Designation: C 91 – 03a

Standard Specification for

Masonry Cement1
This standard is issued under the fixed designation C 91; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of original
adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A superscript
epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.

This standard has been approved for use by agencies of the Department of Defense.

1. Scope C 187 Test Method for Normal Consistency of Hydraulic

1.1 This specification covers three types of masonry cement Cement3
for use where mortar for masonry is required. C 188 Test Method for Density of Hydraulic Cement3
1.2 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the C 219 Terminology Relating to Hydraulic Cement3
standard. Values in SI units shall be obtained by measurement C 230/C 230M Specification for Flow Table for Use in Tests
in SI units or by appropriate conversion of measurements made of Hydraulic Cement3
in other units, using the Rules for Conversion and Rounding C 266 Test Method for Time of Setting of Hydraulic Ce-
given in IEEE/ASTM SI 10. ment Paste by Gillmore Needles3
1.3 The text of this standard refers to notes and footnotes C 270 Specification for Mortar for Unit Masonry4
which provide explanatory material. These notes and footnotes C 305 Practice for Mechanical Mixing of Hydraulic Cement

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(excluding those in tables and figures) shall not be considered Pastes and Mortars of Plastic Consistency3
as requirements of the standard. C 430 Test Method for Fineness of Hydraulic Cement by
1.4 The following safety hazards caveat pertains only to the 45-µm (No. 325) Sieve3
Sections 16 and 17 of this specification. This standard does not C 511 Specification for Moist Cabinets, Moist Rooms, and
purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated Water Storage Tanks Used in the Testing of Hydraulic
with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard Cements and Concretes3
to establish appropriate safety and health practices and C 778 Specification for Standard Sand3
determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to C 1506 Test Method for Water Retention of Hydraulic
use. (Warning—Fresh hydraulic cementitious mixtures are Cement-Based Mortars and Plasters 3
caustic and may cause chemical burns to skin and tissue upon IEEE/ASTM SI 10 Standard for Use of the International
prolonged exposure.)2 System of Units (SI): The Modern Metric System5

2. Referenced Documents 3. Terminology

2.1 ASTM Standards: 3.1 Definitions:
C 109/C 109M Test Method for Compressive Strength of 3.1.1 masonry cement—a hydraulic cement, primarily used
Hydraulic Cement Mortars (Using 2-in. or [50-mm] Cube in masonry and plastering construction, consisting of a mixture
Specimens)3 of portland or blended hydraulic cement and plasticizing
C 151 Test Method for Autoclave Expansion of Portland materials (such as limestone, hydrated or hydraulic lime)
Cement3 together with other materials introduced to enhance one or
C 183 Practice for Sampling and the Amount of Testing of more properties such as setting time, workability, water reten-
Hydraulic Cement3 tion, and durability.
C 185 Test Method for Air Content of Hydraulic Cement 3.1.2 Other terms used in this specification are defined in
Mortar3 Terminology C 219.
4. Classification
1
This specification is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee C01 on 4.1 Type N—For use in preparation of Specification C 270
Cement and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee C01.11 on Masonry Type N mortar without further addition of cements or hydrated
Cement.
Current edition approved June 10, 2003. Published August 2003. Originally
lime, and for use in preparation of Specification C 270 Type S
approved in 1932. Last previous edition approved in 2003 as C 91 – 03.
2
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 04.01. See the section on Safety
4
Precautions in the Manual of Cement Testing. Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 04.05.
3 5
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 04.01. Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 14.04.

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 C 91 – 03a
or Type M mortar when cement is added in accordance with the 11. Time of Setting
requirements of C 270.
11.1 Determine the time of setting by the Gillmore needle
4.2 Type S—For use in preparation of Specification C 270
method in accordance with Test Method C 266.
Type S mortar without further addition of cements or hydrated
lime.
4.3 Type M—For use in preparation of Specification C 270 12. Density
Type M mortar without further addition of cements or hydrated 12.1 Determine the density of the masonry cement in
lime. accordance with Test Method C 188, using kerosine as the
liquid. Use the density so determined in the calculation of the
5. Physical Properties air content of the mortars.
5.1 Masonry cement shall conform to the applicable re-
quirements prescribed in Table 1 for its classification. 13. Blended Sand
6. Sampling 13.1 The sand shall be a blend of equal parts by weight of
6.1 The masonry cement shall be sampled in accordance graded standard sand and standard 20–30 sand conforming to
with Practice C 183. Specification C 778.

7. Temperature and Humidity 14. Preparation of Mortar

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7.1 The temperature and relative humidity of the air in the 14.1 Proportions for Mortar—Mortar for air entrainment,
vicinity of the mixing slab and dry materials, molds, base compressive strength, and water retention tests shall be pro-
plates, and mixing bowl shall conform to the requirements of portioned to contain 1620 g of sand and a mass of cement, in
Test Method C 109/C 109M. grams, in accordance with Table 2. The sand shall consist of
7.2 The moist cabinet or moist room shall conform to the 810 g of graded standard sand and 810 g of 20–30 standard
requirements of Specification C 511. sand (Note 1). The quantity of water, measured in millilitres
8. Fineness shall be such as to produce a flow of 110 6 5 as determined by
Test Method C 109/C 109M.
8.1 Determine the residue on the 45-µm (No. 325) sieve in
accordance with Test Method C 430. NOTE 1—Historically, field-mixed mortar has been proportioned by
volume measured in increments or fractions of ft3. The comparable whole
9. Normal Consistency SI-unit volume to 1 ft3 is 28 L. The specified mortar proportions
9.1 Determine normal consistency by the Vicat apparatus in approximate the 1:3 nominal proportions by volume, commonly specified
accordance with Test Method C 187. for construction, on the basis of the following assumed mass and volume
relationships:
10. Autoclave Expansion The mass of dry sand in 28 L of loose damp sand is 36 kg.
28 L Type N masonry cement has a mass of 32 kg.
10.1 Determine autoclave expansion in accordance with 28 L Type S masonry cement has a mass of 34 kg.
Test Method C 151. After molding, store the bars in the moist 28 L Type M masonry cement has a mass of 36 kg.
cabinet or room for 48 h 6 30 min before removal from the
molds for measurement and testing in the autoclave. Calculate For example, the amount of cement needed to provide a 1:3
the difference in length of the test specimen before and after volume proportion of cement to sand using a Type N masonry
autoclaving to the nearest 0.01 % of the effective gauge length cement is as follows:
and report as the autoclave expansion of the masonry cement. A 5 1620 3 ~C/B! 5 1620 3 ~32/108! 5 480 (1)

TABLE 1 Physical Requirements

Masonry Cement Type N S M
Fineness, residue on a 45-µm (No. 325) sieve, max, % 24 24 24
Autoclave expansion, max, % 1.0 1.0 1.0
Time of setting, Gillmore method:
Initial set, minutes, not less than 120 90 90
Final set, minutes, not more than 1440 1440 1440
Compressive strength (average of 3 cubes):
The compressive strength of mortar cubes, composed of 1
part cement and 3 parts blended sand (half graded standard
sand, and half standard 20–30 sand) by volume, prepared and
tested in accordance with this specification shall be equal to or
higher than the values specified for the ages indicated below:
7 days, MPa (psi) 3.4 (500) 9.0 (1300) 12.4 (1800)
28 days, MPa (psi) 6.2 (900) 14.5 (2100) 20.0 (2900)
Air content of mortar, prepared and tested in accordance with
requirements of this specification:
Min, volume % 8 8 8
Max, volume % 21 19 19
Water retention value, min, % of original flow 70 70 70

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 C 91 – 03a
TABLE 2 Cement in Laboratory Batch of Mortar water for all other specimens. If more than one specimen at a
Masonry Cement Type Mass of Cement, g time is removed from the moist cabinet or moist room for
N 480 7-day tests, cover these cubes with a damp cloth until the time
S 510 of testing.
M 540
16.2.2 The remainder of the testing procedure shall conform
to Test Method C 109/C 109 M.
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where: 17. Water Retention

A = number of grams of cement to be used in the mortar 17.1 Water retention shall be determined in accordance with
with 1620 g of sand, the procedures in Test Method C 1506.
B = 3 3 36 = 108 kg, the mass of dry sand in 84 (or 3 3
28) L of loose damp sand, and 18. Storage
C = mass of Type N masonry cement per 28 L. 18.1 The cement shall be stored in such a manner as to
14.2 Mixing of Mortars—Mix the mortar in accordance permit easy access for the proper inspection and identification
with Practice C 305. of each shipment, and in a suitable weathertight building that
will protect the cement from dampness and minimize ware-
15. Air Entrainment
house set.
15.1 Procedure—If the mortar has the correct flow, use a
separate portion of the mortar for the determination of en- 19. Inspection
trained air. Determine the mass of 400 mL of mortar in 19.1 Every facility shall be provided to the purchaser for the
accordance with Test Method C 185. necessary inspection and sampling.
15.2 Calculation—Calculate the air content of the mortar 19.2 All packages shall be in good condition at the time of
and report it to the nearest 1 % as follows: inspection.
D 5 ~W1 1 W2 1 Vw!/@~W1/S1! 1 ~W2/S2! 1 Vw# (2)
A 5 100 2 ~Wm/4D! 20. Rejection
20.1 At the option of the purchaser, the cement shall be
where: rejected if it fails to meet any of the requirements of this
D = density of air-free mortar, g/cm3, specification.
W1 = mass of cement, g, 20.2 At the option of the purchaser, packages more than 2 %
W2 = mass of sand, g,
below the mass marked thereon shall be rejected. At the option
Vw = millilitres-grams of water used,
S1 = density of cement, g/cm3 of the purchaser, the entire shipment represented shall be
S2 = density of standard sand, 2.65 g/cm3, rejected if the average mass of packages in any shipment as
A = volume percent of entrained air, and shown by weighing fifty packages taken at random is less than
Wm = mass of 400 mL of mortar, g. that marked on the packages.
20.3 At the option of the purchaser, cement remaining in
16. Compressive Strength storage prior to shipment for a period greater than six months
16.1 Test Specimens: after testing shall be retested and, at the option of the purchaser
16.1.1 Molding—Immediately after determining the flow shall be rejected if it fails to meet any of the requirements of
and mass of 400 mL of mortar, return all of the mortar to the this specification.
mixing bowl and remix for 15 s at the medium speed. Then
21. Manufacturer’s Certification
mold the test specimens in accordance with Test Method
C 109/C 109 M, except that the elapsed time for mixing 21.1 Upon request of the purchaser in the contract or order,
mortar, determining flow, determining air entrainment, and a manufacturer’s report shall be furnished at the time of
starting the molding of cubes shall be within 8 min. shipment stating the results of the tests made on samples of the
16.1.2 Storage—Immediately after molding, store all test material taken during production or transfer and certifying that
specimens in the molds on plane plates in a moist cabinet or the applicable requirements of this specification have been met.
moist room for 48 to 52 h in such a manner that the upper
surfaces shall be exposed to the moist air. Then remove the 22. Packaging and Package Marking
cubes from the molds, and place them in the moist cabinet or 22.1 When masonry cement is delivered in packages, the
moist room for 5 days in such a manner as to allow free brand, name of the manufacturer, type of masonry cement, and
circulation of air around at least five faces of the specimens. At net mass of the package in kilograms (see Note 2) shall be
the age of 7 days, immerse the cubes for the 28-day tests in indicated plainly thereon. Similar information shall be pro-
saturated lime water in storage tanks of noncorrodible materi- vided in the shipping documents accompanying the shipment
als. of masonry cement in bulk.
16.2 Procedure: NOTE 2—To facilitate the change to SI units, a standard SI package size
16.2.1 Test the cube specimens immediately after their of 32 kg for Type N, 34 kg for Type S, and 36 kg for Type M will provide
removal from the moist cabinet or moist room for 7-day convenient mass increments reasonably similar to the traditional 70-, 75-,
specimens, and immediately after their removal from storage and 80-lb packages.

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C 91 – 03a
23. Keywords
23.1 masonry; masonry cement; mortar

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