Khowpa Engineering College: Constructional Material

PURBANCHAL UNIVERSITY
KHOWPA ENGINEERING COLLEGE

(An undertaking of Bhaktapur Municipality)
Libali-8, Bhaktapur
Lab Report on
Constructional Material
Practical no: 12
SOUNDNESS OF THE CEMENT

SUBMITTED BY: SUBMITTED BY:
Name: Sagar Dahal Mr. Ramesh Bala
Roll No.: 770281 Department of Civil Engineering
Date of Submission: 2021/09/24

Objective:
To determine the soundness of the given cement
Apparatus Requirements:
1. Vernier caliper
2. Water bath
3. Balance
4. Le-chatelier's apparatus:
It consists of a small, split, metallic cylinder having an internal diameter of
30 mm. It is 30 mm in height with thickness of wall being 0.5 mm. It is fixed
with two indicators, one fixed on either side of the split. The distance from
the end of the indicator to the centre of the cylinder is 165 mm. The mould
shall keep in good condition with not more than 0.5 mm apart.
Material requirements:
The cement to be tested is made into paste of specified consistency.
Theory:
The soundness of cement indicates the stability of any cement during the volume
change in the process of setting and hardening. In case the volume change in
cement is unstable after setting and hardening, the concrete element will crack,
which can affect the quality of the structure or even cause serious accidents,
known as poor dimensional stability.
This test is performed to detect the presence of uncombined lime and magnesia
in cement. All cement expands to some extent on setting. This expansion is
sometimes responsible for cracking of set cement. This is an unsound quality. By
soundness of cement is, therefore, understood its capacity to form a non-
disintegrating, hard and uniformly strong mass on setting. This depends on its
original composition, proper burning and grinding. Presence of lime in free-state,
an excess of sulphate or magnesia and very fine size may be the cause of
unsoundness in cement. As the cement absorbs moisture, free lime expands to
many times its original volume and develops considerable heat both of which are
injurious to concrete. The immediate hydration of free lime may not take place
because lime after the cement is set and since lime expands manifold and with
considerable force when hydrated, its delayed hydration may readily disrupt the
mass. One advantage of slow setting cement is that more time is given to hydrate
the lime before the mass becomes rigid. In the soundness test a specimen of
hardened cement paste is boiled for a fixed time so that any tendency to expand
is speeded up and can be detected.
Procedure:
The mould was placed on a glass sheet and it was filled with the cement paste
formed by gauging cement with 0.78 times the water required to give a paste of
Standard consisting (approximately 30%), keeping the edge of the mould gently
together. Then the mould was covered with another glass plate, placing a small
weight on the covering glass plate and the whole assembly was submerge
immediately in water at a temperature of 27º C ± 2º C and kept there for 24
hours.
The distance D1 between the indicator points was measured after 24 hours and
again the mould was submerged in the water at the same temperature.
Then the water was brought to boiling in 25 to 30 minutes and was boiled for 3
hours. Afterward the mould was removed form the water, was allowed to cool
and the distance D2 between the indicator points was measured.
The difference (D2 – D1) between the two measurements gives expansion of
cement and it should not be more than 10 mm according to IS specification.
Observation and Calculation:

Type of cement:
Initial distance between the indicator points (D1) = 31.5mm
Final distance between the indicator points (D2) = 33 mm
Expansion of cement (D2-D1) = 1.5 mm
Soundness of Cement = 1.5 mm
Conclusion:
The soundness of the cement can be found using the Le- Chatelier method and his
apparatus itself.
Discussion
In the event of cement failing to comply with the specified requirements, a
further test should be made from another portion of the same sample in manner
described above, but after aeration (done by spreading out to a depth of 75 mm
and store it for 7 days in an atmosphere maintained at 27±2°C and relative
humidity of 50 to 80 percent). 2. Volume expansion in cement mortar or in
cement concrete is caused by the presence of unburnt lime (CaO), dead burnt
MgO and also CaSO4. 3. By Le-chatelier method we can only find out presence of
unburnt lime (CaO). 4. Presence of unburnt lime may develop cracks in the
cement because of increase in volume. 5. Free lime (CaO) and Magnesia (MgO)
are known to react with water very slowly and increase in volume considerably,
which result in cracking, distortion and disintegration.
Precaution:
1. Measurements D1 and D2 should be noted accurately.
2. Extra pressure should not be applied while filling the moulds.
3. The samples should be cooled gradual.
4. The difference between last measurement and original measurement
should not exceed 10 mm).

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PURBANCHAL UNIVERSITY

KHOWPA ENGINEERING COLLEGE

SOUNDNESS OF THE CEMENT

Date of Submission: 2021/09/24

Observation and Calculation:

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