1. The document describes a laboratory experiment to determine the fineness of cement using Blaine's air permeability test. 2. The test involves measuring the time taken for a manometer liquid to fall between marks as air is evacuated from a permeability cell containing a compacted cement sample. 3. The fineness of the tested cement sample was calculated to be 286.21 m2/kg based on the measured time, meeting the IS specification requirement of a minimum of 225 m2/kg for OPC 53 grade cement.

1. 1
ENGINEERING MATERIALS II
LABORATRY WORK
TEST FOR CEMENT
Guided By:
Prof. Anal Sheth
Prof. Pavni Pandya
Efforts by:
DAVE MADHAV UC1416
DESAI TARAL UC1616
GAJERA MANTHAN UC1716
GAJJAR ABHISHEK UC1816
GAJJAR AKASHKUMAR UC1916

2. 2
Date:27/01/2017
FINENESS OF CEMENT BY BLAINE’S AIR PERMEABILITY TEST
Aim: To determine the fineness of cement by Blaine’s air permeability test.
Reference code: IS 4031-2 (1988) –Methods of physical tests for hydraulic cement and IS 12269
Specifications for OPC 53 grade.
Significance:
 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.
 Excessive fine cement requires more water for hydration, resulting reduced strength and
durability.
 Fineness of cement affects properties like gypsum requirement, workability of fresh
concrete & long term behavior of structure.
Sampling and selection of test specimen: The cement sample taken should fulfill the requirements
mentioned in IS 3535:1986 which are given below:
a) The sampling instrument shall be clean and dry when used.
b) Precautions shall be taken to protect the sample, the material being sampled, the sampling
implement and the containers for samples from adventitious contamination.
c) The sample containers shall be of such a size that they are almost completely filled by the
sample.
d) The sample containers shall he sealed air-tight after filling and marked with full particulars of
the material and the date of sampling.
e) Samples shall be stored in such a manner that the temperature of the material does not vary
unduly from the normal temperature.
f) The place of sampling shall be clean and dry and free from draught.
Physical conditions: The temperature of moulding room, dry materials and water shall be
maintained at 27±2°C. The relative humidity of the laboratory shall be 65±5 percent.
Specifications: Fineness of cement of OPC 53 grade is minimum 225 m2
/kg as per IS code 12269-
1987.

3. 3
Apparatus:
Sr no. Apparatus Specifications
1 Flow type air permeability Conforming to IS: 5516
The apparatus consists one
each of permeability cell
12.5mm I.D., Manometer 'U'
type mounted on stand with a
built in stop cock, Perforated
disc, Plunger Rubber stopper,
Rubber tube 30cm long. Packet
of 12 filter paper discs and a
bottle of 100cc
dibutyiphthalate liquid.
2 Timer Accuracy up to 1 percent
3 Balances Capacity: 3-110 g; Accuracy: 1-
10 mg
4 Pyknometer To determine density of
cement
5 Manometer liquid Light mineral oil or dibutyl
phthalate
6 Mercury Reagent grade or better
7 Grease Ensure air tight joint
8 Filter paper Medium porosity (Mean pore
diameter): 7μ
Materials:
 Cement (OPC 53 grade here)
Air permeability apparatus

4. 4
Pyknometer
Procedure:
 Apply a thin film of grease in the apparatus.
 Place the filter paper disc followed by the cement (2.8 gm) in the cell taking care to avoid
loss of cement.
 Tap the cell to level the cement. Place a second filter paper disc on the cement and then
compress it using the plunger.
 Then slowly withdraw the plunger and then attach the permeability cell to the manometer
tube and slowly evacuate the air in the apparatus until the liquid reaches the top-level
mark.
 Then start the timer when the bottom meniscus of the liquid reaches the second mark and
stop it when the liquid reaches the third mark.
 Record the time taken for the same.
Precautions:
 The volume of the compacted cement bed should be calculated accurately.
 The time taken by the manometer liquid to fall from one mark to the other should be
measured very accurately.

5. 5
PROCRDURE SKETCH
Observation Table:
Test sample Specified sample
Time recorded(TT)=33.7 Time recorded(TS)=35.8
Fineness(ST)=? Fineness(SS)=295 m2
/kg
Calculation:
ST =
√
√
xSS
=
√ .
√ .
= 286.21 m2
/kg

6. 6
Result: The fineness of given sample of OPC 53 is 286.21 m2
/kg.
Conclusion:
The sample of the cement is suitable according to the specifications provided by the Bureau of
Indians Standards and is usable.