Quality tests are conducted on cement to check its strength and durability for different construction uses. Tests can be categorized as field tests or laboratory tests. Field tests check for lumps, texture, and float time while laboratory tests include fineness, consistency, strength, soundness, heat of hydration, and chemical composition. The fineness test measures particle size using a sieve while the consistency test determines appropriate water-cement ratio using a Vicat apparatus. The strength test involves crushing hardened cement-sand cubes in a compression machine. The soundness test ensures cement does not expand after setting using a Le Chatelier apparatus.

1. TESTING ON CEMENT
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2. TESTING ON CEMENT
Quality Tests on cement are carried out to check the strength
and quality of the cement used in construction.
It helps to identify the usage of cement for different purposes
based on its durability and performance.
It can be brought under two categories such as Field testing
and Laboratory testing.

3. FIELD TEST
It is more important to test the cement in the field. The following are
the field tests.
1. The colour of the cement should be normally greenish grey. There
should not be any visible of lumps inside the cement bag.
2. It should give a cooling feeling, When thrusts your hand into the
cement bag.
3. It should give a smooth feeling, When takes a pinch of cement and
feel between the fingers.
4. Throw the cement into a bucket full of water, The particle of
cement should float for some times before sink.

4. LABORATORY TEST
The following tests are done in laboratory,
1. Fineness test
2. Standard consistency test
3. Strength test
4. Soundness test
5. Heat of hydration test
6. Chemical composition test

5. 1. FINENESS TEST
• It measures the cement particle size and is denoted as terms
of the specific surface area of cement. The Test is done by
sieving cement sample through standard IS sieve.
• The weight cement particle whose size greater than 90
microns is determined and the percentage of the retained
particle are calculated. This is known as the Fineness of
cement.

6. • Determining the fineness of
cement by using a 90 µm IS
sieve is done as per IS 4031
(part 1) –1996.
• The standard value of
fineness of cement should
have fineness less than 10
% or fineness should not be
more than 10% as per IS
Recommendations.
Sieve Apparatus
1. FINENESS TEST

7. 2. STANDARD CONSISTENCY
• For finding out the initial setting time; final setting time;
soundness of cement and strength, standard consistency test
is carried out.
• Also to obtain a proper proportion of water to cement and to
achieve proper strength, the method is carried out.
• Standard Consistency of an ordinary Portland cement varies
between 25-35%. That means we need 25% of water in volume
to make a standard consistency of cement.

8. • The test is carried out by
Vicat apparatus in
laboratory.
• the Consistency Test of
Cement is done as per IS
Codes IS 5513-1976, IS 4031
(part 4) – 1988.
Vicat Apparatus
2. STANDARD CONSISTENCY

9. 3. STRENGTH TEST
• The compressive strength of hardened concrete is the most
important of all the properties.
• It is generally carried out by crushing cubes of
hardened cement-sand mortar in a compression machine. The
compressive strength of the cubes is determined by the
highest stress applied to a cube specimen that causes it to
fracture.
• Mortar mortar commonly composed of one part cement to
three parts sand, by weight, mixed with a defined quantity
of water. The specimen is prepared.

10. • Steel cubes of 7.06cm
moulds (50cm2 face area)
conforming to IS: 10080-
1982
• The compressive strength is
found by dividing the
compressive load at failure
of specimen to the area of
the cross section loading.
Specimen made by 1:3 (cement : sand).
The compaction of this mortar is either
done by hand compaction or vibrating
equipment for 2 minutes at 12000RPM.
The compacted cube for 24 hours at 90%
relative humidity at 27°C ±2° C.
3. STRENGTH TEST

11. 4. SOUNDNESS TEST
• The soundness of cement indicates the stability of any
cement during the volume change in the process of setting and
hardening
• It is very important that the cement after setting shall not
undergo any change in volume.
• Certain cement undergo a large expansion after setting
causing disruption.
• The test is carried out to ensure that the cement does not
show any subsequent expansion.
• The unsoundness is due to presence of excess of lime,
magnesia and sulphates.

12. • IS Code for soundness test
of cement is IS:4031-Part 3-
1988
• The maximum expansion
shall not be greater than
10mm
Le chatelier Apparatus
Soundness cement = L1-L2
L1=Measurement taken after 24 hours of
immersion in water at a temp. of 27 ± 20 C
L2=Measurement taken after 3 hours of
immersion in water at boiling
temperature.
4. SOUNDNESS TEST

13. 5. HEAT OF HYDRATION TEST
• The reaction of cement with water liberates heat, since it is
exothermal reaction.
• Much attention has been paid to heat evolved during
hydration of cement in the interior of mass concrete dams.
• It is estimated that 120 calories of heat get generated in the
hydration of one gram of cement.
• This test determines the heat of hydration of a hydraulic
cement by measuring the heat of solution of the dry
cement and the heat of solution of a separate portion of the
cement that has been partially hydrated for 7 and for 28 days.

14. 5. HEAT OF HYDRATION TEST
Heat of hydration apparatus
• IS Code for heat of hydration
test of cement is IS 4031-9
(1988)
• C3A generates 320cal/g heat
of hydration which is highest.

15. 6. CHEMICAL COMPOSITION TEST
• The ratio of the percentage of alumina to that of iron oxide
should not be less than 0.66.
• Lime Saturation Factor (LSF), i.e., the ratio of the percentage
to that of alumina, iron oxide and silica should not be less
than 0.66 and not be greater than 1.02.
• Total loss on ignition should not be greater than 4%.
• Total sulphur content should not be greater than 2.75%.
• Weight of insoluble residue should not be greater than 1.50%.
• Weight of magnesia should not be greater than 5%.

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