.
Sam ples of Aggregate to Test ing
ASTM C70 2-St anda rd Practice for Reducing
Size. egates.
ASTM 075 -Sta ndar d Practice for Sam pling Aggr
Wire Clot h and Siev es for Test ing
ASTM Ell- -Sta ndar d Spec ifica tion for
Purp oses .
ectio n by Attri bute s.
MIL -STD -105 0-Sa mpli ng Proc edur es for Insp
of Wate r Trea tmen t Plan ts.
ANSIJAWWA C65 3-St anda rd for Disinfection

SECTION 3: DEFINmONS
The following definitions shall appl y in this
stan dard :
r gene rally cont ainin g approxi-
1. Bag: A plastic, paper, or woven cont aine
mate ly 1 ft3 or less of filter mate rial.
work and mate rials for place-
2. Constructor: The party that furn ishes the
men t or insta llatio n.
just pass 10 perc ent (by dry
3. Effective size: The size open ing that will
mate rial; that is, if the size distr ibu-
weight) of a repre senta tive samp le of the filter
dry weight) of a samp le is finer than
tion of the parti cles is such that 10 perc ent (by
of 0.45 mm.
0.45 mm, the filter mate rial has an effective size
manu factu res, fabricates, or produces mate rials
4. Manufacturer: The party that
or products.
ion that purchases any materi-
5. Purchaser: 'J.1le person, company, or organizat
als or work to be performed.
n bulk cont aine r gene rally con-
6. Semibulk contail'U!r: A large plast ic or wove
mate rial. It is commonly refer red to as
taini ng appr oxim ately 1 ton or more of filter
a sack .
services. A supp lier may or
Supplier: The party that supp lies mate rials or
may not be the man ufac turer .
rnitnr ntitv cilef/icient: A
pass perc ent dry weight)
divided by the open ipg that
same sample.

100 Barr Harb or Dr., West Conshohocken, PA

• Ame rican Society for 'Thsting and Mate rials,
19428-2959.
 FILTERING MATERIAL 3

SECTION 4: REQUIREMENTS
Sec. 4.1 Physical Requirem ents
4.1.1 Filter Filter media of anthracite, silica sand, and high-densit y
sand shall conform to the following :requirements.
4.1.1.1 Jlnthracite.
1. Filter anthracite shall consist of hard, durable anthracite coal particles of
various sizes. Blending of non-anthracite material to meet any portion of this standard
is not acceptable.
2. The anthracite shall have specific gravity, Mohs' scale of hardness, and
acid solubility levels as indicated in Table 1.
3. The anthracite shall be visibly free"'of shale, clay, and other extraneous
debris.
4.1.1.2 Silica sand.
1. Silica sand shall consist of hard, durable, and dense grains of predomi-
nantly siliceous material that will resist degradation during handling and use.
2. The silica sand shall have specific gravity and acid solubility levels as indi-
cated in Table 1.
3. The silica sand shall be visibly free of clay, dust, and micaceous and organic
matter.
4.1.1.3 High-densi ty sand.
1. High-densi ty sand shall consist of hard, durable, and dense grain garnet,
ilmenite, hematite, magnetite, or associated minerals of those ores that will resist
degradation during handling and use.
2. The high-densit y sand shall have specific gravity, Mohs' scale of hardness,
and acid solubility levels as indicated in Table 1.
3. The high-densit y sand shall be visibly free of clay, dust, and micaceous and
organic matter.
NOTE: 'Thsting for clay, dust, and micaceous and organic matter is normally not
necessary, but if deleterious materials are noticeable, the media shall be within the
following limits: (1) a maximum of 2 percent minus No. 200 (0.074 mm) ·materiel by
washing, as determined by ASTM C117; and (2) a color not darker than the stan-
dard color in ASTM C40 for organic impurities in fine aggregate. ·
4.1.1.4 Media size:
1. The media size is commonly specified in terms of effective size (ES) and
uniformity coefficient (UC) or in terms of particle size range. Only one of the following
shall be used:

Table t filter

Characteristics
Filter Media Specific Gravity Hardness Acid Solubility
(Mobs' Scale) %
Anthracite* >1.4 >2.7 <5
Silica Sand >2.5 NA <5
High-Density Sand >3.8 >5 <5
•See foreword for suggestions on additional anthracite tests.
4 AWWA 8100.96

a. The effective size, as defined in Sec. and the uniformity coefficient, as

described in Sec. 3.8, shall be as specified by the purchaser.
b. The particle size range, includin g allowab le percenta ge, by weight, of
undersiz e and oversize particles, shall be as specified by the purchaser. The size
range shall state the 90 percent, 60 percent, and 10 percent sizes passing by dry
weight, or other infonnat ion pertinen t to special applications. .
4.1.2 Filter gravel. Filter gravel, including silica gravel and high-den sity filter
gravel, shall meet the following requirements.
4.1.2.1 Silica gravel.
1. Silica gravel shall consist of coarse aggrega te in which a high proportion of
the particles are round or equidimensional in shape. It shall possess sufficient
strength and hardness to resist degradation during handling and use, be substantially
free of deleterious material s, and exceed the minimu m specific gravity requirement.
2. Silica gravel shall have a saturate d-surfac e-dry specific gravity of not less
than 2.5, unless a higher minimum specific gravity requirem ent is specified to meet
a design requirem ent for a particul ar layer or filter.
3. Not more than 25 percent, by dry weight, of the particles shall have more
than one fracture d face (Sec. 5.3.2).
4. Not more than 2 percent, by dry weight, of the particles shall be flat or
elongate d to the extent that the longest axis of a circumscribing rectangu lar prism
exceeds five times the shortest axis (Sec. 5.3.2).
5. The silica gravel shall be visibly free of clay, shale, or organic impurities.
NOTE: 'Thsting for clay, shale, or organic impuriti es is not normally necessary,
but if deleterious material s are noticeable, the gravel shall be within the following
limits: (1) a maximum of 1.0 percent minus No. 200 (0.074 mm) material by washing,
as determin ed by ASTM Cl17; and (2) a maximu m of 0.5 percent coal, lignite, and
other organic impuriti es, such as roots or twigs, as determi ned by ASTM C 123 for
lightwei ght pieces in aggrega te using a liquid with a 2.0 specific gravity.
4.1.2.2 High-density filter gravel.
1. High-de nsity filter gravel shall be a coarse aggrega te consisting of garnet,
ilmenite, hematite , magneti te, or associated minerals of those ores in which a high
proportion of the particles are either round or equidim ensional in shape. It shall
possess sufficient strength and hardnes s to resist degrada tion during handling and
use, be substant ially free of deleterious material s, and exceed the minimum density
requirem ent.
2. High-de nsity filter gravel shall have a specific gravity of not less than 3.8,
meaning that at least 95 percent of the material shall have a specific gravity of 3.8
or higher.
Not more than 2 percent, by dry weight, of the particles shall be flat or
elongate d to the extent that the longest axis of a circumscribing rectangu lar prism
exceeds times the shortest axis
4. high-densitY gravel shall be or organic imJ:mri1tiea
Filter gravel shall be furnishe d in the particle size ranges
stated the purchas er's ~cation. For each range of gravel specified, not
more than 8 percent by dry weight shall be finer than the lowest designat ed size
limit, and a minimum of 92 percent by dry weight shall be finer than the highest
designat ed size limit.
4.1.2.4 Acid solubility. Acid solubility shall not exceed 5 percent for sizes
smaller than No.8 {2.36 mm), 17.5 percent for sizes larger than No.8 (2.36 mm) but
smaller than 25.4 mm (1 in.), and 25 percent for sizes 25.4 mm ( 1 in.) and larger. If
 FILTERING MATERIAL 5

the specified size, and if the total

gravels contain materials larg er or smaller than
limit for the smal ler material, the
sample does not meet the specified solubility
the acid solubility of each portion
gravel shal l be separated into two portions and
ility.
mus t mee t the appropriate designated percent solub

Sec . 4.2 Che mic al Req uire men ts

this section.
This stan dard has no applicable information for

Sec . 4.3 Imp urit ies

ord.
Refer to acceptance section (Sec. l.C) in the forew

Sec . 4.4 Plac ing Filt er Mat eria ls

prep ared according to the fol-
4.4.1 Preparing filter cell.* Filte r cells sl)all be
lowing procedure. be cleaned thoroughly before
4.4.1.1 Cleaning filter cells. Each fllter cell shall
de the unde rdra in plenum, which
any filter materials are placed. Cleaning shall inclu
kept clean thro ugho ut plac eme nt
may need to be vacuumed. Each cell shal l be
operations. are placed, the top elevation
4.4.1.2 Mark ing each layer. Before any materials
the inside of the filte r cell.
of each laye r shall be marked by a level line on
materials shal l be kept clean. If
4.4.1.3 Storing and hand ling materials. Filte r
fllter, the bulk mate rials shall be
mate rial cannot be placed immediately into the
at the wate r utili ty site to prevent
stored on a clean, hard , dry surface and covered
bulk containers shal l be covered
contamination. Materials shipped in bags or semi
ight and to provide protection from
with a dura ble opaque mate rial to block sunl
stored on palle ts or dunnage. Each
weather. Bags and semibulk containers shall be
separately. Mate rials shipped in bags
size and type of filter mate rial shal l be stored
the bags or semi bulk containers
or semibulk containers shall not be removed from
nce, except for sampling.
before placement in the filter unde r any circu msta
4.4.2 Placing materials.
be carefully placed to avoid
4.4.2.1 Caution. The bottom laye r of gravel shall
rials smal ler than ~in., workers
damaging the filter unde rdrai n system. For mate
rial. They shal l walk on boarils or
shall not stan d or walk directly on the filter mate
displacing the mate rial. The same
plywood that will support their weight without
is installed above the gravel.
care should be take n when an air wash system
leted before the laye r above it
4.4.2.2 Placing layers. Each laye r shall be comp
be deposited in a uniform thickness.
is start ed. Each laye r of filter mate rial shall
avoid distu rbing the integ rity of the
Care shal l be exercised in placing each layer to
level.
laye r bene ath. The top surface shal l be screeded
. Bulk materials may be placed dry by
4.4.2.3 Alternate method of placement
a chute or to discharge mate rials onto a platform from which
may
may

media should follow operational testing

*In new filter construction, the placement of filter
the filter box is wate rtigh t. See Table 2 for
of the backwash system and assur ance that
maximum backwash rates.
 6 AWWA Bl00-9 6

For filter sand or anthra cite placed using the wet method, the
be added throu gh the water and then backwashed for levelin
of anthra cite is not recommended.
4.4.2.4 Placing material from bags or semibulk containers. When
is shipp ed in bags or semibulk containers and hydraulic
mater ials shall
g. Pneum atic handl ing

filter material
placement is not used, the
,
bags or semibulk containers shall be placed in the fllter and
the mater ial distrib uted
directly from them. (CAUTION: Do not disturb any layers alread
y in place.) For the top
media layer, only 90 percent of its intend ed depth should be
added, then the initial
backwashing shall proceed. Following this, the additional 10
percent or whate ver is
necessary to reach the finished elevation shall be added.
4.4.2.5 Layer elevation. The elevation of the top surface of
each layer shall be
checked by filling the fllter with water to the level line previo
usly marke d on the
inside of the fllter cell.
4.4.2.6 Washing gravel layer. After all t:Llter gravel is placed
, and before any
fllter sand or anthra cite is placed, the fllter should be washe
d for 5 min at the
maximum available rate, not to exceed 25 gpmlft2 of fllter area.
Care shall be taken
not to distur b the graded gravel, especially if air is prese nt
in the underdrain. Any
gravel that becomes disturbed by the wash shall be removed
and replaced with clean
mater ial of the proper type and size.
4.4.2. 7 Washing other material. With a dual- or multiple-me
dia f:Llter bed,
each mater ial shall be washed and scraped or skimmed as the
purch aser requir es to
remove excess fine materials before the next mater ial is install
ed.
4.4.3 1bp Surface Elevation. The top surface of the fllter mater
ial after initial
washi ng (Sec. 4.5.1.1) shall have an elevation equal to the
finished elevation plus
the thickn ess of material to be removed by scraping.
4.4.4 Contamination. Any f:Llter media that becomes contam
inated after place- ·'
ment shall be removed and replaced with clean mater ial of the
Sec. 4.5 Prep aring Filte r for Serv ice
proper type and size.
1
4.5.1 Washing.
4.5.1.1 Initial wash. After all f:Llter mater ials have been placed
, wash water
shall be admit ted slowly upward throu gh the under drain system
until the entire bed
is flooded. The bed shall be allowed to stand for as long
a period as the purch aser
requir es to satura te the media before the initial wash. This
period shall not be less
than 12 h if the bed has been instal led dry or allowed to stand
dry. The wash rate
shall be increased gradually durin g the initial wash to remov
e air from the bed.
4.5.1.2 Backwash rate. Durin g each backwash, the water shall
be applied at
an initial rate of not more than 2 gpmlft2 of f:Llter area. The
backwash rate shall
then be fucreased gradu ally over a period of 3 min to the maxim
um rate indicated in
Table 2, and maint ained at the maxim um rate for not less than
5 min.
4.5.2 Scraping. After the initial wash, the filter shall be partia
lly draine d and
a layer of tine material approximately removed from
filter scraping.
Repetitions. scrapi ng shall repeated as many times
as necessary to remove all'fine mater ial (these fines will be
visible, giving a smooth
appearance rather than the desi:re4 .rough surface textur e) and,
in the case of anthra -
cite, to remove all flat particles.
4.5.2.2 Numb er of washes. The f:Llter shall be washed at
least three times
between scrapings. Each wash shall last at least 5 min and shall
be at an appropriate
rate as listed in Table 2.

l
 FILTERING MATERIAL 7

Table 2 Maxi mum backwash rates

Water Thmperature Maximum Backwash Rate*

OF
50 or less 15
51-55 16

56-60 17
61-65 18.5
66-70 20
71-75 21
Above 75 22.5
should
mm to 0.65 mm sand and 1.0 mm anthracite. The rates
•These maximum backwash rates are a guideline for 0.45 backw ash rate should be that which fluidizes the
The lowest maxim um
be adjusted as necessary for other filter materi als.
bed and attains sufficient velocities to bring fines to
the surface.

requi red to bring the top

4.5.2.3 Additional mate rial If addit ional mate rial is
ient material shall be added
surface of the filter to the specified finished elevation, suffic
shall be added to antic ipate
before the fmal scrap ing operation. Adeq uate mate rial
the final scraping.
of medi a are requi red by
4.5.2.4 In-place medi a sampling. If in-place samp les
a minim um of four filters
the purchaser, composite samp les shall be prepa red from
ed. Core samp les shall be taken using a
after they have been backw ashed and drain
2-in. diam eter core sampler. It shall be inser ted to
the eleva tion just above the
aroun d it in order to extra ct a
grave l interface, and then removed by excav ating
osite samp les from each filter
complete profile of mate rial above that elevation. Comp
cores distri buted over each
shall consist of equal portions from a minim um of five
medi a surface.
labor atory shall pre-
1. Samp le prepa ration . Upon receipt of the samp les, the
pare them in the following mann er:
a. Place 0.25 L to 0.5 L of medi a samp le in a 1-L or 1-gal
bottle. · ...
.
b. Fill the bottle to withi n 1 in. of the top with clean water
c. Place cap on bottle and shake for 2 min using two or three forward and
backw ard motions per second.
t liquid into a clean
d. Allow the medi a to settle , then decan t the super natan
container.
.
e. ~Repeat steps b throu gh d until super natan t is clean
layer, then separ ate
f. If coal or granu lar activa ted carbo n is used as the top
ibed in ASTM D4371.
that medi a from the sand by using the technique descr
2. sap1ples in accordance with Sec:
to place ment com-
4.5.3 After all work
filter is placed entire filter be disinf ected
pleted, and before specified
C653 , unles s other wise
by chlor inatio n in accordance with ANSIIAWWA activa ted
ection of granu lar
the purch aser's specifications. The procedure for disinf
JAWW A B604 .
carbo n will be stipu lated in a pla.nned. revision to ANSI
8 AWWA 8100-96

SECTION 5: VERIFICATION

Sec. 5.1 Approval Samples

When specified, a representative sample of each size of filter material shall be
submitted for approval before shipment. The sample shall be sub~tted in clean,
dust-tight containers plainly marked with the name and address of the supplier and
the size or grade of the contents. After approval of the samples, shipments shall be
of a quality equal to the sample. Approval samples shall meet the requirements of
Sec. 5.2.
Sec. 5.2 Sampling
Sampling of filter materials shall be peiformed in accordance with ASTM D75
as modified and supplemented herein. The size of the composite samples shall be as
indicated in Table 3.
5.2.1 Bulk shipments. Bulk shipments are not recommended (see foreword,
Sec. II.F). Representative media samples in a bulk shipment are obtained most eas-
ily at either the production or loading point. When a truck or railcar is filled at the
production site, sampling across the cross section of flow of the material being
loaded is recommended. The composite sample shall be prepared in accordance with
Sec. 5.2.4, with the weight of the sample as given in Table 3. A composite sample
shall be taken as each railcar or truck is filled. It is not recommended that filter
materials be sampled on receipt at the jobsite. However, if the purchaser specifies
sampling on receipt, samples shall be taken from 10 locations in the railcar or truck.
The railcar or truck shall be sampled near, but not in, each corner, at the center, and
at five other random locations. ]"
5.2.2 Bag shipments. When material is shipped to the jobsite in bags, repre-
sentative samples shall be collected using a core sampler. The representative samples
from each bag shall be combined to produce the required composite sample. The
minimum size of the composite sample is provided in Table 3. The number of bags to
be sampled is indicated in Table 4.
5.2.3 Semibulk container shipments. While semibulk containers are filled at
the production site, sampling across the cross section of the material being loaded is
recommended. The composite sample shall be prepared in accordance with
Sec. 5.2.4, with the weight of the sample as indicated .in Table 3. The number of
semibulk containers tO be sampled during filling shall be as indicated in Table 4. At

Table 3 Minimum size of composite sample

Maximum Size of
Particle
mm
63.0 45.0 (100)
37.5 {llt2) 32.0 (70)
25.4 (1) 23.0 (50)
19.0 (%) 14.0 (30)
12.5 ( 1,12) 9.0 (20)
9.5 (%) and smaller 4.5 (10)

J
 FILTERING MATERIAL 9

Table 4 Sampling of bagged media·

Lot Size Minim um Sampl e Sizes

(numb er of bags shipped) (numb er of bags)
2-8 2
9-15 3
16-25 5
26-50 8
51-90 13
91-150 20
151-280 32
281-500 50
501-1,200 80
1,201-3,200 125
3,201-10,000 200
10,001-35,000 315
35,001-150,000 500

"Refer to Militar y Standa rd MIL-STD-105D (1963).

and type of mater ial per

least one composite sample shall be gener ated for each size
railca r load or truckload.
reduced to repre-
5.2.4 Composite sample. The composite sampl e shall be
with ASTM C702. Samp les shall be
sentat ive samples for testin g in accordance
tested by the methods indicated in Sec. 5.3.
Sec. 5.3 'lest Proc edur es-G ener al
point by the pur-
If filter mater ials testin g is not witne ssed at the shipp ing
ial shall be sampl ed in
chaser, the mater ial should be tested at the jobsite. The mater
accordance with ASTM
accordance with ASTM D75 and reduc ed to testin g size in
for possible indep enden t
C702. A portio n of the reduced sampl e should be retain ed ...
analys is.
b.Y imme rsing a
5.3.1 Acid solubility. The acid-solubility test is perfon ned
by combining equal
know n weight of mater ial in 1:1 hydrochloric acid (HCl) (made
until the acid-s oluble mater ials are
volumes of 1.18 specifiC' gravit y HCl and H20)
the mater ial The minim um sampl e
dissolved, then deten nining the weigh t loss of distill ed
d one-to -one with
size and the minim um quant ity of conce ntrate d HCl dilute
water are indica ted in Table 5.
shall includ e the
5.3.1.1 Procedure. The proce dure for testin g acid-solubility
following:
1. Wash to const ant weight.
in a sampl e to neare st
2.
perce nt of the weight the sampl e.
rse the sampl e
3. Place sampl e in beake r and add enoug h 1:1 HCI to imme
in Table 5.
completely, but not less than the quant ity indica ted
rature for 30 min
4. Allow to stand , with occa:sional stirrin g, at room tempe
after effervescence ceases.
at l10°C ± 5°C to
5. Wash sampl e severa l times in distilled water and dry
const ant weight.
10 AWWA 8100-96

Table 5 Minim um sample and acid quanti ties for acid-solubility tests

Minimu m Mi.nimwn
Maxim wn Size of Quanti ty 1:1 HCl
Particle in Sample Sample Weight
mL
mm
4,000 7,000
63.0
250 800
37.5 (1~)
(1) 250 800
25.4
(%) 250 800
19.0
250 800
12.5 (l/2)
100 320
9.5 {3/s) and smalle r

percent
6. Allow sample to cool in a desiccator and weigh to the neares t 0.1
of the weight of the sample.
7. Report the loss in weight as acid-soluble material.
5.3.1.2 Calculation.
'1b calculate acid-soluble materi al, the following equati on shall be
used:

'd 1 bili'ty ("') = loss of weight 100 (Eq 1)

aCl sou 7o . 'nal
ong:J. we1'ght x
two results aver-
Duplicate tests shall be made on each size of the materi al and the
the total sample weight, then
aged. If the two results do not agree within 2 percent of
s averag ed.
two additional tests shall be made and the four determination
in identi-
5.3.2 Gravel shape. The following definitions and tests shall be used
fractur ed, flat, or
fying fractured, flat, or elongated pieces of graveL Identification of
elongated particles is to be done by visual separation.
surface sur-
5.3.2.1 Fractu red face definition. A fractured face is defined as a
more than
rounded by sharp edges, such as those produced by crushing, that occupy
is intend ed to
approximately 10 percen t of the total surface area of the particle. This
from classif ication as a fractur ed face.
exclude a surface with small nicks and chips
longes t axis to the shorte st axis
5.3.2.2 Shape determination. The ratio of the
of gravel shall be determ ined
of the circumscribing rectan gular prism for a piece
ted pieces can be checke d
using a caliper or a proportional divider. Suspected elonga
red at its approx i-
by comparing the m:inlmum thickness of the particle, as measu
mate midpoint, with the maxim um length dimension.
be deter-
5.3.g Specific gravity. The specific gravity of filter silica gravel shall
mined in accordance with ASTM Cl27 and shall be reporte d as
satura ted-su rface-d ry
of high-density
specific gravity or the Noble Large Aggregate 'Thst. The specific gravity
filter anthra cite shall be determ ined in
gravel, high-density sand, silica sand, and
ASTM Cl2S and sball be reported as appare nt specific Anthra-
accordanoo
m.ay also be tested for float/sink in accordance with ASTM
1 Noble Large Aggregate Test Procedure.
1. Soak the sample in water at room tempe rature (approx. for 24
closed.
2. Set the water reservoir on a level surface with the cylinder valve
tempe rature water to a depth where the valve
3. Fill the reservoir with room
opening is totally submerged.
Close the
4. After 5 min, open the valve and allow the excess water to drain.
valve after the last drop has drained.
 FILTERING MATERIAL 11

Tygon Tubing

Water Reservoir 10Q-mL Graduated Buret (2/m-mL increments)

Agure 1 Specific gravity test appa ratus

r and pat the samp le dry with

5. Remove the preso aked samp le from the wate
ce dry (SSD) condition.
a dry cloth or pape r towels to a satu rated surfa
6. Imm ediat ely weigh the samp le to the near est 0.1 g.
drop the prew eigh ed samp le into the
7. With a funnel, or by hand, carefully
e the samp le subm erge d for 15 min
wate r reser voir as indic ated in Figu re 1. Leav
stirr ing to free the entra pped air.
while tapp ing on the sides of the reser voir and
d) unde r the trah spar ent vinyl
8. Plac e the grad uate d bure t (with valve close
to allow the displace,:l wate r to drain
plast ic (tygon) tubing. Open the cylin der valve
the bure t tip to fill 'before takin g a
into the grad uate d bure1t to its last drop. Allow
final volume reading.
9. Read the wate r volume in millilitres.
10. Perf orm calculation.
Bulk~specific grav ity (satu rated surfa ce
dry) = Item 6/Ite m 9
mate rials shal l be performed in
5.3.4 Sieve analyses. Sieve anal yses for filter
supp leme nted here in.
accordance with ASTM C136, as modified and scree ning thro ugh
Principle. Parti cle sizes shall dete rmin ed
Parti cle defin ed in term s
stan dard conforming ASTM
parti cle pass es.
the smal lest sieve opening thro ugh whic h the anal yses shall be as
mum samp le for
5.3.4.2 Sam ple size. The mini
indic ated in 'Th.ble 6.
shal l be in accordance with
5.3.4.3 Procedure. The sievi ng procedure
brea king anth racit e parti cles whe n
ASTM C136. Care shal l be take n to avoi d
ing time s of 10 min ± 0.5 min for
sievi ng. Generally, sieves requ ire mach ine shak
e. All standard sieves used for testing
sand or gravel and 5 min ± 0.5 min for anthracit
required in ASTM Ell. If questions of
filter mate rials shall conform to the tolerances
12 AWWA Bl00-96

Table 6 Minimum sample size for sieve analyses

Maximum Size of Minimum ]

Particle in Sample Sample Weight
mm
63.0 23.0 (50)
37.5 16.0
25.4 (1) 11.0 (25)
19.0 6.8 (15)
12.5 (112) 4.5 (10)
9.5 Ws> 2.3 (5)
No.4 (4.75) 500.0 g
No.8 (2.36) 100.0 g

compliance to specifications arise when nominal standard sieve openings are used,
standard reference materials (glass spheres) certified by the National Bureau of
Standards should be used in accordance with their calibration procedure to accurately
determine the effective opening size of each sieve. If standard reference material for
calibration is not used, then the data shall be replotted using both the maximum
and minimum permissible variation of average opening from the standard sieve desig-
nation as shown in Thble 1, column 4 of ASTM Ell. (Sections of ASTM Ell, column 4,
are reprinted in Appendix B, Thble B.l.) The materials shall be in compliance if either
of the plots agrees with the specifications.
'lb avoid excessive interpolation when determining the effective size (the size
opening that 10 percent of the particles can pass) and the D60 (the size opening that ]
60 percent of the particles can pass), the sieves used on a particular sieve analysis
shall have openings such that the ratio between adjacent sizes is the fourth root of
2, or 1.1892. The sieves shall be chosen so that the nominal opening of only one
sieve is smaller than the smallest allowable effective size so that the greatest range
of particle size distribution can be measured in one standard nest of six sieves. If
the media specification limits the quantity of fines, an additional sieve shall be
added for a total of seven sieves, so that there are two sieve measurements taken
below the effective size.
5.3.4.4 Calculatiqn. The cumulative percent passing each sieve shall be calcu~
lated and plotted on log-probability paper or semilog paper, with the sieve opening
on the log scale and the cumulative percent passing on the probability scale or linear
scale. A smooth curve shall be drawn through the points plotted.
Unifonnity coefficient. Read from the curve the sieve size COlTesponding
to the 10 percent size, which is the effective size in millimetres. Read the 60 percent
size and divide this by the 10 percent size. This ratio is uniformity coefficient.
Mobs' standard test lll!::l'I..LRiu
however, all commercial laboratories follow the same procedure.
5.3.5 Rejection. If the filter materials do not meet the applicable requirements
of this standard, they shall be removed from the site. An independent laboratoey
deemed acceptable by the purchaser may be employed by the constructor, manufac-
turer, or supplier to sample and test the disputed material before its removal. Once
media has been placed in filters, eveey filter must meet the size specifications.

J
 FILTERING MATERIAL 13

5.3.5.1 Additional field tests. At the option of the purchaser, constructor,

manufacturer, or supplier, two additional tests shall be conducted using two additional
represent ative samples and a mutually acceptable independ ent laboratory. Unless
otherwise agreed on between the purchaser and constructor, the results of all tests
shall be averaged arithmetically. If the independent laboratory reports that the material
complies with the applicable requirements of this standard, the purchaser shall accept
the material. If the material does not meet the requirem ents of this standard, the
construct or shall promptly remove the material from the jobsite.
5.3.5.2 Alternative to removal As an alternative to removing the rejected material,
the constructor may, with the purchaser's approval and control, reprocess the material
at the jobsite to meet the applicable requireme nts.

SECTION 6: DELMRY
Sec. 6.1 Markin g
6.1.1 Required. Each package and container shall have marked legibly on it
the name of the material, the gradation, the filling date, the net weight of the contents,
the name of the manufact urer, the lot number, and the brand name, if any, and shall
bear such other markings as are required by the US Departme nt of Transpor tation
and other applicable regulation s and laws. When shipped in bulk, this informati on
shall accompany the bill of lading.
6.1.2 Optional. Packages may also bear the statemen t, "This material meets
the requirem ents of AWWA B100, Standard for Filtering Materials ," provided that
the requirem ents of this standard are met and the material is not of a different
( quality in separate agreemen t between the supplier or construct or and purchaser .
Sec. 6.2 Packagi ng and Shippin g
Shipmen t shall be made in bags or semibulk container s or in clean railcars or
trucks with tight closures to avoid loss or contamin ation of material in transit.
6.2.1 Bags. When specified, shipment shall be made in suitable new and umtsed'
heavy-duty cloth, paper, woven polypropylene, or polyethylene bags that contain ultra-
3
violet (UV) light inhibitors and shall contain not more than 1 ft of material. Each
bag shall be marked in an appropria te manner so that its contents are identified.
6.2.2 Semibulk containers. When specified, shipment shall be made in suitable
new, unused, heavy-duty, woven, polypropylene semibulk container s, treated with
UV light irlhibitors, and having a safety factor of at least 5:1. Each container shall
hold one or more tons of material. 'Th aid in handling, semibulk containers should
have attached straps or sleeves strong enough to support their entire weight when full.
semibulk container shall be marked so that its contents are identified.
6.2.3
1. Bulk shipment is not recommended for reasons described in
2. When truck shipment is specified, and where a liner is not used, shipment
shall be made in clean truck contaii;lers. Truck container s shall be cleaned before
loading by washing with water that is lSO"F or hotter. Provisions for tight covering
shall be made to avoid loss and to prevent contamin ation. The trucks shall be exclu-
sively dedicated to hauling potable water filtering materials .
3. When railroad hopper car shipment is specified, shipment shall be made in
clean cars lined with an impermea ble plastic liner and tight closures to avoid loss
14 AWWA 8100..96

tightly covered. The

and contamination. If open-top cars are used, they shall be
purchaser is cautioned that potential contamination of the
product is possible
because of the absence of hopper cars dedicated solely to filter mater
ials. ]
mater ial is being loaded, the con-
6.2.4 Shipping notice. When a shipment of
and the date of shipment.
structor shall notify the purchaser of the railcar number
particle size distrib ution of
The shipping notice shall contain a certification of the
the mater ial in the shipment. ·

Sec. 6.3 Affidavit of Compliance

or constructor
When specified by the purchaser, the manufacturer, supplier,
mater ials furnished
shall provide an affidavit of compliance statin g that the filter
comply with the applicable provisions of this standard.

]
 APPENDIX A
ru Bibliography

This appendix is information only and is not a part of AWWA BlOO.

Adin, A., and M. Rebhun. 1974. High-Rate Contact Flocculation-F iltration With
Cationic Polyelectrolytes, Jour: AWWA, 66(2):109.
American Water Works Association. 1990. Water Quality and T'rr!atment, A Handbook
of Public Water Supplies. 4th ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill Book Company.
- - . 1990. Water T'rr!atment Plant Design. 2nd ed. Denver, Colo.: ASCE, AWWA,
CSSE.
Amirtharajah, A. 1978. Optimum Backwashing of Sand Filters, Jour: Envir: Engrg.
Div., ASCE, 104(0ct):917.
Amirtharajah, A., and J.L. Cleasby. 1972. Predicting Expansion of Filters During
Backwash, Jour. AWWA, 64(1):52.
Arboleda, V.J., and J.L. Cleasby. 1979. Velocity Gradients in Granular Filter Back-
washing, Jour: AWWA, 71(12):732.
Baylis, J.R. 1950. Experience With High-Rate Filtration, Jour: AWWA, 42(7):687.
- - . 1959. Review of Filter Bed Design and Methods of Washing, Jour: AWWA,
51(11):1433
- - . 1960. Two--Layer Filter Media, Jour: AWWA, 52(2):215.
Bellamy, W.D., et al. 1985. Removing Giardia Cysts with Slow Sand Filtration,
Jour. AWWA, 77(2):52.
Berkeley, W.H. 1952. Experience With Filter Underdrains at Lewiston, Idaho, Jour.
AWWA, 44(6):491.
Bishop, S.L. 1981. Methods for Evaluating Performance of Filter Media, Jour.
NEWWA, 95(9):193.
Black, A.P. 1966. Better Tools for Treatment, Jour. AWWA, 58(2):137.
Braidech, T.E., and R.J. Karlin. 1985. Causes of a Waterborne Giardiasis Outbreak,
Jour. AWWA, 77(2):48.
Cleasby, J.L. 1981. Filtration-Ba ck to the Basics, AWWA Seminar Proc: 20155. •• '
- - . 1982. Unconventional Filtration Rates, Media, and Back.~ashing Thch-
niques, Proc. Public Water Supply Engineers Conference.
- - . 1984. Unconventional Filtration Rates, Media and Backwashing Thch-
niques, Innovations in Water & Wastewater Fields. Stoneham, Mass.:
Butterworths. Proc. Seminar on Innovations in the Water and Wastewater
FieldB; Univ. of Michigan, Feb. 2-4, 1983.
Cleasby, J.L., and R.E. Baumann. 1962. Selection of Sand Filtration Rates, Jour.
AWWA, 54(5):579.
Granular Filters, AWWA,
Predicting Fluidization and Expansion of
ASCE, 107(June):455.
Cleasby, J .L., Hilmoe, and Dimitracopoulos. 1984. Slow Sand and Direct
In-line Filtration of a Surface Water. Jour. AWWA, 76( 12):44.
Cleasby, J.L., and J.C. Lorence. 1978. Effectiveness of Backwashing of Wastewater
Filters, Jour. Envir. Engrg. Div., ASCE, 104(Aug):749.
Cleasby, J.L., and G.D. Sejkora. 1975. Effect of Media Intermixing on Dual Media
Filtration, Jour. Envir. Engrg. Div., ASCE, 101(Aug):503.
16 AWWA Bl00-96

Cleasby, J.L., E.W. Stangl, and G.A. Rice. 1975. Developments in the Backwashing
of Granular Filters, Jour. Envir. Engrg. Div., ASCE, 101(0ct):713.
Cleasby, J.L., M.M. Williamson, and R.E. Baumann. 1963. Effect of Filtration Rate
J
Changes on Quality, Jour. AWWA, 55(7):869.
Cleasby, J.L., and C.F. Woods. 1975. Intermixing of Dual Media and Multi-Media
Granular Filters, Jour. AWWA, 67(4):197.
Conley, W.R. 1961. Experience With Anthracite-Sa nd Filter, Jour. AWWA,
53(12):1473.
Conley, W.R. 1965. Integration of the Clarification Process, Jour. AWWA,
57(10):1333.
Cosens, K.W. 1956. Design and Operation Data on Large Rapid Sand Filtration
Plants in the United States and Canada, Jour. AWWA, 48(7):819.
Cra.ft, T.F. 1971. Comparison of Sand and Anthracite for Rapid Filtration, Jour.
AWWA, 63(1):10.
Culbreath, M.C. 1967. Experience With a Multimedia Filter, Jour. AWWA,
59(8):1014.
Culp, G.L., and R.L. Culp. 1974. New Concepts in Water Purification. New York,
N.Y.: Van Nostrand Reinhold Company.
Dostal, K.A., and G. G. Robeck. 1966. Studies of Modifications in Treatment of Lake
Erie Water, Jour. AWWA, 58(11):1489.
Eliassen, R., and E.A. CasselL 1957. How 'lb Design and Operate Rapid Sand Filter
Facilities, Wtr. Works Engrg., 110(Dec):1196.
Feben, D. 1960. Theory of Flow in Filter Media, Jour: AWWA, 52(7):940.
Fox, K.R., et al. 1984. Pilot-Plant Studies of Slow-Rate Filtration, Jour. AWWA,
76(12):62.
Ghosh, G. 1958. Mechanism of Rapid Sand Filtration, Wtr. & Wtr. Engrg., 62:147.
Grover, K. 1980. Water Filter Design-What to Look For in the 80s, Amer. City &
J.
Country, 95(June):39.
Hall, W.R. 1957. An Analysis of Sand Filtration, Paper 1276-1-9, Jour. San. Engrg.
Div.,ASCE.
Hamann, C.L., and R.E. McKinney. 1968. Upflow Filtration Process, Jour. AWWA,
60(9):1034.
Haney, B.J., and S.E. Steimle. 1974. Potable Water Supply By Means of Upflow
Filtration (L'Eau Claire Process), Jour. AWWA, 66(2):117.
Healy, G.D. Jr. 1965.,.Rapid Sand Filtration, S. W: Wtr. Works Jour., 46(Jan):23.
Heiple, L.R. 1959. Effectiveness of Coarse-Graine d Media for Filtration, Jour.
AWWA, 51(6):749.
Hess, A.F. III, et al. 1982. Pilot-Scale Studies of the Treatment of the Susquehanna
River for Baltimore, Maryland. Proc. AWWA Annual Conference.
Hsiung, A.K. 1975. The Effect of Chemical Treatment and Filtration Variables on
EIDuent Quality. . Proc. AWWA WQTC.
1959. Declining-Rat e
- - . 1956. Factors Affecting Filtration Rates,
- - . 1958. Factors Affecting Filtration Rates, AWWA, ~-··-,·-
- - . 1959. Operating Characteristic s of Rapid Sand Filters. Wtr. & Sewage
Works, 106(9):R-261. ·
--. 1948. A Theory of the Functioning of Filters, Jour. AWWA, 40(8):868.
- - . 1981. Water Clarification Processes: Prnctical Design and Evaluation. New
York, N.Y.: Van Nostrand Reinhold Company.
 FILTERING MATERIAL 17

Hutchison, W.R. 1975. Operation al Variables and Limitations of Direct Filtration ,

Res. Rept. W54. Toronto, Ont.: Ontario Ministry of the Environm ent.
Hutchison, W., and P.D. Foley. 1974. Operational and Experimental Results of Direct
Filtration , Jour. AWWA, 66{2):79.
Ives, K.J. 1964. Progress in Filtration , Jour. AWWA, 56(9):1225.
lves, K.J., and I. Sholji. 1965. Research of Variables Affecting Filtration , Jour. San.
Engrg. Div., ASCE, 91:SA4, 1.
Jung, H., and E.S. Savage. 1974. Deep-Bed Filtration , Jour. AWWA, 66{2):73.
Kawamur a, S. 1975. Design and Operation of High-Rate Filters, Part 1, Jour.
AWWA, 67(10):535.
- - . 1975. Design and Operation of High-Rate Filters, Part 2, Jour. AWWA,
67(11}:653.
- - . 1975. Design and Operation of High~Rate Filters, Part ~ Jour. AWWA,
67(12):705.
Kenigan, J.E., and L.B. Polkowski. 1965. Experiments With Plastic Prefilter Media,
Jour: AWWA, 57(1):85.
Laughlin, J.E., and T.E. Duvall. 1968. Simultane ous Plant Scale Tests of Mixed
Media and Rapid Sand Filters, Jour: AWWA, 60(9):1015.
Logsdon, G.S. 1979. Water Filtration for Asbestos Fiber Removal. EPA 60012-79-206.
Logsdon, G.S., et al. 1985. Evaluatin g Sediment ation and Various Filter Media for
Removal of Giardia Cysts, Jour: AWWA, 77(2):61.
Logsdon, G.S., and J.M. Symons. 1977. Removal of Asbestiform Fibers by Water
Filtration , Jour. AWWA. 69(9):9, 499.
McBride, D.G., et al. 1977. Pilot Plant Investigations for Treatmen t of Owens River
Water, Proc. AWWA Annual Conference.
McCormick, R.F., and P.H. King. 1982. Factors That Affect Use of Direct Filtration
in Treating Sw:face Waters, Jour. AWWA, 74(5):234.
O'Melia, C.R., and D.K Crapps. 1964. Some Chemical Aspects of Rapid Sand Fil-
tration, Jour: AWWA, 56{10):1326.
Oeben, R.W., H.P. Haines, and KJ. Ives. 1968. Comparison of Normal and Reverse
Graded Filtration , Jour. AWWA, 60(4):429.
Palmer, C.E. 1951. Anthrafi.lt and Rotary Sw:face Wash for Filters, Wtr: & Sewoge ·
Works, 98(June):258. .
--.Pitm an, R.W. 1960. Test Program for Filter Evaluatio n at Hanford, Jour.
AWWA, 52(2):205. (
Prindeville, P. 1983. Upgradin g Water Filtration Plants, Civil Engrg., 53(0ct):64.
Qureshi, N. 1982. The Effect of Backwashing Rate on Filter Performance, Jour.
AWWA, 74(5):234.
Rae, F.C. 1958. Porous Plate Filter Bottoms- Are Now of Age. Wtr. & Sewage
Works, 105(Apr):157.
1956. Co:q1bination
Runs, Wtr. Works Engrg.,
- - . 1982. Recomme nded Stanclard s for Water Albany, Lakes-
Upper Mississippi Board of State Sanitary Engineers. Health Educ. Service.
- - . 1953. Revision of Filtering Material Standard , Jour. AWWA, 45(8):872.
Robeck, G.G., K.A. Dostal, and R.i.: WoodWard. 1964. Studies of Modifications in
Water Filtration , Jour. AWWA, 56(2):198.
Sanks, R.L., ed. 1979. Water Treatmen t Plant Design For the Practicin g Engineer.
Ann Arbor, Mich.: Ann Arbor Science Publishers, Inc.
18 AWWA Bl00-96

Sampling Procedures and Tables for Inspection by Attributes. 1963. Military Stan-
dard MIL-STD-105D.
Segall, B.A., and D.A. Okun. 1966. Effect of Filtration Rate on Filtrate Quality,
Jour. AWWA, 58(3):368.
Shepherd, H.H. 1965. Sand and Gravel Filter Media, Filtration and Separation,
2(Nov/Dec):476. .
Shull, KE. 1965. Experience s With Multiple Bed Filters, Jour. AWWA, 57(3):314.
Slezak, L.A., and R.C. Sims. 1984. The Application and Effectivene ss of Slow Sand
Filtration in the United States, Jour. AWWA, 76(12):38.
Stolarik, G. 1983. Ozonation and Direct Filtration of Los Angeles Drinking Water.
Proc. Sixth Ozone World Congress, Internation al Ozone Association.
Stuppy, M.L., et al 1954. Types of Filter Bottoms, Jour. AWWA, 46(6):548.
Tate, C.H., and R.R. Trussell. 1978. Use of Particle Counting in Developing Plant
Design Criteria, Jour. AWWA. 70(12):691.
Tentative Standard Specifications for Filtering Material-5C-T. 1949. Jour. AWWA,
41(3):289.
Thregas, G. 1983. Using Backwash Kinetics to Evaluate Attachmen t Mechanism s
and Forces During Filtration, Jour. AWWA, 75(1983):254.
Trussell R.R., et al. 1980. Recent Development in Filtration System Design, Jour.
AWWA, 72(12):705.
Tuepker, J.L., and CA Buescher Jr. 1969. Operation and Maintenanc e of Rapid
Sand Mixed-Media Filters in a Lime Softening Plant, Jour. AWWA, 60:1377.
Turner, H.G. 1943. Pennsylvania Anthracite as a Filter Medium, Indust. & Eng.
Chon., 35(Feb).
Ullrich, A.H. 1949. Rapid Sand Filter Design and Maintenanc e, Wtr. & Sewage
Works, 96(0ct):381 .
Weber, W.J. Jr. 1972. Physiochemical Processes For Water Quality Control/871. New
J
York, N.Y.: W'lley Inter-Science.
 APPENDIX I
Calibration of Sieves

This appendix is for informati on only and is not a part of AWWA BlOO.

Section B. 1 Precision of Sieves

Although sieves are made from carefully selected brass wire cloth with meshes
that are as square and even-sized as possible, it is rare that they will have exactly
the same size openings, even when made from the same piece of material. For pre-
cise work, all sieves should be calibrate d according to the procedu res·in ASTM* Ell,
Specification for Wire-Cloth Sieves for Testing Purposes. (For nominal dimensions
for wire cloth of standard test sieves, see Table B.1).

Section 8.2 Glass Spheres

For routine checking of sieves and for determin ing the effective sieve openings,
a method that employs glass spheres is recommended. The glass spheres should not
be used to determine conformity to specifications. Glass spheres for use in sieve
calibration may be obtained from the Nationa l Institute of Standar ds.t Four of these
standard reference material s are now available, including SRM 1019a for calibrati ng
sieves No. 8 to No. 35; SRM 1018a for calibrati ng sieves No. 20 to No. 70; SRM
1017a for calibrati ng sieves No. 50 to No. 170; and SRM 1004 for calibrating sieves
No. 140 to No. 400. Detailed instructions on the use of the glass spheres for calibrating
sieves are furnished with each sample.

"American Society for Thsting and Materials , 100 Barr Harbor Dr., West Conshohocken,
19428-2959. PA

"tNational Institute of Standard s and Technology, Supply Division, Bldg. 301, Gaithersb
MD20899. urg,
20 AWWA B100-96

Table B. 1 Nominal dimensions, permissible variations for wire cloth of standard test sieves

~~
(USA Standard Series)·

Permissible
Variation of Maximum
Nominal Average Opening Opening Size for Nominal
Sieve From the Not More Than Maximum Wire
Sieve Designation Opening Standard Sieve 5 Percent of Individual Diameter
Standardt Alternative in.+ Designation Openings Opening mm§

125rom 5 in. 5 ±3.7 rom 130.0rom 130.9 rom 8.0

106mm 4.24 in. 4.24 ±3.2rom 110.2rom 111.1rom 6.40
100 rom•• 4.m.•• 4 ±3.0rom 104.0rom 104.8rom 6.30
90rom 3~in. 3.5 ±2.7 rom 93,6 rom 94.4rom 6.08
75mm 3 in. 3 ±2.2 rom 78.1 rom 78.7 rom 5.80

63rom 2~in. 2.5 ±1.9rom 65.6rom 66.2rom 5.50

53 rom 2.12 in. 2.12 ±1.6rom 55.2rom 55.7 rom 5.15
50 rom•• 2 in. 2 ±1.5rom 52.1 rom 52.6 rom 5.05
45rom 1% in. 175 ±1.4 rom 46.9rom 47.4rom 4.85
37.5rom 1~in. 1.5 ±1.1 rom 39.1 rom 39.5rom 4.59

31.5rom 11!• in. 1.25 ±1.0rom 32.9rom 33.2rom 4.23

26.5rom 1.06 in. 1.06 ±O.Srom 27.7rom 28.0rom 3.90
25.0rom•• . ••
1 m. 1 ±0.8rom 26.1rom 26.4 rom 3.80
22.4rom %in. 0.875 ±0.7rom 23.4rom 23.7 rom 3.50
19.0mm :v. in. 0.750 ±0.6rom 19.9rom 20.1rom 3.30

16.0rom !Vs in. 0.625 ±0.5rom 16.7 rom 17.0rom 3.00

13.2rom 0.530 in. 0.530 ±0.41 rom 13.83rom 14.05rom 2.75
12.5 rom•• ~ m.•• 0.500 ±0.39rom 13.10rom 13.31rom 2.67
11.2mm 1ft6in. 0.438 ±0.35rom 11.75rom 11.94rom 2.45
9.5rom o/sin. 0.375 ±0.30rom 9.97rom 10.16rom 2.27

8.0rom 5116 in. 0.312 ±0.25mm 8.41mm 8.58rom 2.07

6.7mm 0.265 in. 0.265 ±0.21rom 7.05mm 7.20rom 1.87
6.3mm•• . ••
v..m. 0.250 ±0.20mm 6.64mm 6.78rom 1.82
5.6mm No. 3li2tt 0.223 ±0.18mm 5.90rom 6.04rom 1.68
~

4.75rom No.4 0.187 ±0.15mm 5.02mm 6.14rom 1.54

*From ASTM Ell (Reprinted, with permission)
!These standard designations correspond to the value for test sieve apertures recommended by the International
for Standardi.zation (ISO),
approzimately equivalent to the metric in column
rrhe average diameter of the warp and of the shoot wires, taken separetely, of the cloth of any sieve shall not deviate
from the nominal values by more than the following:
Sieves ooaner than 600 p:m 5 percent
Sieves 600-125 p:m 7.5 percent
Sieves finer than 125 p:m 10 percent
""These sieves are not in the standard series, but they have been included because they are in common usage.
HThese numbers (3~) are the appros:imate number of openings per linear inch, but it is preferred that the sieve be
identified by the standard designation in millimetre~ or micrometres.
~1.000 p:m = 1 mm.

Table continued next page.

'.j
~,
 FILTERING MATERIAL 21

for wire cloth of standard test sieves

Table B. 1 Nominal dimensions, permissible variations
(USA Standard Series)· (continued)

Permis sible
Variation of Maximum
Nominal
Nominal Average Openi ng Opening Size for Wire
Sieve From the Not More Than Maximum
5 Percen t of Individual Diame ter
Sieve Designation Openin g Standa rd Sieve mm§
in.~ Designation Openings Openi ng
Standa rdt Altern ative
±0.13 mm 4.23m m 4.35m m 1.37
4.00 mm No.5 0.157
±O.llm m 3.55 rnm 3.66m m 1.23
3.35m m No.6 0.132
±0.095 mm 2.975m m 3.070m m 1.10
2.80m m No.7 0.111
±0.080 mm 2.5J,5m m 2.600m m 1.00
2.36m m No.8 0.0937
±0.070 mm 2.135m m 2.215m m 0.900
2.00m m No. 10 0.0787

±0.060 mm 1.820m m 1.890 mm 0.810

1.70 mm No. 12 0.0661
±0.050 mm 1.505 mm 1.565m m 0.725
1.40m m No. 14 0.0555
±0.045 mm 1.270m m 1.330m m 0.650
1.18 mm No.16 0.0469
±0.040 mm 1.080m m 1.135m m 0.580
l.OOmm No. 18 0.0394
925 J.llll 970 J.llll 0.510
850 J.llllH No. 20 0.0331 ±35 J.llll

±30 J.llll 774 J.llll 815 J.llll 0.450

710 J.llll No. 25 0.0273
±25 J.llll 660 J.llll 695 J.llll 0.390
600 J.llll No. 30 0.0234
±20 J.llll 550 J.llll 585 J.llll 0.340
500 J.llll No. 35 0.0197
±19 J.llll 471 J.llll 502 J.llll 0.290
425 J.llll No. 40 0.0165
±16 J.llll 396 J.llll 425 J.llll 0.247
355 J.llll No. 45 0.0139
•From ASTM Ell (Reprinted, with permission).
test sieve apertur es recommended by the Interna tional
tThese standa rd designa tions correspond to the value for
Organization for Standa rdizatio n GSO), Geneva, Switzer land.
1.
;Only appl'OJ:imately equival ent to the metric values in column
taken separately, of the cloth of any sieve shall not deviate
fThe average diamet er of the warp and of the shoot wires,
from the nominal values by more than the following: "'•
Sieves coarser than 600 j.IM 5 percent
Sieves 600-12 5 j.IM 7.5 percent
Sieves finer than 125 j.IM 10 percen t
••These sieves are not in the standar d series, bnt they have
been included because they are in common usage.
openings per linear inch, but it is preferred that the sieve be
ttThese number s (3112-400) are the appl'OJ:imate number of
etres.
identified by the standa rd designation in millimetre& or microm
ttl,OOO j.IM = 1 mm.