Properties of Concrete and its Test

1. PAKISTAN INSTITUTE OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
Civil engineering department

3. GROUP MEMBERS
SALMAN HAFEEZ (2kx5-civil-106)
SAJID GHAFOOR (2kx5-civil-103)
MUHAMMAD SHAHID (2kx5-civil-105)
MUHAMMAD HASNAIN SAEED (2kx5-civil-116)

5. FINENESS OF CEMENT
TEST

6. FINENESS OF CEMENT
OVERVIEW:
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.
ASTM Standard: C786 / C786M - 10
APPARATUS:
Pan
Lid
Sieve
Weight Balance ( Least Count 10mg)

7. FINENESS OF CEMENT
PROCEDURE:
• Attach a pan under the sieve to collect the cement passing the sieve.
• Weigh approximately 10 g of cement and place it on the sieve.
• Fit the lid over the sieve.
• Agitate the sieve by swirling, planetary and linear movement until no more
fine material passes through it.
• Remove and weigh the residue. Express its mass as a percentage (R1) of the
quantity first placed in the sieve.
• Repeat the steps 3 to 5 with a fresh sample to obtain R2.
Note: If R1 & R2 differ by more than 1%, then carryout a third sieving and calculate R3.

8. FINENESS OF CEMENT
ASTM SPECIFICATION: (American Society for Testing and Materials)
For 100g sample, if
Weight of Residue < 10g, Cement is Fresh.
Weight of Residue > 10g, Cement is not fresh.
CALCULATION:
% Fineness of Cement = (W1-W2)/W1 x 100
W1= Total Weight of Cement
W2=Weight of Residue

9. FINENESS OF CEMENT
TECHNICAL DISCUSSIONS:
• Fineness of cement has a great effect on the rate of hydration and hence the
rate of gain of strength.
• Fineness of cement increases the rate of evolution of heat.
• Finer cement offers a great surface area for hydration and hence faster the
development of strength.
• Increase in fineness of cement also increases the drying shrinkage of
concrete and hence creates cracks in structures.
• Excessive fineness requirement increases cost of grinding.

10. CONSISTENCY TEST OF
CEMENT

11. CONSISTENCY TEST OF CEMENT
OVERVIEW:
The standard consistency of a cement paste is defined as that
consistency which will permit the Vicat plunger to penetrate to a
point 5 to 7mm from the bottom of the Vicat mould.
ASTM Standard: C187
APPARATUS:
Vicat apparatus
Stop Watch
Beaker
Weight Balance (Least Count 01g)

12. PARTS OF VICAT APPARATUS

13. CONSISTENCY TEST OF CEMENT
PROCEDURE:
• Weigh approximately 400g of cement and mix it with a weighed quantity
of water. The time of gauging should be between 3 to 5 minutes.
• Fill the Vicat mould with paste and level it with glass plate.
• Lower the plunger gently till it touches the cement surface.
• Release the plunger allowing it to sink into the paste.
• Note the reading on the gauge.
• Repeat the above procedure taking fresh samples of cement and different
quantities of water until the reading on the gauge is 5 to 7mm.

14. CONSISTENCY TEST OF CEMENT
CALCULATION:
Calculate percentage of water (P)
W=Quantity of water added
C=Quantity of cement used
TECHNICAL DISCUSSION:
This test helps to determine water content for other tests like initial and final
setting time, soundness & compressive strength.
C
W x 100P =

15. SETTING TIME OF
CEMENT

16. SETTING TIME OF CEMENT
OVERVIEW:
Initial setting time is that time period between the time water is added to
cement and time at which 1 mm square section needle fails to penetrate the cement
paste but make an impression.
Final setting time is that time period between the time water is added to
cement and the time at which 5 mm needle attachment does not make any
impression.
ASTM Standard: C191 - 13
APPARATUS:
Vicat apparatus
Stop Watch
Beaker
Weight Balance

17. SETTING TIME OF CEMENT
PROCEDURE:
(A) TEST BLOCK PREPARATION:
• Take 400 g of cement and prepare a neat cement paste with 0.85P of water
by weight of cement.
• Gauge time is kept between 3 to 5 minutes. Start the stop watch at the
instant when the water is added to the cement. Record this time (t1).
• Fill the mould completely and smooth off the surface of the paste making it
level with the top of the mould. The cement block thus prepared is called
test block.

18. SETTING TIME OF CEMENT
PROCEDURE:
(B) INITIAL SETTING TIME:
• Place the test block confined in the mould
• Lower the needle gently until it comes in contact with the surface of test
block and quick release, allowing it to penetrate into the test block.
• In the beginning the needle completely penetrate the test block. Repeat this
procedure i.e. quickly releasing the needle after every 2 minutes till the
needle fails to penetrate the block and make only an impression. Note this
time (t2).

19. SETTING TIME OF CEMENT
PROCEDURE:
(C) FINAL SETTING TIME
• For determining the final setting time, replace the needle of the Vicat’s
apparatus
• Lower the needle gently until it comes in contact with the surface of test
block and quick release.
• When needle attachment does not make any impression. This is the final
setting time of cement. Record this time (t3).

20. SETTING TIME OF CEMENT
CALCULATION:
Initial setting time = t2-t1
Final setting time = t3-t1,
t1= Time at which water is first added to cement
t2= Time when 1sq.mm needle fails to penetrate
t3= Time when 5 sq.mm needle makes no impression.

21. SETTING TIME OF CEMENT
STANDARD SPECIFICATION:
Type/Name Of
Cement
Referenced Indian
Standard
Initial Setting Time,
mints (min.)
Final Setting Time,
mints (max.)
OPC(33) IS:269 30 600
OPC(43) IS:8112 30 600
OPC(53) IS:12269 30 600
High alumina IS:6452 30 600
Super sulphated IS:6909 30 600
Low heat IS:12600 60 600
Masonry cement IS:3466 90 1440

22. SOUNDNESS
OF CEMENT TEST

23. SOUNDNESS OF CEMENT
OVERVIEW:
In the soundness test a specimen of hardened cement paste is boiled for
a fixed time so that any tendency to expand is speeded up and can be detected.
Soundness means the ability to resist volume expansion.
ASTM Standard: C189-49
APPARATUS:
Le-chatelier apparatus
Water bath
Weight Balance
Burner

24. SOUNDNESS OF CEMENT
PROCEDURE:
• Prepare a paste by adding 0.78 times the water required to give a paste of
standard consistency.
• Lightly oil the Le-chatelier mould and place it on a lightly oiled glass
sheet.
• Fill the mould with the prepared cement paste. In the process of filling the
mould keep the edge of the mould gently together.
• Cover the mould with another piece of lightly oiled glass sheet, place a
small weight on this covering glass sheet.

25. • Submerge the whole assembly in water at a temperature of 27 ± 20C and
keep there for 24 hours.
• Remove the whole assembly from water bath and measure the distance
separating the indicator points to the nearest 0.5 mm (L1).
• Again submerge the whole assembly in water bath and bring the
temperature of water bath to boiling temperature in 25 to 30 minutes. Keep
it at boiling temperature for a period of 3 hours.
• After completion of 3 hours, allow the temperature of the water bath to cool
down to room temperature and remove the whole assembly from the water
bath.
• Measure the distance between the two indicator points to the nearest 0.5
mm (L2).
SOUNDNESS OF CEMENT

26. SOUNDNESS OF CEMENT
CALCULATIONS:
Soundness/expansion of cement = L1-L2
L1=Measurement taken after 24 hours of immersion in water.
L2=Measurement taken after 3 hours of immersion in water at boiling temperature.
Difference between L1 & L2 should not more then 10mm.

27. SOUNDNESS OF CEMENT
TECHNICAL DISCUSSIONS:
• Volume expansion in cement mortar or in cement concrete is caused by the
presence of unburnt lime (CaO), dead burnt MgO and also CaSO4.
• Presence of unburnt lime may develop cracks in the cement because of increase
in volume.
• Free lime (CaO) and magnesia (MgO) are known to react with water very
slowly and increase in volume considerably, which result in cracking, distortion
and disintegration.

28. TENSILE STRENGTH
OF CEMENT TEST

29. TENSILE STRENGTH OF CEMENT
OVERVIEW:
Determination of the tensile strength of cement mortars using briquette
specimens
ASTM Standard: WK47208
Apparatus:
Briquette molds
Small steel trowels
Weight Balance
Briquette Testing Machine

30. TENSILE STRENGTH OF CEMENT
PROCEDURE:
• The proportions of the standard mortar shall be 1 part cement (300 grams)
with 3 parts of Sand (900 grams) for 6 specimens. The amount of water
0.40 (WCR) will be added.
• Coat the briquettes with a thin film of mineral oil.
• The briquettes should now be filled with the mortar. Fill the molds heaping
full without compaction.
• Extract the cement block from briquettes mould after 24 hours.

31. TENSILE STRENGTH OF CEMENT
PROCEDURE:
• All specimens should be tested within a specified time period.
• Any loose grains of sand or other extraneous material should be removed from
the surfaces in contact with the testing machine. The specimen should be
centered in the clips and the pressure applied at the rate of 2.67 ± 0.11 kN (600
± 25 lb)/minute.
Test Age Permissible Time Tolerance
24 hours ± ½ hour
3 days ± 1 hour
7 days ± 3 hours
28 days ± 12 hours

32. COMPRESSIVE
STRENGTH OF CEMENT
TEST

33. COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH OF CEMENT
OVERVIEW:
Compressive strength of cement is determined by compressive strength
test on mortar cubes compacted by means of a standard vibration machine. The
specimen is in the form of cubes 70.6mm*70.6mm*70.6mm.
ASTM Standard: D1633 - 00
APPARATUS:
Trowel
Vibration Table
Cube / Cylinder mould
Compression Testing Machine

34. COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH OF CEMENT
PROCEDURE:
• Take 200 g of cement and 600 g of standard sand and mix them dry
thoroughly.
• Add {(P/4)+3}% of water (where P is % of water required for preparing
paste of standard consistency) to the dry mix of cement and sand and mix
thoroughly for 3 to 4 mins.
• Place the thoroughly cleaned and oiled mould on the vibrating machine and
hold it in position by clamps
• Fill the mould with entire quantity of mortar using a suitable hopper
attached to the top of the mould for facility of filling and vibrate it for 2
minutes

35. COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH OF CEMENT
PROCEDURE:
• Remove the mould from the machine and keep it in a place for 24 hours.
• At the end of 24 hrs remove the cube from the mould and immediately
submerge in fresh clean water.
• Prepare at least 6 cubes in the manner explained above.
• Place the test cube on the platform of a compressive testing machine
without any packing between the cube and the plates of the testing
machine.
• Apply the load steadily and uniformly, starting from zero at a rate of 35
N/mm2/minute.

36. COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH OF CEMENT
CALCULATION:
Compressive Strength
P=Maximum load applied to the cube. (N)
A=Cross sectional area (Calculated from the mean dimensions) (mm2)
TECHNICAL DISCUSSIONS:
Compressive strength is influenced by the cement type, or more precisely, the
compound composition and fineness of cement.
A
P
=