Laboratory Exercise No.

12
SETTING TIME OF HYDRAULIC CEMENT BY VICAT APPARATUS

INTRODUCTION
Setting refers to the stiffening of the cement paste. Stiffening should not be regarded
as hardening but the cement paste is simply changing its state from plastic to solid.
Thus, setting time test is used to characterize how a particular cement paste stiffens.
Cement paste setting time is influenced by several factors. These include cement
fineness, water-cement ratio, chemical composition (especially gypsum) and
admixtures. Ordinarily, setting is defined by two levels: initial set and final set. Initial
set has occurred when the paste begins to stiffen considerably and final set has
occurred when the cement can support some load. These setting times are important
in construction works utilizing concrete mix.
In both setting time tests, either the Vicat or the Gillmore apparatus can be used. But
in this laboratory exercise, Vicat apparatus (Figure 12.1) will be used as specified in
AASHTO T 131 and ASTM C 191: Time of Setting of Hydraulic Cement by Vicat
Needle.

APPARATUS AND SUPPLIES

1. Vicat apparatus
2. Analytical balance
3. Graduated cylinder, 100 ml
4. Mixing pan
5. Pointed trowel
6. Spatula
7. Digital timer
8. Rubberized hand gloves
9. Clean water

SAMPLE DESCRIPTION

Cement paste at normal consistency prepared according to the result of Laboratory

Exercise No. 10, Consistency of Portland Cement Using Vicat Apparatus.

PROCEDURE

1. Prepare the cement paste as described in SAMPLE DESCRIPTION. Start the

timer as the water is added to the cement powder.
2. Quickly form the cement paste into a ball and toss it from one hand to another six
times. The toss distance between two hands is about 150 mm.
3. Press the paste into the bigger end of the conical mold. Ensure that the mold is
filled with paste completely. Then, remove the excess paste at the bigger end of
the mold.
4. Place the bigger end of the mold against the glass plate. Strike off the excess
paste at the smaller end of the mold with a single oblique stroke using straight
edge. Care should be taken not to compress the paste in the process.
5. Place the cement patty inside a moist cabinet and keep it there for thirty (30)
minutes after molding.
6. Remove the sample from the moist cabinet and determine the penetration of the 1
mm needle into the sample in thirty (30) seconds. The cement is considered to
have achieved its initial set if the needle has penetrated 25 mm in 30 seconds. In
most cases, this criterion is not achieved in single test. So, several measurements
at 15 minute intervals must be made until penetration of 25 mm or less is
obtained. Record the results of all penetration tests. (Note: Always place the
sample inside the moist cabinet between penetration measurements.)
7. By interpolation, determine the time when a penetration of 25 mm is obtained.
This time (in minutes) is the initial setting time of the cement.
8. The final set is considered to have achieved when the Vicat needle does not
show appreciable indentation into the sample. And the time (in minutes) from the
water and cement mixing to the final set is the final setting time of cement.

Figure 12.1 Vicat Apparatus

2
FINAL DATA SHEET

A. Penetration Measurements for Sample Number _____

Penetration Tests

Descriptions 1 2 3 4 5 6

Depth of penetration, mm

Time of penetration, min.

B. Summary of Results of Setting Time for All Samples

Sample Numbers

Descriptions S1 S2 S3 S4 Average

Initial setting time, min.

Final setting time, min.

3
 Name: Date Performed:

Course/Year: Instructor:

Laboratory Exercise No. 12

SETTING TIME OF HYDRAULIC CEMENT BY VICAT APPARATUS

PRELIMINARY DATA SHEET

A. Penetration Measurements for Sample Number _____

Penetration Tests

Descriptions 1 2 3 4 5 6

Depth of penetration, mm

Time of penetration, min.

B. Summary of Results of Setting Time for All Samples

Sample Numbers

Descriptions S1 S2 S3 S4 Average

Initial setting time, min.

Final setting time, min.

GROUP No. _________

Group Leader: __________________

Group Members: Signature:
1. _____________________ ____________
2. _____________________ ____________
3. _____________________ ____________
4. _____________________ ____________
5. _____________________ ____________
Approved by:
_____________________
(Instructor)