Portland Cement Fineness

Fineness, or particle size of portland cement affects hydration rate and thus the rate of strength
gain. The smaller the particle size, the greater the surface area-to-volume ratio, and thus, the
more area available for water-cement interaction per unit volume. The effects of
greater finenesson strength are generally seen during the first seven days (PCA, 1988[1]).

Standard Test Methods

 AASHTO T 98 and ASTM C 115: Fineness of Portland Cement by the Turbidimeter.
 AASHTO T 128 and ASTM C 184: Fineness of Hydraulic Cement by the 150-m (No.
100) and 75-m (No. 200) Sieves
Portland Cement Soundness
When referring to portland cement, “soundness” refers to the ability of a hardened cement
pasteto retain its volume after setting without delayed destructive expansion (PCA, 1988[1]). This
destructive expansion is caused by excessive amounts of free lime (CaO) or magnesia (MgO).
Most portland cement specifications limit magnesia content and expansion. The typical
expansion test places a small sample of cement paste into an autoclave (a high pressure steam
vessel). The autoclave is slowly brought to 2.03 MPa (295 psi) then kept at that pressure for 3
hours. The change in specimen length due to its time in the autoclave is measured and reported
as a percentage. ASTM C 150, Standard Specification for Portland Cement specifies a maximum
autoclave expansion of 0.80 percent for all portland cement types.

Standard Test Methods

 AASHTO T 107 and ASTM C 151: Autoclave Expansion of Portland Cement

ASTM C151 / C151M - 18

Standard Test Method for Autoclave

Expansion of Hydraulic Cement

NORMAL CONSISTENCY

ASTM C187 - 16

Standard Test Method for Amount of Water

Required for Normal Consistency of Hydraulic
Cement Paste
Active Standard ASTM C187 | Developed by Subcommittee: C01.22

Book of Standards Volume: 04.01

ASTM C-187

Normal Consistency of Hydraulic Cement

(ASTM C109 COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH OF HYDRAULIC CEMENT MORTAR)

ASTM C109 / C109M - 16a

Standard Test Method for Compressive

Strength of Hydraulic Cement Mortars (Using
2-in. or [50-mm] Cube Specimens)

ASTM C9-40

Specification for Compressive Strength of

Portland Cement (Withdrawn 1941)

Portland Cement Compressive Strength

The most common strength test, compressive strength, is carried out on a 50 mm (2-inch) cement
mortar test specimen. The test specimen is subjected to a compressive load (usually from a
hydraulic machine) until failure. This loading sequence must take no less than 20 seconds and no
more than 80 seconds. Table 2 shows ASTM C 150 compressive strength specifications.

Standard Test Methods

 AASHTO T 106 and ASTM C 109: Compressive Strength of Hydraulic Cement Mortars
(Using 50-mm or 2-in. Cube Specimens)
  ASTM C 349: Compressive Strength of Hydraulic Cement Mortars (Using Portions of
Prisms Broken in Flexure)

ASTM C191 - 18a

Standard Test Methods for Time of Setting of

Hydraulic Cement by Vicat Needle
ASTM C191 – 08 Setting Time

Portland Cement Setting Time

Cement paste setting time is affected by a number of items including: cement fineness, water-
cement ratio, chemical content (especially gypsum content) and admixtures. Setting tests are
used to characterize how a particular cement paste sets. For construction purposes, the initial set
must not be too soon and the final set must not be too late. Additionally, setting times can give
some indication of whether or not a cement is undergoing normal hydration (PCA, 1988[1]).
Normally, two setting times are defined (Mindess and Young, 1981[2]):

1. Initial set. Occurs when the paste begins to stiffen considerably.

2. Final set. Occurs when the cement has hardened to the point at which it can sustain some
load.

These particular times are just arbitrary points used to characterize cement, they do not have any
fundamental chemical significance. They describe the setting of the cement and are not tied to
the setting time of concrete.

Both common setting time tests, the Vicat needle and the Gillmore needle, define initial set and
final set based on the time at which a needle of particular size and weight either penetrates a
cement paste sample to a given depth or fails to penetrate a cement paste sample. The Vicat
needle test is more common and tends to give shorter times than the Gillmore needle test. Table
1 shows ASTM C 150 specified set times.
 Test Method Set Type Time Specification

Vicat Initial ≥ 45 minutes

Final ≤ 375 minutes

Gillmore Initial ≥ 60 minutes

Final ≤ 600 minutes

Standard Test Methods

 AASHTO T 131 and ASTM C 191: Time of Setting of Hydraulic Cement by Vicat
Needle
 AASHTO T 154: Time of Setting of Hydraulic Cement by Gillmore Needles
 ASTM C 266: Time of Setting of Hydraulic-Cement Paste by Gillmore Needles

Portland Cement Loss on Ignition

Loss on ignition is calculated by heating up a cement sample to 900 – 1000°C (1650 – 1830°F)
until a constant weight is obtained. The weight loss of the sample due to heating is then
determined. A high loss on ignition can indicate prehydration and carbonation, which may be
caused by improper and prolonged storage or adulteration during transport or transfer (PCA,
1988[1]).

Standard Test Methods

 AASHTO T 105 and ASTM C 114: Chemical Analysis of Hydraulic Cement

ASTM C 114 Loss on Ignition

ASTM C186 - 17

Standard Test Method for Heat of Hydration of

Hydraulic Cement

ASTM C1702 - 17

Standard Test Method for Measurement of

Heat of Hydration of Hydraulic Cementitious
Materials Using Isothermal Conduction
Calorimetry

ASTM C29 / C29M - 17a

Standard Test Method for Bulk Density (“Unit

Weight”) and Voids in Aggregate

BULK DENSITY OF CEMENT TO ASTM C91