REPORT ON TESTS ON CEMENT

THEORY AND DESIGN OF STRUCTURES

SEMESTER 3

BY

AMEYA A. THANAWALA
ROLL NO. 61
 1.CHEMICAL COMPOSITION TEST:

ACCORDING TO IS CODE 4032, THE CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF ALL CEMENT SAMPLES SHOULD BE DONE.

WE KNOW O.P.C. HAS THE FOLLOWING CONSTITUENTS:

• LIME (CaO): 60 – 70%

• SILICA (SiO2): 17-25%
• ALUMINA (Al2O3): 3-8%
• IRON OXIDE( Fe2O3):0.5-6%
• MAGNESIA (MgO): 0.1-4%
• SULPHUR TRIOXIDE
(SO3): 1- 3%

IMPORTANCE:
CERTAINS PROPORTIONS HAVE TO BE MAINTAINED.
EXCESS QUANTITY O LOWER QUANTITY CAN LARGELY AFFECT OVERALL PERFORMANCE.
HENCE A TEST FOR CHEMICAL COMPOSITION IS CARRIED.

• IF LIME IS ADDED IN EXCESS QUANTITY THE CEMENT BECOMES UNSOUND AS WELL AS EXPANSION
AND DISINTEGRATION OF CEMENT WILL OCCUR.
IF LIME CONTENT IS LOWER THAN THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENT STRENGTH OF CEMENT WILL
REDUCE AND ALSO SETTING TIME OF CEMENT WILL DECREASE.
• EXCESS SILICA IN CEMENT WILL INCREASE THE STRENGTH OF CEMENT BUT AT THE SAME TIME
SETTING TIME OF CEMENT ALSO INCREASED.

• ALUMINA WHEN ADDED WITH CEMENT INGREDIENTS IT BEHAVES AS A FLUX AND REDUCES THE
CLINKERING TEMPERATURE WHICH FINALLY WEAKENS THE CEMENT. SO, TO MAINTAIN THE HIGH
TEMPERATURE ALUMINA SHOULD NOT BE USED IN EXCESS QUANTITY.

• IF MGO IS MORE THAN 3%, THE CEMENT BECOMES UNSOUND AND ALSO STRENGTH OF THE
CEMENT REDUCES.

• IF SULPHUR TRIOXIDE IS IN EXCESS QUANTITY THE CEMENT BECOMES UNSOUND.

TO AVOID SUCH CONSEQUENCES, PROPER TESTING HAS TO BE DONE. ALSO THE QUALITY OF THE
MATERIAL IS CHECKED.
IT INVOLVES SERIES OF TESTS:

A. LOSS OF IGNITION:

• 1.00 G OF THE SAMPLE IS HEATED FOR 15 MINUTES IN A WEIGHED AND COVERED PLATINUM CRUCIBLE OF 20 TO 25 ML
CAPACITY BY PLACING IT IN A MUFFLE FURNACE AT ANY TEMPERATURE BETWEEN 900° AND 1000°C. IT IS THEN COOLED
AND WEIGHED.

• THEREAFTER, THE LOSS IN WEIGHT IS CHECKED BY A SECOND HEATING FOR 5 MINUTES AND REWEIGHING. THE LOSS IN
THE WEIGHT IS RECORDED AS THE LOSS ON IGNITION AND THE PERCENTAGE OF LOSS ON IGNITION TO THE NEAREST 0.1
IS CALCULATED (LOSS IN WEIGHT × 100).

• THE PERCENTAGE LOSS ON IGNITION SHOULD NOT EXCEED 4 PER CENT.

TEST FOR PROPORTION OF SILICA:

• 0.5 G OF THE SAMPLE IS KEPT IN AN EVAPORATING DISH, MOISTENED WITH 10

ML OF DISTILLED WATER AT ROOM TEMPERATURE TO PREVENT LUMPING.
• TO THIS 5 TO 10 ML OF HYDROCHLORIC ACID IS ADDED, AND DIGESTED WITH THE
AID OF GENTLE HEAT AND AGITATION UNTIL SOLUTION IS COMPLETE.
DISSOLUTION MAY BE AIDED BY LIGHT PRESSURE WITH THE FLATTENED END OF A
GLASS ROD.
• THE SOLUTION IS EVAPORATED TO DRYNESS ON A STEAM BATH. WITHOUT
HEATING THE RESIDUE ANY FURTHER, IT IS TREATED WITH 5 TO 10 ML OF
HYDROCHLORIC ACID AND THEN WITH AN EQUAL AMOUNT OF WATER. THE DISH
IS COVERED AND DIGESTED FOR 10 MINUTES ON A WATER BATH. THE SOLUTION
WITH AN EQUAL VOLUME OF HOT WATER IS DILUTED AND IS IMMEDIATELY
FILTERED THROUGH AN ASHLESS FILTER PAPER, AND THE SEPARATED SILICA (SIO2)
IS WASHED THOROUGHLY WITH HOT WATER AND THE RESIDUE IS RESERVED.
• THE FILTRATE IS AGAIN EVAPORATED TO DRYNESS, BAKING THE RESIDUE IN AN
OVEN FOR ONE HOUR AT 105°C TO 110°C. THEN THE RESIDUE IS ADDED WITH 10
TO 15 ML OF HYDROCHLORIC ACID (1:1) AND IS HEATED ON A WATER BATH. THIS
SOLUTION IS THEN DILUTED WITH AN EQUAL VOLUME OF HOT WATER AND THE
SMALL AMOUNT OF SILICA IT CONTAINS IS FILTERED AND WASHED ON ANOTHER
FILTER PAPER.
• THE FILTRATE AND WASHINGS ARE RESERVED FOR THE DETERMINATION OF
COMBINED ALUMINA AND THE FERRIC OXIDE.
• THE PAPERS CONTAINING THE RESIDUES ARE TRANSFERRED TO A WEIGHED PLATINUM CRUCIBLE. THE PAPERS ARE
DRIED AND IGNITED, FIRST AT A LOW HEAT UNTIL THE CARBON OF THE FILTER PAPERS IS COMPLETELY CONSUMED
WITHOUT INFLAMING, AND FINALLY AT 1100°C TO 1200°C UNTIL THE WEIGHT REMAINS CONSTANT (SAY W1).

• THE IGNITED RESIDUE THUS OBTAINED, WHICH WILL CONTAIN SMALL AMOUNTS OF IMPURITIES IS TREATED IN THE
CRUCIBLE WITH A FEW DROPS OF DISTILLED WATER, ABOUT 10 ML OF HYDROFLUORIC ACID AND ONE DROP OF
SULPHURIC ACID AND EVAPORATED CAUTIOUSLY TO DRYNESS.

• FINALLY, THE SMALL RESIDUE IS HEATED AT 1050°C TO 1100°C FOR A MINUTE OR TWO: COOLED AND WEIGHED (SAY W2).
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THIS WEIGHT AND THE WEIGHT OF THE IGNITED RESIDUE REPRESENTS THE AMOUNT OF
SILICA (W).

• CALCULATIONS:

SILICA (%) = 200 (W1 – W2)

COMBINED FERRIC OXIDE AND ALUMINA:
• 200 ML OF THE SAMPLE FROM THE FILTRATE RESERVED IN SILICA TEST IS HEATED TO A BOIL. A FEW DROPS OF
BROMINE WATER OR CONCENTRATED NITRIC ACID IS ADDED DURING BOILING IN ORDER TO OXIDIZE ANY FERROUS
ION TO THE FERRIC CONDITION. IT IS THEN TREATED WITH:

• AMMONIUM HYDROXIDE (1:1), DROP BY DROP, UNTIL THE SOLUTION SMELLS OF AMMONIA. THE SOLUTION
CONTAINING THE PRECIPITATES OF ALUMINIUM AND FERRIC HYDROXIDES IS BOILED FOR ONE MINUTE. THE
PRECIPITATE IS ALLOWED TO SETTLE, FILTERED THROUGH AN ASHLESS FILTER PAPER AND WASHED WITH TWO PER
CENT HOT AMMONIUM NITRATE SOLUTION.

• THE FILTRATE AND WASHINGS ARE SET ASIDE. THE PRECIPITATE AND THE FILTER PAPER IS TRANSFERRED TO THE SAME
BEAKER IN WHICH THE FIRST PRECIPITATION WAS EFFECTED. THE PRECIPITATE IS THEN DISSOLVED IN HYDROCHLORIC
ACID (1:3).

• THE SOLUTION IS DILUTED TO ABOUT 100 ML AND THE HYDROXIDES ARE REPRECIPITATED. THE SOLUTION IS
FILTERED AND PRECIPITATED WITH TWO 10 ML PORTIONS OF HOT AMMONIUM NITRATE SOLUTION. THE FILTRATE
AND WASHINGS ARE THEN COMBINED WITH THE FILTRATE SET ASIDE AND IS RESERVED FOR THE DETERMINATION OF
CALCIUM OXIDE.
• THE PRECIPITATE IS PLACED IN A WEIGHED PLATINUM CRUCIBLE,
HEATED SLOWLY UNTIL THE PAPERS ARE CHARRED, AND FINALLY
IGNITED TO CONSTANT WEIGHT AT 1050°C TO 1100°C WITH CARE TO
PREVENT REDUCTION, AND WEIGHED (W1) AS COMBINED ALUMINA
AND FERRIC OXIDE.

• IF SILICA IS SUSPECTED TO BE CARRIED INTO THE FILTRATE USED FOR

THIS ESTIMATION, THE RESIDUE IN THE CRUCIBLE IS TREATED WITH A
DROP OF WATER, ABOUT 5 ML OF HYDROFLUORIC ACID AND A DROP
OF SULPHURIC ACID AND IS EVAPORATED CAUTIOUSLY TO DRYNESS.

• FINALLY, THE CRUCIBLE IS HEATED AT 1050°C TO 1100°C FOR ONE OR

TWO MINUTES; COOLED AND WEIGHED (W2). THE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN THIS WEIGHT AND THE WEIGHT (W1), REPRESENTS THE
AMOUNT OF RESIDUE SILICA. THIS AMOUNT IS SUBTRACTED FROM THE
WEIGHT OF FERRIC OXIDE AND ALUMINA FOUND AS W1 AND THE Process of taking silica residue.
SAME AMOUNT IS ADDED TO THE AMOUNT OF SILICA (W).

• THE RATIO OF PERCENTAGES OF ALUMINA TO IRON OXIDE SHOULD

NOT EXCEED 0.66.

• COMBINED FERRIC OXIDE AND ALUMINA (%) = WEIGHT OF RESIDUE ×

200
TEST FOR FERRIC OXIDE;

• 40 ML OF COLD WATER IS ADDED TO 1 G OF THE SAMPLE AND WHILE

THE MIXTURE IS STIRRED VIGOROUSLY, 50 ML OF HYDROCHLORIC ACID
IS ADDED.

• IF NECESSARY, THE SOLUTION IS HEATED AND CEMENT IS GROUND

WITH FLATTENED END OF A GLASS ROD UNTIL IT IS EVIDENT THAT
CEMENT IS COMPLETELY DECOMPOSED.

• THE SOLUTION IS HEATED TO A BOIL AND IS TREATED WITH STANNOUS

CHLORIDE SOLUTION ADDED DROP BY DROP WHILE STIRRING, UNTIL
THE SOLUTION IS DICOLOURIZED.
NOTE: The calculated
• A FEW DROPS OF STANNOUS CHLORIDE SOLUTION IS ADDED IN weight of ferric oxide and
EXCESS AND THE SOLUTION IS COOLED TO ROOM TEMPERATURE. the small amount of silica is
subtracted from the total
• THEN, 15 ML OF A SATURATED SOLUTION OF MERCURIC CHLORIDE weight of oxides (Wl). The
AND 25 ML OF MANGANESE SULPHATE SOLUTION ARE ADDED AND remainder is the weight of
TITRATED WITH STANDARD SOLUTION OF POTASSIUM alumina and of small
PERMANGANATE UNTIL THE PERMANENT PINK COLOUR IS OBTAINED. amounts of other oxides
reported as alumina.
• IRON AS FERRIC OXIDE IS CALCULATED.
CALCIUM OXIDE TEST

• THE COMBINED FILTRATE RESERVED IN THE COMBINED FERRIC OXIDE AND ALUMINA TEST IS
ACIDIFIED WITH HYDROCHLORIC ACID AND EVAPORATED TO A VOLUME OF ABOUT 100 ML.

• 40 ML OF SATURATED BROMINE WATER IS ADDED TO THE HOT SOLUTION AND AMMONIUM

HYDROXIDE IS ADDED UNTIL THE SOLUTION IS DISTINCTLY ALKALINE. THE SOLUTION IS BOILED
FOR 5 MINUTES OR MORE, MAKING CERTAIN THAT THE SOLUTION IS AT ALL TIMES DISTINCTLY
ALKALINE.

• THEN THE PRECIPITATE IS ALLOWED TO SETTLE, FILTERED AND WASHED WITH HOT WATER. THE
BEAKER AND FILTER IS WASHED ONCE WITH NITRIC ACID (1:33) AND FINALLY WITH HOT WATER.
ANY PRECIPITATE (OF MANGANESE DIOXIDE) THAT MAY BE LEFT ON THE TUNNEL IS DISCARDED.

• THE FILTRATE IS MIXED WITH HYDROCHLORIC ACID AND BOILED UNTIL ALL THE BROMINE IS
EXPELLED. 25 ML OF BOILING AMMONIUM OXALATE SOLUTION IS ADDED TO THE BOILING
SOLUTION.

• THE SOLUTION IS MADE ALKALINE WITH AMMONIUM HYDROXIDE AND BROUGHT TO BOILING,
THE BOILING BEING CONTINUED UNTIL THE PRECIPITATED CALCIUM OXALATE ASSUMES A WELL-
DEFINED, GRANULAR FORM.

• THE PRECIPITATE IS ALLOWED TO STAND FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES OR UNTIL IT HAS SETTLED,
FILTERED AND
WASHED MODERATELY WITH AMMONIUM OXALATE SOLUTION (ONE GRAM PER LITRE). THE FILTRATE AND WASHINGS (W3)
ARE SET ASIDE FOR ESTIMATING MAGNESIA. THE PRECIPITATED LIME AFTER IGNITION AND HEATING AT 1100°C-1200°C IS
WEIGHED. THE PERCENTAGE OF CAO = WEIGHT OF RESIDUE × 200. ALSO,

CaO 0.7SO3
2.8 SIO2+ 1.2 AL2O3+0.65 FE2O3

IN PER CENT SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 0.66.

TEST FOR MAGNESIA:

THE FILTRATE (W3) IS ACIDIFIED WITH HYDROCHLORIC ACID AND IS CONCENTRATED TO ABOUT L50 ML. TO THIS SOLUTION,
ABOUT 10 ML OF AMMONIUM HYDROGEN PHOSPHATE SOLUTION (250 G PER LITRE) IS ADDED AND THE SOLUTION IS
COOLED BY PLACING IN A BEAKER OF ICE WATER. AFTER COOLING, AMMONIUM HYDROXIDE IS ADDED DROP BY DROP,
WHILE STIRRING CONSTANTLY, UNTIL THE CRYSTALLINE MAGNESIUM AMMONIUM PHOSPHATE BEGINS TO FORM, AND
THEN THE REAGENT IS ADDED IN MODERATE EXCESS (5 TO 10 PER CENT OF THE VOLUME OF THE SOLUTION), THE STIRRING
BEING CONTINUED FOR SEVERAL MINUTES. THE SOLUTION IS SET ASIDE FOR AT LEAST 16 HOURS IN A COOL ATMOSPHERE
AND THEN FILTERED. THE PRECIPITATE IS WASHED WITH AMMONIUM NITRATE WASH SOLUTION (100 G OF AMMONIUM
NITRATE DISSOLVED IN WATER, 200 ML OF AMMONIUM HYDROXIDE ADDED AND DILUTED TO ONE LITRE). IT IS THEN
CHARRED SLOWLY AND THE RESULTING CARBON IS BURNT CAREFULLY. THE PRECIPITATE IS IGNITED AT 1100°C TO 1200°C TO
CONSTANT WEIGHT, TAKING CARE TO AVOID BRINGING THE PYROPHOSPHATE TO MELTING. FROM THE WEIGHT OF THE
MAGNESIUM PYROPHOSPHATE OBTAINED, THE MAGNESIA CONTENT OF THE MATERIAL TAKEN FOR THE TEST IS
CALCULATED.
THE PERCENTAGE OF MGO = WEIGHT OF RESIDUE × 72.4.
FREE MAGNESIA IN CEMENT SHOULD BE LESS THAN 4 PER CENT.
TEST ON SULPHUR ANHYDROUS:
• TO ONE GRAM OF THE SAMPLE, 25 ML OF COLD WATER IS ADDED AND WHILE THE MIXTURE
IS STIRRED VIGOROUSLY 5 ML OF HYDROCHLORIC ACID IS ADDED. IF NECESSARY, THE
SOLUTION IS HEATED AND THE MATERIAL IS GROUND WITH THE FLATTENED END OF A
GLASS ROD UNTIL IT IS EVIDENT THAT THE DECOMPOSITION OF CEMENT IS COMPLETE. THE
SOLUTION IS DILUTED TO 50 ML AND DIGESTED FOR 15 MINUTES.

• THE RESIDUE IS FILTERED AND WASHED THOROUGHLY WITH HOT WATER. THE FILTER PAPER
WITH THE RESIDUE (W4) IS SET ASIDE. THE FILTRATE IS DILUTED TO 250 ML AND HEATED TO
BOILING. 10 ML OF HOT BARIUM CHLORIDE (100 G PER LITRE) SOLUTION IS ADDED DROP BY
DROP AND THE BOILING IS CONTINUED UNTIL THE PRECIPITATE IS WELL FORMED. THE
SOLUTION IS DIGESTED ON STEAM BATH FOR 4 HOURS OR PREFERABLY OVERNIGHT.

• THE PRECIPITATE IS FILTERED AND THE PRECIPITATE IS WASHED THOROUGHLY. THE FILTER
PAPER AND THE CONTENTS ARE PLACED IN A WEIGHED PLATINUM OR PORCELAIN CRUCIBLE
AND SLOWLY THE PAPER IS INCINERATED WITHOUT INFLAMING. THEN IT IS IGNITED AT
800°C TO 900°C, COOLED IN A DESICCATOR AND THE BARIUM SULPHATE IS WEIGHED.

• FROM THE WEIGHT OF THE BARIUM SULPHATE OBTAINED, THE SULPHURIC ANHYDRIDE
CONTENT OF THE MATERIAL TAKEN FOR THE TEST IS CALCULATED. THE PERCENTAGE OF SO3
= WEIGHT OF RESIDUE × 34.3.

• SULPHUR IN CEMENT SHOULD BE LESS THAN 2.5 PER CENT.

REMOVAL OF INSOLUBLE RESIDUE:

• THE FILTER PAPER CONTAINING THE RESIDUE (W4) IS DIGESTED IN 30 ML OF HOT WATER AND 30 ML OF 2 N SODIUM
CARBONATE SOLUTION MAINTAINING CONSTANT VOLUME, THE SOLUTION BEING HELD FOR 10 MINUTES AT A
TEMPERATURE JUST SHORT OF BOILING.

• IT IS THEN FILTERED AND WASHED WITH DILUTE HYDROCHLORIC ACID (1:99) AND FINALLY WITH HOT WATER TILL FREE
FROM CHLORIDES. THE RESIDUE IS IGNITED IN A CRUCIBLE AT 900°C TO 1000°C, COOLED IN A DESICCATOR AND
WEIGHED. THE INSOLUBLE RESIDUES SHOULD NOT EXCEED 1.5 PER CENT.
 2.TEST FOR SOUNDNESS OF CEMENT:

WHAT IS SOUNDNESS OF CEMENT?

• SOUNDNESS OF CEMENT REFERS TO THE ABILITY OF CEMENT TO
RETAIN ITS VOLUME AFTER IT HAS HARDENED.

• AFTER THE DRYING OF CEMENT MORTAR OR CONCRETE, IT SHOULD

NOT UNDERGO ANY APPRECIABLE CHANGE IN VOLUME. IF THERE IS
A CHANGE IN THE VOLUME, IT WILL CAUSE THE CEMENT TO EXPAND
OR CONTRACT.

• THEREFORE, THERE ARE CHANCES OF DEVELOPMENT OF CRACKS.

SUCH CEMENT IS CALLED UNSOUND CEMENT.

• UNSOUND CEMENT CAN CAUSE SEVERE TROUBLES TO THE

DURABILITY OF STRUCTURES WHEN SUCH CEMENT IS USED. SOUND
CEMENT NEVER GOES UNDER ANY VOLUME CHANGES ONCE IT SETS
AND THERE IS NO EXPANSION OR CONTRACTION AFTER HARDENING.
Examples of unsound cement.
IMPORTANCE OF SOUNDNESS TEST:
IT IS A VERY IMPORTANT TEST TO ASSURE THE QUALITY OF CEMENT SINCE
AN UNSOUND CEMENT PRODUCES CRACKS, DISTORTION AND
DISINTEGRATION, ULTIMATELY LEADING TO FAILURE.

FACTORS AFFECTING SOUNDNESS

THE MAIN CAUSE FOR UNSOUNDNESS IN PORTLAND CEMENT IS THE HYDRATION OF

THE UNCOMBINED LIME ENCASED WITHIN THE CEMENT PARTICLES. EXPOSED,
FINELY GROUND, FREE LIME IN SMALL PERCENTAGES, HYDRATES BEFORE THE
CEMENT SETS AND PRODUCES NO INJURIOUS EFFECT. THE UNCOMBINED LIME IN
CEMENT IS A RESULT OF EITHER UNDERBURNING THE CLINKER OR OF EXCESS LIME
IN THE RAW MATERIALS. FRESHLY GROUND CEMENT IS OFTEN UNSOUND DUE TO
THE PRESENCE OF UNCOMBINED LIME. CEMENT IS THUS ALLOWED TO AERATE FOR
TWO TO THREE WEEKS, ALLOWING THE LIME TO HYDRATE, TO OVERCOME
UNSOUNDNESS. FINE GRINDING OF THE RAW MATERIAL AND CLINKER HELP TO
PRODUCE A SOUND CEMENT. BY GRINDING FINE THE RAW MATERIALS, IT IS
POSSIBLE TO PRODUCE A HOMOGENEOUS MIXTURE BEFORE BURNING WHERE THE
LIME IS UNIFORMLY DISTRIBUTED. THE COARSE GRAINS OF CEMENT MAY IMPRISON
MINUTE PARTICLES OF UNCOMBINED LIME WHICH DO NOT HYDRATE. THESE LIME
PARTICLES ON HYDRALION PRODUCE DISINTEGRATION.
THE TWO MAJOR PROCEDURES TO DETERMINE THE SOUNDNESS OF A SAMPLE ARE:

A. LE CHATELIER METHOD
B. AUTOCLAVE METHOD.

C. LE CHATELIER METHOD:

APPARATUS REQUIRED:

THE LE CHATELIER SOUNDNESS KIT IS SUPPLIED COMPLETE WITH:

•LE CHATELIER MOULDS 3 PCS.

•50×50 MM GLASS PLATES 6 PCS.
•300 GR WEIGHTS 1 PCS.
•100 GR WEIGHT, 3 PCS.
•TAMPING ROD 17 MM DIA. X 70 GR
•STEEL RULER
•PLASTIC CARRYING CASE
 ALLIED APPARATUS REQUIRED THROUGHOUT IS:

1. LE CHATELIER MOULD
2. CEMENT
3. GLASS SHEET
4. MIXING PAN
5. TROWEL
6. WIGHT

LE CHATELIER APPARATUS:
• CONSIST OF A SMALL SPLIT CYLINDER OF SPRING BRASS TO
OTHER NONCORRODIBLE METAL OF 0.5MM THICKNESS
FORMING A MOLD OF 30MM INTERNAL DIAMETER AND 30MM
HIGH.
• ON EITHER SIDE OF THE SPLIT, TWO INDICATORS ARE BRAZED
SUITABLY WITH POINTED ENDS MADE OF 2MM DIAMETER BRASS
WIRE IN SUCH A WAY THAT THE DISTANCE OF THESE ENDS TO
THE CENTER OF THE CYLINDER IS 165MM.
• THE SPLIT CYLINDER WILL BE KEPT BETWEEN TWO GLASS
PLATES. THE TEMPERATURE OF THE MOLDING ROOM, DRY
MATERIALS AND WATER SHALL BE MAINTAINED AT 27±2°C THE
RELATIVE HUMIDITY OF THE LABORATORY SHALL BE 65 ± 5
PERCENT.
• SOUNDNESS TEST OF CEMENT PROCEDURE
HERE IS THE PROCEDURE OF SOUNDNESS TEST OF CEMENT BY LE-
CHATELIERS METHOD.

1.PLACE THE LIGHTLY OILED MOLD ON A LIGHTLY OILED GLASS SHEET

AND FILL IT WITH
CEMENT PASTE FORMED BY GAUGING CEMENT WITH 0.78 TIMES THE WAT
ER
REQUIRED TO GIVE A PASTE OF STANDARD CONSISTENCY. [REFER IS : 4031
(PART 4 )-1988].

2.COVER THE MOLD WITH ANOTHER PIECE OF THE LIGHTLY OILED

GLASS SHEET, PLACE A SMALL WEIGHT ON THIS COVERING GLASS SHEET
AND IMMEDIATELY SUBMERGE THE WHOLE ASSEMBLY IN THE WATER AT
A TEMPERATURE OF 27 ± 2°C AND KEEP THERE FOR 24 HOURS

3.MEASURE THE DISTANCE SEPARATING THE INDICATOR POINTS TO THE

NEAREST 0.5 MM. SUBMERGE THE MOULD AGAIN IN THE WATER AT THE
TEMPERATURE PRESCRIBED ABOVE.

4.BRING THE WATER TO BOILING, WITH THE MOULD KEPT SUBMERGED,

IN 25 TO 30 MINUTES, AND KEEP IT BOILING FOR THREE HOURS. REMOVE
THE MOULD FROM THE WATER, ALLOW IT TO COOL AND MEASURE THE
DISTANCE BETWEEN THE INDICATOR POINTS.
IS Code For Soundness Test Of Cement:
SOUNDNESS TEST OF CEMENT IS CODE – INDIAN STANDARD (PART 3) ( FIRST REVISION) WAS
ADOPTED BY THE BUREAU OF INDIAN STANDARDS ON 24 FEBRUARY 1988, AFTER THE DRAFT
FINALIZED BY THE CEMENT AND CONCRETE SECTIONAL COMMITTEE HAD BEEN APPROVED BY
THE CIVIL ENGINEERING DIVISION COUNCIL. ACCORDING TO BIS, THE SOUNDNESS TEST OF
CEMENT IS CODE IS “IS: 4032-1985”.  YOU CAN DOWNLOAD HERE.
STANDARD METHODS OF TESTING CEMENT ARE ESSENTIAL ADJUNCTS TO THE CEMENT
SPECIFICATIONS. THIS STANDARD IS DIFFERENT PARTS LAYS DOWN THE PROCEDURE FOR THE
TESTS TO EVALUATE THE PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF HYDRAULIC CEMENT.

THE PROCEDURE FOR CONDUCTING CHEMICAL TESTS OF HYDRAULIC CEMENT IS COVERED IN

IS: 4032-1985*.
ORIGINALLY ALL THE TESTS TO EVALUATE THE PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF HYDRAULIC WERE
COVERED IN ONE STANDARD BUT FOR FACILITATING THE USE OF THIS STANDARD AND FUTURE
REVISIONS IT HAS BEEN DECIDED TO PRINT THE DIFFERENT TESTS AS DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE
STANDARD AND, ACCORDINGLY THIS REVISED STANDARD HAS BEEN BROUGHT OUT IN THIRTEEN
PARTS.

THIS WILL ALSO FACILITATE THE UPDATING OF INDIVIDUAL TESTS. FURTHER, SINCE THE
PUBLICATION OF THE ORIGINAL STANDARD IN 1968, A NUMBER OF STANDARDS COVERING, THE
REQUIREMENTS OF DIFFERENT EQUIPMENT USED FOR TESTING OF CEMENT, A BRIEF
DESCRIPTION OF. WHICH WAS ALSO COVERED IN THE STANDARD, HAD BEEN PUBLISHED.
IN THIS REVISION, THEREFORE, REFERENCE IS GIVEN TO DIFFERENT INSTRUMENT SPECIFICATIONS
DELETING THE DESCRIPTION OF THE INSTRUMENTS, AS IT HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED THAT
REPRODUCIBLE AND REPEATABLE TEST RESULTS CAN BE OBTAINED ONLY WITH STANDARD
TESTING EQUIPMENT CAPABLE OF GIVING THE DESIRED LEVEL OF ACCURACY. THIS PART COVERS
THE DETERMINATION OF SOUNDNESS BY THE LE-CHATELIER METHOD AND THE AUTOCLAVE TEST.
FOR THE PURPOSE OF DECIDING WHETHER A PARTICULAR REQUIREMENT OF THIS STANDARD IS
COMPLIED WITH, THE FINAL VALUE, OBSERVED OR CALCULATED, EXPRESSING THE RESULT OF A
TEST OR ANALYSIS, SHALL BE ROUNDED OFF IN ACCORDANCE WITH IS: 2-1960*.

THE NUMBER OF SIGNIFICANT PLACES RETAINED IN THE ROUNDED OFF VALUE SHOULD BE THE
SAME AS THAT OF THE SPECIFIED VALUE IN THIS STANDARD.
CALCULATIONS FOR SOUNDNESS TEST BY LECHATELIER’S METHOD:

• THE SOUNDNESS OF CEMENT = L1 – L2.

• WHERE L1= DISTANCE 1 AND L2= DISTANCE 2

L1=MEASUREMENT IS TAKEN AFTER 24 HOURS OF IMMERSION IN WATER AT A TEMP. OF 27 ±

20°C

L2=MEASUREMENT WAS TAKEN AFTER 3 HOURS OF IMMERSION IN WATER AT BOILING

TEMPERATURE.
LE CHATELIER PRINCIPLE PERMISSIBLE VARIATIONS:

NAME OF CEMENT STANDARDS EXPANSION (MAX.) MM

OPC 33 IS 269-19899 10
OPC 43 IS8112-1989 10
OPC 53 IS12269-1987 10
RAPID HARDENING IS8041-1990 10
CEMENT
LOW HEAT CEMENT IS12600-1989 10
SUPER SULFATED IS6909-1990 5
PPC IS1489-1991 10
PSC IS455-1976 10
HIGH ALUMINA IS6452-1989 5
SRC IS12330-1988 10
MASONARY IS3466-1988 10
IRS T 40 RAILWAY STANDRARDS 5
SOUNDNESS TEST OF CEMENT BY AUTOCLAVE METHOD

APPARATUS REQUIRED FOR SOUNDNESS TEST OF

CEMENT BY AUTOCLAVE METHOD

1.WEIGHTS

2.BALANCE

3.GRADUATED GLASS CYLINDERS – GRADUATED GLASS

CYLINDERS OF 150 ML CAPACITY SHALL BE USED, THE
PERMISSIBLE VARIATION ON THESE CYLINDERS SHALL
BE PLUS OR MINUS ONE MILLILITER. THE MAIN
GRADUATION LINES OF THE CYLINDERS SHALL BE IN
CIRCLES AND SHALL BE NUMBERED. THE LEAST
GRADUATIONS SHALL EXTEND AT LEAST ONE-SEVENTH
OF THE WAY AROUND, AND INTERMEDIATE
GRADUATIONS SHALL EXTEND AT LEAST ONE-FIFTH OF
THE WAY AROUND THE CYLINDER. THE GRADUATION
LINES MAY BE OMITTED FOR THE LOWEST 5 MI.
10086-1982*.

•AUTOCLAVE – THE AUTOCLAVE SHALL CONSIST OF A HIGH

PRESSURE STEAM BOILER EQUIPPED WITH SUITABLE SAFETY
DEVICE.THE CAPACITY OF HEATING UNIT SHALL· BE SUCH
THAT WITH MAXIMUM LOAD (WATER PLUS SPECIMENS) THE
PRESSURE OF THE SATURATED STEAM IN THE AUTOCLAVE
MAY BE RAISED TO A GAUGE PRESSURE OF 2’1 MPA OR TO AN
ABSOLUTE PRESSURE OF ABOUT 2’2 MPA, IN I TO II HOUR
FROM THE TIME THE HEAT IS TURNED ON.THE AUTOMATIC
PRESSURE CONTROL SHALL BE CAPABLE OF MAINTAINING
THE PRESSURE AT 2’1 ± 0’1 MPA CORRESPONDING TO A
TEMPERATURE OF 215’7 ± 1’7°C, THE AUTOCLAVE SHALL BE
DESIGNED TO PERMIT THE PRESSURE TO DROP FROM 2’1 MPA
TO LESS THAN 0’07 MPA IN ONE HOUR AFTER THE HEAT
SUPPLY HAS BEEN SHUT OFF, IT SHALL BE EQUIPPED WITH A
VENT VALVE FOR ALLOWING THE ESCAPE OF AIR DURING THE
EARLY PART OFTHE HEATING PERIOD AND FOR RELEASING
ANY STEAM PRESSURE REMAINING AT THE END OF THE ONE-
HOUR COOLING PERIOD, THE PRESSURE GAUGE SHALL HAVE
A NOMINAL DIAL DIAMETER OF 115 MM AND SHALL BE
GRADUATED FROM 0 TO 4’1 MPA WITH SCALE DIVISION OF
NOT MORE THAN 0’04 MPA.THE ERROR IN THE GAUGE SHALL
NOT EXCEED PLUS OR MINUS 0’02 MPA AT THE OPERATING
PRESSURE OF 2’1 MPA.
PREPARATION AND PRECAUTIONS:

PREPARATION OF MOULD  – THE MOULDS SHALL BE THINLY COVERED WITH MINERAL OIL.
AFTER THIS OPERATION, THE STAINLESS STEEL OR NON-CORRODING METAL REFERENCE
INSERTS WITH KNURL HEADS SHALL BE SET TO OBTAIN AN EFFECTIVE GAUGE LENGTH OF
250 MM, CARE BEING TAKEN TO KEEP THEM CLEAN AND FREE FROM OIL.

MIXING CEMENT PASTE– THE STANDARD BATCH OF CEMENT PASTE SHALL CONSIST OF 500 G
OF CEMENT, MIXED WITH SUFFICIENT WATER TO GIVE A PASTE OF STANDARD
CONSISTENCY, .

MOULDING SPECIMENS – IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE COMPLETION OF MIXING, THE

TEST SPECIMENS SHALL BE MOULDED IN ONE OR TWO LAYERS, EACH LAYER BEING
COMPACTED WITH THE THUMB OR FOREFINGER BY PRESSING THE PASTE INTO THE
CORNERS, AROUND THE REFERENCE INSERTS, AND ALONG THE SURFACES OF THE MOULDS
UNTIL A HOMOGENEOUS SPECIMEN IS OBTAINED. AFTER THE TOP LAYER HAS BEEN
COMPACTED, THE PASTE SHALL BE CUT OFF FLUSH WITH THE TOP OF THE MOULD AND THE
SURFACE SMOOTHED WITH A FEW STROKES OF THE TROWEL.: DURING THE OPERATIONS
OF MIXING AND MOULDING, THE HAND SHALL BE PROTECTED BY RUBBER GLOVES,

STORAGE OF TEST SPECIMEN – AFTER THE MOULD HAS BEEN FILLED, IT SHALL BE
IMMEDIATELY PLACED IN A MOIST CLOSET OR A MOIST ROOM. SPECIMENS SHALL REMAIN
 PROCEDURE FOR SOUNDNESS TEST OF CEMENT BY
AUTOCLAVE METHOD

1.STEP 1. AT 24 ± T H AFTER MOULDING, THE SPECIMENS

SHALL BE REMOVED FROM THE MOIST ATMOS- PHERE,
MEASURED FOR LENGTH, AND PLACED IN THE
AUTOCLAVE AT ROOM TEMPERATURE IN A RACKSO THAT
THE FOUR SIDES OF EACH SPECIMEN SHALL BE EXPOSED
TO SATURATED STEAM.THE AUTOCLAVE SHALL CONTAIN
ENOUGH WATER TO MAINTAIN AN ATMOSPHERE OF
SATURATED STEAM VAPOUR DURING THE ENTIRE
PERIOD OFTEST. ORDINARILY; 7 TO 10 PERCENT OFTHE
VOLUME OF THE AUTOCLAVE SHALL BE OCCUPIED BY
WATER.

2.TO PERMIT AIR TO ESCAPE FROM THE AUTOCLAVE

DURING THE EARLY PORTION OF THE HEATING PERIOD,
THE VENT VALVE SHALL BE LEFT OPEN UNTIL STEAM
BEGINS TO ESCAPE (SEE 6.4), THE VALVE SHALL THEN BE
CLOSED AND THE TEMPERATURE OF THE AUTO- . CLAVE
SHALL BE RAISED AT SUCH A RATE AS WILL BRING THE
At the end of 3 hours period, the heat supply shall be shut off and the autoclave cooled at a
rate such that the pressure will be less than 0’1 MPa at the end of the hour, and any
pressure remaining shall be slow-released by partially opening the vent valve until
atmospheric pressure is attained.The autoclave shall then be opened and the test
specimens immediately placed in water, the temperature of which is above 90°C.The water
surrounding the bars shall·then be cooled at a uniform rate by adding cold water so that
the temperature of the water shall be lowered to 27 ± 2°C in 15 min.The water surrounding
the specimens shall then be maintained at 27 ± 2°C in 15 min when the specimens shall be
surface-dried and their lengths measured again.

THE CALCULATION FOR SOUNDNESS TEST OF CEMENT BY AUTOCLAVE METHOD

CALCULATIONS – THE DIFFERENCE IN LENGTHS OF THE TEST SPECIMEN BEFORE AND

AFTER AUTOCLAVING SHALL BE CALCULATED TO THE NEAREST 0’01 PERCENT OF THE
EFFECTIVE GAUGE LENGTH WHICH IS THE LENGTH BETWEEN THE INNERMOST POINTS OF
THE METAL INSERTS USED AS REFERENCE POINTS AND SHALL BE REPORTED AS THE
AUTOCLAVE EXPANSION OF THE CEMENT. A CONTRACTION ( NEGATIVE EXPANSION)
SHALL BE INDICATED BY PREFIXING A MINUS SIGN TO THE PERCENTAGE EXPANSION
REPORTED.
 3.TEST ON HEAT OF HYDRATION OF CEMENT
HEAT OF HYDRATION OF CEMENT:

HYDRATION IS AN EXOTHERMIC PROCESS, THAT

WILL LIBERATE HEAT THROUGH CHEMICAL
REACTIONS. THE PROCESS OF HYDRATION CAN BE
EASILY FOLLOWED BY MONITORING THE
PRODUCTION OF HEAT THAT ACCOMPANIES THE
REACTION. THIS IS DONE BY CIVIC MORTAR FROM A
BATCH OF CONCRETE AND WEIGHING IT INTO A
BOTTLE WHICH IS PLACED INTO AN INSULATED
CONTAINER. A THERMISTOR IS THEN IMPEDED INTO
THE FRESH MORTAR. THE OUTPUT OF THE
THERMISTOR IS RECORDED BY THE COMPUTER.
THE RESULT IS PLOTTED AS A CURVE OF
TEMPERATURE V/S THE TIME. THE AREA UNDER
THE MAJOR PEAK CAN BE RELATED TO THE EARLY
STRENGTH DEVELOPMENT.

STAGES OF HYDRATION OF CEMENT:

1.THE FIVE STAGES INVOLVED IN THE HYDRATION
OF CEMENT ARE EXPLAINED WITH RESPECT TO
THE FIGURE-2. THERE ARE FIVE STAGES OF
CEMENT HYDRATION: INITIAL HYDROLYSIS
IMPORTANCE:

THE EVOLUTION OF HEAT CAUSES AN INCREASE IN TEMPERATURE OF THE CONCRETE, BEING GREATEST IN MASS
CONCRETING.
SINCE THE COOLING OF A MASS OF CONCRETE CAN ONLY OCCUR FROM SURFACES EXPOSED TO ATMOSPHERE THE
TEMPERATURE OF THE INTERIOR IS HIGHER THAN THAT AT THE SURFACE AND ALSO THERE IS A RAPID INCREASE IN
STRENGTH IN THE INTERIOR THAN AT THE SURFACE.
SHRINKAGE CRACKS MAY RESULT FROM STRESSES, INDUCED BY COOLING OF THE SURFACE WHILE THE INTERIOR OF
CONCRETE IS STILL AT HIGHER TEMPERATURE. HOWEVER, IN PRACTICE, THE HEAT EVOLUTION MAY BE TAKEN TO ITS
ADVANTAGE IN COLD WEATHER PROVIDED THE CONCRETE IS WARM AT THE TIME OF PLACING AND EXCESSIVE HEAT LOSS IS
PREVENTED BY SUITABLE LAGGING
 THE MAIN APPARATUS CALORIEMETER:

Traditional caloriemeter digital caloriemeter

A CALORIMETER IS A DEVICE USED TO MEASURE THE HEAT FLOW OF A CHEMICAL REACTION
OR PHYSICAL CHANGE. THE PROCESS OF MEASURING THIS HEAT IS CALLED CALORIMETRY. A
BASIC CALORIMETER CONSISTS OF A METAL CONTAINER OF WATER ABOVE A COMBUSTION
CHAMBER, IN WHICH A THERMOMETER IS USED TO MEASURE THE CHANGE IN WATER
TEMPERATURE. HOWEVER, THERE ARE MANY TYPES OF MORE COMPLEX CALORIMETERS.
THE BASIC PRINCIPLE IS THAT HEAT RELEASED BY THE COMBUSTION CHAMBER INCREASES
THE TEMPERATURE OF THE WATER IN A MEASURABLE WAY. THE TEMPERATURE CHANGE MAY
THEN BE USED TO CALCULATE THE ENTHALPY CHANGE PER MOLE OF SUBSTANCE A WHEN
SUBSTANCES A AND B ARE REACTED.
 PROCEDURE AND INTERMEDIATE CALCULATIONS:

• THE APPARATUS USED TO DETERMINE THE HEAT OF HYDRATION OF

CEMENT IS KNOWN AS CALORIMETER AND IS SHOWN IN THE SKETCH.

• 60 G OF CEMENT AND 24 ML OF DISTILLED WATER ARE MIXED FOR 4

MINUTES AT TEMPERATURE 15°–25°C. THREE SPECIMEN GLASS VIALS
100 × 20 MM ARE FILLED WITH THIS MIXTURE, CORKED AND SEALED
WITH WAX. THE VIALS ARE THEN STORED WITH THE MIXTURE IN A
VERTICAL POSITION AT 27°±2° C.

• THE HEAT OF HYDRATION IS OBTAINED BY SUBTRACTING THE

RESPECTIVE HEAT OF SOLUTION OF UNHYRATED CEMENT CALCULATED
NEAREST TO 0.1 CALORIE.

• FOR DETERMINING THE HEAT OF SOLUTION OF UNHYDRATED CEMENT,

WEIGH A SAMPLE OF ABOUT 3 G. AT THE SAME TIME, WEIGH OUT 7.0 G
OF CEMENT FOR THE LOSS ON IGNITION. THE HEAT OF SOLUTION IS
CALCULATED AS

HEAT SOLUTION OF (CAL/g) OF UNHYDRATED CEMENT=

Heat capacity × corrected temperature rise - 0.2 *( Փ0- Փ) WHERE 0.2 IS SPECIFIC HEAT OF UNHYDRATED CEMENT
Weight of sample corrected for ignition loss
• FOR DETERMINING HEAT OF SOLUTION OF THE HYDRATED CEMENT, ONE OF THE GLASS VIALS IS OPENED AND THE
ADHERENT WAX IS REMOVED. THE CEMENT IS GROUND RAPIDLY, TO AVOID CARBONATION, TO PASS AN 850 MICRON
SIEVE. FROM THIS WEIGH OUT 4.2 G AND 7.0 G OF CEMENT SAMPLES FOR HEAT OF SOLUTION AND LOSS ON IGNITION.

HEAT SOLUTION OF (CAL/g) OF HYDRATED CEMENT=

Heat capacity × corrected temperature rise - 0.4 *( Փ0- Փ) WHERE 0.4 IS SPECIFIC HEAT OF HYDRATED CEMENT
Weight of sample corrected for ignition loss

THE IGNITION LOSS CAN BE OBTAINED BY PLACING THE SAMPLE IN A COOL FURNACE AND RAISING THE TEMPERATURE OF
THE FURNACE TO 900°C OVER A PERIOD OF 1 HOUR. THE SAMPLE IS KEPT AT 900° ± 50°C FOR 3-4 HOURS AND THEN
COOLED IN A DESICCATOR CONTAINING ANHYDROUS CALCIUM CHLORIDE.
WEIGH AFTER HALF AN HOUR. THE DIFFERENCE IN THE TWO WEIGHINGS GIVE THE LOSS ON IGNITION. TO DETERMINE THE
HEAT CAPACITY SUFFICIENT QUANTITY OF ZINC OXIDE IS IGNITED FOR ONE HOUR AT 900° ± 50°C. IT IS COOLED IN A
DESICCATOR CONTAINING ANHYDROUS CALCIUM CHLORIDE AND GROUND TO PASS 250 MICRON SIEVE. ABOUT 7 G OF THIS
IGNITED OXIDE IS REHEATED TO 900° ± 50°C FOR 5 MINUTES AND THEN COOLED FOR ABOUT 2½ HOURS (NOT MORE THAN 5
HOURS). THE CALORIMETER IS ASSEMBLED AND TEMPERATURE READING CORRECT TO 0.001°C IS RECORDED TO
DETERMINE THE INITIAL HEATING OR COOLING CORRECTION. THE ZINC OXIDE IS THEN INTRODUCED. THE TEMPERATURE
READINGS ARE RECORDED AT ONE MINUTE INTERVALS UNTIL THE SOLUTION IS COMPLETE. THE RECORDING OF READINGS
IS CONTINUED FOR NEXT 5 MINUTES TO DETERMINE THE FINAL HEATING OR COOLING CORRECTION. THE INITIAL AND
FINAL HEATING OR
• COOLING RATES AGAINST THE CORRESPONDING CALORIMETER TEMPERATURE ARE PLOTTED. THE TWO
POINTS THUS OBTAINED ARE JOINED BY A STRAIGHT LINE. FROM THIS GRAPH THE CORRECTIONS ARE
READ OFF FOR EACH TEMPERATURE READING DURING THE SOLUTION PERIOD. HEAT CAPACITY IS
CALCULATED FROM THE EXPRESSION.

• HEAT CAPACITY ( CAL/DEGREE CELCIUS) = WEIGHT OF ZnO * [ 256.1 + 0.1(30-Ψ0) +0.1(Ψ0- Ψ)]
• CORRECTED TEMPERATURE RISE
•
• = WEIGHT OF ZNO *[259.1- 0.2 Ψ+ 0.1 Ψ0]
CORRECTED TEMPERATURE RISE

• WEIGHT OF ZNO (259.1 0.2 0.1 ) CORRECTED TEMPERATURE RISE WHERE, 256.1 IS THE HEAT OF SOLUTION
OF ZINC OXIDE AT 30°C AND 0.2 THE NEGATIVE TEMPERATURE COEFFICIENT OF THE HEAT OF SOLUTION, Ψ
IS THE FINAL TEMPERATURE OF THE CALORIMETER, 0.1 IS THE SPECIFIC HEAT OF ZINC OXIDE AND Ψ0 IS
THE ROOM TEMPERATURE IN °C.
EFFECT OF HEAT OF HYDRATION AND WHY SHOULD IT BE CONTROLLED?

THE REACTIONS THAT BRING ABOUT THE HARDENING OF HYDRAULIC CEMENT PASTES ARE
EXOTHERMIC, THAT IS, THEY ARE ACCOMPANIED BY THE LIBERATION OF HEAT. THIS HEAT OF
HYDRATION IS AN IMPORTANT FACTOR IN MASS CONCRETE (ACI 207.1R).

MASS CONCRETE AS ANY VOLUME OF CONCRETE WITH DIMENSIONS LARGE ENOUGH TO REQUIRE
THAT MEASURES BE TAKEN TO COPE WITH THE GENERATION OF HEAT FROM HYDRATION OF THE
CEMENT AND RESULTING VOLUME CHANGE TO MINIMIZE CRACKING.

IN MASS CONCRETE, THE TEMPERATURE OF THE INTERIOR CONCRETE MAY BE MUCH HIGHER THAN
THAT OF THE EXTERIOR, PARTICULARLY WHEN THERE IS SUBSEQUENT COOLING. CRACKS OFTEN
RESULT IF THE THERMAL GRADIENT IS TOO GREAT. SOME CONCRETE ELEMENTS DO NOT NEED TO BE
MASSIVE TO REQUIRE STEPS TO BE TAKEN TO COPE WITH THE HEAT GENERATED BY CHEMICAL
REACTIONS OF THE CEMENTITIOUS MATERIAL.

SUCH ELEMENTS INCLUDE BASE-RESTRAINED RETAINING WALLS, PAVEMENTS, AND OTHER SLABS ON
GRADE. HIGH TEMPERATURE CAN BE CONTROLLED BY PLACING CONCRETE WITH LOW INITIAL
TEMPERATURE AND REPLACING A PORTION OF PORTLAND CEMENT WITH SLOWER REACTING
CEMENTITIOUS MATERIALS OR REDUCING THE CEMENT CONTENT BY USE OF CHEMICAL
ADMIXTURES, OR BOTH.
 4.TENSILE STRENGTH TEST:
WHAT IS TENSILE STRENGTH OF CEMENT?

• THE TENSILE STRENGTH OF CONCRETE IS THE ABILITY OF CONCRETE TO RESIST TENSILE FORCE OR
STRESS APPLIED TO IT.

• THE TENSILE STRENGTH OF CONCRETE IS MEASURED BY THE UNITS OF FORCE PER CROSS-

SECTIONAL AREA (N/SQ.MM. OR MPA).
AS WE KNOW THAT CONCRETE PERFORMANCE IN COMPRESSION IS GOOD, BUT WEAK IN TENSION
FORCE. FOR COUNTERBALANCE, THIS SITUATION REINFORCEMENT HAS BEEN PROVIDED IN
CONCRETE TO PREVENT CRACK FORMATION.
WHY IS CEMENT AND CONCRETE WEAK IN TENSION?

CONCRETE IS NOT A SINGLE SOLID MATERIAL LIKE

STEEL WHICH IS STRONG IN BOTH TENSIONS AS WELL
AS COMPRESSION. IT IS MANUFACTURED BY MIXING
CEMENTING MATERIALS, WATER AND AGGREGATE
(AND SOMETIMES ADMIXTURES).

THE “INTERFACE TRANSITION ZONE” IS THE WEAKEST

LINK IN THE STRUCTURE. WHEN COMPRESSIVE STRESS
OR FORCE APPLIED ON THE ZONE, AGGREGATE
TRANSFERS THE LOAD FROM ONE TO ANOTHER. SO,
CONCRETE IN COMPRESSION DOES NOT REQUIRE
MUCH STRENGTH TO RESIST COMPRESSION STRESSES.

IN THE CASE OF TENSILE STRESSES DEVELOPED IN

CONCRETE, THE AGGREGATES ARE TRYING TO PULL
AWAY FROM EACH OTHER SO THIS INTERFACIAL
TRANSITION ZONE HAS TO BEAR TENSILE STRESSES TO
HOLDS THE WHOLE SYSTEM TOGETHER.  SINCE THE
STRENGTH OF THIS INTERFACE ZONE IS WEAKER
THAN THE AGGREGATES, SO THE FAILURE STARTS AT
MUCH LOWER STRESSES.
IMPORTANCE OF TENSILE STRENGTH TEST:

THE TENSILE STRENGTH OF CEMENT AFFORDS QUICKER INDICATIONS OF DEFECTS IN THE CEMENT THAN ANY OTHER TEST.

ALSO, THE TEST IS MORE CONVENIENTLY MADE THAN THE COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH TEST. MOREOVER, SINCE THE
FLEXURAL STRENGTH, IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE TENSILE STRENGTH THIS TEST IS IDEALLY FITTED TO GIVE INFORMATION
BOTH WITH REGARD TO TENSILE AND COMPRESSIVE STRENGTHS WHEN THE SUPPLY FOR MATERIAL TESTING IS SMALL.

FACTORS AFFECTING TENSILE STRENGTH:

•QUALITY OF RAW MATERIALS – CEMENT, SAND & AGGREGATE.

•WATER CEMENT RATIO
•COARSE TO FINE AGGREGATE RATIO
•AGGREGATE CEMENT RATIO
•AGE OF CEMENT
•COMPACTION OF CONCRETE
•TEMPERATURE
•RELATIVE HUMIDITY
•CURING
TYPES OF TEST TO FIND TENSILE SRENGTH:

1.UNIAXIAL TENSILE TEST: THIS IS A DIRECT TENSION TEST IN WHICH A CONCRETE

SPECIMEN IS HELD AT THE ENDS AND PULLED APART, INDUCING UNIAXIAL TENSILE
STRESS IN IT. UNIAXIAL TENSILE TEST ID ONE OF THE DIFFICULT AND COMPLICATED
TESTS TO PERFUME ON CONCRETE BUT GIVES THE TRUE TENSILE STRENGTH OF
CONCRETE.

2.SPLIT CYLINDER TEST: IN THIS TEST, A CONCRETE CYLINDER IS PLACED

HORIZONTALLY BETWEEN LOADING SURFACES AND LOADED ALONG ITS DIAMETER.
THIS LOADING RESULTS IN PRODUCING LATERAL TENSILE STRESS IN THE CYLINDER
AND ITS SPLITS IN TENSION ALONG ITS DIAMETER. REFER ASTM C 496 FOR THE SPLIT
CYLINDER TEST PROCEDURE.

3.FLEXURE TEST: IN THIS TEST, A CONCRETE BEAM IS SUBJECTED TO FOUR-POINT

LOADING AND LOADED TO RUPTURE. THE SPECIMEN CRACKS DUE TO TENSILE STRESSES
INDUCED IN THE BOTTOM FIBERS UNDER PURE BENDING. THIS GIVES MODULUS OF
RUPTURE OF CONCRETE. IT IS PERFORMED AS PER ASTM C78. FOR FLEXURE TEST
ANOTHER TEST AVAILABLE IN WHICH LOAD IS APPLIED BY CENTER POINT LOADING AS
PER ASTM C 293. THIS TEST ALSO PROVIDES THE FLEXURAL STRENGTH WHICH WILL BE
SLIGHTLY HIGHER THAN THE 4 POINT LOAD TEST.
SPLIT CYLINDER TEST TO DETERMINE THE TENSILE STRENGTH OF CEMENT SAMPLE:

THE TENSILE STRENGTH OF CONCRETE IS ONE OF THE MAJOR PROPERTIES OF CONCRETE,

ESPECIALLY IN THE CASE OF MAKING ROADS AND RUNWAYS.

THE TENSILE STRENGTH OF CONCRETE GENERALLY VARIES FROM 10 % TO 12% OF ITS COMPRESSIVE
STRENGTH.
FOR DETERMINATION OF COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH OF CONCRETE CUBE, SAMPLES ARE USED AND
FOR TESTING TENSILE STRENGTH GENERALLY, CYLINDRICAL SAMPLES ARE CAST.

SPECIFICATIONS:

• SPECIMEN:
CYLINDRICAL CONCRETE SPECIMEN HAVING DIAMETER 150 MM AND LENGTH 300MM.
• RANGE OF LOAD:
LOADING MACHINE CAN APPLY A CONSTANT LOAD RANGE OF 1.2 MPA/MIN TO 2.4 MPA/MIN.
(GENERALLY, TEST IS CONDUCTED ON THE UNIVERSAL TESTING MACHINE)
• AGE OF TEST:
THE TEST SHOULD BE CONDUCTED AT THE AGE OF 7 DAYS AND 28 DAYS.
• NUMBER OF SPECIMEN:
FOR BETTER RESULTS COMPARISON AT LEAST 3 SAMPLES SHOULD BE TESTED.
 APPARATUS REQUIRED:
1.TESTING MACHINE (1.2 MPA/MIN TO 2.4 MPA)
2.TAMPING ROD (DIA – 16MM, AND LENGTH – 600MM)
3.CONCRETE MOULD (MADE BY STEEL)
4.TROWEL

SAMPLE PREPARATION:
•TAKE A SAMPLE FROM A GOOD QUALITY MIX OF CONCRETE.
•CLEAN THE CYLINDRICAL MOLD AND ENSURE MOLD FREE FROM DUST AND RUST.
•FILL THE MOLD WITH CONCRETE IN THREE EQUAL LAYERS BY PROPER COMPACTION WITH THE
HELP OF A TAMPING ROD.
•KEEP THE TOP SURFACE OF CONCRETE SMOOTH BY THE TROWEL. 
CURING:
•MOLD WITH CONCRETE SAMPLES SHOULD BE COVERED
WITH WET GUNNY BAGS OR KEEP IT UNDISTURBED
WATER FOR 24 HOURS AT A TEMPERATURE OF 27 °
CELSIUS ± 2.
•AT THE END OF 24 HOURS TAKE OUT THE SAMPLE AND
REMOVE THE CONCRETE SAMPLES FROM THE MOLD
AND IT SHOULD BE IMMERSED INTO THE WATER FOR 7
OR 28 DAYS BASED ON THE TEST.
•TAKE OUT A SAMPLE FROM THE WATER AFTER 24 HOURS
PRIOR TO THE TEST AND IT SHOULD BE IN DRY
CONDITION.
PROCEDURE:

1.THE BEARING SURFACES OF THE MACHINE

AND THE LOADING STRIP FREE FROM DUST.

2.THE SPECIMEN SHOULD BE WEIGHED IN

NEWTON PRIOR TO THE TEST.

3.NOW, PLACE THE SPECIMEN CENTRALLY

BETWEEN THE LOADING STRIPS AND ENSURE
THE UPPER PLATEN IS PARALLEL TO THE
BOTTOM PLATEN.

4.THEN APPLY THE LOAD GRADUALLY UNTIL

THE SPECIMEN BREAK AND NOTE DOWN THE
VALUE.

5.THE SAME METHOD HAS BEEN REPEATED FOR

OTHER SAMPLES
CALCULATION:

THE FORMULA FOR DERIVING THE TENSILE STRENGTH OF THE SAMPLE IS:

STRENGTH( FCT) = 2P
ΠLd.

WHERE,
FCT – TENSILE STRENGTH OF CONCRETE

P – MAXIMUM LOAD IN N/SQM

L – LENGTH OF THE SPECIMEN

D – DIAMETER OF THE SPECIMEN

BRIQUETTE METHOD TO FIND THE TENSILE STRENGTH OF A CEMENT SAMPLE:

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE:

CEMENT IS USUALLY SUBJECTED TO COMPRESSIVE STRESSES WHEN USED IN THE FORM OF

CONCRETE OR MORTAR. THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE TEST FOR CEMENT OR FOR A MIXTURE OF IT
WITH SAND IS DONE BY DETERMINING ITS CRUSHING STRENGTH. UNFORTUNATELY, IT REQUIRES A
VERY COSTLY MACHINE AND, THEREFORE, THE USUAL PRACTICE IS TO USE THE TENSILE TEST
INSTEAD WHICH CAN BE CARRIED OUT VERY CHEAPLY. THE TENSILE STRENGTH IS DETERMINED IN
ORDER TO GAIN SOME IDEA OF THE COHESION BETWEEN THE PARTICLES. THIS PROPERTY BY
ITSELF, IS NOT OF IMPORTANCE IN CEMENT CONCRETE, BUT AS IT IS ROUGHLY PROPORTIONAL TO
THE CRUSHING STRENGTH AND IS EASIER TO DETERMINE, THE TENSILE TEST IS USUALLY
SUBSTITUTED FOR THE CRUSHING TEST.

THE TENSILE STRENGTH OF 1:3 CEMENT-SAND BRIQUETTES, MADE WITH 8.4% PERCENT WATER BY
WEIGHT, IS TESTED, WHICH SHOULD GIVE THE FOLLOWING RESULTS WITH AN AVERAGE OF 6
BRIQUETTES

ORDINARY CEMENT:
•NOT LESS THAN 300 LB. PER SQ.IN. AFTER 3 DAYS.
•GREATER THAN 375 LB. PER SQ.IN. AFTER 7 DAYS.
RAPID HARDENING CEMENT:
•NOT LESS THAN 300 LB. PER SQ.IN. AFTER 1 DAYS
APPARATUS AND SAMPLE:

•TRIPLE BEAM BALANCE

•SAND
•FRESH CEMENT
•BRIQUETTES
•CLEAN WATER
•FLOAT

PROCEDURE:

1) TAKE A SAMPLE OF SAND AND DO GRADATION OF IT WITH THE HELP OF SIEVE #20 AND #30. TAKE
THAT SAND WHICH SATISFIES THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS.
•ON SIEVE #20, 100% OF IT SHOULD PASS
•ON SIEVE #30, 90% OF IT SHOULD BE RETAINED.
2) THE ABOVE SAND SHOULD BE USED FOR MAKING THE MORTAR AS IT IS THE ASTM STANDARD.
3) TAKE SAND IN A PAN AND MEASURE 600 GRAMS OF IT WITH THE HELP OF TRIPLE BEAM BALANCE.
4) NOW TAKE FRESH CEMENT WHOSE STRENGTH IS TO BE MEASURED, MEASURE 200 GRAMS OF IT
WITH THE HELP OF TRIPLE BEAM BALANCE. WE TAKE THESE WEIGHTS AS WE HAVE TO PREPARE 1:3
CEMENT-SAND MORTAR.
5) NOW TAKE A GRADUATED CYLINDER AND MEASURE THE WEIGHT OF WATER TO BE MIXED. THE
AMOUNT OF WATER SHOULD BE TAKEN ACCORDING TO THE ASTM STANDARDS, GIVEN ON THE NEXT
PAGE.
6) PUT THE SAND AND CEMENT IN A CLEAN CONTAINER, AND THOROUGHLY MIX THEM AS TO PREPARE
7) THEN ADD THE MEASURED AMOUNT OF WATER TO IT AND AGAIN
THOROUGHLY MIX THE CONTENTS SO THAT IT BECOMES HOMOGENEOUS
MIXTURE. THIS MIXTURE IS NOW CALLED 1:3 CEMENT-SAND MORTAR.
8) NOW TAKE THE BRIQUETTES MOULD AND CLEAN IT INNER SIDES SO THAT
THERE IS NO IMPURITY ADDED TO THE MORTAR.
9) THEN PUT THE MORTAR IN THE BRIQUETTES IN THREE LAYERS. EACH
LAYER WHEN LAID IN THE BRIQUETTE SHOULD BE TAMPERED 25 TIMES WITH
THE HELP OF A STANDARD TAMPERING ROD I.E. 5/8 INCH DIAMETER ROD.
10) WHEN COMPACTION IS DONE, THEN CLEAN THE OUTER OR UPPER SIDES
OF THE MOULDS.
11) PREPARE AT LEAST 6 BRIQUETTES OF THAT MORTAR.
12) NOW SET IT ASIDE FOR 24 HOURS, SO THAT ITS INITIAL AND FINAL SETTING
TIME IS REACHED.
13) AFTER 24 HOURS REMOVE THE MOULDS CAREFULLY. IT SHOULD BE DONE
BY OPENING THE NUTS AT THE ENDS OF MOULD SO THAT THE BRIQUETTES
ARE NOT SUBJECTED TO ANY TYPE OF LOAD BEFORE CURING.
14) NOW PLACE THE ABOVE SIX BRIQUETTES IN WATER FOR SEVEN DAYS SO
THAT ITS PROPER CURING IS DONE.
15) NOW TAKE SOME SAMPLES AFTER 3 DAYS, AND CHECK THERE TENSILE
STRENGTH WITH THE HELP OF BRIQUETTES TENSILE TESTING MACHINE, IN
STANDARD CONDITION OF THE SURROUNDING. NOW COMPARE IT VALUE
WITH THAT OF ASTM STANDARDS TENSILE TEST.
16) AFTER SEVEN DAYS REMOVE ALL THE REMAINING BRIQUETTES FROM
WATER AND THEN CHECK THEIR TENSILE STRENGTH WITH THE HELP OF
TENSILE TESTING MACHINE. COMPARE THEIR VALUES WITH THAT OF ASTM
ASTM STANDARDS:
ASTM STANDARD FOR WATER CONTENT:
THE AMOUNT OF WATER TO BE ADDED CAN BE DETERMINED BY ANY ONE OF THE FOLLOWING
APPROACHES:
1) ½ OF THE WEIGHT OF CEMENT.
OR

2) 8% OF THE WEIGHT OF CEMENT-SAND MIXTURE

ASTM STANDARD FOR CONDITIONS FOR TENSILE TEST:

WHILE CONDUCTING THE TEST THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS SHOULD BE FULFILLED:
NOTES:
• ROOM TEMPERATURE =  18 C TO 20 C
0 0
1. LOAD SHOULD BE
• RELATIVE HUMIDITY  =   90 % APPLIED TO THE
BRIQUETTE
ASTM STANDARD FOR TENSILE STRENGTHS: CENTRALLY.
FOLLOWING ARE THE STANDARD TENSILE STRENGTHS FOR DIFFERENT CEMENT;
2. STRENGTH INCREASES
WHEN LOADING RATE
1)  ORDINARY CEMENT: IS INCREASED FROM
•NOT LESS THAN 300 LB. PER SQ.IN. AFTER 3 DAYS THAT SPECIFIED
•GREATER THAN 375 LB. PER SQ.IN. AFTER 7 DAYS

2)  RAPID HARDENING CEMENT:

•NOT LESS THAN 300 LB. PER SQ.IN. AFTER 1 DAYS
THANK YOU