Experiment No.

1
Determination of Normal Consistency of Hydraulic
Cement Using Vicat’s Apparatus
1.1 Introduction
Cement is a hydraulic binder, i.e. a finely ground inorganic material which, when mixed with
water, forms a paste which sets and hardens by means of a series of hydration reactions
and processes and which, after hardening, retains specified strength level and also long-
term volume stability, even under water. As it forms bonding after reacting with water,
therefore also termed as “hydraulic cement”.
It is necessary to mix adequate quantity of water with dry cement to make a cement paste
of desired wetness. If the quantity of water added is adequately less or higher than that
required to obtain desired wetness of cement paste, the paste might not be useful for any
purpose. Therefore the amount of water content which will produce a cement paste of
standard consistence or wetness is termed as the normal consistency of that cement.
Normal consistency is a standard measure of plasticity of a cement paste. It also refers to
the ability of a cement paste to flow and hence measure of workability of the cement.
Normal consistency is an important parameter which is required for determination of some
other quality tests of cement such as- times of set, compressive & tensile strengths, and
soundness tests for the same cement. Normal or standard consistency is expressed as that
percentage of water, by mass of dry cement.
Normal consistency of cement can be affected significantly by some other parameters-
fineness of cement, temperature, method of mixing water, percentage of admixtures or
pozzolans (e.g., fly ash) in cement etc. Normal consistency for ordinary Portland cement
(e.g., OPC – Type I) varies from 22-30% whereas for blended cements (e.g., Portland
Composite Cement, PCC) the range is little higher than OPC usually 26 to 33%.
In this class the test will be conducted according to ASTM standard specification C187-16.
According to the specification, normal consistency is determined by the Vicat’s apparatus,
which measures the depth of penetration in the cement paste of a 10 mm diameter plunger
under its own weight. The water content at which the plunger will penetrate from top surface
into cement paste about 10 ± 1 mm within 30 sec is considered as the normal consistency
of that cement. Normal consistency is also called standard consistency.

1.2 Apparatus
Vicat’s Apparatus:
The detail of Vicat‟s apparatus is shown in Figure-1. It consists of a frame „A‟ having a
movable rod „B‟ made of stainless steel. The rod „B‟ has one end „C‟, the plunger end of 10
mm diameter and about 50 mm length and another end is a removable needle „D‟ of 1 mm
diameter and about 50 mm length. The rod „B‟ is reversible; and can be held in any desired
position by a set screw „E‟, and has an adjustable indicator „F‟ which moves over a scale
(graduated in millimetre) attached to the frame „A‟. The cement paste is held in a rigid
conical ring „G„ (made of non-corroding, non-absorbent material) which is being placed on a
100 mm sq. glass plate „H‟. Requirements for different parts of Vicat‟s apparatus are shown
in table -1.

Mixing machine or mixer:

An electrically driven mechanical mixer, which imparts both a planetary and a revolving
motion to the mixer paddle, is used. The mixer has options for a minimum of two speeds,
controlled by definite mechanical means. A stainless steel removable paddle is used for
mixing. The mixing bowl has a capacity of 4.73 L and so equipped that it is positively held
in the mixing apparatus in a fixed position during the mixing procedure.

CE 202: Materials Sessional 1

Table – 1: Requirements for different parts of Vicat’s apparatus
Component of the Vicat’s Apparatus
Weight of movable rod, (B)
Diameter of plunger end of rod, (C)
Diameter of needle, (D)
Inside diameter of ring at bottom
Inside diameter of ring at top
Height of ring
Graduated scale, (F)
Requirements
300 ± 0.5 g (0.661 lb± 8 grains)
10 ± 0.05 mm (0.394 ± 0.002 inch)
1 ± 0.05 mm (0.039 ± 0.002 inch)
70 ± 3 mm (2.75 ± 0.12 inch)
60 ± 3 mm (2.36 ± 0.12 inch)
40 ± 1 mm (1.57 ± 0.04 inch)
when compared with a standard scale accurate to within
0.1 mm at all points

Figure-1: Vicat’s Apparatus

Weights and Weighing Devices:

A balance sensitive to 0.1 mg is needed.
Glass Graduates
Small Trowel
Stop watch

1.3 Test Room Conditions

Temperature:
The temperature of the air in the vicinity of the mixing slab, the dry cement, molds, and base
plates should be maintained between 20°C to 27.5°C (68°F to 81.5°F). The temperature of
the mixing water should be 23°C±1.7°C (73.4°F±3°F).

Humidity:
Humidity of the laboratory should be maintained above 50%.

CE 202: Materials Sessional 2

1.4 Test Procedure
1.4.1 Preparation of cement paste
1. Place the dry paddle and the dry bowl in the mixing position in the mixer.
2. Measure the required quantity of water (at beginning assume any reasonable water
percentage depending on possible range of normal consistency).
3. Place all the mixing water in the bowl.
4. Weigh about 650 gm of cement accurately and add to the water and allow 30 sec for the
absorption of the water
5. Start the mixer and mix at slow speed (140 ± 5 rpm) for 30 sec.
6. Stop the mixer for 15 sec and during this time scrape down into the batch any paste that
may have collected on sides of the bowl
7. Start the mixer at medium speed (285 ± 10 rpm) and mix for 1 min.

1.4.2 Molding of test specimen

1. Immediately after completion of mixing quickly form the cement paste into a ball and toss
it six times from hand to hand, holding hands six inches apart.
2. Press the cement ball, resting in the palm of one hand, into larger end of Vicat‟s ring,
completely filling the ring. Remove the excess from the larger end by hand.
3. Place the ring, large end down, on a glass plate and strike off the upper (smaller) end
with a single trowel stroke. Carefully make this end smooth with the trowel but do not
compress the paste

1.4.3 Determination of consistency

1. Place the ring containing cement paste and the glass plate in the specified location of
the Vicat‟s apparatus and bring down the flat end of the plunger C so that it may just
touch the paste surface and tighten the set-screw E.
2. Set the movable indicator F to the upper zero mark of the scale or take the initial reading
3. Release the rod immediately and allow penetrating into the cement for 30 sec and read
the scale after 30 sec (i.e., the depth of penetration). Normal consistency is obtained
when the plunger settles 10±1 mm below the surface of the cement paste in 30 sec.
4. The entire operation should be repeated using different water percentages and fresh dry
cement until the desired value of consistency is reached.
5. Plot the plunger penetration versus water percentage graph (best-fit) on a plain graph
paper. The standard pattern of the curve is a positive straight line, i.e. penetration
increases with increasing water percentage. Evaluate the percentage of water
corresponding to 10 mm plunger penetration (i.e., the normal consistency of cement).

1.5 Calculation
1. From the plotted graph determine the water percentage corresponding to 10 mm
penetration.
2. Report the amount of water content for normal consistency to the nearest 0.5% of the
weight of the dry cement and calculate the amount of water required for normal
consistency to the nearest 0.1%

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