While river sand is produced by natural geographic processes, M-sand or manufactured sand is produced by breaking down hard rock. M-sand is the absolute and certified alternative for river sand as per all IS standards related to concrete, plaster, coarse aggregates and construction.
The advantages of M-sand over river sand are
There are no disadvantages to using M-sand. Only during the construction process there may be some additional consumption of water during the construction process due to its uniform size and smooth texture.
M-sand finds critical application in building and concrete. If P-sand is used, it will lead to concrete failure. This is because P-sand is finer than M-sand.
The sand to be used for concrete must comply with IS: 383 standards.