TESTING OF CEMENTS
Testing of cement is carried out in order to check its engineering properties and performance when
used for civil construction work.
Testing of cement can be done either of the following methods:
1) Field Test
2) Laboratory Test
Field Tests
The field test is mainly carried at the field and sufficient for minor construction work. The following
are the field test:
The colour of given sample of cement should be grey in colour.
It should feel smooth when rubbed in between fingers.
It should be free from the presence of air set lumps.
It should sink and not float over the surface of water.
It should feel cool and not warm, when hand is inserted in the bag of cement.
A thin paste of cement should feel sticky in between the fingers.
When a thick faster (paste) of cement is placed over glass plate and slowly immersed in water for 24
hours. After 24 hours, the paste of cement should set and retain its original shape along with not any
sign of cracks on the surface.
Prepared a block of 25mm x 25mm x 200mm from the given sample of cement and immersed in
water for 7 days. After 7 days the sample is removed and placed over supports 150mm apart. The
given sample of cement must not show any sign of failure under the centre point load of 340 N.
Laboratory Tests
1) Fineness Test2) Consistency Test 3) Setting time Test
4) Strength Test 5) Soundness Test 6) Specific Gravity Test
1) Fineness Test:
This test is performed in order to check the quality of grinding of the cement, that controls the rate
hydration which in turns governs the rate of setting and rate of gain of strength of cement.
The test can be done by any of the following methods:
A.) Sieve test B.) Air permeability test
A) Sieve Test:
In this test, 100 gm of cement sample is placed over IS sieve No 9 (90µ) and sieving is done for
at least 10-15 minute along with breaking of air set lumps, if formed.
After sieving the weight of cement retained over the sieve is noted.
For OPC, the weight of residue retained over the sieve must not greater than 10%.
B) Air permeability test:
The principle of the test is based upon the relationship between the flow of air through the
bed of cement particles to the specific surface area of cement particles forming the bed.
In order to perform this test, Blaine’s air permeability apparatus is used.
In this test, fineness of the cement is expressed in terms specific surface area (cm2 /gm).
For OPC, SSA should not be less than 2250 cm2 /gm.
2) Consistency test:
This test is conducted to determine a parameter knows as consistency which is being used in finding
the initial setting time, final setting time, strength test and soundness of cement.
Standard consistency is defined as consistency of the cement paste which permits the vicat plunger
of diameter 10mm and height 50mm to penetrate into the cylindrical mould of size 80mm diameter
and 40mm height filled with cement paste up to a depth of 33-35 mm form the top. (5-7mm from the
bottom)
This test is performed in order to determine the water content, required to prepared the cement paste
of standard consistency.
The water content at which the penetration of plunger upto a depth of 33-35mm is obtained is
termed as P.
For OPC, this values varies form 28%-35%.
3) Setting time test:
Setting time of cement is classified into two parts:
1) Initial setting time 2) Final setting time
Initial setting time of cement is referred as time that is measured from the instant at which
the water is added into the cement upto the time its starts losing its plasticity.
Final setting time of cement is referred as the time that is measured from the instant at which
water is added into the cement upto completely loses its plasticity and attains sufficient
firmness.
Setting time test is performed in order to find the deterioration in quality of cement during
stage.
In order to perform this test 500gm of cement sample is gauged with 0.85P (85% of the water
required to prepared the cement paste of standard consistency) and paste formed is filled in
cylindrical mould.
Initial setting time in this test termed as that time in which square needle of size 1mm
penetrates into the mould upto the depth 33-35mm from top.
Final setting time in this test termed as that time in which needle at centre of annular collar is
able to make impression over the mould but the annular collar to fails to do so.
For OPC initial setting time is 30 minutes and final setting time is 600 minutes.
Strength Test:
This test is performed to find the strength of cement. It can be carried out in
following ways:
1) Compressive Strength Test 2) Tensile Strength
1) Compressive Strength Test:
This test is performed to find the compressive strength of the cement.
In order to performed this test, standard mortar of cement and standard sand
(Ennore sand) is prepared in the proportion of 1:3 (cement: Sand) and water is
𝑃
added in the proportion of ( 4 + 3) % by weight of mortar and the prepared
paste is filled in the cubical mould of area 5000 mm2 .(width=70.6mm).
The sample is then immersed in water for sufficient duration and at specific
age of testing, it is being subjected to gradual loading of 35N/mm2/min at
failure.
An average of three test results is taken as compressive strength of cement
having a deviation 15%.
2) Tensile Strength test:
This test is performed to find the tensile strength of cement.
In order to performed the test, standard mortar is prepared by following
𝑃
same methods as discussed in compressive test with water content ( 5 +
2.5) % by weight of mortar and prepared paste is filled in standard
briquette.
It is subjected to the gradual tensile loading of 3.5 N/mm2/min upto failure.
An average of 12 sample is taken as tensile strength of cement.
Soundness Test:
The test is performed to check the volume change in cement during its
hydration process.
Unsoundness of cement is due to excess of lime, magnesia and sulphur.
Unsoundness of cement due to excess lime is determined using Le Chatelier
apparatus which consist of split cylinder of diameter and height 30 mm and
indicator arm of length 165mm.
In order to performed this test, cement is gauged with 0.78P and filled in
cylindrical mould. The mould is covered with two glass plate on top and
bottom. The whole assembly is immersed into the water at a temperature of
27°- 32° C kept there for 24 hours.
After 24 hours, the distance between the indicator arm is measured and the
mould is again submersed into water. The water is then heated gradually to
bring the temperatureupto its boiling point in 25-30 minutes and kept it at that
temperature for 24 hours.
The distance between the indicating arms again measured. The difference
between these two measurement gives the soundness of cement.
For OPC, the soundness of cement should not increase 10mm.
The limitation of this test is that it measures only soundness due to lime only.
Unsoundness in cement due to magnesia is measured using autoclave
apparatus, which is sensitive to volume change due to both lime and magnesia.
In this test, a cement specimen of size 25mm x 25mm x 282mm is prepared
and placed in a standard autoclave and the steam pressure inside the autoclave
is increased gradually upto 21 kg/sq. cm in approx. 1 hours and the pressure is
maintained for 3 hours. After that the specimen is cooled and length of the
sample is measured again.
The change in length of sample gives the soundness value of cement.
Specific Gravity test:
This test is performed to find the specific gravity of cement.
In this test, Le Chatelier flask is used.
In order to performed this test, Le Chatelier flask is placed in constant
temperature in water bath and non-polarising liquid (kerosene) is added in
it.
A 64 gm of cement sample is added in the flask and level of kerosene in it
is noted.
After that, the cement sample is stirrer continuously to remove the air from
it.
Level of kerosene is again measured in the flask which gives the specific
gravity of cement.
For OPC, specific gravity of cement is 3.15.
Type of Cements
1) Ordinary Portland Cement:
It is most important and common type of cement which is manufactured by
mixing, burning and grinding of calcareous and argillaceous compounds.
The properties of OPC are shown below:
Properties Value
Specific Gravity 3.15
Specific Surface area Should not be less than 2250
cm2/gm
Initial setting time 30 min
Final setting time 600 min
Soundness Should be less than 10mm
It is classified into three grades:
The OPC comes in three grades OPC33, OPC43 and OPC53 whose
compressive strength are shown below:
Grade Compressive Strength (N/mm2)
3 Days 7 Days 28 Days
OPC 33 16 22 33
OPC43 23 33 43
OPC53 27 37 53
2) Rapid Hardening Cement:
It is a type of cement which attains, higher rate of gain of strength.
This cement is produced by finely grinding the cement with a specific
surface area (≰ 3250 cm2/gm) and by increasing the proportion of C3S
(56%) along with lower C2S content.
This type of cement is used in pavement construction, speedy construction,
prefabricated construction, cold weather concreting.
The strength of RHC at the of 3 days is equal to strength of OPC at 7days.
Due to high rate of hydration, this cement should use in mass concrete
construction.
The cost of this cement is approx. 10% more than OPC.
3) Extra Rapid Hardening Cement:
It is a type of cement in which rate of gain of strength is even more than
RHC.
It is produced by grinding rapid hardening cement with calcium chloride
(accelerator). The percentage of calcium chloride should not exceed 2%.
This type of cement is used in pavement construction, speedy construction,
prefabricated construction, cold weather concreting.
The concrete made by using ERHC should be transported, placed,
compacted and finished within 20 minutes.
4) Quick setting time cement:
It is the type of cement which losses its plasticity comparatively earlier than
OPC.
This cement is produced by increasing the proportion of alumina and reducing
the proportion of gypsum.
This cement is used in grouting, under water concreting.
Initial setting time of this cement is 5 minutes and final setting time of cement
is 30 minutes.
5) Low Heat Cement:
It is the type of cement, which produce less heat or the same amount of
heat, at a low rate than OPC. (about 25% less than OPC)
This cement is produced by reducing the proportion of C3S and C3 A
(responsible for evolving maximum heat of hydration) and increasing the
proportion of C2S.
The cement offers slower rate of gain of strength and higher resistance
against the attack of sulphur.
The cement is used in mass concreting.
6) Sulphate resisting cement:
It is the type of cement, which offers higher resistance against sulphur.
This cement is produced by decreasing the proportion of C3A (not more than
5%), which is achieved by increasing the proportion of Fe2O3 so that C4AF
content increases at the expense of C3A.
The total content of C3A and C4AF as follow:
2C3A + C4AF ≰ 25%
This cement is used for marine conditions, foundation, sewer pipe, canal etc.
7) Portland Slag cement:
This cement is produced by mixing OPC clinker and gypsum with
granulated blast furnace slag (GBFS) in suitable proportion and the
mixture is then finely grinded.
The quantity of GBFS varies form 25-70 % in some case it varies upto
85%.
This cement offers high resistant against chloride, sulphur, acidic water
etc.
This cement is used in mass concreting, sewer pipes, marine constructions
etc.
8) Portland pozzolana cement (PPC):
This cement is produced by intergrinding cement clinkers with 15-35% of
pozzolanic materials.
Pozzolanic materials is essentially a siliceous or aluminous materials,
which in itself does not possess any binding property but when finely
grounded react with lime (Ca(OH)2) released in the hydration process
leads to formation of acompound posses binding properties.
Calcium hydroxide + Pozzolana + water = C-S-H (gel)
Silica fume, Fly ash, Rice ash husk etc are some example of pozzolanic
materials.
The cement has low cost, low heat of hydration, slower rate of gain of strength,
offers resistance against the attack of chloride and sulphate.
9) Air entraining cement:
It is a type of cement which contains tough, tiny, discrete non-coalescing
bubbles which acts as flexible ball bearing improve the workability of concrete.
This cement is produced by adding small amount of air entraining agent (not
more than 0.025-0.1%) with OPC clinker at the time of grinding.
Animal and vegetable fats, non wetting agent, aluminium powder, hydrogen
peroxide are some example of air-entraining agent.
It is highly resistive toward frost action in cold environment.
Q) What is difference between ordinary Portland cement and pozzolanic Portland cement?
Ans: The difference between OPC and PPC are as follows:
OPC PPC
OPC is produced by mixing, burning and PPC is produced by grinding OPC clinkers
grinding of calcareous and argillaceous and gypsum along with pozzolanic
compounds with some percentage of gypsum. compound (15-35%) such as fly ash, silica
fume, volcanic ash etc.
Its initial strength is high. It strength increases with time, in some cases
its final strength is more than OPC.
It produced more heat of hydration. It produces less hest of hydration.
It shows less resistance against the attack of It shows more resistance against the attack of
sulphates, chlorides, acids and other these chemicals.
chemicals.
OPC comes in three grades OPC33, OPC43 No specific grade of PPC is available.
and OPC53.
It is costly than PPC. It is less costly than OPC.