Concrete is the most popular and widely used construction material in the

contemporary
world. The sheer adaptability and mould ability of this material coupled with the
characteristic of high compressive strength have primarily lead to its widespread
use. The
construction material is central to the countless modern construction works ranging
from
aesthetically pleasing towers to resistant pavements. Furthermore, the advancements
done in
the concrete by virtue of technological innovation have brought about a dramatic
change in
the construction industry.
The testing of hardened concrete plays an important role in controlling and
confirming the
quality of cement concrete works. Testing of fresh concrete and hardened concrete
is
unavoidably critical part of quality control programme for concrete. It helps to
attain
efficiency in terms of the material used and greater performance of the concrete
with regard
to both strength and durability.
Concrete is one of the complex materials comprising of ingredients such as Cement,
Aggregates and Water. The components can severely impact its strength, quality,
properties
and performance owing to the nature and quantity of materials used. The parameters
like
water-cement ratio and cement content play a pivotal role in concrete. Knowledge
cement
content in hardened concrete helps to perform essential quality control for new
concrete and
in determining the technical causes of degeneration in existing concrete
structures. Moreover,
the details are mainstay in civil works of expansion and repair of old structures.
Cement
besides embodying the property of binding the materials together, has the quality
of infusing
strength to the concrete which makes it the inseparable part of the construction
material. So,
in order to ensure optimum strength, codes suggest uncompromising adherence to
provisions
with regard to the content of cement in concrete. Apart from adding strength to the
concrete,
cement majorly influences many of the important properties of concrete, and also
forms the
part of consequential contractual obligations. Therefore, the determination of
cement content
in hardened concrete via effective methods wields paramount importance.