Fine Aggregate (Sand) Content
Fine aggregate content is not looked up directly — it falls out of the absolute volume method once cement, water, admixture and coarse aggregate are accounted for. This page explains the calculation and how the sand grading zone influences it. Open the calculator with a grading zone filled in.
The absolute volume method
After the volumes of cement, water and admixture are subtracted from 1 m³, the remaining volume is the total aggregate volume. This total is split into coarse and fine fractions; the fine fraction = 1 − coarse fraction. Fine aggregate mass = fine aggregate volume × specific gravity of sand × 1000. The grading zone of the sand (Zone I–IV under IS 383) affects how the coarse and fine fractions are proportioned, via IS 10262:2019 Table 5.
Worked example
If the total aggregate volume is 0.67 m³ and the coarse fraction is 0.60, the fine fraction is 0.40, so the fine aggregate volume is 0.268 m³. With a sand specific gravity of 2.65, fine aggregate = 0.268 × 2.65 × 1000 ≈ 710 kg/m³ (SSD basis).
Questions this page answers
What is SSD?
Saturated surface-dry — the reference condition the calculation is done in, before the batch quantities are corrected for actual site moisture.
Which sand zone should I use?
Use the zone determined from a sieve analysis of your sand carried out to IS 383, not an assumed value.