BS 915 PT 2

Licensed Copy: Technical Information Services Dept .
, CNL Technical Information Services, 21 August 2003, Uncontrolled Copy, (c) BSI
British Standard
A single copy of this British Standard is licensed to

Technical Information Services Dept .
21 August 2003
This is an uncontrolled copy. Ensure use of the most

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BRITISH STANDARD BS 915-2:1972
Incorporating
Amendments Nos. 1,
2, 3, 4 and 5
Licensed Copy: Technical Information Services Dept ., CNL Technical Information Services, 21 August 2003, Uncontrolled Copy, (c) BSI
Specification for high

alumina cement —
Part 2: Metric units
ICS 91.100.10
12&23<,1*:,7+287%6,3(50,66,21(;&(37$63(50,77('%<&23<5,*+7/$:
BS 915-2:1972
Committees responsible for this

British Standard
The preparation of this British Standard was entrusted by Technical

Committee B/516, Cement and lime, to Subcommittee B/516/6, Cement
specifications, upon which the following bodies were represented:
British Cement Association

British Precast Concrete Federation Ltd
Cementitious Slag Makers’ Association (CSMA)
County Surveyors’ Society
DTI — represented by BRE
Electricity Association
Environment Agency
Highways Agency
Quarry Products Association
Society of Chemical Industry
United Kingdom Quality Ash Association (UKQAA)
This British Standard, having

been approved by the Cement,
Lime and Gypsum Products
Industry Standards
Committee, was published
under the authority of the
Executive Board on
12 September 1972
© BSI 8 April 2003
First published July 1940

Amendments issued since publication
First revision November 1947
Part 2: Metric units, Amd. No. Date Comments
September 1972
2618 June 1978
The following reference relates
to the work on this standard: 3411 November 1980
Committee reference B/516/6
4287 June 1983
8341 January 1995
14345 8 April 2003 Indicated by a sideline

ISBN 0 580 07267 3
BS 915-2:1972
Contents
Page
Co-operating organizations Inside front cover

Foreword ii
1 Composition and manufacture of cement 1
2 Tests 1
3 Fineness 1
4 Chemical composition 1
5 Strength 1
6 Setting time 1
7 Soundness 2
8 Sampling 2
9 Text deleted 2
10 Tests and manufacturer’s certificates 2
11 Delivery 2
Appendix A Determination of fineness by sieving 3
Appendix B Text deleted 3
Appendix C Text deleted 3
Appendix D Text deleted 3
Publications referred to 5
© BSI 8 April 2003 i

BS 915-2:1972
Foreword
This Part of this standard has been prepared as a metric version of the 1947
imperial edition which was withdrawn in 1977. It includes all the amendments
made up to the date of publication of this Part 2, as indicated by marginal notes
in the text.
This Part of the standard has been prepared in accordance with the change to the
metric system in the construction industry, giving values in terms of SI units. For
further information on SI units, reference should be made to BS 3763, “The
International System of units (SI)”.
The values in Part 2 represent the equivalent of the values in imperial units in
BS 915:1947, rounded to convenient numbers. Although the values are not exact
equivalents of the imperial ones, this Part is not a technical revision of the
standard.
It is intended to produce a technical revision of this standard in the near future
but it was considered desirable that the foreword to the 1947 edition should be
retained in this edition to illustrate the historical background and it is therefore
reproduced below.
“This revision of this British Standard, which was first published in 1940,
introduces modifications which were recently incorporated in the revision of
BS 12, “Portland Cement”.
The compressive strength test has been improved. During the war years some of
the vibration machines needed to compact the cubes for this test proved to be
unsatisfactory. The causes of this trouble have been carefully investigated and a
detailed specification and drawings have been prepared describing a reliable
machine.
An alternative test for fineness has been introduced. The sieve test is retained,
but as this test only measures the proportion of coarse material in the cement,
and as it is sometimes important to know the fineness of the finer material the
new test is recommended. It measures the surface area of the particles of cement
per unit weight (known as the “specific surface”). Either test may be used.
The clauses have been re-arranged and in some cases shortened by relegating to
appendices descriptions of how tests are carried out.”
CAUTION. Hydrated high alumina cement undergoes chemical changes, which include a process
known as conversion. This leads to loss of concrete strength and reduced chemical resistance. The
precise way in which conversion occurs and the effect upon strength and chemical resistance depend
on the water: cement ratio, temperature and/or humidity of the concrete during curing and
throughout its subsequent life. Guidance on the correct use of high alumina cement should be sought
from the manufacturers and current specialized publications.
NOTE The titles of the British Standards referred to in this standard appear on the inside back
cover.
In this amendment the compressive strength test has been revised to permit the
use of test equipment introduced in 1996 for the strength test for Portland cement
and aligns it with that in the developing European Standard for calcium
aluminate cements. It is introduced at this time to allow manufacturers and test
laboratories to use the same equipment as for testing other cements and to phase
out otherwise obsolete mortar cube equipment. The compressive strengths are
measured at 6 h and 24 h (rather than 24 h and 3 days). These ages are more
typical of current conformity tests for strength and reflect the rapid strength
development and current use of high alumina cement.
It is anticipated that a European Standard for high alumina cement will be
available in 2004.
This publication does not purport to include all the necessary provisions of a
contract. Users are responsible for its correct application.
Compliance with a British Standard does not of itself confer immunity
from legal obligations.
Summary of pages
This document comprises a front cover, an inside front cover, pages i and ii,
pages 1 to 5 and a back cover.
The BSI copyright notice displayed in this document indicates when the
document was last issued.
Sidelining in this document indicates the most recent changes by amendment.
ii © BSI 8 April 2003

BS 915-2:1972
1 Composition and manufacture of cement

The cement shall be manufactured by fusing aluminous and calcareous materials to a completely molten
state and grinding the resulting clinker so as to produce a cement capable of complying with the
requirements of this standard. No materials, other than water, shall be added after fusing1).
2 Tests
The sample or samples taken, as described in Clause 8 shall be tested in the manner specified for:
1) fineness;
2) chemical composition;
3) strength;
4) setting time;
5) soundness.
3 Fineness
The cement shall be tested for fineness either by the method described in Appendix A, or by the method
described in BS EN 196-6, and shall give the following results.
Method 1. After sieving, the residue by weight on a 90 4m BS 410 test sieve shall not exceed 8 %.
Method 2. The cement shall have a specific surface of not less than 225 m2/kg.
4 Chemical composition
The cement shall comply with the following conditions as to its chemical composition.
1) The total alumina content shall be not less than 32 % by weight of the whole.
2) The ratio of the percentage by weight of alumina (Al2O3) to the percentage by weight of lime (CaO)
shall be not less than 0.85 not more than 1.3.
5 Strength
When tested in accordance with BS EN 196-1 at 6 h and 24 h, using a specific composition for the mortar
of 1 350 g of CEN Standard sand, 500 g of high alumina cement, and 200 g of water, i.e. a water to cement
ratio of 0.40, the compressive strength shall be not less than 18.0 MPa at (6 h ± 15 min) and 40.0 MPa
at 24 h ± 15 min).
All specimens shall be demoulded after (6 h ± 15 min). Specimens to be tested at 6 h shall be tested
immediately after demoulding. Specimens to be tested at 24 h shall be stored in water, after demoulding,
in accordance with BS EN 196-1 until required for testing.
NOTE 1 High alumina cements are very rapid hardening so strengths at ages greater than 24 h are not relevant. It is traditional to
test conformity compliance for strength at these ages.
NOTE 2 Values obtained from these tests should not be used for design purposes for concrete. Separate tests using the mix
proportions proposed for the works should be carried out.
6 Setting time
6.1 Initial setting time
The initial setting time, determined in accordance with BS EN 196-3, shall be not less than 2 h.
6.2 Final setting time
The final setting time, determined in accordance with BS EN 196-3, shall be not more than 8 h.
1) Traces of metallic iron from the grinding process are not to be regarded as an addition.
© BSI 8 April 2003 1

BS 915-2:1972
7 Soundness
The cement, when tested for soundness by the method described in BS EN 196-3, shall not have an
expansion of more than 1 mm.
8 Sampling
If a sample is required for independent tests, it shall be taken, at the option of the purchaser or his
representative, before or within one week after delivery of the cement by the method described in
BS EN 196-7. The tests shall be commenced within four weeks of delivery. If the vendor2) so desires, he or
his representative shall be present at the sampling.
9 Text deleted
10 Tests and manufacturer’s certificates

The manufacturer shall satisfy himself that the cement conforms to the requirements of this
British Standard and, if requested, shall forward a certificate to this effect to the purchaser or his
representative. Any cement which does not comply with the whole of the tests and analyses specified above,
may be rejected as not complying with the requirements of this British Standard.
If the purchaser or his representative requires independent tests the samples shall be taken before or
within one week of delivery at the option of the purchaser or his representative, and the tests shall be
carried out in accordance with the requirements of this British Standard on the written instructions of the
purchaser or his representative. The manufacturer shall supply, free of charge, the cement required for
testing. Unless otherwise specified in the enquiry and order, the cost of the tests shall be borne as follows:
1) by the manufacturer in the event of the results showing that the cement does not comply with the
requirements of this British Standard;
2) by the purchaser in the event of the results showing that the cement complies with the requirements
of this British Standard.
11 Delivery
Unless otherwise agreed between the purchaser and the vendor the cement shall be packed in bags or steel
drums, twenty to the tonne, or in steel drums, six to the tonne bearing the manufacturer’s name or
registered mark. These weights shall be legibly marked upon the packages.
2)For the purposes of this standard, the term “vendor” means the seller of the cement whether he be the manufacturer of the
cement or not.
2 © BSI 8 April 2003

BS 915-2:1972
Appendix A Determination of fineness by sieving

A.1 Scope
This method covers the procedure for determining the fineness of cement as represented by the residue on
a 90 4m full tolerance BS 410 sieve.
A.2 Procedure
100 g of cement shall be sieved continuously for a period of 15 min on a 90 4m BS 410 test sieve. The
residue shall be weighed and shall not exceed the values in Clause 3.
Air-set lumps in the samples may be broken down with the fingers but nothing shall be rubbed on the sieve.
Appendix B Text deleted
Appendix C Text deleted
Appendix D Text deleted

4blank
BS 915-2:1972
Publications referred to
This standard makes reference to the following British Standards:

BS 410, Test sieves.
BS 4550, Methods of testing cement.
BS 4550-1, Sampling.
BS 4550-3, Physical tests.
BS EN 196, Methods of testing cement.
BS EN 196-1, Determination of strength.
BS EN 196-3, Determination of setting time and soundness.
BS EN 196-6, Determination of fineness.
BS EN 196-7, Methods of taking and preparing samples of cement.

BS 915-2:1972
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Licensed Copy: Technical Information Services Dept .

A single copy of this British Standard is licensed to

This is an uncontrolled copy. Ensure use of the most

Specification for high

Committees responsible for this

The preparation of this British Standard was entrusted by Technical

British Cement Association

This British Standard, having

© BSI 8 April 2003

First published July 1940

8341 January 1995

14345 8 April 2003 Indicated by a sideline

Co-operating organizations Inside front cover

© BSI 8 April 2003 i

ii © BSI 8 April 2003

1 Composition and manufacture of cement

© BSI 8 April 2003 1

10 Tests and manufacturer’s certificates

2 © BSI 8 April 2003

Appendix A Determination of fineness by sieving

Appendix B Text deleted

Appendix C Text deleted

Appendix D Text deleted

© BSI 8 April 2003 3

This standard makes reference to the following British Standards:

© BSI 8 April 2003 5

BSI — British Standards Institution

international level. It is incorporated by Royal Charter.

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