Find out the quality of Cement on the site

Civil Engineering Tech.June 24, 2024

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Find out the Quality of Cement on the Site

What is the cement?

The Cement is a crucial binding agent utilized in construction to solidify, strengthen, and attach various materials, effectively uniting them. Find out the quality of Cement on the site.

What is the Role of Cement

Cement serves as the primary adhesive in the construction endeavors. It is the essential component in concrete, constituting approximately 10 to 15 percent of the mixture by volume. Acting as a binder, it combines with aggregates, which typically consist of a blend of sand, gravel, and crushed stones, accounting for 20 percent to 75 percent of the concrete.

Quality of Cement on the Site

The cement forms a paste that binds the aggregates together during the concrete mixing process. Through a phenomenon known as hydration, the cement and water gradually solidify over an extended period, resulting in the concrete becoming even more robust over time.

The crucial aspect lies in the careful blending of the cement with minimal water, ensuring that the wet cement retains its flexibility without compromise.

Steps to determine the Quality of the Cement

Determining the quality of the cement can be quite challenging. This article provides comprehensive guidance on identifying the quality of cement. Various tests are carried out on site to assess the quality of cement.

(1) – Check the Manufacturing date or Date of the Packaging.

According to IS specifications, cement needs to undergo retesting if it has been stored for more than 3 months. Numerous studies have shown that the strength of cement diminishes over time. Therefore, it is crucial to examine the packaging and manufacturing dates before opening the cement bag.

Checklist before opening the Cement Bags

It is essential to verify the manufacturer’s name and registered trademark on the cement bag. Any errors or inaccuracies in the printing of these details could indicate a potential duplication of the cement bag.

Additionally, it is the crucial to inspect the grade and type of the cement specified on the front side of the bag, with the inclusion of ‘OPC 53’ in words. Furthermore, confirming the brand name of cement is of utmost importance to ensure its quality.

Lastly, examining the delivery sheet provided by the brand will provide valuable technical information about the product.

D.MRP (maximum retail price) verification is also a crucial step when purchasing a cement bag. It is possible for the supplier or manufacturer to deceive consumers by selling the cement bag at a price higher than the MRP. Hence, ensuring the MRP before making the purchase will enable consumers to steer clear of any fraudulent activities.

On Standard brand of the Cement, there is printed ‘Use no Hooks’ or symbol on cement bag.

Ensure that the cement bag displays a batch/control unit number indicating the week, month, and year of packing. It is recommended to use a cement bag that has been packed within the last three months for optimal security.

(2) – Check the color of Cement

It is imperative to consistently examine the consistency and hue of the cement. The cement’s hue ought to be either grey or possess a faint greenish tint.

(3) – Lump Test

The Cement should be devoid of tiny clumps. There must not be any solid clumps present in the cement, as these clumps are formed when moisture is absorbed from the atmosphere. If any bag is discovered to contain such clumps, it should be rejected.

(4) – Test Cement by Rubbing

The texture of the cement should be perceived as smooth when rubbed between the fingers. If it feels rough, it suggests that it has been mixed with sand, indicating adulteration. The desired characteristic of the cement is to always feel smooth, without any grittiness. This particular examination is commonly referred to as the Adulteration Test.

(5) – Water Sinking Test

This experiment is conducted using water. The experiment involves adding cement into a container filled with water. The cement particles are expected to float for a certain period before eventually sinking. If the cement particles do not float, it suggests that the cement quality is poor. In such cases, the cement should be promptly rejected.

(6) – Temperature Test of Cement

This test is straightforward for assessing hydration levels. To perform the test, one must place their hands into the cement. A cool sensation indicates high-quality cement, while a warm sensation suggests hydration, which is undesirable.

(7) – Setting Test

Cement is commonly referred to as Hydraulic Cement because it has the ability to set and harden even when submerged in water. To assess the quality of cement, take 100 grams of cement and mix it with a suitable amount of water to form a paste. Ensure that the paste has a slightly firm consistency.

The next step involves shaping the cement paste into a cake with sharp edges, which should be placed on a glass platter. Submerge the platter with the cement cake in a bucket of water. Carefully observe the shape of the cake to ensure that it remains undisturbed while it settles in the water. Cement of good quality will exhibit strength and stability as it settles underwater.

(8) – Smell Test

Detect a slight scent of cement. Should the aroma be earthy, it indicates an overabundance of pounded clay and silt in the cement. It is advisable to promptly discard the cement.

(9) – Strength Test

A concrete block measuring 25 mm × 25 mm and 200 mm in length is fabricated and submerged in water for a period of 7 days. Subsequently, it is positioned on supports spaced 15 cm apart and subjected to a load of approximately 34 kg. The concrete block must exhibit no indications of structural failure.

(10) – Specific Gravity test

The specific gravity of cement refers to the comparison between the density or mass of cement and that of a reference substance. The volume remains constant regardless of whether we consider density or mass.

Typically, Portland cement has a specific gravity value of approximately 3.15, whereas Portland-blast-furnace-slag and Portland-pozzolan cement may exhibit specific gravities close to 2.90.

Uses of the Cement

Cement is a versatile product with a wide range of applications. Its various functionalities are outlined below:

Cement slurry is employed to fill cracks in concrete structures.
Cement mortar is utilized for masonry work, plastering, and pointing.
Cement concrete is essential for constructing diverse structures such as buildings, bridges, water tanks, tunnels, docks, harbors, and more.
Lamp posts, telephone posts, railway sleepers, piles, and other items are manufactured using cement.
Cement is commonly used in the production of cement pipes, garden seats, dust bins, flower pots, and similar products.
It plays a crucial role in the construction of roads, footpaths, and courts for various sports.

Conclusion

This article has outlined the functionalities and various tests conducted to assess the quality of cement. It is crucial to adhere to the correct procedures and utilize suitable equipment. For construction experts, understanding the procedures and identifying the quality of cement is paramount. Any errors or malfunctions on the construction site can result in significant losses for the organization.

Cement testing is imperative to guarantee conformity with the specified standards. Construction companies require high-performance building materials to enhance resilience, particularly in safeguarding critical infrastructure. Therefore, assessing the quality of cement is essential in creating a high-performance building for any construction project.