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Concrete Technology Laboratory
List of Experiments
I Cycle

Fineness of Cement
Normal Consistency of Cement
Initial Setting Time and Final Setting Time
Compressive strength of Cement
Slump Test
FINENESS OF CEMENT
Aim: To determine the fineness of cement by dry sieving as per IS: 4031 (Part 1)
Apparatus: 90m IS Sieve, Balance, A nylon or pure bristle brush
Procedure:

1. Weigh approximately 100g of cement to the nearest 0.01g and place it on the
sieve.
2. Agitate the sieve by swirling, planetary and linear movements, until no more fine
material passes through it.
3. Weigh the residue and express its mass as a percentage R1,of the quantity first
placed on the sieve to the nearest 0.1 percent.
4. Gently brush all the fine material off the base of the sieve.
5. Repeat the whole procedure using a fresh 10g sample to obtain R2. Then calculate
R as the mean of R1 and R2 as a percentage, expressed to the nearest 0.1 percent.
When the results differ by more than 1 percent absolute, carry out a third sieving
and calculate the mean of the three values.
Principle: Determine the proportion of cement whose grain size is larger then specified
mesh size.
Results: The value of R, to the nearest 0.1 percent, as the residue on the 90m sieve
NORMAL CONSISTENCY OF CEMENT
Aim: To find out the water content required to produce a cement paste of standard consistency as specified
by the IS: 4031 (Part 4)
Apparatus: Vicat apparatus, Balance, Gauging trowel
Principle: Standard consistency of cement is that consistency at which the Vicat
plunger penetrates to a point 5-7mm from the bottom of Vicat mould.
Procedure:

1. Weigh approximately 500g of cement and mix it with a weighed quantity
of water. The time of gauging should be between 3 to 5 minutes.
2. Fill the Vicat mould with paste and level it with a trowel.
3. Lower the plunger gently till it touches the cement surface.
4. Release the plunger allowing it to sink into the paste.
5. Note the reading on the gauge.
6. Repeat the above procedure taking same sample of cement and different
quantities of water until the reading on the gauge is 5 to 7mm.
Results: The amount of water as a percentage of the weight of dry cement
INITIAL AND FINAL SETTING TIME OF CEMENT
Aim: To calculate the initial and final setting time as per IS: 4031 (Part 5)
Apparatus: Vicat apparatus, Balance, Gauging trowel
Procedure:
1. Weigh approximately 500g of cement and mix it with a weighed quantity
of water. The time of gauging should be between 3 to 5 minutes.
2. Fill the Vicat mould with paste and level it with a trowel.
3. Lower the needle gently till it touches the cement surface.
4. Release the needle allowing it to sink into the paste.

Initial Setting Time:
1. Repeat the procedure till the needle fails to pierce the test block to a point
5.0 0.5mm measured from the bottom of the mould.
2. The time period elapsing between the water is added to the cement and the
time the needle fails to pierce the test block by 5.0 0.5mm measured
from the bottom of the mould, is the initial setting time.

Final Setting Time:
1. Replace the above needle by the one with an annular attachment. The
cement should be considered as finally set when, upon applying the needle
gently to the surface of the test block, the needle makes an impression
therein, while the attachment fails to do so.
2. The period elapsing between the water is added to the cement and the time
the needle makes an impression on the surface of the test block, while the
attachment fails to do so, is the final setting time.
COMPRESSSIVE STRENGTH OF CEMENT
Aim: To determine the compressive strength of cement
Apparatus: Cube mould of size 7.07x 7.07 x 7.07cm with base plates,
Weighting balance accurate up to 0.1gm, Motored cube vibration
machine , Measuring cylinder , Trowel and tray
Procedure:

Mix the cement and sand with trowel on non-porous plate for one minute. Then add water to the
mixture of cement, sand and mix it until the mixture of uniform color is obtained. The time of
gauging shall in any case not be less than 3 minutes and not more than 5 minutes, gauging time
Is the time lapsed between the water added to the mix and casting of cubes.

1. Apply thin layer of oil to the interior faces of the mould. Place it on the table of the vibration
machine, and firmly hold in position by means of suitable clamps.
2. Place the entire quantity of mortar in the hopper of the cube mould and compact the same by
vibrations for period of about 2 minutes.
3. At the end of vibration, remove the mould together with the base plate from the machine
and finish the top surface of cube in the mould by smoothing the surface with the blade of
trowel. Engrave identification mark on cubes.
4. Keep the filled moulds in the atmosphere of at least 90% relative humidity for 24 hours, after
completion of vibration. Also maintain temperature at 27 2C.
5. At end of this period. Remove cubes from the moulds and immediately submerge in clean
fresh water and keep there until taken out just prior to breaking. After they are taken out and
until they are broken, the cubes shall not allow to become dry.
WORKABILITY OF CONCRETE (Slump Test)
Aim: Slump test is used to determine the workability of fresh concrete
Apparatus: Slump cone and Tamping rod
Procedure:
1. The internal surface of the mould is thoroughly cleaned and applied with a light
coat of oil.
2. The mould is placed on a smooth, horizontal, rigid and nonabsorbent surface.
3. The mould is then filled in three layers with freshly mixed concrete, each
approximately to one-third of the height of the mould.
4. Each layer is tamped 25 times by the rounded end of the tamping rod (strokes are
distributed evenly over the cross section).
5. After the top layer is rodded, the concrete is struck off the level with a trowel.
6. The mould is removed from the concrete immediately by raising it slowly in the
vertical direction.
7. The difference in level between the height of the mould and that of the highest point
of the subsided concrete is measured.
8. This difference in height in mm is the slump of the concrete.

WORKABILITY OF CONCRETE (Slump Test)
Degree of Workability (IS 456) Slump Value (mm)
Low 25 75
Medium 50 100 / 75-100
High 100 150
List of Experiments
II Cycle

Compaction Factor Test
Bulking of Sand
Compressive Strength of Concrete
Split Tensile Strength of Concrete
Flexural Strength of Concrete
Compaction Factor Test
Compacting factor of fresh concrete is done to determine the workability
of fresh concrete by compacting factor test as per IS: 1199 1959.

Apparatus: Compacting factor apparatus.
Procedure:

i) The sample of concrete is placed in the upper hopper up to the brim.
ii) The trap-door is opened so that the concrete falls into the lower hopper.
iii) The trap-door of the lower hopper is opened and the concrete is allowed
to fall into the cylinder.
iv) The excess concrete remaining above the top level of the cylinder is then
cut off with the help of plane blades.
v) The concrete in the cylinder is weighed. This is known as weight of
partially compacted concrete.
vi) The cylinder is filled with a fresh sample of concrete and vibrated to
obtain full compaction. The concrete in the cylinder is weighed again. This
weight is known as the weight of fully compacted concrete.


Compacting factor =
(Weight of partially compacted concrete)/
(Weight of fully compacted concrete)
Compaction Factor Test
Bulking of Fine aggregate
Aim: To determine the bulking of fine aggregate i.e. [sand]
Apparatus: Measuring Jar
Theory: The volume of fine aggregate depends largely upon its
moisture content. When the fine aggregate is moist each particle gets
coated with a film of water due to surface tension. The particles are
kept separated and hence the volume apparently increases.
The increase in volume is known as Bulking.

The amount of Bulking increases initially with increase in water
content but decrease to zero with further increase in water content over
to bulking, Fine aggregate shows completely unrealistic volume.
Therefore it is absolutely necessary that consideration must be given to
the effect of bulking.
Procedure:

1. Take a container and fill the sand in loose state till it fill 2/3 rd.
and its height was noted (h1)
2. Add 1% of water to the weight of sand then again pour the sand into the
jar. You will observe a increase in height.
3. Repeat the process with water till bulking stops.
4. Measure of sand depth when it completely saturate (h2)

Bulking of Fine aggregate
Bulking: [(h1-h2)/h1] X100
Result: The bulking of sand is found to be %
Compressive Strength of Concrete
Aim: To determine the Compressive strength of concrete
Apparatus: Compression Testing Machine
Procedure:
1. Prepare the Cube samples of 150X150X150mm for the design mix
2. Keep the samples in sump for curing
3. Test the cubes after 7days and 28 days of curing
Split Tensile Strength of Concrete
Aim: To determine the Split Tensile strength of concrete
Apparatus: Compression Testing Machine
Procedure:
1. Prepare the Cylinder samples of diameter150mm and 300mm height for
the design mix
2. Keep the samples in sump for curing
3. Test the cubes after 7days and 28 days of curing
F
t
= (2P/ld)
Flexural Strength of Concrete
Aim: To determine the Flexural strength of concrete
Apparatus: Flexure Testing Machine
Procedure:
1. Prepare the beam samples of size 100X100X500mm for the design mix
2. Keep the samples in sump for curing
3. Test the cubes after 7days and 28 days of curing
Fr=(PL/bd
2
) or (3Pa/bd
2
)
a= average distance between line of fracture and nearest support