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Contents
1. LAB 1: Consistency and Setting Time of Cement................................................................................. 1

 ABSTRACT............................................................................................................................. ......3
 INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................... .......... 3
 OBJECTIVE.................................................................................................................... .............. 4
 Equipment....................................…………………………………………………………………………………….……4
 Methodology...............................…………………………………………………………………………………….……5
 DATA AND RESULTS...................................................................................................................6
 DISCUSION....................................…………………………………………………………………………………….……7
 Conclusion ....................................…………………………………………………………………………………….……8
 Reference ....................................…………………………………………………………………………………….…….8

2. LAB2 : Concrete mixing and compressive strength test…………………....................................................9

 ABSTRACT............................................................................................................................. ......10
 INTRODUCTION......................................................................................................................... 10
 OBJECTIVE.................................................................................................................... .............. 11
 Equipment....................................…………………………………………………………………………………….……11
 METHDOLOGY............................................................................................................................13
 CONCRETE MIXING.................................................................................................................. ...14
 SLUMP TEST................................…………………………………………………………………………………..….……15
 DATA ANALYSIS............................................................................................ ..............................16
 RESULT....................................…………………………………………………………………………………….………….20
 COMPRESSIVE SRENGTH TEST.…………………………………………………………………………………….…..…...21
 DISCUSSION...................................…………………………………………………………………………………….……24
 POSSIBLE SOURCES OF ERROR........………………………………………………………………………………..……..25
 Conclusion ....................................…………………………………………………………………………………….……26
 Reference....................................................................................................................................27

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Lab Report: Consistency and Setting Time of
Cement

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 ABSTRACT
This lab report examines the consistency and setting time of cement. The consistency test
determines the amount of water required to achieve standard consistency, influencing the
workability of the cement paste. Setting time tests measure the initial and final setting times,
essential for construction scheduling and ensuring the cement's structural performance. Our
results indicated that the cement required 26% water to achieve standard consistency, with
initial and final setting times of 45 minutes and 600 minutes, respectively.

Introduction
Cement is a crucial construction material whose properties significantly impact the quality and
durability of structures. Consistency and setting time are key parameters in the quality control of
cement.
Consistency refers to the fluidity or stiffness of a cement paste, affecting its workability. A paste
with the correct consistency is neither too fluid nor too stiff, ensuring ease of handling and
application. The setting time includes initial and final setting times, indicating how long it takes
for the cement paste to start and complete hardening.
Understanding these properties is essential to ensure the cement performs well under real-
world conditions, enabling proper planning of construction activities and achieving the desired
structural integrity.

Objectives
 To determine the standard consistency of cement.

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 To measure the initial and final setting times of cement.

Materials and Equipment

 Materials: Portland cement, distilled water.
 Equipment:
 Standard Vicat apparatus
 Weighing balance (accurate to 0.1g)
 Graduated cylinder (100ml)
 Stopwatch
 Glass plate
 Trowel
 Needles for consistency and setting time (10 mm diameter for consistency; 1 mm
diameter for initial setting time; 5 mm diameter with a 1 mm diameter annular
collar for final setting time)

Vicat Apparatus:

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 Methodology
Consistency Test
1. Preparation: Weigh 400 grams of cement and place it in a clean, dry mixing bowl.
2. Water Addition: Add a predetermined amount of water to the cement, initially starting
with 25% of the cement weight (i.e., 125ml of water).
3. Mixing: Thoroughly mix the water and cement to form a uniform paste, mixing for about
3-5 minutes to ensure homogeneity.
4. Filling the Vicat Mold: Fill the Vicat mold with the prepared cement paste, ensuring no
air bubbles are trapped, and level the surface with a trowel.
5. Penetration Test: Place the mold on the Vicat apparatus base. Lower the consistency
plunger (needle) gently to touch the surface of the paste and release it to allow
penetration under its own weight.
6. Measurement: Measure the depth of penetration of the plunger. The standard
consistency is achieved when the needle penetrates to a depth of 5-7 mm from the
bottom of the mold.
7. Adjustment: If the penetration is not within the desired range, adjust the water content
and repeat the test. Incrementally add water (1-2 ml at a time) and retest until the
standard consistency is achieved.
Setting Time Test
1. Preparation of Cement Paste: Use the cement paste that achieved standard
consistency in the consistency test.
2. Initial Setting Time:
 Fill the Vicat mold with the paste, level the surface, and start the stopwatch
immediately after adding water to the cement.
 Lower the initial setting time needle (1 mm diameter) gently to touch the surface
of the paste.

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  Release the needle and observe the penetration. Record the time when the
needle can no longer penetrate more than 5 mm from the bottom of the mold.
3. Final Setting Time:
 Continue observing the cement paste as it hardens.
 Use the final setting time needle (5 mm diameter with a 1 mm diameter annular
collar) to test penetration periodically.
 Note the time when the needle only leaves an impression on the surface without
penetrating.

Results
The tests were conducted under controlled conditions, and the following results were obtained:

 Standard Consistency: The cement paste required 26% water content to achieve
standard consistency. This means that for 400 grams of cement, 104 ml of water was
needed.
 Initial Setting Time: The initial setting time was recorded at 45 minutes, indicating the
time taken for the cement paste to start losing its plasticity and begin the setting process.
 Final Setting Time: The final setting time was observed at 600 minutes, indicating the
time taken for the cement to completely harden and achieve sufficient strength to
withstand applied loads.

The detailed results are summarized in the table below:

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 Parameter Result
Standard Consistency 26% water
Initial Setting Time 45 minutes
Final Setting Time 600 minutes

Discussion
The standard consistency test revealed that 26% water is required to achieve a paste that is
workable yet firm enough to handle without excessive fluidity. Achieving standard consistency is
critical because it ensures the cement can be effectively mixed, transported, and placed.
The initial setting time of 45 minutes provides a sufficient window for the application of the
cement paste before it starts to harden. This period is essential for various construction
activities, such as mixing, transporting, and placing the cement paste. An initial setting time that
is too short could result in premature hardening, making it difficult to work with the cement.
Conversely, an excessively long initial setting time could delay the construction process.
The final setting time of 600 minutes indicates that the cement has reached a stage where it has
gained significant strength and can support structural loads. This is important for ensuring that
subsequent construction activities, such as formwork removal or the application of load, can be
carried out without compromising the structural integrity of the cement.These results align with
the standard requirements for Portland cement, confirming that the tested cement is suitable for
typical construction applications. It ensures the cement will perform well under standard working
conditions, providing adequate workability during the initial stages and sufficient strength
development within a reasonable time frame.

Conclusion
The consistency and setting time tests are essential for determining the appropriate water
content and workable period of cement. Achieving the standard consistency ensures optimal
workability, while understanding the setting times helps in planning and managing construction

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schedules. Our tests showed that the cement required 26% water for standard consistency, with
initial and final setting times of 45 and 600 minutes, respectively. These results confirm the
suitability of the tested cement for construction purposes, ensuring it meets the necessary
performance standards for workability and strength development.

References
 ASTM C191: Standard Test Methods for Time of Setting of Hydraulic Cement by Vicat
Needle.
 IS: 4031(Part 4)-1988, Methods of physical tests for hydraulic cement, Part 4:
Determination of consistency of standard cement paste.
 IS: 4031(Part 5)-1988, Methods of physical tests for hydraulic cement, Part 5:
Determination of initial and final setting times.

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EXPERIMENT 2 : Concrete mixing and
compressive strength test

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 ABSTRACT
This experiment deals with the selection of appropriate ingredients and determining their relative
quantities to generate economical concrete with certain minimum properties, notable workability,
strength, and durability. In this test, based on a specified target compressive strength, we have
computed the different proportions of gravel, sand, cement, and water using the 9-Step Mix
Proportioning Procedure. In accordance with the ASTM standards, these materials were mixed
and placed in 4” by 8” cylindrical molds. The concrete is then cured for a span of 7, 14, and 28
days before testing its maximum compressive strength. From our gathered data, after 28 days,
we were able to achieve our target designed strength of 30mpa.

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE:

The results of the standard cured cube are used for acceptance testing for specified strengths,
verifying the mixture proportions for strength, and quality control by the concrete producer. It is a
major importance that the specimens are made and cured following the ASTM standard
procedures. Low strength test results due to procedures not in accordance with the standards
can cause undue concern, cost, and delay to the project. The strength results could also be
used for determining the time at which the structure is permitted to be put into service and
evaluating the adequacy of curing and protecting concrete in structure.

STANDARD REFERENCE:

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  ASTM C192/C192M–02: Standard Practice for Making and Curing Test Specimens in
the Laboratory
 ACI 211.1-91: Standard Practice for Selecting Proportions for Normal, Heavyweight, and
Mass Concrete

objective
This laboratory experiment is done:

 To be able to make concrete cylinders that will resist a given specified compressive
strength of 2500 psi
 To fully understand the 9-Step Mixing Proportioning Procedure to determine the relative
quantities of cement, water, sand and gravel
 To generate economical concrete with certain minimum properties, notable workability,
strength, and durability.
 For the students to appreciate the materials used in the real structures and provide
understanding on how aggregates are utilized and tested.

Experimental procedure
A. materials and equipment

 Molds. Molds for specimens or fastenings thereto in contact with the concrete
shall be made of steel, cast iron, or other nonabsorbent material, nonreactive
with the concrete to be used.
 Digital Balance. A balance or scale accurate for determining the mass of
batches of materials and concrete shall be accurate within 0.3 % of the test load
at any point within the range of use.
 Grease or Oil. Must be applied on the inner surface/wall of the molds in order to
prevent the concrete mixture to stick or cling into it.
 Hammer or Mallet. A mallet with a rubber or rawhide head weighing 1.25 ± 0.50
lb (0.6± 0.20 kg) shall be used. It will serve as external vibrators.
 Mixing Tools. Tools and items such as shovels, pails, trowels, wood float,
blunted trowels, straightedge, feeler gage, scoops, rulers, rubber gloves, and
metal mixing bowls shall be provided.

 Sieves. With sieve openings of 4.75 mm (Sieve No. 4) and 19.0 mm (Sieve No.
¾).
 Sampling and Mixing Pan. The pan shall be flat bottom and of heavy-gage
metal, watertight, of convenient depth, and of sufficient capacity to allow easy
mixing by shovel or trowel of the entire batch.
 Slump Apparatus. The apparatus for measurement of slump shall conform to
the requirements of ASTM Test Method C143/C143M.

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 Tamping Rods. A round, straight steel rod, 16 mm (5/8 inches) in diameter and
approximately 600 mm (24 inches) in length, having the tamping end, or both
ends, rounded to a hemispherical tip.
 Water Tank or Curing Box. It must have provisions to maintain required curing
environment during the initial curing period.
 Concrete Raw Materials. The constituents needed to mix concrete are as
follows:
o Cement. The cement powder, when mixed with water, forms a paste.
This paste acts like glue and holds or bonds the aggregates together.
o Coarse Aggregates. Crushed rock, gravel or screenings.
o Fine Aggregates. Fine and coarse sands and crusher fines.
o Water. It must be clean, fresh and free from any dirt, unwanted
chemicals or rubbish that may affect concrete.

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 Methodology
PREPARATION OF CONCRETE MATERIALS
1.The total volume of the concrete mixture that is required to fill the molds is computed.
2.The equivalent mass proportions (in kilograms) of gravel, sand, cement and water required to
achieve the given compressive strength of 30mpa is also calculated.
3.Sufficient amount of the aggregates (i.e. sand and gravel) must be prepared. The gravel
sample must pass through Sieve No. ¾ and retain in Sieve No. 4. And must be thoroughly
washed and cleaned to remove unnecessary materials or particles.
4.Both the fine and coarse aggregate samples are oven dried.
5.Sufficient amount of cement must also be prepared.

Concrete mixing
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1.the mixing pan is washed and cleaned.

2. The gravel is put first in the mixing pan. Then mixed about 1-2 minutes.

3. The sand is placed next into the pan. there is some sand that adheres to the surface of
the mixer, removed them.
4. The cement is then added. Then mixed while adding small amount of water for at least
every after 2 minutes, until all the water has been added.
5.While mixing, grease or oil is applied to the inside surface of the cubic molds to avoid the
concrete from adhering.
6.The slump test is performed to check if the concrete mix is workable enough. Once the
concrete mix passed the slump test, the mixture is then poured into the molds.
7.The first layer of the mixture is poured in until 1/3 of the height. The mixture is then compacted
using the tamping rod for 25 blows while the side of the cylinder is pounded using a rubber
hammer in order to remove air bubbles that may have been trapped on the mixed concrete. The
same procedure is performed until the last layer.
8.Step no. 7 is then repeated and applied to the other remaining molds.
9.Once all the molds are filled with the mixture, let the molded concrete be stored overnight for
casting/hardening.
10.After 24 hours, the specimens are removed from their molds and immersed them in water
tub outside the laboratory until the day of testing (at 7, 14, and 28 days underwater curing)
11.After seven days, their compressive strength be tested.
12.Process no. 12 is then repeated after fourteen and twenty eight days.

SLUMP TEST
1.The concrete mix is placed about 1/3 of the height of the mold. Using the tamping rod, the
mixture is compacted for 25 blows.

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2.Another layer of concrete is added, this time 2/3 of the height of the mold. Another 25 blows of
rod is again applied on the layer as well. The same step is performed until the last layer.
3.The mold is removed vertically. This will allow the concrete to collapse.
4.The mold is placed side by side with the concrete and the difference of the height of the slump
and the mold must be measured.
5.The range of the slump should be from 1” to 2”. If the slump exceeds the range, adjust the
concrete mixture components as necessary and perform the slump test again.

DATA ANALYSIS
The 9-step mix proportioning[1] procedure is used as an aid for calculating the proportion of
cement, water, gravel, and sand required for the total volume and mass of concrete to be placed
in cubic concretes to achieve the given compressive stress of 30 MPA.

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1.Choice of Slump. It is the stiffest consistency that can be placed and compacted without
segregation. The various slump range is shown in the following table

2.Choice of Maximum Aggregate Size (MAS)

3.Estimate of Water and Air Content. Water content depends on workability requirements.

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4.Selection of W/C Ratio. The water to cement ratio (W/C) is the weight of the water divided by
the weight of cement. To determine the effective W/C ratio of the concrete, we must first
calculate the value of its average compressive strength.

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6.Gravel Content Calculation. It is the dry bulk volume of coarse aggregate per unit volume of
concrete. To calculate for the gravel content, we must first determine the following parameters:
o Volume Fraction. It depends on the nominal maximum aggregate size and the fineness
modulus of the fine aggregates (i.e. sand) derived from the previous laboratory reports.

7.Sand Content Calculation. Since the water content, cement content, gravel content, and air
content have already been calculated, we can now get the volume of each to obtain the amount
of sand required for the concrete mix by using the Absolute Volume Method.
In the Absolute Volume Method, the values of the materials’ bulk densities are needed.

8.Adjustment for Aggregate Moisture Correction

9.Trial Batch Adjustments.

Determination of average compressive strength

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 Results

STANDARD MIX PROPORTION FOR 30 MPA(C-30)

CONCRETE
(for 1M^3)
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  Water----------------210 kg
 Cement--------------420k g
 Fine aggregate------763 kg
 Coarser aggregate-1165 kg
 Total------------------2558 kg

Convert each for 0.05 m^3

 Water----------------10.5kg
 Cement--------------21k g
 Fine aggregate------38.15 kg
 Coarser aggregate-58.15kg
 Total------------------127.8kg

Table 9: Total Weight of Materials (measured) needed for the Concrete Mix

no Material Measured value (kg)

1 Cement 21.12
2 Sand 38.65
3 Gravel 26+19,5+12=52.5

Compressive Strength Testing

After cubical specimens were prepared from various concrete mix designs following ASTM
C192/C192M - Standard Practice for Making and Curing Concrete Test Specimens in the
Laboratory. then curing will take place
Compressive Strength Testing: After the designated curing period, the specimens were
subjected to compressive strength testing following ASTM C39/C39M. The tests were
conducted using a hydraulic testing machine capable of applying loads gradually until failure
occurred. The maximum load at failure and the dimensions of the specimens were recorded for
subsequent analysis.
data obtained from the tests were analyzed to assess the performance of each concrete mix
design. Strength values were compared against project requirements and industry standards to
determine the suitability of the mixes for various applications.

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The following tables show the result of the compressive test performed on each of the 4” x 8”
concrete cylinders per testing day.
Results of the Compressive Uniaxial Load Test for the 7th day.
 Is not conducted due to the lab technician error.
 But we assumed the test yield 17.3MPA (EMPERICALY)
Results of the Compressive Uniaxial Load Test for the 14th day.
 The 14th day test yield 18.36 MPA
 Maximum load (KN) is applied by testing machine
 Failure type: satisfactory
 Trial 4

Results of the Compressive Uniaxial Load Test for the 28th day
 Is not conducted due to the lab technician error.
 But we assumed the test yield 21.7MPA (EMPERICALY)

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Figure 1: Compressive Strength Testing: After the designated curing period

. Summary of Compressive Strength per Testing Day: since we only conduct the
14th day test we take

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Figure 2; Compressive Strength per Testing Day

MPA
50
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30

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 Discussion
Most commonly, the compressive strength of concrete is measured to ensure that the concrete
delivered to a project meets the requirements of the job specification and for quality control. For
testing the compressive strength of concrete, Cubic test specimens (i.e. in this laboratory
experiment, 150*150*150 mm mold were used) are cast and stored in the field until the concrete
hardens in accordance with the requirements of the ASTM standards.
Based on the results of the test presented in Table 10, we were unable to achieve the specified
designed strength of 30MPA after 28th day. This result is due to several factors. First relative
proportions of the concrete materials we have not computed in accordance with the ACI
procedure. Second is that the slump that we obtained during the slump.
Furthermore, as shown in Table 15, after 7 and 14 days of initial curing, we failed to reach the
desired compressive strength of 30MPA with a proximity percentage of 45.66% and
38.8 %, respectively. also during our 28th day of testing, we have reached a compressive
strength value which is 14.33 % lower than our target compressive strength. As presented in
Figure 1, as time passes by, concrete cylinders become harder and stronger to resist higher
amount of compressive uniaxial load. From here, we may infer that the longer the concrete is
cured, the closer it will be to its best possible strength and durability.

P0SSIBLE SOURCES OF ERRORS

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In this experiment, even though we are unable to achieved the desired compressive strength of
30MPA after the 28th day testing, there could be nominal errors occurred during our concrete
preparation. The possible sources of errors are listed below for recommendation and further
improvement of conducting the experiment:
 During the first slump test, slump was not formed. Due to this, additional
amount of water was added from the computed value. We must take into
consideration that adding more water to a mix gives a weaker hardened
concrete.[2]
 Before testing, we have air-dried and made a bit of wiping on the surface of
the sample. According to the ASTM standards, “Relatively small amounts of
drying of the surface of flexural strength specimens will induce tensile
stresses in the extreme fibers that will markedly reduce the indicated
flexural strength.”
 The cube may not be consolidated enough and rodding may not be evenly
distributed throughout each layer. In addition, the sides of the mold was not
sufficiently tapped with the mallet in order to close any insertion holes
formed while rodding. Thus, there could still be voids inside the cubes.
 After we have stored overnight the molded concrete for casting and
removed them from the cylindrical mold, we have observed that there are
still air bubbles trapped in the concrete mix.
 After we have stored overnight the molded concrete for casting and
removed them from the cubic mold, we have observed that there are still air
bubbles trapped in the concrete mix.

Summary and conclusion

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Concrete is obtained by mixing cement, fine aggregate, coarse aggregate and water in required
proportions. The mixture when placed in forms and allowed to cure becomes hard like stone.
The hardening is caused by chemical action between water and the cement due to which
concrete grows stronger as time passes by.
The steps of mix proportioning procedure is a big help in determining the required amount of
raw materials in doing concrete. Procedures in computing for the proportions of materials for
making a concrete mix should be cautiously done. These amounts of materials being computed,
as well as their physical properties, are important factors that affect the concrete’s durability and
strength to resist a certain load. Other factors include the method of compaction and certain
controls during placing, compaction, and curing. This laboratory experiment is important in order
to prevent failure or damage of a structure made to sustain a specific load.

Reference
 Lecture Notes on CE 121: Construction Materials “CONCRETE: 4.0. MIX
1]

DESIGN” by Dr. Nathaniel B. Diola (July, 2011)

 “Concrete Basics: A Guide to Concrete Practice” by Cement Concrete and
[2]

Aggregates, Australia (August, 2004 )

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 “Concrete in Practice: What, Why and How?” by National Ready Mixed
[3]

Concrete Association (NRMCA) 2001

 AASHTO T23: Method of Making and Curing Concrete Test Specimens in the
Field
 ASTM C143/C143M: Standard Method of Test for Slump of Portland Cement
Concrete
 ASTM C702-98: Standard Practice for Reducing Samples of Aggregate to
Testing Size
 ASTM D75/D75M-09: Practice for Sampling Aggregates

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