BRITISH STANDARD BS EN

480-13:2009

Admixtures for
concrete, mortar and
grout — Test methods
Part 13: Reference masonry mortar for
testing mortar admixtures

ICS 91.100.10

NO COPYING WITHOUT BSI PERMISSION EXCEPT AS PERMITTED BY COPYRIGHT LAW

BS EN 480-13:2009

National foreword

This British Standard is the UK implementation of EN 480-13:2009. It

supersedes BS EN 480-13:2002 which is withdrawn.
The UK participation in its preparation was entrusted to Technical
Committee B/517/3, Admixtures.
A list of organizations represented on this committee can be obtained on
request to its secretary.
This publication does not purport to include all the necessary provisions
of a contract. Users are responsible for its correct application.
Compliance with a British Standard cannot confer immunity
from legal obligations.

This British Standard Amendments/corrigenda issued since publication

was published under
the authority of the
Standards Policy and Date Comments
Strategy Committee on 31
January 2010
© BSI 2010

ISBN 978 0 580 66921 7

 BS EN 480-13:2009

EUROPEAN STANDARD EN 480-13

NORME EUROPÉENNE
EUROPÄISCHE NORM September 2009

ICS 91.100.10 Supersedes EN 480-13:2002

English Version

Admixtures for concrete, mortar and grout - Test methods - Part

13: Reference masonry mortar for testing mortar admixtures

Adjuvants pour béton, mortier et coulis - Méthodes d'essai - Zusatzmittel für Beton, Mörtel und Einpressmörtel -
Partie 13 : Mortier à maçonner de référence pour les essais Prüfverfahren - Teil 13: Referenz-Baumörtel für die Prüfung
menés sur les adjuvants de mortier von Zusatzmitteln für Mörtel

This European Standard was approved by CEN on 10 August 2009.

CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this European
Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration. Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references concerning such national
standards may be obtained on application to the CEN Management Centre or to any CEN member.

This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other language made by translation
under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the CEN Management Centre has the same status as the
official versions.

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CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland,
France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal,
Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and United Kingdom.

EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION

COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION
EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG

Management Centre: Avenue Marnix 17, B-1000 Brussels

© 2009 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. EN 480-13:2009: E
worldwide for CEN national Members.
BS EN 480-13:2009
EN 480-13:2009 (E)

Contents

page
Foreword ...................................................................................................................................................................... 3 
1 Scope .............................................................................................................................................................. 4 
2 Normative references .................................................................................................................................... 4 
3 Constituent materials .................................................................................................................................... 4
3.1 Cement ............................................................................................................................................................ 4 
3.2 Sand ................................................................................................................................................................ 4 
3.3 Mixing water ................................................................................................................................................... 5 
4 Reference masonry mortar ........................................................................................................................... 5 
5 Production of reference mortar with standard consistence ..................................................................... 5
5.1 Mix proportions .............................................................................................................................................. 5
5.2 Mixing procedure ........................................................................................................................................... 6 
5.3 Mortar for test after standing........................................................................................................................ 6
5.4 Mortar for test after extended mixing .......................................................................................................... 6
6 Calculation of water reduction (air entraining/plasticizing admixtures) .................................................. 6
7 Test report ...................................................................................................................................................... 7 

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2
 BS EN 480-13:2009
EN 480-13:2009 (E)

Foreword
This document (EN 480-13:2009) has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/TC 104 “Concrete and related
products”, the secretariat of which is held by DIN.

This European Standard shall be given the status of a national standard, either by publication of an identical text or
by endorsement, at the latest by March 2010, and conflicting national standards shall be withdrawn at the latest by
March 2010.

Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of patent rights.
CEN [and/or CENELEC] shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.

This document supersedes EN 480-13:2002.

This document has been prepared by Subcommittee 3 (SC 3) of TC 104 "Admixtures for concrete".

The present standard is applicable together with the standards of the EN 480 and EN 934 series.

According to the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations, the national standards organizations of the following
countries are bound to implement this European Standard: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic,
Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania,
Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden,
Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

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3
BS EN 480-13:2009
EN 480-13:2009 (E)

1 Scope
This standard specifies the constituent materials, the composition and the mixing procedure to produce a reference
masonry mortar with a prescribed consistence for testing mortar admixtures as defined in EN 934-3. It also
describes the determination of the water reduction of the test mix compared to the control mix.

2 Normative references
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this document. For dated references,
only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any
amendments) applies.

EN 196-1, Methods of testing cement — Part 1: Determination of strength

EN 196-2, Methods of testing cement — Part 2: Chemical analysis of cement

EN 196-6, Methods of testing cement — Part 6: Determination of fineness

EN 197-1, Cement - Part 1: Composition, specifications and conformity criteria for common cements

EN 934-3, Admixtures for concrete, mortar and grout - Part 3: Admixtures for masonry mortar - Definitions,
requirements, conformity, marking and labelling

EN 1008, Mixing water for concrete — Specification for sampling, testing and assessing the suitability of water,
including water recovered from processes in the concrete industry, as mixing water for concrete

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EN 1015-4, Methods of test for mortar for masonry — Part 4: Determination of consistence of fresh mortar (by
plunger penetration)

EN 1015-7, Methods of test for mortar for masonry — Part 7: Determination of air content of fresh mortar

3 Constituent materials

3.1 Cement

The reference masonry mortar shall be made with CEM I cement of strength class 42.5 or 52.5, conforming to
EN 197-1.

The cement used shall have a C3A content of 7 % to 11 % by mass calculated from chemical analysis according to
EN 196-2 and a specific surface area of 3 200 cm²/g to 4 000 cm²/g determined according to EN 196-6.

3.2 Sand

A natural sand of normal density (relative density 2,5 – 2,8) shall be used. The size fractions of the sand shall
comply with Table 1. The sand shall be used in an oven dry condition.

4
 BS EN 480-13:2009
EN 480-13:2009 (E)

Table 1 — Sand for reference masonry mortar

Aperture size Percentage by mass

(mm) passing the test sieve
4,0 100
2,0 90 – 100
1,0 60 – 90
0,5 40 – 75
0,25 25 – 50
0,125 10 – 30
0,063 0 – 10

3.3 Mixing water

Water according to EN 1008 shall be used as mixing water.1

4 Reference masonry mortar

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Where specified, tests on reference mortar are performed as comparative tests. That is comparing the performance
of the reference mortar containing an admixture (test mix) with the performance of the reference mortar without an
admixture (control mix). The air content of the control mix shall not exceed 5 % by volume when determined in
accordance with EN 1015-7, method A.

5 Production of reference mortar with standard consistence

5.1 Mix proportions

The control and test mixes shall be in accordance with Table 2.

Table 2 — Mix details

Control mix Test mix

Sand 3 440 g 3 440 g
Cement 640 g 640 g
Admixture Nil Compliance Dose
Water As required As required
Consistence measured according to (40 ± 5) mm Within ± 3 mm of consistence of
EN 1015-4 control mix

Record to the nearest 1 g the total quantity of water required (including any contributed by the admixture).

For test mix mortars, the quantity of admixture added shall be sufficient to produce the required air content and
retardation time if appropriate. The dose of admixture shall be recorded.

1 Distilled or deionised water can be used for special tests.

5
BS EN 480-13:2009
EN 480-13:2009 (E)

5.2 Mixing procedure

Prior to mixing, each of the constituents shall be conditioned to a temperature of (20 ± 2) °C.

Place all the sand and then the cement in the mixing bowl of a mixer complying with EN 196-1 and mix for 30 s at
low speed.

Continue mixing and add half of the mixing water during the next 30 s and mix for a further 60 s.

During a further 30 s of mixing, add the third quarter of the water and the admixture 2.

During a further 30 s of mixing, add the final quarter of the mixing water. If necessary, the quantity of water shall be
adjusted to obtain the required consistence.

Continue mixing at low speed for 60 s after all the water has been added.

Stop the mixer for 60 s and during this time remove any unmixed material from the sides and bottom of the bowl
using the mixer paddle.

Restart the mixer at high speed and mix for 60 s. Total mixing process time shall be 6 min.

Immediately after completion of mixing, the consistence shall be determined in accordance with EN 1015-4 and the
air content in accordance with EN 1015-7, method A. If the required consistence and air content are not achieved,
the mix shall be discarded. A new test mix shall be prepared with the water content adjusted.

5.3 Mortar for test after standing

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Prepare a test mix as described in 5.1 and 5.2. Cover the mixing bowl to prevent loss of water by evaporation and
allow to stand for the period of time prescribed in EN 934-3. After the required standing period from completion of
mixing, remix the mortar in the bowl for 10 s using a palette knife.

5.4 Mortar for test after extended mixing

Prepare a test mix as described in 5.1 and 5.2. Then continue mixing at low speed for a further 15 min.

6 Calculation of water reduction (air entraining/plasticizing admixtures)

Calculate the percentage water reduction, W, resulting from inclusion of the admixture, from the following formula:

(C − T )
W = × 100
C

where

C is the water requirement of the control mix in g;

T is the water requirement of the test mix in g.

The water reduction shall be reported to the nearest 1 %.

2 If recommended by the manufacturer, admixtures can be added at a different time in the mixing sequence.

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 BS EN 480-13:2009
EN 480-13:2009 (E)

7 Test report
The test report shall include the following information for control and test mixes:

 Cement:

 Factory where produced;

 Type;

 C3A content;

 Specific surface area;

 Sand:

 Source;

 Type;

 Grading;

 Consistence;

 Air content;


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Water content of each mix;

Water reduction of test mix (for air entraining/plasticizing admixtures);

 Admixture name, batch/reference number and dose in g.

7
BS EN
480-13:2009
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