2.

TESTS ON CEMENT
AIM:
To find out the consistency, specific gravity and fineness of cement.
APPARATUS REQUIRED:
1. Consistency of cement (IS 4031 Part 4)
(i)

Vicats apparatus.

(ii)

Balance

(iii) Measuring cylinder

2. Specific Gravity of Cement (IS 2720 Part 3)
(i)

Le Chatlier flask or Specific gravity bottle

(ii)

Balance

3. Fineness of cement (IS 4031 Part 1)

(i)

90m IS Sieve

(ii)

Balance capable of weighing 10g to the nearest 10mg

(iii) A nylon or pure bristle brush

THEORY:

1. Consistency of cement
Standard consistency of cement is defined as that consistency
which will permit plunger to penetrate at 33 to 35 mm from the top
of the mould. The consistency of cement paste is expressed as a
percentage by weight of dry cement. Usually this percentage varies
from 26% to 33%.
2. Specific Gravity of cement
Specific gravity is normally defined as the ratio between the
weight of a given volume of material and weight of an equal
volume of water. To determine the specific gravity of cement,
kerosene which does not react with cement is used.

3. Fineness of cement
Fineness of cement is measured by sieving it on standard sieve.
The proportion of cement of which the grain sizes are larger than
the specified mesh size is thus determined.
PROCEDURE:
1. Consistency of cement

(i)

Take 400 g of cement and place it in the enameled tray.

(ii)

Mix about 25% water by weight of dry cement thoroughly to

get a cement paste. Total time taken to obtain thoroughly
mixed water cement paste i.e. Gauging time should not be
more than 3 to 5 minutes.

(iii) Fill the Vicat mould, resting upon a glass plate, with this
cement paste.
(iv) After filling the mould completely, smooth the surface of the
paste, making it level with top of the mould.
(v)

Place the whole assembly (i.e. mould + cement paste + glass

plate) under the rod bearing plunger.

(vi) Lower the plunger gently so as to touch the surface of the test
block and quickly release the plunger allowing it to sink into
the paste.
(vii) Measure the depth of penetration and record it.
(viii) Prepare trial pastes with varying percentages of water content
and follow the steps (2 to 7) as described above, until the
depth of penetration becomes 33 to 35 mm.
2. Specific Gravity of cement

(i)

Weigh a clean and dry Le-Chatelier flask or a specific gravity

bottle with its stopper (W1).

(ii)

Place a sample of cement upto half of the flask (about 50 g)

and weigh with its stopper (W2).

(iii) Add kerosene to the cement in the flask till it is about half
fill.
(iv) Mix thoroughly with a glass rod to remove any entrapped air.
(v)

Continue stirring and add more kerosene till it is flush with

the graduated mark.

(vi) Dry the outside of flask and weigh it (W3).

(vii) Now empty the flask, clean it and fill with kerosene till it is
flush with the graduated mark. Dry the outside of flask and
weigh it (W4).
3. Fineness of cement
(i)

Weigh approximately 10 g of cement to the nearest 0.01 g

and place it on the sieve.

(ii)

Agitate the sieve by swirling, planetary and linear

movements, until no more fine material passes through it.

(iii) 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.
(iv) Gently brush all the fine material off the base of the sieve.
(v)

Repeat the whole procedure using a fresh 10 g sample to

obtain R2.

(vi) Then calculate R as the mean of R1 and R2 as a percentage,

expressed to the nearest 0.1 percent.
(vii) When the results differ by more than 1 percent absolute,
carry out a third sieving and calculate the mean of the three
values.
RESULTS:
1. The percentage of water required for the normal consistency of
cement =
2. Specific gravity of the given cement sample =
3. Fineness of the given cement sample =
INFERENCE:

OBSERVATION AND CALCULATION:

1. Consistency
5

S.
N
o

Percentag
Weight e of water
of
by weight
cement of
dry
(g)
cement
(%)

Amoun
t
of
Penetratio
water
n (mm)
added
(ml)

1.
2.
3.

2. Specific Gravity
Weight of the empty flask (W1) =
Weight of flask + cement (W2) =
Weight of flask + cement + kerosene (W3) =
Weight of flask + kerosene (W4) =
Specific gravity of cement = (W2 W1)/((W2-W1)-(W3-W4)*0.79
3. Fineness
Weight of cement
residue present on the
sieve (g)
1
2
3

Percentage of cement residue (%)

R1

R2

R3

Average