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 BRITISH STANDARD |
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1925:1999
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Licensed Copy: iclnoa03 iclnoa03, Imperial College of Science and Technology (JISC), 04 September 2004, Uncontrolled Copy, (c) BSI

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Natural stone test |
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methods Ð |
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Determination of water |
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absorption coefficient |
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by capillarity |
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The European Standard EN 1925:1999 has the status of a |
British Standard |
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ICS 91.100.15 |
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NO COPYING WITHOUT BSI PERMISSION EXCEPT AS PERMITTED BY COPYRIGHT LAW
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 BS EN 1925:1999

National foreword
Licensed Copy: iclnoa03 iclnoa03, Imperial College of Science and Technology (JISC), 04 September 2004, Uncontrolled Copy, (c) BSI

This British Standard is the English language version of EN 1925:1999.

The UK participation in its preparation was entrusted to Technical Committee
B/545, Natural stone, which has the responsibility to:

Ð aid enquirers to understand the text;

Ð present to the responsible European committee any enquiries on the
interpretation, or proposals for change, and keep the UK interests informed;
Ð monitor related international and European developments and promulgate
them in the UK.

A list of organizations represented on this committee can be obtained on request to

its secretary.
Cross-references
The British Standards which implement international or European publications
referred to in this document may be found in the BSI Standards Catalogue under the
section entitled ªInternational Standards Correspondence Indexº, or by using the
ªFindº facility of the BSI Standards Electronic Catalogue.
A British Standard does not purport to include all the necessary provisions of a
contract. Users of British Standards are responsible for their correct application.
Compliance with a British Standard does not of itself confer immunity
from legal obligations.

Summary of pages
This document comprises a front cover, an inside front cover, the EN title page,
pages 2 to 7 and a back cover.
The BSI copyright notice displayed throughout the document indicates when the
document was last issued.

This British Standard, having Amendments issued since publication

been prepared under the
direction of the Sector Amd. No. Date Comments
Committee for Building and Civil
Engineering, was published under
the authority of the Standards
Committee and comes into effect
on 15 August 1999

 BSI 08-1999

ISBN 0 580 32290 4

 EUROPEAN STANDARD EN 1925
NORME EUROPEÂENNE
EUROPAÈISCHE NORM March 1999
Licensed Copy: iclnoa03 iclnoa03, Imperial College of Science and Technology (JISC), 04 September 2004, Uncontrolled Copy, (c) BSI

ICS 73.020; 91.100.15

English version

Natural stone test methods Ð Determination of water absorption

coefficient by capillarity

MeÂthodes d'essai pour pierres naturelles Ð PruÈfverfahren fuÈr Naturstein Ð Bestimmung des
DeÂtermination du coefficient d'absorption d'eau par Wasseraufnahmekoeffizienten infolge
capillarite Kapillarwirkung

This European Standard was approved by CEN on 12 February 1999.

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 Central Secretariat 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 Central Secretariat has the
same status as the official versions.
CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Czech
Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy,
Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and
United Kingdom.

CEN
European Committee for Standardization
Comite EuropeÂen de Normalisation
EuropaÈisches Komitee fuÈr Normung

Central Secretariat: rue de Stassart 36, B-1050 Brussels

 1999 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved worldwide for CEN national
Members.
Ref. No. EN 1925:1999 E
 Page 2
EN 1925:1999
Licensed Copy: iclnoa03 iclnoa03, Imperial College of Science and Technology (JISC), 04 September 2004, Uncontrolled Copy, (c) BSI

Foreword Determination of resistance to ageing by salt mist.

prEN ....(WI 00246033), Natural stone test methods Ð
This European Standard has been prepared by Determination of resistance to ageing by humidity,
Technical Committee CEN/TC 246, Natural stones, the temperature, SO2 action.
Secretariat of which is held by UNI.
prEN ....(WI 00246035), Natural stone test methods Ð
This European Standard shall be given the status of a Determination of dynamic elastic modulus
national standard, either by publication of an identical (by fundamental resonance frequency).
text or by endorsement, at the latest by September 1999,
prEN ....(WI 00246036), Natural stone test methods Ð
and conflicting national standards shall be withdrawn
Determination of water absorption at atmospheric
at the latest by September 1999.
pressure.
This draft standard is one of the series of draft
It is intended that other ENs should call up
standards for tests on natural stone.
EN 1925 as the basis of evaluation of conformity.
Test methods for natural stone consist of the following Nevertheless, it is not intended that all natural stones
parts. products should be subjected regularly to all the listed
EN 1926, Natural stone test methods Ð Determination tests. Specifications in other standards should call up
of compressive strength. only relevant test methods.
EN 1936, Natural stone test methods Ð Determination This European Standard has an annex A (informative)
of real density and apparent density and of total and and an annex B (informative).
open porosity. According to the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations,
EN 12370, Natural stone test methods Ð the national standards organizations of the following
Determination of resistance to salt crystallization. countries are bound to implement this European
prEN 12371, Natural stone test methods Ð Standard: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark,
Determination of frost resistance. Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland,
Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal,
EN 12372, Natural stone test methods Ð Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.
Determination of flexural strength under
concentrated load.
prEN 12407, Natural stone test methods Ð
Petrographic description.
prEN 13161, Natural stone test methods Ð Contents
Determination of flexural strength under
constant moment. Page
prEN 13364, Natural stone test methods Ð Foreword 2
Determination of the breaking load at a dowel hole. 1 Scope 3
prEN ....(WI 00246011), Natural stone test methods Ð
2 Normative references 3
Determination of thermal dilatation coefficient.
prEN ....(WI 00246012), Natural stone test methods Ð 3 Principle 3
Determination of sound Ð Speed propagation. 4 Symbols 3
prEN ....(WI 00246014), Natural stone test methods Ð 5 Apparatus 3
Determination of abrasion resistance. 6 Preparation of the specimens 3
prEN ....(WI 00246015), Natural stone test methods Ð
7 Test procedure 4
Determination of Knoop hardness.
prEN ....(WI 00246016), Natural stone test methods Ð 8 Expression of results 4
Determination of thermal shock resistance. 9 Test report 5
prEN ....(WI 00246017), Natural stone test methods Ð Annex A (informative) Calculation of water
Determination of slip coefficient. absorption coefficient by capillarity by
prEN ....(WI 00246018), Natural stone test methods Ð means of a non-linear regression function 6
Determination of static elastic modulus. Annex B (informative) Bibliography related
prEN ....(WI 00246019), Natural stone test methods Ð to annex A 7
Determination of rupture energy.
prEN ....(WI 00246030), Natural stone test methods Ð
Determination of surface finishes (rugosity).
prEN 13373, Natural stone test methods Ð
Determination of geometric characteristics on units.
prEN ....(WI 00246032), Natural stone test methods Ð

 BSI 08-1999
 Page 3
EN 1925:1999
Licensed Copy: iclnoa03 iclnoa03, Imperial College of Science and Technology (JISC), 04 September 2004, Uncontrolled Copy, (c) BSI

1 Scope 5 Apparatus
This European Standard specifies a method for 5.1 Covered tank, with flat base comprising small
determining the water absorption coefficient of natural non-oxidizing and non-absorbent supports for the
stone by capillarity. specimens.
NOTE This method is not suitable for stones with an open
porosity less than 1 % when determined in accordance with 5.2 Device, able to maintain a constant water level in
EN 1936. the tank, described in 5.1.
5.3 Time counter, with an accuracy of 1 s.
2 Normative references
5.4 Ventilated oven, which can maintain a
The present European Standard incorporates by dated temperature of (70 ± 5) 8C.
or undated reference, provisions from other
publications. These normative references are cited at 5.5 Weighing instrument, with an accuracy of 0,01 g.
the appropriate places in the text and the publications 5.6 Linear measuring device, with an accuracy of
are listed below. For dated references, subsequent 0,05 mm.
amendments to, or revisions of, any of these
publications apply to this European Standard only 5.7 Air conditioned room, with (20 ± 5) 8C.
when incorporated in it by amendment or revision. For
undated references, the last edition of the publication
referred to applies.
6 Preparation of the specimens
prEN 12670, Natural stones Ð Terminology. 6.1 Sampling
EN 1936, Natural stone test methods Ð Determination Sampling is not the responsibility of the test laboratory
of real density and apparent density and of total and except where especially requested. At least six
open porosity. specimens shall be selected from a homogenous batch
and tested for each direction of rise of water in
prEN 12440, Denomination of natural stone.
relation to the position of any anisotropy planes
(e.g. bedding planes, foliation, etc.) which shall be
3 Principle marked on all specimens by at least two parallel lines.
After drying to a constant mass, the specimen is The specimens shall be rough cut or may have one or
immersed in (3 ± 1) mm of water on one of its sides two polished or honed faces. These faces are to be
(never the worked side) and the increase in mass is placed vertically (the worked face shall never be the
measured as a function of time. immersed face).
6.2 Dimensions of the test specimens
4 Symbols The test specimens shall be cubes with (70 ± 5) mm
or (50 ± 5) mm edge or right circular cylinders whose
md mass of the dry specimen, in grams; diameter and height are equal to (70 ± 5) mm
mi successive masses of the specimen during testing, or (50 ± 5) mm.
in grams; 6.3 Drying the specimens
A area of the side immersed in water, in square The test specimens are to be dried to constant mass in
metres; a ventilated oven at a temperature of (70 ± 5) 8C.
ti times elapsed from the beginning of the test until Constant mass is reached when the difference between
the times at which the successive masses mi were two successive weighings at an interval of (24 ± 2) h is
measured, in seconds; not greater than 0,1 % of the mass of the specimen.
C1 water absorption coefficient by capillarity The specimens shall be kept in a desiccator until room
perpendicular to the planes of anisotropy of the temperature (20 ± 5) 8C is attained.
stone, in grams per square metre per square root
of seconds;
C2 water absorption coefficient by capillarity parallel
to the planes of anisotropy of the stone, in grams
per square metre per square root of seconds.

 BSI 08-1999
 Page 4
EN 1925:1999
Licensed Copy: iclnoa03 iclnoa03, Imperial College of Science and Technology (JISC), 04 September 2004, Uncontrolled Copy, (c) BSI

7 Test procedure 8 Expression of results

Weigh the specimens after drying (md) to an accuracy Show as a graph the mass of water absorbed in grams
of 0,01 g and calculate the area of the base to be divided by the area of the immersed base of the
immersed by measurement of two medians to the specimen in square metres as a function of the square
nearest 0,1 mm. Express this area in square metres. root of time expressed in seconds.
Place the specimens in the tank on the thin supports NOTE 1 In general, graphs are obtained as shown in Figure 1.
provided such that they only rest partially on their These can be approximated by two straight lines.
base. Ensure that the position of the planes of If the correlation coefficient between the measured points of the
anisotropy in relation to the rising water matches the first part of the graph and the regression straight line of this first
requirements. Immerse the base in the water to a part is respectively greater than 0,90 (when at least five
depth of (3 ± 1) mm. Start the timer device. Maintain
measurements were taken in the first part of the graph) or
than 0,95 (when only four measurements were taken), the
the water level constant throughout the test by adding coefficient of water absorption by capillarity C1 or C2 (in grams
water as necessary, and close the container to avoid per square metre per square root of time in seconds) is
evaporation of the damp specimens. At time intervals, represented by the slope of the C1 respectively C2 regression line.
It can be calculated as the ratio between the ordinate and abscissa
initially very short then longer, remove each specimen of any point of this line using the following formula:
in succession, lightly dry the immersed part using a m 2 md
C1 or C2 = i
damp cloth to remove all water droplets and weigh A.√ti
immediately to the nearest 0,01 g, then replace in the The obtained values of C1 or C2 are expressed to three significant
container. Record the time elapsed since the start of figures.
the test until the time of each weighing. NOTE 2 This approximate formula cannot be used if the
correlation coefficient between the measured points of the first
NOTE The choice of times depends on the type of stone. For a part of the graph and the regression straight line of this part is not
highly absorbent stone, suitable times t1 are: 1, 3, 5, 10, 15, 30, 60, satisfactory (see above).
480 and 1 440 min. For a low absorption stone, suitable times
are: 30, 60, 180, 480, 1 440, 2 880 and 4 320 min. These times will Annex A (informative) gives an equation more appropriate for this
be measured with an accuracy of 5 %. A minimum of 7 kind of test result.
measurements is necessary. The end of the test is reached when
the differences between two successive weighings is not greater
than 1 % of the mass of water absorbed by the specimen.

Legend
Y is the water absorption in g/m2
X is the square root of time in s0,5
Figure 1 Ð Water absorption by capillarity perpendicular to the planes of anisotropy as a
function of the square root of time for a specimen with a low water absorption coefficient
(C1 = 86,0 g/m2⋅s0,5)

 BSI 08-1999
 Page 5
EN 1925:1999
Licensed Copy: iclnoa03 iclnoa03, Imperial College of Science and Technology (JISC), 04 September 2004, Uncontrolled Copy, (c) BSI

9 Test report f) the date of delivery of the sample or of the

specimens;
The test report shall contain the following information:
g) the date when the specimens were prepared
a) unique identification number of the report;
(if relevant) and the date of testing;
b) the number, title and date of issue of this
h) the number of specimens in the sample;
European Standard;
i) the dimensions of the specimens;
c) the name and address of the test laboratory and
the address where the test was carried out if j) for each specimen the water absorption coefficient
different from the test laboratory; by capillarity C1 perpendicular to or C2 parallel to
the planes of anisotropy, expressed to the three
d) the name and address of the client;
significant figures;
e) it is the responsibility of the client to supply the
k) the arithmetic mean of the water absorption
following information:
coefficients C1 and/or C2 expressed to the three
Ð the petrographic name of the stone; significant figures;
Ð the commercial name of the stone in l) all deviations from the standard and their
accordance with prEN 12440; justification;
Ð the country and region of extraction; m) remarks.
Ð the name of the supplier; The test report shall contain the signature(s) and
Ð the direction of any existing plane of role(s) of the responsible(s) for the testing and the
anisotropy (if relevant to the test) to be clearly date of issue of the report. It shall also state that the
indicated on the sample or on each specimen by report shall not be partially reproduced without the
means of two parallel lines; written consent of the test laboratory.
Ð the name of the person or organization which
carried out the sampling;
Ð the surface finish of the specimen (if relevant
to the test);

 BSI 08-1999
 Page 6
EN 1925:1999
Licensed Copy: iclnoa03 iclnoa03, Imperial College of Science and Technology (JISC), 04 September 2004, Uncontrolled Copy, (c) BSI

Annex A (informative) A.3 Expression of results

Calculation of water absorption The equation given below applies, when, in a test for
determining the water absorption coefficient by
coefficient by capillarity by means of a capillarity, the graph showing the mass of absorbed
non-linear regression function water related to the surface area of the immersed base
of the specimen as a function of the square root of
A.1 Scope
time cannot be satisfactorily approximated by two
The annex presents a more appropriate equation for straight lines, that is, when the correlation coefficient
determining the water absorption coefficient by between the measured points of the first part of the
capillarity when the approximate formula given in graph and the corresponding regression straight line is
clause 8 cannot be used. not greater than 0,90 (for at least five measurements)
A.2 Symbols or 0,95 (for four measurements).
In the case of graph as shown in Figure A.1 a more
 m 2 md is the mass of water related to
yi = i appropriate equation to describe the link between the
 A  surface area of the immersed mass of absorbed water related to the surface area (yi)
base and absorbed up to time ti, and the square root of the time (√ti) is as follows:
in grams per square metre;
mf is the final mass of the specimen at the end of yi = a (1 2 e2b√ti ) [A.1]
the test, in grams; By linearising the exponential function [for small
 m 2 md is the maximum mass of water
values of ti is e2b√ti ≅ (1 2 b⋅√ti)], the equation
a = f
 A  related to surface area of the
[A.1] becomes:
immersed base, in grams per
square metre; yi = a⋅b√ti [A.2]
b is the length-related water penetration and
coefficient, that is the reciprocal of the square C1 or C2 = a⋅b
root of the time ti in seconds. The obtained values of C1 or C2 are expressed to three
NOTE The other symbols have already been defined in clause 4. significant figures.

Legend
Y is the water absorption in g/m2
X is the time in s
Figure A.1 Ð Water absorption by capillarity perpendicular to the planes of anisotropy
according to the regression function (equation A.2) for a specimen with a low water
absorption coefficient (Ci = 38,9 g/m2 s0,5)

 BSI 08-1999
 Page 7
EN 1925:1999
Licensed Copy: iclnoa03 iclnoa03, Imperial College of Science and Technology (JISC), 04 September 2004, Uncontrolled Copy, (c) BSI

Annex B (informative)
Bibliography related to annex A
More information on the subject treated in annex A
can be found in the following papers.

[1] Hotfmann, D.; Niesel, K.: Quantifying capillary

rise in columns of porous material.
Amer. Ceram. Soc. Bull. 67 (1988) No. 8, 1418.
[2] Hoffmann, D.; Niesel, K.: Zur rechnerischen
Erfassung des Kapillaraufstiegs in SaÈulen poroÈser
Baustoffe. Bautenschutz und Bausanierung
10 (1987) No. 5, 69±70.
[3[ Niesel, K.: DeÂtermination de l'ascension capillaire
de liquide dans des mateÂriaux poreux de
construction. in: Actes de la journeÂe
ICOMOS/Direction du Patrimoine ªLes remonteÂes
d'eau du sol dans les maõonneriesº,
Paris: MuseÂe des Monuments Franõais 25/01/1994,
Paris: 1994, 21 pp.
[4] Hoffmann, D.; Niesel K.: Quantifying the effect of
air pollutants on rendering and also
moisture-transport phenomena in masonry
including its constituents.
http://www.bam.de/a_vii/moisture/transport.html

 BSI 08-1999
 BS EN |
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1925:1999 |
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