NORMAL CONSISTENCY AND SETTING TIME OF CEMENT Aim: To determine normal consistency and setting time of cement as per

IS 4031-1968. Apparatus: Vicat apparatus, Split mould, Glass plate, Weighing balance, stop clock. a) NORMAL CONSISTENCY OF STANDARD CEMENT PASTE: The normal or standard consistency of cement paste is defined as the consistency which will permit the 10 mm diameter Vicat plunger to penetrate the wet paste to a point 5 to 7 mm from the bottom of the mould, when the cement is tested as below and expressed as a percentage of water required for the above. 500 grams of cement is taken on a glass plate and 25 % by weight (of cement) of water is added to it. Both are mixed well, taking care to see that the time of mixing is not less than 3 minutes or not more than 5 minutes. The gauging (or mixing) time is counted from the time of adding water to the dry cement until commencing to fill the mould. The Vicat mould is filled with this paste by keeping the mould over a non-porous plate. After completely filling the mould, the top is levelled and is placed under the Vicat plunger (10 mm diameter). The plunger is gently lowered to touch the surface of the paste (in the mould) and is then quickly released, allowing it to penetrate into the paste under its own weight. The settlement of the plunger is read directly from the graduated scale. If it is between 5 to 7 mm from the bottom, then the water added is correct. Otherwise, test is to be repeated as above by preparing pastes with varying percentages of water, until the amount of water necessary to produce the required penetration of 5 to 7 mm. (b) INITIAL SETTING TIME: The setting time of cement is measured in terms of two factors, viz. the initial setting time and final setting time. Initial setting time is defined as the period of time elapsing between the time when water is added to the cement and the time at which the 1 mm square Vicat needle fails to pierce the paste by about 5 0.5 mm from the bottom of the mould. The final setting time is the time interval between the time when water is added to the cement and the time at which the annular attachment of the particular needle fails to make an impression on the surface of the test block of cement paste. Since the test for the final setting time is not likely to be finalised within the time given available in a class, the test for initial setting time only will have to be carried out. 500 grams of cement is taken and to it 85% (by weight) of water required for normal consistency, as determined earlier is added. As soon as the water is added to the cement, a stop watch is started. The mixing is done on a glass plate and after the paste has been homogeneously mixed, the Vicat mould with the non-porous base plate is filled with the paste. The top is smoothed level with a trowel and then the mould with its content is placed under the Vicat needle of 1 mm square. The needle is lowered gently till it touches the top surface of the paste and then is released and is allowed to penetrate under its own weight. In the beginning, the needle will completely pierce the paste. Then the needle is taken out of the paste and the above process is repeated after a few minutes. This is done until the needle fails to pierce the paste for 50.5 mm measured from the bottom of the mould. The time is recorded.

c) FINAL SETTING TIME: Replace the needle of 1 mm square cross section of the Vicat apparatus by the needle with an annular attachment. The cement shall be considered as finally set when upon applying the needle gently to the surface of the test block, the needle makes an impression thereon, while the attachment fails to do so. The period elapsing between the time when water is added to the cement and the time at which needle makes an impression on the surface of the test block while the attachment fails to do so shall be the final setting time. In the event of a scum forming on the surface of the test block, use the underside of the test block for the determination of the final setting time. Observations: a) Normal consistency of cement: Percentage water added Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 P = Normal consistency of given cement = % b) Initial setting time: Quantity of cement taken Quantity of water added (0.85 x P) Time of addition of water Time at which reading on scale is 50.5mm Results: Normal consistency of cement paste Initial setting time of cement paste Final setting time of cement paste Discussion: 1. What is meant by normal consistency? 2. What factors in the test procedure will affect the results of normal consistency? 3. Report whether the initial setting time of cement conforms to relevant BIS? 4. What do you understand by initial and final set of cement and what is the significance of finding the setting time? 5. What is the difference between "setting" and "hardening"? 6. Discuss the influence of various factors upon the time of set of cement. 7. What are the specified permissible Initial and final setting time for the following cements according to the respective BIS specifications? i) Portland-Pozzolana cement, ii) Portland slag cement iii) High alumina cement, iv) Hydrophobic Portland cement. = = =

Vicat reading

= = = =

gm ml

TEST FOR DETERMINATION OF COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH OF CEMENT Aim: To determine the strength of cement as represented by compressive strength tests on mortar cubes compacted by means of a standard vibration machine. Standard sand: The standard sand to be used in the test shall conform to IS 650-1966. Vibration Machine: The vibration machine consists of a frame mounted on coil springs to carry the cube mould, and a revolving shaft provided with an eccentric. By means of a balance weight beneath the base plate attached rigidly to the frame, the centre of gravity of the whole machine, including the cube and mould, is brought either to the centre of the eccentric shaft, or within a distance of 25 mm below it. In consequence of this, the revolving eccentric imparts an equal circular motion to all parts of the machine and mould, the motion being equivalent to equal vertical and horizontal simple harmonic vibrations 900 out of phase. The minimum running speed of the machine is well above its natural frequency on its supporting springs, so that the amplitude of vibration is independent of the speed. the motor should preferably be of the synchronous type, and the drive should be by means of an endless belt running on a crowned pulley on the motor and a crowned pulley on the vibration machine. The machine shall be constructed to comply with the following essential requirements: Weight of machine on its supporting springs (excluding weight of solid eccentric, but including weight of mould, mould clamp, hopper and cement cube) 301 kg `Out-of-balance' moment of eccentric shaft Normal running speed of eccentric shaft 0.001 612 97 kg m 12 000400 rpm

Poking Rod: The poking rod shall be made of non-absorptive, non-abrasive, non-brittle material, such as rubber compound having shore A durometer hardness of 8010, or seasoned teak wood rendered non-absorptive by immersion for 15 minutes in paraffin at approximately 2000C, or ebonite fibre. The poking rod shall be 150 to 175 mm long and shall have cross section of 12x25 mm with tamping face in the form of a blunt torpedo. Preparation of Test specimens Size of specimens: The test specimens shall be in the form of cubes having area of face equal to 50 sq.cm. Cube Moulds: Moulds for the cube specimens of 50 cm2 face area shall be metal not attacked by cement mortar, and there shall be sufficient material in the sides of the mould to prevent spreading and warping. The moulds shall be rigidly constructed in such a manner as to facilitate the removal of the moulded specimen without damage. The moulds shall be machined so that when assembled ready for use, the dimensions and internal faces shall be accurate to the following limits.

The height of the moulds and the distance between the opposite faces shall be 70.60 mm +0.15 mm or -0.10. The angle between adjacent interior faces and between interior faces and top and bottom planes of the mould shall be 900.5 degrees. The interior faces of the moulds shall be plane surfaces with a permissible variation of 0.15 mm. Each mould shall be provided with a base plate having a plane surface machined to a tolerance 0.15 mm and made of nonabsorbent material, preferably metal not attacked by cement mortar. The base plate shall be of such dimensions as to support the mould during the filling without leakage. The weight of the cube mould shall be such that the total weight of the machine and cube mould does not vary from the total approximate weight of 30 kg. The parts of the mould when assembled shall be positively held together, and suitable method of ensuring this, both during the filling and on a subsequent removal of the filled mould from the vibration machine, shall be provided in order to prevent the moulded specimen from damage. Mix proportions and mixing: Clean appliances shall be used for mixing and the temperature of the water and that of the test room at the time when the above operations are being performed shall be 270 20C. Place on a nonporous plate a mixture of cement and standard sand in the proportion of 1:3 by weight. Mix it dry with a trowel for one minute and then with water until the mixture is of uniform colour. The quantity of water to be used shall be as specified below. The time of mixture shall in any event be not less than 3 min. and should the time taken to obtain a uniform colour exceed 4 min, the mixture shall be rejected and the operation repeated with a fresh quantity of cement, sand and water. The material for each cube shall be mixed separately and the quantity of cement, standard sand and water shall be as follows: Cement: 200g, Standard sand:600g, Water= ((P/4)+3) percent of combined weight of cement and sand. where P is the % of water required to produce a paste of standard consistency. Note: Owing to certain practical difficulties during the transition period, the Sectional Committee has decided to permit the use of single sized Ennore sand as an alternative to the use of regarded Ennore sand conforming to IS:650-1966 for assessing the quality of cement in terms of its compressive strength. When the cement is to be tested for its compressive strength with single graded sand, the following modification may be made in the test procedure. a) The sand for test shall conform to IS: 650-1966 except that it shall pass through 850micron IS Sieve and not more than 10 percent by weight shall pass through 600-micron IS Sieve. b) The material for each cube shall be mixed separately and the quantities of cement sand and water shall be as follows: Cement=185g, Standard sand= 555g, water =((P/4)+3.5) percent of combined weight of cement and sand, where P is the percentage of water requi- red to produce a paste of standard consistency.

Moulding specimens: In assembling the moulds ready for use, cover the joints between the halves of the mould with a think film of petroleum jelly and apply a similar coating of petroleum jelly between the contact surfaces of the bottom of the mould and its base plate in order to ensure that no water escapes during vibration. Treat the interior faces of the mould with thin coating of mould oil. Place the assembled mould on the table of the vibration machine and firmly hold it in position by means of a suitable clamp. Securely attach a hopper of suitable size and shape at the top of the mould to facilitate filling and this hopper shall not be removed until completion of the vibration period. Immediately after mixing the mortar, place the mortar in the cube mould and prod with the rod specified. The mortar shall be prodded 20 times in about 8 seconds to ensure elimination of entrained air and honey combing. Place the remaining quantity of mortar in the hoper of the cube mould and prod again as specified for the first layer and then compact the mortar by vibration. The period of vibration shall be two minutes at the specified speed of 12 000400 vibrations per minute. At end of vibration remove the mould together with the base plate from the machine and finish the top surface of the cube in the mould by smoothing the surface with the blade of a trowel. Curing specimens: Keep the filled moulds at a temperature of 27020C in an atmosphere of at least 90 percent relative humidity for 24 hours after completion of vibration. At the end of that period remove them from the moulds and immediately submerge in clean fresh water and keep there until taken out just prior to breaking. The water in which the cubes are submerged shall be renewed every 7 days and shall be maintained at a temperature of 27020C. After they have been taken out and until they are broken the cubes shall not be allowed to become dry. Testing: Test three cubes for compressive strength at the period of mentioned under the relevant specifications for different hydraulic cements, the periods being reckoned from the completion of vibration. The compressive strength shall be the average of the strengths of the three cubes for each period of curing. The cubes shall be tested on their sides without any packing between the cube and the steel platens of the testing machine. One of the platens shall be carried on a base and shall be self-adjusting, and the load shall be steadily and uniformly applied, starting from zero at a rate of 350 kg/sq.cm/min. Observations: No. of specimen cast : Percentage water used : Date of casting Date of testing Ultimate Load (kN) Compressive strength (MPa)

Specimen No.

Results: Compressive strength of cement at 3 day = 7 day = 28 day = Discussion: 1. Compare your test results with the standard strength requirements specified in BIS ? 2. How are the Ordinary Portland cements classified currently by BIS according to their strength? 3. What are the specified permissible soundness for different cements according to the respective BIS specifications? ________________________________________________________________________ Describe the following test methods: 1. Alternate test method for the determination of fineness of cement 2. Alternate test method for the determination of soundness of cement.