Color Test
The color of the cement should be uniform. It should be grey colour with a light greenish shade.
Presence of Lumps
The cement should be free from any hard lumps. Such lumps are formed by the absorption of
moisture from the atmosphere. Any bag of cement containing such lumps should be rejected.
Float Test
If a small quantity of cement is thrown in a bucket of water, the particles should float for some
time before it sinks.
Setting Test
A thick paste of cement with water is made on a piece of glass plate and it is kept under water for
24 hours. It should set and not crack.
Strength Test
A block of cement 25 mm ×25 mm and 200 mm long is prepared and it is immersed for 7 days in
water. It is then placed on supports 15cm apart and it is loaded with a weight of about 34 kg. The
block should not show signs of failure.
The briquettes of a lean mortar (1:6) are made. The size of briquette may be about 75 mm ×25
mm ×12 mm. They are immersed in water for a period of 3 days after drying. If cement is of sound
quality such briquettes will not be broken easily.
Date of Packing
Strength of cement reduces with time, so it is important to check the manufacturing date of the
cement. Generally, the cement should be used before 90 days from the date of manufacturing.
Various Lab Tests on Cement
Checking of materials is an essential part of civil engineering as the life of structure is dependent
on the quality of material used.
Following are the tests to be conducted to judge the quality of cement.
1. Fineness
2. Soundness
3. Consistency
4. Initial and Final Setting Time Of Cement
1. Fineness of Cement
FINENESS
So we need to determine the fineness of cement by dry sieving as per IS: 4031 (Part 1)–1996. The
principle of this is that we determine the proportion of cement whose grain size is larger then
specified mesh size.
The apparatus used are 90µm IS Sieve, Balance capable of weighing 10g to the nearest 10mg, A
nylon or pure bristle brush, preferably with 25 to 40mm, bristle, for cleaning the sieve.
Sieve shown in pic below is not the actual 90µm sieve. Its just for reference.