COLLEGE OF MILITARY ENGINEERING

SOIL ENGINEERING AND MATERIAL TESTING WING

INSTRUCTOR’S LESSON PLAN

COURSE : Training Programme : Testing Procedures In Labs

CODE NO

SUBJECT : Testing of Building materials and Concrete

TOPIC : Compressive Strength of Cement

PERIODS (TOTAL) : 7

TYPE OF LESSON : Theory (1)+ Practical (6)

TUTORIALS/ASSIGNMENTS - NIL-

REFERENCES: Specification IS : 269,8112,12269

Method of test IS: 4031 (Part 6)

LESSON OBJECTIVE
1. Object
2. Apparatus
3. Procedure
4. Casting of Cement Cube
5. Testing of Cement cube
6. Acceptance Criteria
 COLLEGE OF MILITARY ENGINEERING
SOIL ENGINEERING AND MATERIAL TESTING WING

SUBJECT Testing of Building materials and Concrete

COURSE Training Programme : Testing Procedures In Labs

1. OBJECT
To determine the Compressive Strength of Cement expressed in N/mm2 which is calculated by
dividing the maximum load applied to the cement cube during the test by cross sectional area.

2. APPARATUS :
70.6 mm X 70.6 mm cube moulds, apparatus for gauging and mixing mortar, compression
testing machine.
3. PROCEDURE:
1. Gauge a mixer of cement and standard sand ( Ennore sand) in the proportion of 1:3 by weight
and add water of quantity (P/4 + 3.0 ) percent of combined weight of cement and sand , where
P to the percent of water required to produce a paste of standard consistency .
2. Fill the cube mould by compacting it for 2 minutes on a vibrating machine at a speed of 12,000 ±
400 vibration per minutes.
3. Smoothen the top surface of the cubes with flat side of a trowel .
4. Immediately on completion of moulding, place the cube moulds in an atmosphere of 27 oC ± 2
o
C and relatively humidity over 90 % . After 24 hours remove the specimen from the moulds and
keep them in water till tested.
5. Test the cubes at three days , 7 days , age in the compression testing machine at such a rate that
maximum load is reached in 80 to 100 seconds.
6. Report to average compressive strength in MPa or N /mm2 ( or kg / cm 2 )

4. CASTING OF CEMENT CUBE:

a. Gauge cement and Indian sand in the proportion of 1:3 by weight using (P/4 + 3.0) % of water.
b. Fill the cube mould by compacting it for 2 minutes on a vibrating machine (12,000 ± 400
vibration per minutes).
c. Smoothen the top surface & place the cube moulds in an atmosphere of 27 oC ± 2 oC and
relative humidity over 90 % .After 24 hours remove the specimen from the moulds and keep
them in water till tested.
 5. TESTING OF CEMENT CUBE:
Test the cubes at 3 days, 7 days, 28 days age in the compression testing machine at such a rate
that maximum load is reached in 80 to 100 seconds. Report to average compressive strength in
MPa or N /mm2 ( or kg / cm 2 )
6. ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA :
For ordinary Portland cement

Compressive Strength in MPa 33 Grade 43 grade 53 grade

(Min)

3 day 16 23 27

7 day 22 33 37

28 day 33 43 53