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INITIAL AND FINAL SETTING TIMES OF CEMENT

TOOLS AND EQUIPMENTS Vicats Apparatus Balance Standard Weights Gauging Trowel

TOOLS AND EQUIPMENTS Gauging Trowel Balance

THEORY When water is added to cement, the resulting paste starts to stiffen and gain strength and lose the consistency simultaneously. The term setting implies solidification of the plastic cement paste. Initial and final setting times may be regarded as the two stiffening states of cement. The beginning of solidification called the initial set marks the point in time when the paste has become unworkable. The Initial Setting time may be defined as the time taken by the paste to stiffen to such an extent that the Vicats needle is not permitted to move down through the paste to within 5 0.5 mm measured from the bottom of the mould.

The time taken to solidify completely marks the final set. The Final setting time is the time after which the paste becomes so hard that the angular attachment to the needle under standard weight fails to leave any mark on the hardened concrete.

Preparing Mould Prepare a neat cement paste by gauging the cement with 0.85 times the water required to give a paste of standard consistency. Potable water shall be used in preparing the paste. Start a stop-watch at the instant when water is added to the cement. Oil the vicats mould with a brush. Place the mould on a non-porous plate. Fill the Vicats mould completely with cement paste and neatly level it. Immediately after moulding, place the test block in the moist closet or moist room and allow it to remain there except when determinations of time of setting are being made.

Testing Initial Setting time: The testing should be done at room temperature (27 2C). Now the mould is placed in the Vicats apparatus. Needle is gently lowered in contact with the test block and is then quickly released. The needle just penetrates the test block and the reading on the vicats apparatus scale is recorded. The procedure is repeated until the needle fails to pierces the test block by about 5mm 0.5 measured from the bottom of the mould. At this point the stop watch is pushed off and the time is recorded, which gives the initial setting time.

Determination of Final Setting Time The Final Setting time is the time after which the paste becomes so hard that the angular attachment to the needle under standard weight fails to leave any mark on the hardened concrete.

REPORTING OF RESULTS The results of initial and final setting time shall be reported to the nearest five minutes.

Importance of test It is important to know the initial setting time, because of loss of useful properties of cement if the cement mortar or concrete is placed in moulds after this initial time. The Initial Setting Time defines the limit of handling and the Final Setting Time defines the beginning of development of mechanical strength.

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