Gritnummer

Gritnummer (Dutch: "grit number") is a compound term used informally in Dutch-language contexts to denote an identifying number or code associated with grit, sand, crushed stone or similarly coarse granular material. The word combines grit (coarse aggregate) and nummer (number) and does not denote a single standardized system; its meaning depends on the sector and local practice.

Etymology and usage

The term derives directly from descriptive Dutch vocabulary and is typically applied where granular materials require cataloguing, traceability or classification. It appears in operational records, procurement documents and inventory systems rather than in formal international standards.

Contexts

- Road maintenance: municipalities and winter-service contractors may assign a gritnummer to batches of de-icing sand or salt–sand mixtures to track origin, composition and application history.

- Construction and civil engineering: suppliers and sites sometimes use gritnummer-like identifiers to distinguish particle sizes, source quarries or delivery lots.

- Laboratory and quality control: in testing environments the term can label samples linked to test results for grain-size distribution and contamination assessments.

- Industrial processing and recycling: gritnummer-style codes help manage material flows through crushing, screening and reuse.

Limitations

Gritnummer is not universally defined by national or international standards; where formal classification is required, professionals use standard grain-size scales (e.g., sieve sizes, Wentworth or ISO classifications) or batch and lot numbers governed by contractual and regulatory frameworks.