UNIVERSITY OF DAR ES SALAAM.

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (COET).

DEPARTMENT OF STRUCTURAL AND CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING

SC211: CIVIL ENGINEERING MATERIALS II

NAME: MRISHO, ADAM H

REG NO:2019-04-08063

COURSE: BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN CIVIL ENGINEERING

COURSE INSTRUCTOR: ENG: LWITIKO HUMPHREY KALENGA

PRACTICAL #01: MINERAL BINDERS: TESTING CEMENT

PRACTICAL VENUE: CELAB

PRACTICAL DATE: 19th January 2021

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MINERAL BINDERS:
Are inorganic materials used as binding agents in construction works.
- Cement
- Lime
- Gypsum
- Clay.
Cement is made of calcerous, silica, Aluminium, Iron Oxide containing materials heated in kiln
then grinded to fine powder.
CEMENT TESTS;
1. SETTING TIME (VICAT APPARATUS)
Setting time is time required for cement paste to harden/stiffen.
- Initial setting time, is time from moment of mixing up to when it starts to harden.
(>45min for OPC)
- Final setting time, is time from moment of mixing up to when it has hardened.
(<10hrs for OPC)
Objective
The main objective of this experiment was to determine the initial and final setting time of
cement.
Equipment/apparatus used
 VICAT apparatus
Made of
- VICAT mould
- Plunger
- Rod
- Initial setting needle
- Final setting needle
 Electronic Balance
 Gauging Travel
 Stop watch
Materials used
 Cement
 Water.
Procedures;
TEST BLOCK PREPARATION
 Cement of 500g was mixed with water to produce or to prepare cement paste/test block.

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 Standard Cement Paste: was prepared by mixing cement and water 28% and the plunger
rested at 6mm from the bottom of the VICAT method.
 The moment when water added to the cement, stop watch was started and time recorded.
 The mixture was well mixed by gauging travel and cement paste obtained.
 VICAT mould was completely filled with the cement paste and smoothed off the surface
of the paste making it level with the top of the mould.
Note; The cement block or cement paste thus prepared in the VICAT mould is called the test
block.
INITIAL SETTING TIME
This is the time required to prepare and use cement. (>45min)
 The test block was placed on non- porous plate and the plunger of VICAT apparatus was
replaced by the initial setting time needle.

 Then, needle was lowered gently to contact the surface of the test block and released
quickly and allowed to penetrate the test block.
 In the beginning the needle completely pierced the test block, so the procedures repeated
by quickly releasing the needle after a certain every 5minutes till the needle falls to pierce
the test block for about 3mm to 5mm measured from the bottom of the equipment, and
the initial setting time was recorded.
FINAL SETTING TIME
This is the time when concrete/cement paste cannot be used anymore. (<10hrs)
 The needle of the initial setting time on VICAT apparatus was replaced by final setting
time needle.
 Final setting time needle was placed on the surface of the test block and the impression
produced was read.
 The period elapsing between time when water added to cement and the time the needle
makes an impression on the surface of the test block is the final setting time.
Results and Calculation
Data obtained during experiment
 Quantity of water required to produce a cement paste of standard consistence in % of
Cement weight, w=28 %
28
 Mass of water required = ×500 g=128 g
100
 Weight of cement used to prepare test block/cement paste was 500g.
 Determination of setting times
 Time when water was added to the cement (t1) = 13h, 16min
 Time when needle (C) does not penetrate beyond approximately 5mm
from the bottom (t2) = 14h, 53min

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  Time when needle (F) only (not the ring) makes an impression on the
surface (t3) = 15h, 58min.

Calculation;
 Initial setting time = t2 – t1
=14h, 53min – 13h, 16min
So, Initial setting time was 97 minutes
 Final setting time = t3 – t1
=15h, 58min – 13h, 16min
So, Final setting time was 162minutes.

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 2. SOUNDNESS
Is the expansion of cement due to free lime in cement paste.
 Soundness tested by use of the Le Chatellier apparatus.
 The test shows whether the cement undergoes a change in volume during hydration.
Objectives
 The objective of this experiment was to show whether the cement undergoes a change in
volume during hydration due to free lime or not.
Apparatus used;
 Le Chatellier apparatus
 Electronic Balance
 Ruler
 Water bath.
Procedures
 The cylinder mould placed on a glass sheet and filled it with a cement paste of standard
consistency and covered with another glass plate.
 The apparatus was placed in cold (18 to 20oC) water for 24 hours, and the distance x(mm)
between the indicators was measured.
 After 24 hours the mould was put into the water bath and water was brought to boil for 30
minutes and the distance y (mm) between the indicators was measured again.
 Then the difference y-x represented the expansion of cement and y-x < 10mm for OPC.

3. FINENESS.
The fineness of cement is expressed as the specific surface in cm2/g. Specific surface was
determined from permeability of a cement bed, its porosity, the net density of the cement
and the viscosity of the air (dependent on temperature) by using Blaine apparatus.

Objective
The objective was to determine the fineness of the cement.
Apparatus used
 Blaine apparatus
 Cylindrical container
 Manometer
Material used;
 Cement

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Procedures
 Amount of cement was placed in a cylindrical container. Then a stream of dry air was
passed through the cement bed at constant velocity.
 Afterwards the needed pressure was measured by a manometer connected to a top bottom
of the bed.
Results and calculation;
 The permeability is measured by taking the flow time interval between the manometer
liquid meniscuses passing certain marks.
 Data results of the experiment;
Constant for the given flow meter and the filter paper used K = 23.230
Volume of the permeability V=73.025 cm3
Density of the given Ordinary Portland Cement Q=3.15g/cm3
Weight of the sample W= 1665g
Porosity of the sample e =0.5
Viscosity of air at the actual room temperature n=0.01356Pas
Measured time interval t= 73Sec
Where;
K is the flow meter constant covering influences on the test results from apparatus.
 Calculation of Resultant specific surface ( Sw )

From the formula, Sw =

√e−3 √t
ρ e (1−e) √10 n
Resultant specific surface ( Sw ) was 382.618
Discussion of the results
 The finer the cement the quicker the reaction with the added water. But when fineness is
too high the amount of water required to complete hydration will be too high and
decrease strength as well as increase shrinkage.

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4. COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH AND DENSITY (Mortar Test).
Objective;
 The main objective was to determine the compressive strength and density of mortar.
Apparatus used
 Mortar mixer machine
 Cubes container
 Compressive machine
Material used;
 Ordinary Portland Cement
 Sand
 Water

Procedures
 Sand prepared with grading as recommended in BS 12 (all particles passing 850micro
meter sieve and not more than 10% passing 600 micro meters).
 Cement, sand and water were mixed together at required ratio (Cement: Sand ratio= 1:3
and Water-to-Cement ratio = 0.4)
 Then mortar was filled into cubes contains and left for 28 days when curing carried out.
 After 28days cubes mortals placed on compressive machine, and compressive test carried
out, the ultimate loads were recorded for each cube mortar.
Results and calculation;
 Table of results

No. Age Dimension(mm) Weight Density Ultimate f cu

(d) A B C (g) (g/cm3) load (N/mm2)
P(KN)
1 >28 70.7 70.7 70.7 751 2.098 193.5 38.385
2 >28 70.7 70.7 70.7 767 2.143 102.5 20.333

Calculation analysis
M
 ρ=
V
 V =abc
Ultimate load , P
 f cu=
ab
 Average compressive strength = (38.385 + 20.333)/2
= 29.359N/mm2

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Discussion of the results;
 Compressive strength 29.359 N/mm2 after 28 days is out of the required range of ordinary
Portland cement and this can be caused by poor curing.
 Target mortar cube compressive strength for Ordinary Portland cement:
3 days – 23N/mm2 and for 28 days – 41N/mm2
Conclusions
Ordinary Portland cement is useful cement for construction activities especially for mortar, block
and concrete production.