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SE lab viva prep

The document outlines various tests and procedures for assessing cement and aggregate properties, including fineness, specific gravity, setting times, and compressive strength. It also details concrete mix design processes, focusing on cube and beam molds, and provides a specific example for M25 concrete. Key formulas and standard values are included for each test to ensure proper evaluation and mix design.

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Nishit Sharma
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11 views6 pages

SE lab viva prep

The document outlines various tests and procedures for assessing cement and aggregate properties, including fineness, specific gravity, setting times, and compressive strength. It also details concrete mix design processes, focusing on cube and beam molds, and provides a specific example for M25 concrete. Key formulas and standard values are included for each test to ensure proper evaluation and mix design.

Uploaded by

Nishit Sharma
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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🧪 1.

Fineness of Cement by Dry Sieving


●​ Purpose: To check how fine the cement is (more fineness = more strength & better
hydration).​

●​ Procedure: Take 100g of cement → sieve it through a 90μm IS sieve → weigh residue.​

●​ Formula:​
% retained = (Weight of residue / Total weight of sample) × 100​

●​ Viva Tip: Cement with less than 10% residue is considered fine.​

🧪 2. Specific Gravity of Cement


●​ Purpose: To find how dense the cement is compared to water.​

●​ Procedure: Use Le Chatelier flask or a specific gravity bottle, fill with kerosene →
measure displaced volume.​

●​ Formula:​
Specific Gravity = (W2 - W1) / [(W2 - W1) - (W3 - W4)]​
(where W1 = weight of bottle, W2 = with cement, W3 = with kerosene, W4 = kerosene
only)​

●​ Standard value: Around 3.15​

🧪 3. Fineness Modulus of Fine & Coarse Aggregates


●​ Purpose: To classify aggregates as fine/coarse and know gradation.​

●​ Procedure: Pass aggregates through a series of IS sieves (10mm to 150µm for fine;
80mm to 4.75mm for coarse).​

●​ Formula:​
Fineness Modulus = Sum of cumulative % retained / 100​
●​ FM Range:​

○​ Fine Aggregates: 2.3 – 3.1​

○​ Coarse Aggregates: 6 – 8​

🧪 4. Specific Gravity & Water Absorption of Fine


Aggregates
●​ Purpose: To find the porosity & density of sand.​

●​ Procedure: Saturate, drain, weigh (SSD) → oven dry → determine water absorption.​

●​ Formula:​
Specific Gravity = Weight of oven dry / (Weight of SSD - Weight of water displaced)​
Water Absorption (%) = [(SSD - Oven Dry) / Oven Dry] × 100​

●​ Standard SG: Around 2.6 – 2.7​

🧪 5. Initial & Final Setting Time of Cement


●​ Purpose: To find when cement starts and finishes hardening.​

●​ Apparatus: Vicat Apparatus​

●​ Initial Setting Time: When needle penetrates 33-35mm from top.​


(Should not be less than 30 mins)​

●​ Final Setting Time: When the needle doesn’t leave an impression.​


(Should not be more than 10 hours)​

🧪 6. Standard Consistency Test of Cement


●​ Purpose: To find water % needed to make cement paste of normal consistency.​

●​ Apparatus: Vicat Apparatus​

●​ Procedure: Vary water until needle penetrates 5-7 mm from bottom.​

●​ Formula:​
Water required is generally 25–35% of cement weight.​

🧪 7. Compressive Strength of Cement


●​ Purpose: To check how strong the cement paste is under load.​

●​ Procedure: Make mortar cubes (1:3 ratio with standard sand), cure for 3, 7, or 28 days.​

●​ Cube Size: 70.7 mm​

●​ Formula:​
Compressive Strength = Load / Area​

●​ Expected Strength: Around 33 MPa at 28 days for OPC 33 grade.​

🧪 8. Bulking of Sand
●​ Purpose: To find increase in volume of sand due to moisture.​

●​ Procedure: Add water gradually to dry sand → observe volume changes.​

●​ Why important: Bulking leads to wrong mix proportioning if not adjusted.​

●​ Max Bulking: Around 5–8% moisture content​

🧪 10. Soundness Test of Cement


●​ Purpose: To check cement’s volume stability (expansion after setting).​
●​ Apparatus: Le Chatelier Mould​

●​ Procedure: Cement paste filled in mould → boiled in water → expansion measured.​

●​ Allowable Expansion: Not more than 10mm​

●​ Reason: Unsound cement has excess free lime or magnesia, causes cracks.

🧱 Concrete Mix Design Summary – Cube vs Beam


🔹 IS Code Used:
📘 IS 10262:2019 — for mix design procedure​
📘 IS 456:2000 — for exposure, durability, W/C ratio limits, etc.

🧾 Tables Used:
1.​ Table 3 (IS 10262) – Water content & slump for different aggregate sizes​

2.​ Table 5 / 6 (IS 10262) – Volume of coarse & fine aggregate (based on zone)​

3.​ IS 456 – Max W/C ratio & min cement content as per exposure​

🧪 Steps (Same for Cube & Beam):


1.​ Choose grade (e.g., M25 → fck = 25 MPa)​

2.​ Target strength: f'ck = fck + 1.65 × S​

3.​ Water-cement ratio (from IS 456 limits)​

4.​ Select water content (from table)​

5.​ Calculate cement content = water / W/C​

6.​ Determine aggregate ratio (from tables)​

7.​ Adjust volumes for 1 m³ concrete​


🧊 Cube Mix Design (Purpose: Compressive Strength
Testing)
●​ Mold size: 150 mm × 150 mm × 150 mm​

●​ Focus: Strength only​

●​ Slump: Low (50–75 mm)​

●​ Workability: Not a major concern​

●​ Final proportion: e.g., 1 : 1.5 : 3 (varies as per design)​

🧱 Beam Mix Design (Structural Member under Load)


●​ Mold size: 150 mm × 150 mm × 700 mm​

●​ Focus: Strength + workability​

●​ Slump: Higher (80–120 mm)​

●​ More cement/water for flow around reinforcement​

●​ Same IS codes and steps, but adjust for better placement & compaction​

💡 M25 Concrete Example:


●​ fck = 25 MPa​

●​ f'ck = 25 + (1.65 × 4) = 31.6 MPa​

●​ W/C ≈ 0.45, Water ≈ 186 kg​


●​ Cement = 186 / 0.45 ≈ 413 kg​

●​ FA ≈ 648 kg, CA ≈ 1170 kg​

●​ Mix ratio (by weight) = 1 : 1.57 : 2.83

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