Experiment No.

7: Normal Consistent of Portland Cement

Discussion

Consistent, one property of the fresh concrete is an important consideration in the

securing of workable concrete that can be properly compacted in the forms. Workability is a
relative term referring to the comparative ease with which concrete can be placed on a given
type of work. The term consistency relates to the state of fluidity of the mix and embraces the
range of fluidity the mix and embraces the range of fluidity from the driest to the wettest
mixtures.

The most common tests to determine consistency:

1. Slump test – is made by measuring the subsidence of a pile of concrete 20mm (12 in.) high,
framed in the mold that has the shape of the frustum of a cone.

2. Ball penetration – is made by measuring the settlement of a 150 mm steel ball (weighing 13.6
kg with its handle) into the surface of the concrete.

For convenience, various degrees of wetness of a mix may be roughly classified as dry,
stiff, medium, wet, or sloppy. Concrete is said to have medium or plastic consistency when it is
just wet enough to flow sluggishly- not so dry that is crumbles or so wet that the water or paste
runs from the mass.

The principal factors affecting consistency are:

1. The relative proportions of cement to aggregate
2. The water content with the mix.
3. The size of the aggregate
4. The shape and the surface characteristics of the aggregate particles.
5. The fineness and type of cement and the kind and amount of admixture.

Objective: To determine the normal consistency of Portland cement vicat apparatus.

Referenced Documents: ASTM C 187 -56

AASHTO T 129

Apparatus:
1. Digital Balance, sensitive to 0.1 gm.
2. Vicat apparatus
3. Spatula
4. Mixing pan
5. Graduated cylinder, capacity 50 ml to 200 ml
Temperature and Humidity:

1. The temperature of the air in vicinity of the mixing slab, the dry cement, molds, and the base
plates shall be maintained between 20°C- 27.5°C (68°C- 81.5°F). The temperature of the mixing
water shall not vary from 23°C (73.4°F) by more than plus or minus 1.7°C (3°F).

2. The relative humidity of the laboratory shall be not less than 50 percent.

Procedure:

1. Weigh accurately 300 gm of neat cement sample and place it on the mixing pan.

2. Mix about 25% of clean water to the cement by means of spatula for about one minute.

3. Mixed it thoroughly with hands for at least one minute.

4. The kneaded paste is formed into a ball and tossed six times from one hand to the other,
maintaining the hand about 6 inches apart.

5. The ball is pressed into a conical ring or conical mold completely filling the ring with paste.

6. Sliced off the excess paste at the top of the ring by a single oblique stroke of a sharp edge
spatula or trowel and the top smoothed, if necessary, with a few light touches of the toward or
spatula. Care shall be taken not to compress the paste.

7. Center paste confined in the ring under the larger end of the rod.

8. The larger end of the rod is brought in contact with the surface of the paste and tightened
the screw.

9. Set the movable indicator to zero marks of the scale and tightened the screw.

10. The rod is then quickly released without any jerk and the penetration noted.

11. If the rod penetrates 33 to 35 mm the paste is said to be normal consistency

12. Trial paste shall be made with varying percentage of water until the normal consistency is
obtained. Each trial shall be made with fresh cement. The amount of water is expressed as
percentage by weight of dry cement usually 30%.

13. The time taken between adding of water to cement and filling of the ring or mold should be
between 3 to 5 minutes.
DATA RESULTS:

WT. OF MIXING PAN = 743.6 g

WT. OF CEMENT SAMPLE = 300 g

WT. OF MIXING PAN + CEMENT = 1043.6 g

WT. OF EVAPORATING DISH = 97.5 g

WT. OF EVAPORATING DISH + WATER = 172.5 g

WT. OF GRADUATED CYLINDER = 46.7 g

WT. OF WATER = (75 + 10.5 + 6.4 + 2 + 6.4) g = 100.3 g

WT . OF WATER
% WATER= × 100
WT . OF CEMENT

100.3 g
%WATER= × 10 = 33.43 %
300 g

NORMAL CONSISTENCY = 34 mm

PROCEDURE:
STEP 1: WEIGHING 300 GRAMS OF CEMENT + MIXING PAN

STEP 2: MIXING 25% OF CLEAN WATER TO THE CEMENT

STEP 3: MIXING IT THOROUGHLY WITH SPATULA FOR 1 MINUTE

STEP 4: MIX USING HANDS AND FORM THE CEMENT INTO BALL THEN
TOSSED SIX TIMES FROM ONE HAND TO ANOTHER

STEP
5: FILLING THE RING WITH PASTE AND SLICING OFF THE EXCESS
PASTE

STEP 6: CENTERING THE PASTE AND

TIGHTENED THE SCREW
 STEP 7: PENETRATING 33 TO 35 MM OF THE PASTE

NOTE: IF IT DIDN’T REACH THE NORMAL CONSISTENCY OF 33 TO 35 MM,

REPEAT THE STEPS.

CONCLUSION:

THEREFORE, I HAVE LEARNED FROM THIS LABORATORY IS TO

DETERMINE THE NORMAL CONSISTENCY OF PORTLAND CEMENT VICAT
APPARATUS. I HAVE LEARNED ALSO THAT IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO USE
THE PROPER DATA TO GET THE NORMAL CONSISTENCY OF PASTE WHICH IS
BETWEEN 33 TO 35 MM AND ALSO THE AMOUNT OF WATER AS
PERCENTAGE BY WEIGHT OF DRY CEMENT USUALLY TO 30%.