ADI SHANKARA INSTITUTE OFENGINEERING

AND TECHNOLOGY, kalady

CE331 MATERIAL TESTING LAB -II

S5 CIVIL ENGINEERING
 INTRODUCTION
These tests have been selected to illustrate the
basic properties and methods of testing of
• cement,
• aggregates,
• mortar,
• concrete
• Brick
• Tiles
• Properties of fresh and hardened concrete
• Test on concrete constituents
• Test on concrete
• Mix design
OBJECTIVE OF THIS COURSE:
1. To familiarize the students with physical properties and mechanical
behaviour of concrete and related construction materials.
2. To demonstrate the students background theoretical aspects related to
concrete making materials and to highlight the link with actual practice. To
familiarize the students to infer the suitability of these materials for
construction.
3. To provide an idea to the students on preparation of mortar and concrete.
4. To familiarize students with the experiments and to have exposure with
equipment and machines.
5. To prepare students to generate data from the experiment, analyse them
and maintain proper records
 SPECIFIC GRAVITY OF CEMENT
Aim
To determine the specific gravity of cement.

Specific gravity is normally defined as the ratio between

the weight of a given volume of material and weight of an
equal volume of water.
To determine the specific gravity of cement, kerosene
which does not react with cement is used.
 SPECIFIC GRAVITY OF CEMENT

Apparatus

Le Chatelier’s flask, weighing balance, kerosene (free from

water).

Description

The Le Chatelier’s flask is made of thin glass having a bulb

at the bottom. The capacity of the bulb is nearly 250 ml.
 SPECIFIC GRAVITY OF CEMENT

The bulb is 7.8 cm in mean diameter. The stem is graduated in milliliters.

The zero graduation is at a distance of 0.8 cm from the top of the bulb. At
2cm from zero, there is another bulb of length 3.5cm and capacity 17ml.

At 1cm from bulb, the stem is marked with 18ml and is graduated up to
24ml. The total capacity of the stem and bulb is 24ml.

The portion above 24ml mark is in the form of a funnel of diameter 5cm.
SPECIFIC GRAVITY OF CEMENT
 SPECIFIC GRAVITY OF CEMENT

Procedure

(i) Dry the flask carefully and fill with kerosene or naphtha to a point on
the stem between zero and 1ml.

(ii) Record the level of the liquid in the flask as initial reading.

(iii) Put a weighed quantity of the cement (about 60gm) into the flask so that
level of kerosene rises to about 22ml mark, care being taken to avoid
splashing and to see that cement does not adhere to the sides of the flask
above the liquid.
 SPECIFIC GRAVITY OF CEMENT

Procedure

• After putting all the cement to the flask, roll the flask gently in an
inclined position to expel air until no further air bubble rises to the
surface of the liquid.
 SPECIFIC GRAVITY OF CEMENT

Observations and calculations

(i) Weight of cement used = W gms = 60 gm

(ii) Initial reading of flask = V1 ml = 0.7 ml

(iii) Final reading of flask = V2 ml = 22.8ml

 SPECIFIC GRAVITY OF CEMENT

 
Observations and calculations

(iv)Volume of cement particles = V2 – V1 ml = 22.1

(v) Weight of equal volume of water = (V2 – V1) x specific weight of water

= 22.1x1=22.1.

= = = 2.71
 SPECIFIC GRAVITY OF CEMENT

Result

Specific gravity of the sample of cement = 2.71

IS specification

Inference