CE-125L: Concrete Technology Lab

EXPERIMENT NO. 6: Standard Test Method for Compressive Strength of Hydraulic

Cement Mortars (Using 2-in. or [50-mm] Cube Specimens)
• Testing Procedure: ASTM C109:

• Why is this test required?

▪ Strength is the most important property, therefore cement is tested for its
strength.

▪ Test is conducted on cement sand mortar cubes instead of only cement paste
mortars because of excessive shrinkage and cracking of neat cement.

▪ This test is conducted to determine compressive strength of cement mortars

using 2-in or [50-mm] cube speciments.

Engr. Hamna Shakeel

 CE-125L: Concrete Technology Lab
EXPERIMENT NO. 6: Standard Test Method for Compressive Strength of Hydraulic
Cement Mortars (Using 2-in. or [50-mm] Cube Specimens)
• Apparatus
i. Glass Graduates
ii. Weighing Balance
iii. Weights
iv. Spatula/trowel
v. Cube Mold (2” x 2” x 2”)
vi. UTM- Universal Testing Machine
vii. Materials:
i. Cement,
ii. Sand conforming to ASTM C778
iii. distilled water

Universal testing
machine

Cube mold

Engr. Hamna Shakeel

 CE-125L: Concrete Technology Lab
EXPERIMENT NO. 6: Standard Test Method for Compressive Strength of Hydraulic
Cement Mortars (Using 2-in. or [50-mm] Cube Specimens)
• Procedure:

i. Take cement and sand with 1:2.75 proportion.

ii. Take water as per water cement ratio of 0.485 for Portland cement. For air
entraining Portland cements use 0.46 w/c ration.

iii. Mix the materials and fill the required number of molds

iv. Fill 1 in layer first, tamp it 32 times with a tamper, then fill the mold and
tamp again 32 time.

v. Place the mold in moist air for 24 hrs

vi. After 24 hrs, demold the specimens and immerse them in water for
required time (3, 7 or 28 days at 23 +- 2 oC)

Engr. Hamna Shakeel

 CE-125L: Concrete Technology Lab
EXPERIMENT NO. 6: Standard Test Method for Compressive Strength of Hydraulic
Cement Mortars (Using 2-in. or [50-mm] Cube Specimens)
• Procedure (contd):

i. After curing, take the samples out from water and keep them in air to dry.

ii. Test the specimens in Universal testing machine. Apply load on those
surfaces that were in contact with plane surfaces of mold.

iii. Record the maximum load that causes crushing of the specimen. Use that
load to find Compressive Strength. Load rate shall be 200-400 lbs/sec.

Compressive Strength = Maximum Load / Surface Area

Engr. Hamna Shakeel

 CE-125L: Concrete Technology Lab
EXPERIMENT NO. 6: Standard Test Method for Compressive Strength of Hydraulic
Cement Mortars (Using 2-in. or [50-mm] Cube Specimens)
• Observations and calculations

S.No. Compressive Strength (psi)

3 days 7 days 28 days

Average

Engr. Hamna Shakeel