BITS Pilani, Pilani Campus

BITS Pilani, Pilani Campus

 Dimensional range of solids and pores in a hydrated
cement paste

BITS Pilani, Pilani Campus

Diagrammatic model of the types of water
associated with the calcium silicate hydrate

BITS Pilani, Pilani Campus

Changes in the capillary porosity with varying
water-cement ratio and degree of hydration

BITS Pilani, Pilani Campus

BITS Pilani, Pilani Campus
Types of cement

BITS Pilani, Pilani Campus

BITS Pilani, Pilani Campus
Ordinary Portland Cement
33 grade 43 grade 53 grade

BITS Pilani, Pilani Campus

Both cement and insoluble residues have an irregular, angular and crushed
shaped with no spheres. These pictures confirm that the insoluble residue has
little effect of normal consistency since cement and insoluble residue had the
same shaped particles.

Cement

Scanning electron microscopy of insoluble residue

BITS Pilani, Pilani Campus
Physical requirement

Physical requirement Method of testing 33 Grade 43 Grade 53 Grade

Setting time
Initial (min) Vicat apparatus 30 30 30
Final (max) 600 600 600

BITS Pilani, Pilani Campus

 Standard Consistency
Standard consistency is that
consistency which will permit a
Vicat plunger having 10 mm
diameter and 50 mm length to
penetrate to a depth of 33-35 mm
from the top of the mould.

Initial and final setting – 0.85 P

Soundness – 0.78 P
P = water required to give paste of
standard consistency
BITS Pilani, Pilani Campus
Setting time

• Cement paste is sufficiently rigid to withstand a definite amount of pressure –

setting time

• Initial setting – The period elapsed between the time when water is added to
the cement and the time at which needle (C) penetrates the test block to a
depth equal to 33-35 mm from top

• Cement shall be considered as finally set, when upon lowering the circular
needle (F) gently cover the surface of test block, the central needle makes an
impression, while circular cutting edge fails to do so.

BITS Pilani, Pilani Campus

Soundness

• Cement after setting shall not undergo any appreciable change of volume
(known as unsound)

• Le-Chatelier method

• 0.78 P water

• For OPC, rapid hardening and low heat cement – 10 mm

BITS Pilani, Pilani Campus