KENYA STANDARD                     KS 2177:  2017 
                
   
Ks 27 70-3: 2017  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Admixture for concrete, mortar, and grout 
part 3: admixtures for masonry mortar - 
requirements  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
©KEBS 2018                         First  Edition 2018 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 KS 2177: 2017                                                                                                            
 
ii                     © KEBS 2017 — All rights reserved   
TECHNICAL COMMITEE REPRESENTATION  
 
The following o rganizations were represented on the Technical Committee:  
 
1. Architectural Association of  Kenya  
2. Bamburi Cement  
3. CHRYSO Eastern Africa Limited  
4. Consumer Information Network  
5. Howards Humprey  East Africa LTD  
6. Institute of quantity surveyors of Kenya  
7. Kenya Industri al Research and Development Institute (KIRDI  
8. Kenya Institute of Highways and Building Technology (KIHBT)  
9. Ministry of Transport, Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development.  
10. National Environment Management Authority  
11. National Housing Corporation  
12. Technical University of Kenya  
13. University of Nairobi  
14. Kenya Bureau of Standards — Secretariat  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
REVISION OF KENYA STANDARDS  
 
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for improvements to publish ed standards, addressed to the Managing Director, Kenya Bureau of Standards, 
are welcome.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
© Kenya Bureau of Standards, 20 18 
  
Copyright. Users are reminded that by virtue of Section 25 of the Copyright Act, Cap. 12 of 2001  of the Laws of Kenya, copyright 
subsists in all Kenya Standards and except as provided under Section 26 of this Act, no Kenya Standard produced by Kenya Bure au of 
Standards may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system in any form or transmitted by any means without prior per mission in writing 
from the Managing Director . 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 KENYA STANDARD                                  KS 2177 : 2017 
                
 © KEBS 2017 — All righ ts reserved            iii  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Admixture for concrete, mortar, and grout 
part 3: admixtures for masonry mortar - 
requirements  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
KENYA BUREAU OF STANDARDS (KEBS)  
 
Head Office:  P.O. Box 54974, Nairobi -00200, Tel.: (+ 254 020 ) 605490, 602350, Fax: (+254 020 ) 604031  
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Foreword  KS 2177: 2017                                                                                                            
 
iv                     © KEBS 2017 — All rights reserved   
This Kenya Standard was revised  by the Concrete Technical Committee, under the  guidance of the 
standards Projects Committee, and it is in accordance with the procedures of the  Kenya  Bureau  of 
Standards .  
This standard is part of the series KS 2770  "Admixtures for concrete, mortar and grout", which is comprised of the 
following addit ional parts:  
 Part 1  Admixtures for concrete, mortar and grout —Common requirements  
 Part 2  Concrete admixtures — Definitions, requirements, conformity, marking and labelling  
 
 Part3  Admixtures for masonry mortar — Definitions, requirements, conformity, mar king and labelling  
 
 
 Part 4   Admixtures for grout for prestressing tendons - Definitions, requirements, conformity, marking and 
labelling  
 
 Part 5  Admixtures for sprayed concrete - Definitions, requirements, conformity, marking and labelling  
 
 
 Part 6  Sampli ng, conformity control and evaluation of conformity  
This draft Standard is used with the standards of the KS 2769  : 2017 series which comprises the test methods 
for admixtures.  
. 
 
. 
 
               
© KEBS 2017 — All rights reserved                      1 KENYA  STANDARD                       KS 27 70-3:2018 
Admixture for concr ete, mortar, and grout part 3: admixtures for 
masonry mortar - requirements  
 
1. Scope  
 
This Standard defines and specifies the requirements and conformity criteria for admixtures for use in 
cement based masonry mortar.  
 
It covers two types of admixtures, long term retarding and air entraining/plasticising which are used in ready -
mixed and site made masonry mortars.  
 
 
2.  Normative references  
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this document. For dated 
references, only the ed ition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document 
(including any amendments) applies.  
 
KS 2769 -13, Admixtures for concrete, mortar and grout — Test methods — Part 13: Reference masonry mortar 
for testing mortar admi xtures  
 
KS 2770 -1, Admixtures for concrete, mortar and grout — Part 1: Common requirements  
 
KS 2770 -2, Admixtures for concrete, mortar and grout — Part 2: Concrete admixtures — Definitions, requirements, 
conformity, marking and labelling  
 
KS 2770 -6, Admixt ures for concrete, mortar and grout - Part 6: Sampling, conformity control and evaluation of conformity  
 
KS 2770 -6, Admixtures for concrete, mortar and grout — Part 6: Sampling, conformity control and evaluation of 
conformity  
 
EN 1015 -4, Methods of test fo r 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  
 
EN 1015 -9, Methods of test for mortar for masonr y — Part 9: Determination of workable life and correction time of 
fresh mortar  
 
EN 1015 -11, Methods of test for mortar for masonry — Part 11: Determination of flexural and compressive strength of 
hardened mortar  
 
3.  Terms and definitions  
For the purposes of this document, the definitions in KS 2770 -1:2008 and the following apply.  
 
3.1.  
air entraining/plasticizing admixture  
admixture which increases workability, or allows water reduction, by incorporating during mixing a 
controlled quantity of small, uniformly dis tributed air bubbles which remain after hardening  
 
3.2.  
set retarding admixture for long term retarded masonry mortar  
set retarding admixture as defined in KS 2770 -2 but specifically intended for use in long term retarded 
mortar incorporating entrained air  
 
3.3.  
performance  KS 2177: 2017  
            
                              © KEBS 2017 — All rights reserved  2 ability of an admixture to be effective in its intended use without detrimental effect  
 
3.4.  
compliance dosage  
dosage of an admixture, expressed in % by mass of cement, stated by the manufacturer, which will meet the 
requirements of this Standard. T he compliance dosage is within the recommended range of dosage  
 
3.5.  
recommended range of dosage  
dosages between limits, expressed in % by mass of cement, which the manufacturer recommends for the 
product based on experience on site  
 
NOTE The use of the recomm ended dosage does not imply that compliance with this standard will be achieved over the whole range. 
Trial tests should be carried out with the materials to be used on site, to find the dosage necessary to achieve the required result.  
 
3.6.  
maximum recommende d dosage  
upper limit of the recommended range of dosage  
 
4.  Requirements  
Masonry mortar admixtures, when sampled in accordance with KS 2770 -6 and KS 2770 -6, shall comply with the 
requirements in KS 2770 -1, Table 1 using the test methods listed therein and th e additional requirements specific 
to different types of admixture listed in Table 1 below . 
 
NOTE 1 Tests should be carried out with the admixtures and other materials intended to be used in the mortar to check whether the 
desired effect can be obtained.  
 
 
 
Table 1 — Additional requirements for specific types of admixture  
Definition  Name of admixture  Additional requirements  
3.1 Air entraining/plasticizing mixture  Table 2  
3.2 Set retarding admixture for long term retarded  
masonry mortar  Table 3  
 
 
Table 2  — Additional requirements for air entraining/plasticizing admixtures at equal consistence  
 
 Property  Reference mortar  Test method  Requirement a 
1  Air content  after standard mixing  KS 2769 -13  
 EN 1015 -7 
method A  Total air content  
A2 = (17 ± 3) % by volume 
2  Air content  after 1 h standing  KS 2769 -13 
EN 1015 -7 
method A  ≥A1 – 3 % 
3  Air content  after extended 
mixing  KS 2769 -13  
 EN 1015 -7 
method A   ≤ A1 + 5 % and  ≥ A1 – 5 % 
4  Reduction  in water  
requirement for standard 
consistence  KS 2769 -13  
 EN 1015 -13 
  ≥ 8 % by 
mass  
5  C o m p r e s s i v e   strength at 28 
days  KS 2769 -13  
 EN 1015 -11 Test mix ≥ 70 % of control mix  
aAll requirements apply to the same test mix.  
                          KS 2177: 2017  
 
 
© KEBS 2017 — All rights reserved          
     3 
 1 U.5 4 -3 :ZUU +A-1  :LUI Z  
KS 2770 -3:2009+A1:2012 (E)  
Table 3 — Additional requirements for admixtures for long term retarded, ready to use mortar at 
equal  consistence d 
 
 Property  Reference mortar  Test method  Require ment a 
1 Air content after standard mixing  KS 2769 -13  
 EN 1015 -7 
method A  Total air content  
A2 = (17 ± 3) % by volume  
2 Air content after extended mixing  KS 2769 -13  
 EN 1015 -7 
method A  ≤ A2 + 5 % 
and   
≥ A2 - 5 % 
3 Consistence after 28 h 
standing b KS 2769-13  
 EN 1015 -4 
 Within 15 mm  of initial value  
4 Air content after 28 h standing  KS 2769 -13  
 EN 1015 -7 
method A  ≥ 0.70A 2 % 
5 Resistance to penetration after  
72 h c KS 2769 -13  
 EN 1015 -9 Test mix  ≥1.0 N/mm2 
6 Compressive strength at 28 
days  KS 27 69-13  
 EN 1015 -11 Test mix ≥ 70 % of control mix  
a All requirements apply to the same test mix.  
bWhen stored and remixed in accordance with KS 2769 -13, 5.3, as for determination of air content, after 28 h 
standing  
c When stored in a covered mould for 2 8 h to prevent evaporation of water and then stored in an uncovered 
penetration resistance mould for further 44 h at (65 ± 5) % RH.  
d The air entrainment may be as a result of the admixture containing both retarding and air entraining properties or 
by the separate addition of an air entraining admixture complying with Table 2.  
 
5. Sampling  
Requirements for sampling are given in KS 2770 -6. 
 
6.  Conformity control  
Requirements for conformity control are given in KS 2770 -6. The frequency of testing in connection w ith the 
factory production control is given in Table 4.  
 
Table 4 — Minimum frequency of test for factory production control  
 
Tests  Air entraining/  
plasticizing  
admixture  Admixture for long term  
retarded, ready to use  
mortar  
Homogeneity, colour  B B 
Relative density (for liquids only)  B B 
Conventional dry material content  B B 
pH value (for liquids only)  B B 
Chloride content (CI) a 4 4 
Compressive strength at 28 days  1 1 
Air content after standard mixing  A A 
Air content after extended mixing  A A 
Air content after 1 h standing  A – 
Air content after  28 h standing  – A KS 2177: 2017  
            
                              © KEBS 2017 — All rights reserved  4 Reduction in water requirement for 
standard consistence  A – 
Consistence after 28 h standing  – A 
Resistance to penetration after 72 h  – A 
Numbers in this table denote minimum freque ncy of test per year, spread according to 
production; if the production is less frequent every batch has to be tested  
A: means test for every 500 t with a minimum of 2 times a year  
B: means test for each batch  
 
NOTE The effective component (infrared analysis) ne ed not be included in the programme of factory 
production control. It  has to be  included in initial type testing.  
a Total chlorine content also has to be tested at this frequency if it is significantly 
different from the chloride content. 
 
For Factory P roduction Control, the reference cement required by KS 2769 -13 may be replaced by an 
alternative cement provided that the:  
 
a) alternative cement has been tested in the KS 2769 -13 reference mortar in parallel with the reference 
cement to KS 2769 -13 for initia l Type Testing with the same admixture type;  
b) admixture type so tested showed compliance with the appropriate table of requirements in this Standard 
with both the KS 2769 -13 reference cement and the alternative cement.  
 
7.  Evaluation of conformity  
Requirement s for evaluat ion of conformity are given in KS 2770 -6. 
 
8. Marking and labelling  
 
8.1. General  
When admixtures for masonry mortar are supplied in containers they shall be clearly marked with the relevant 
information. When the material is supplied into a bulk cont ainer at the point of delivery, the same information shall be 
provided in writing at the time of delivery.  
 
8.2. Designation of admixtures  
Admixtures for masonry mortar shall be designated by:  
a) name of type of admixture in English language ; 
b) number of this Standa rd, i.e. KS 2770 -3; 
c) code, to identify the type of admixture, consisting of the number of this Standard and the number of the table 
which gives the additional performance requirements for the particular type of admixture.  
EXAMPLE   Long term retarding admixture for masonry mortar; KS 2770 -3; T.3  
 
8.3. Additional information  
a) Batch number and production plant;  
b) A summary of storage requirements including any special requirements on storage life which shall be clearly 
marked, e.g: This admixt ure shall not be taken to comply with KS 2770 -3 after "date";  
c) Instructions for use and any necessary safety precautions, e.g. if caustic, toxic or corrosive;  
d) The manufacturer's recommended range of dosage.