specific gravity of cement experiment

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Specific Gravity of Cement as per IS: 4031 Part-11 with Test Procedure, Apparatus List, Formula and Lab Report

What is Specific Gravity of Cement?

Specific Gravity of Cement by as per IS: 4031 Part-11 (1988)

• Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC)
• Le-Chatelier Flask of 250 ml or Specific Gravity Bottle / Pycnometer of 100 ml
• Weighing Balance with 0.1g accuracy
• Kerosene (free from water)
• Glass Funnel
• A Shallow Tray
• Constant Temperature Water Bath

Procedure for Specific Gravity Test of Cement by Le-Chatelier Method:-

• Dry and clean the specific gravity bottle and weigh it with the stopper (W₁ ).
• Fill the specific gravity bottle with cement paste sample at least half of the bottle and weigh with stopper (W ₂ ).
• Fill the specific gravity bottle containing the cement sample, with kerosene oil (free of water) placing the stopper and weigh it (W ₃ ). Until doing this, do not allow any air bubbles to remain in the specific gravity bottle.
• After weighing the specific gravity bottle, the bottle will be cleaned and dried again.
• Then fill the specific gravity bottle with fresh kerosene oil and weigh it with stopper (W ₄ ).
• Remove the kerosene oil from the specific gravity bottle and fill it with full of fresh water and measure the weight of bottle along with stopper (W ₅ ).
• All the above weighing should be done at the room temperature of 26°C to 28°C.

• Clean the apparatus thoroughly before testing and after testing.
• The test should be performed away from vibrations and other disturbances.
• Wear helmet, shoes and hand gloves during the test.
• While pouring cement in the specific gravity bottle (or Le-Chatelier flask), care should be taken to avoid splashing and cement should not adhere to the inside of the flask above the liquid.
• The kerosene oil or Naphtha should be completely free from water.
• The specific gravity bottle should be kept in a constant temperature water bath sufficiently long to ensure same temperature before each weighing is made.
• All air bubbles will be eliminated in filling the apparatus and inserting the stopper.
• Duplicate results of specific gravity of cement should agree within 0.01.

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Specific Gravity of Cement - How to get it?

What is the specific gravity of cement.

Mainly Specific Gravity  is the ratio of the density of a substance to the density of a reference substance at a fixed temperature. In other words, it is the ratio of the mass of a substance to the mass of a reference substance. And the theme is also the same for cement. The specific Gravity of cement is the ratio of the density or mass of cement to the density or mass of a reference substance.

But in both of the state's densities or masses, the volume should be identical. If the volume does not remain the same the specific gravity has no existence then. Because the mass or density will be changed of the substance or reference substance.

Why We Calculate Specific Gravity of Any Substance

We calculate the specific gravity of any substance to know the behavior of the material in water. And we can know whether the material will sink or floats in the water. All of the materials in our environment have a fixed specific gravity. The usual range is 1-100. If the specific gravity is greater than 1, then it sinks in water. If the specific gravity Is less than 1 it floats in water. So if the specific gravity of any substance is known to us we can use the materials in a suitable place for any work.

Basically, specific gravity defines that the substance is how much heavier than water or a reference substance of the same volume. The specific gravity of cement ranges from 3.1 to 3.16 g/cc. By this statement, we can ensure that cement is 3.1-3.16 times heavier than water of the same volume. And it sinks in water. Because the specific gravity is greater than 1.

Every material consists of so many little pores, which may contain voids in it. And a material becomes useless when any void is present in the material. If the cement is covered by extreme moisture content due to bad weather conditions, then the specific gravity of the cement may go up to 3.19. If the specific gravity value reaches 3.19, then the pores in cement are filled with moisture. Cement undergoes a chemical reaction when it is reacted with the atmospheric moisture this process is termed as hydration. Moisture is very harmful to cement. Cement becomes useless once it is hydrated with water. The presence of excessive moisture is the reason for finding a lot of lumps in old cement due to the content in it.

Standard Value of Specific Gravity of Cement

The specific gravity value of portland cement is generally around 3.15 while the specific gravity value of portland-blast-furnace-slag and portland-pozzolan cements may have specific gravities near 2.90. Portland Cement Association (PCA). (1988). Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures. Portland Cement Association.

Reference Substances for Specific Gravity

Maximum time water is used as a reference substance. And its temperature should be near 4°C. For gases, it is air at room temperature of 25°C. But if “Cement” is used as a sample substance then kerosine would be the reference substance. Because cement hydrates and forms calcium oxide when it reacts with water. But kerosene won’t show any reaction when it is mixed with cement.

The specific gravity of kerosine is 0.79 g/cc.

How to Calculate Cement-Specific Gravity?

One can easily determine the value of the specific gravity of cement using the Le Chatelier Flask method. Determination of the specific gravity of cement at the site level can be easily done using this experiment.

Required Materials & Apparatus

The followings are the specific gravity test apparatus and materials:

• Ordinary Portland Cement
• Le-Chatelier Flask of 250 ml or Specific Gravity Bottle / Pycnometer of 100 ml
• Weighing balance with 0.1 gm accurate

Specific Gravity Test Procedure for Cement

The specific gravity test procedure contains only four steps.  Followings are the four steps to be followed to perform a specific gravity test of cement: 

• The Flask should be free from the liquid which means it should be fully dry. Weigh the empty flask, which is W1.
• Next, fill the cement on the bottle up to half of the flask around 50gm and weigh it with its stopper. And it is W2.
• Add Kerosene to the cement up to the top of the bottle. Mix well to remove the air bubbles in it. Weigh the flask with cement and kerosene. And it is W3.
• Empty the flask. Fill the bottle with kerosene up to the top and weigh the flask for counting W4. 

Specific Gravity Calculation

Cement-specific gravity formula:

\[S_{g}=\frac{W2-W1}{(W2-W1)-(W3-W4)\times0.79}\]

Keywords:sp gravity of cement, specific gravity units, specific gravity of portland cement, specific gravity test procedure, specific gravity of fine aggregate, determination of specific gravity of cement, how to find specific gravity of cement, standard value of specific gravity of cement, specific gravity of cement test procedure pdf

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Determination of specific gravity of cement and its importance.

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Significance of Specific Gravity of Cement

Specific gravity test on cement, equipment and apparatus.

• Le Chaterlier”s flask
• Weighing balance
• Kerosene (free from water).
• Weighing Balance

Fig.1: Specific Gravity of Cement Test Apparatus

Procedure for Specific Gravity Test on Cement

• The flask is allowed to dry completely and made free from liquid and moisture. The weight of the empty flask is taken as W1.
• The bottle is filled with cement to its half ( Around 50gm of cement) and closed with a stopper. The arrangement is weighed with stopper and taken as W2.
• To this kerosene is added to the top of the bottle. The mixture is mixed thoroughly and air bubbles are removed. The flask with kerosene, cement with stopper is weighed and taken as W3.
• Next, the flask is emptied and filled with kerosene to the top. The arrangement is weighed and taken as W4.

Observations and Calculations

• Duplicate determination of specific gravity should agree within 0.01.
• To get an accurate result, the flask should be held in a constant temperature before each reading is taken.

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Specific Gravity of Cement | Specific Gravity Test on Cement

Post Contents

What Is the Specific Gravity of Cement

The specific gravity of cement is defined as the mass of cement of a specified volume to the mass of water of the same volume of cement.

It can also be defined as the density of cement to the density of water for the same volume.

In both, the definitions of the volume of cement must be the same. If the volume does not remain the same then the specific gravity value may be accurate.

Because the mass and density of cement and water are liable to change with respect to their volume.

Specific gravity is the comparison of the mass or density of any substance with the mass or density of the standard substance. Generally, water is considered the standard substance.

The best method to determine the specific gravity of cement is by using a liquid such as water-free kerosene, which does not react with cement.

For conducting this test, a standard Le Chatelier specific gravity flask or specific gravity bottle may be employed.

The Le Chatelier specific gravity flask is also utilized to determine the specific gravity of dust, sand, and other fine materials.

This specific gravity of cement is an essential parameter in concrete mix design material quantity calculations.

This specific gravity of portland cement is about 3.15 and can be measured using ASTM C188.

Read More: Initial And Final Setting Time Of Cement Test, Procedure & Result

Different Tests of Cement

The following tests are conducted on cement,

• Fineness Test of Cement
• Consistency Test of Cement
• Setting Time Test of Cement
• Soundness Test of Cement
• The Heat of Hydration Test
• Specific Gravity Test of Cement
• Tensile Strength Test
• Chemical Composition Test

Use of Cement Specific Gravity

The specific gravity value of any substance gives the idea of how heavy or light is the substance compared to the standard substance. From the value, we can judge whether it will float or sink into another substance.

All-natural material and substance have their own specific gravity value. It generally ranges from 1 to 100.

Water has a specific gravity of around 1and If the specific gravity of other material is greater than 1, then it sinks in water.

If the specific gravity of the material is less than 1 it floats in water. Therefore, the specific gravity of any material is an important property to know. So that we can use it in a proper way.

Generally, the specific gravity of cement ranges from 3.1 to 3.16 g/cc. From this, we can say that the specific gravity of cement is more than the specific gravity of water is 1.

It means cement will sink in water if we put it in the water. Also, we can say that cement is heavier than water.

Cement particle has pore in them and they can absorb moisture from the atmosphere. Considering this behavior of cement particles the specific gravity can either increase or decrease.

While we are calculating cement for mix design we consider the specific gravity of cement as standard 3.14.

So, any change in cement-specific gravity will affect the mix design. Hence, it is essential to test the specific gravity of the cement procured before the mixing process.

This is the main reason behind we reject the old stored cement. Old cement has more liable to store external moisture which results in increased specific gravity of cement.

Read More: Consistency Test Of Cement Test, Calculation & Result

Specific Gravity of Cement Test

IS code for the Specific gravity test is IS 2720- Part 3

The following apparatus is used in specific gravity tests of cement,

Specific Gravity of Cement Procedure

• Clean the Lechatlier flask before use. It should be free from moisture.
• Now, Take the weight of the empty flask as W1.
• Take around 50 gm of cement and fill in the flask.
• Fix the stopper on the flask and weigh the flask with cement as W2.
• Now fill the kerosene in the flask up to the neck of the bottle.
• Thoroughly mix cement and kerosene in the flask taking care no air bubble is left in it. Record this weight as W3.
• Empty the flask and clean it. Now fill the kerosene in it up to the neck of the bottle and record the weight as W4.

Read More: Fineness Test Of Cement Procedure And Importance

Observations and Calculations

The specific gravity of the cement formula is as follows,

= (W2 – W1) / ((W2 – W1) – (W3 – W4) X 0.79)

W1 = Weight of Empty Flask.

W2 = Weight of Flask + Cement.

W3 = Weight of Flask + Cement + Kerosene.

W4 = Weight of Flask + Kerosene.

Here, the specific gravity of kerosene is 0.79g/cc

Conduct tests at least 3 times for accurate results.

Clean the flask before using it again.

The specific gravity of a sample of cement = 3.15

Why is Kerosene used for the Specific Gravity Test of Cement?

If we use water instead of kerosene, water will mix with cement and make a paste. As we know when cement is mixed with water, cement starts its heat of the hydration process. So, water can’t be used for cement-specific gravity tests.

Kerosene is a very well-known polar liquid so it will not react with cement while doing the test. The specific gravity of kerosene is 0.79g/cc .

What is Specific Gravity?

Specific Gravity is the ratio of the density of a material to the density of water. It is a measure of the heaviness of the material compared to the same volume of water.

What is Specific Gravity of Cement?

Specific Gravity of Cement is the ratio of the mass of a given volume of cement to the mass of an equal volume of distilled water at a specified temperature. It is an important property of cement that affects its strength and durability.

How is the Specific Gravity of Cement measured?

The Specific Gravity of Cement is measured by performing a Specific Gravity Test on Cement. In this test, a sample of cement is first dried in an oven and then weighed. The sample is then immersed in distilled water for a specified period of time, and then weighed again. The Specific Gravity of the cement is calculated using the formula: Specific Gravity = (Weight of Cement in Air) / (Weight of Cement in Air – Weight of Cement in Water)

Can Specific Gravity Test be done on all types of Cement?

Yes, Specific Gravity Test can be done on all types of cement, including Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC), Portland Pozzolana Cement (PPC), and other blended cements.

Watch Video: Specific Gravity Test of Cement

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Specific gravity is an important indicator that defines how much heavier a substance is than water or any reference material of the same volume.

It is necessary to determine the specific gravity to ascertain the suitability of cement for a particular work.

The specific gravity of cement can be determined by Le Chatelier’s Flask method.

  2. Standard Value of Specific Gravity of Cement  

According to the Portland Cement Association (PCA), Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures, 1988, the specific gravity of the Ordinary Portland Cement is approximately equal to 3.15.

While the specific gravity value of the Portland Pozzolana cement is around 2.90.

  3. Reference Material For Specific Gravity Determination of Cement  

The reference material that is used for the specific gravity determination of cement is Kerosene .

The reason behind the use of kerosene as the reference material is that kerosene does not undergo any reaction when added to cement unlike water ( when water is added to cement, hydration occurs).

The specific gravity of the kerosene is 0.79.

  4. Importance of Determining Specific Gravity of Cement  

The specific gravity of cement depends upon the moisture content. This is because the cement particles essentially constitute pores that contain water within them.

In general practice, cement with a specific gravity of 3.15 is used for the nominal mix preparation.

When this value of specific gravity of the cement is changed, subsequently the mix design is also altered. Thus, it is of utmost necessity to determine the specific gravity of cement before it is mixed.

During bad weather conditions or extreme moisture content conditions, the specific gravity of cement can reach as high as 3.19. In such a case, the pores of the cement get filled with moisture and eventually undergo hydration. This makes the cement unsuitable for further use.

  5. Test Procedure of Determining Specific Gravity of Cement  

The specific gravity of cement is determined by the Le-Chatelier’s Flask Method which is briefly described below.

i. Apparatus & Equipment Required

a. Le-Chatelier’s Flask:

The Le-Chatelier’s flask consists of thin glass with a bulb at the bottom. The bulb has a mean diameter of 7.8cm and a capacity of 250ml.

The stem of the flask consists of graduations in millimeters.

At 8.8cm from the top of the bulb, zero graduation is present. Another bulb is present at 2cm from the zero graduation.

The length of this bulb is 3.5cm and has a capacity of 17ml.

At 1cm from the bulb, the stem of the flask is marked with 18 ml and is grated up to 24 ml.

The portion above this 24ml mark is in the form of a funnel having a diameter of 5cm.

b. Weighing Balance with an accuracy of 0.1gm.

c. Kerosene which is free from water.

ii. Procedure

The test procedure for determining the specific gravity of cement consists of the following series of steps:

a. First of all, Le Chatelier’s flask is taken and cleaned. It is then allowed to dry such that it does not contain any traces of liquid as well as moisture.

b. The dried empty flask is then weighed. Let the weight be denoted as W1.

c. Then,  around 50gm of the cement is taken and filled in the bottle up to half of the bottle. The bottle is closed by means of a stopper.

d. The weight of the cement-filled bottle along with the stopper is then weighed. Let the weight recorded be denoted as W2.

e. Then, kerosene is added to the upper top portion of the flask. It must be mixed thoroughly such that no air bubbles are present.

f. The arrangement of the flask with the cement, kerosene, and the stopper is then weighed. Let the weight recorded be denoted as W3.

g. The entire flask is then emptied and again filled with kerosene on the top. Then, it is again weighed. Let the weight of the arrangement be denoted as W4.

iii. Observations & Calculations

The specific gravity of cement is calculated using the following formula:

iv. Precautions

a. The flask must be held at the same constant temperature before each reading is taken so that an accurate result is obtained.

b. The duplicate determination of the specific gravity must range within 0.01.

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Determination of Specific Gravity of Cement

Specific Gravity is defined as the ratio between the volume of any given material to the volume of the same quantity of water. The value ranges from 0.1-100 for any given material.

In simple, It is used to index the floating ability of materials. If the value ranges below <1, it will float. If the range above 1, it will sink.

What is the specific gravity of cement?

Specific Gravity of Cement is nothing but the ratio between the volume of cement to the volume of the same quantity of water. Usually, the value lies between 3.10 – 3.16 g/cc. Some types of cement such as PPC, Portland Blast furnace slag will have the value near 2.90.

In simple, Cement is 3.10 times heavier than the water .

Why is the specific gravity of cement determined?

We know from our previous topics, we carefully select the water-cement ratio according to our strength requirement for concrete preparation. And that ratio will be in digits such as 0.45, 0.50.

Adding more than that will eventually affect the strength of the structure. In contrast, if the cement already has a certain amount of water in it. Then the water-cement ratio becomes senseless. 

So experts decided to identify the specific gravity for every type of cement. They have identified them and designed the water-cement ratio accordingly.

We usually use two types of mixture for concrete preparation, such as Design Mix and Nominal Mix. If we select a design mix, then there will be extensive material lab tests that will identify this value. In practice, we sometimes use nominal mix concrete where we won’t do these types of tests. We simply assume the value to its default.

Difference between Nominal Mix and Design Mix

The cement will remain in its original specific gravity value until unless it is exposed to moisture. In contrast, we regularly store them in our stock, where humidity exposure is high. Undoubtedly the cement will be affected by the moisture content in the air and alters the value. This is why we advised avoiding 3 months old stock cement in usage where moisture exposure is high.

How do you calculate the specific gravity of cement?

The specific gravity of cement value will be determined by using Le-Chatelier Flask Method. It is a lab test experiment to identify the value.

Required Apparatus

• Le-Chatelier Flask of 250ml Or Pycnometer
• Weighing Balance (Accuracy of 0.1 gm)

Note –  Usually, water will be used as reference material for any specific gravity determinations. But as we know, the water quickly reacts with cement and forms the cement paste, which surely affects the test. So instead of water kerosene used as reference material.

Specific Gravity of Kerosene = 0.79 g/cc

Test Procedure

• Ensure that the flask is free from dust and impurities. It should be thoroughly dried.
• Now weigh the empty flask at weighing balance and note down the reading as  W1 .
• Next, fill the cement into the flask about 50 gm and note down the weight as W2 .
• Now fill the flask with kerosene up to the top of the bottle.
• Mix the contents of the flask well and remove any air bubbles. Note down the weight as  W3 .
• Now empty the flask and fill the kerosene fully (up to the top) and weigh it as  W4 .

Specific gravity of cement formula

Using the below formula, we can determine the specific gravity (S g ) of the cement

• The whole test procedure must be done at room temperature.
• ±0.01 error value is acceptable. If exceeds, conduct the test again.

Specific Gravity of Different Materials

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Specific Gravity of cement and Test to find it

Specific gravity of cement:-, specific gravity of cement formula:-, specific gravity test /density of cement test :, apparatus required for le chatelier’s principle:-, why is kerosene used in the specific gravity of cement test, procedure for finding specific gravity in cement:-.

Well most of us know that specific gravity of cement is in between 3.1-3.16 g/cc. Do you know why we calculate the Specific gravity of cement and its significance?. In this post, I ‘ll clear all of your doubts regarding the specific gravity of cement.

What is Specific Gravity? Specific Gravity is the ratio of a Weight of Volume of material (Your testing material) to the same Weight of Volume of water. In simple words, we are comparing the volume of our Testing material either it may be sand, cement , aggregate with the same volume of water at certain temperature.

We calculate Specific gravity to know the behaviour of the material in water. Every material has its own specific gravity, and it usually ranges between 0.1 – 100. If the specific gravity of the material is less than 1, then that material floats in water. If the material has a specific gravity greater than 1, then it sinks in water. We know that specific gravity of cement or Density of cement is ranging between 3.1-3.16g/cc by this, cement is 3.16 times heavier than water of the same volume.

Excessive presence of moisture content in cement effects Workability and strength of cement. For Nominal mix design, the specific gravity of cement should be 3.15g/cc.

Every material has pores which may contain voids in it. If the cement is exposed to extreme moisture content due to bad weather conditions, then the specific gravity of cement may go up to 3.19. If the specific gravity is 3.19, then the pores in cement are filled with the moisture content. Cement undergoes a chemical reaction when it is reacted with the atmospheric moisture this process is termed as hydration. Moisture is a big enemy for cement.  Cement becomes useless once it is hydrated with water. The reason for finding a lot of lumps in old cement is due to the presence of excessive moisture content in it. As per IS Cement is re-tested for Specific gravity test if it is three months older.

As per Le Chatelier’s Principle, Specific gravity of cement is determined by Le Chatelier’s Flask method. And the IS code for Specific gravity test is IS 2720- Part 3.

1. Cement 2. Kerosene 3. Specific Gravity Bottle capacity of 250 ml with stopper. 4. Weighing balance with 0.1 gm accurate

In general, To calculate the specific gravity of material, we use water. But in cement, we use kerosene for finding specific gravity in it. The reason behind this, cement hydrates and forms calcium oxide when it reacts with water. Cement won’t show any reaction when it mixed with kerosene.

The specific gravity of Kerosene is 0.79 g/cc The specific gravity of water is 1g/cc

• The Lechatlier flask should be free from moisture content, that mean flask is thoroughly dried.
• Now, weigh the empty flask and note it as W 1 .
• Take 50gm of cement and add it in Flask. Now weight the Flask with the stopper as W 2
• Now pour kerosene in the sample up to the neck of the bottle. Mix thoroughly and see that no air bubbles left in the flask. Note down the weight as W 3
• Empty the flask and fill the bottle with kerosene up to the tip of the bottle and record the weight as W 4 .

where, Specific gravity of Kerosene = 0.79 g/cc.

A good cement should have the Specific gravity of 3.1-3.6 g/cc. 

Also Read: How to find the quality of cement on site? How to find the quality of sand on site?

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Founder & Admin of civilread.com, I am a civil engineer working in Ultratech Cement Ltd. With a good subject knowledge in civil engg i have started this blog to share valuable information to fellow civil engineers. You can also follow me on fb and twitter by clicking below

here are some specific calculation for measuring various type concrete for making home this is nice and good for us ,

so thank for this posting ,

mansi desai

Nice information, but i have a question you have stated – pour kerosene in the sample up to the “neck of the bottle” (W3). but point no. 5 – fill the bottle with kerosene up to the tip of the bottle for W4. Why..???

Determination of Specific Gravity of Cement : Test, Features and Importance

Specific Gravity Of Cement – The ratio between the mass of a specified volume of substance and the weight of an equivalent volume of water is used to calculate specific gravity. Kerosene, which does not react with cement, is used to determine the specific gravity of cement. In this post we will know about cement specific gravity .

What is Specific Gravity?

Specific Gravity is the ratio of a Weight of Volume of material (Your testing material) to the same Weight of Volume of water.

In simple words, The weight of a given volume of material divided by the weight of an equal volume of water is known as the specific gravity. The specific gravity of portland cement is approximately 3.15.

According to the Portland Cement Association (PCA) of 1988, the value of Portland pozzolan cements and Portland blast furnace cements will be close to 2.90. Kerosene, which does not react with cement , is used to determine its specific gravity.

Significance of Specific Gravity of Cement

The specific gravity of cement can increase or decrease depending on the amount of moisture present. The cement particles have pores or particles within them that can hold water.

A nominal mix is made with a 3.15 specific gravity cement. Any change in the specific gravity value will have an impact on the mix design.

As a result, before beginning the mixing process, the specific gravity of the cement must be determined. This is the primary reason for not using old stock cement. External moisture content may affect old stock cement.

Specific Gravity Test on Cement

Determination of Specific Gravity of Cement : Test, Features and Importance | Equipment and Apparatus for Specific Gravity Test On Cement

Most people are aware that cement has a specific gravity of 3.1-3.16 g/cc. Do you understand the purpose behind and significance of the cement’s specific gravity calculation? I’ll dispel all of your questions about cement’s specific gravity in this post.

Le Chatelier’s Flask method is used to calculate cement’s specific gravity in accordance with the Le Chatelier Principle. And IS 2720-Part 3 is the IS code for the Specific Gravity Test.

Apparatus Required for Le Chatelier’s Principle:-

• Le Chaterlier’s flask
• Kerosene (free from water).
• Weighing Balance
• Specific Gravity Bottle capacity of 250 ml with stopper.

Le Chaterlier’s flask is made of thin glass with a bottom bulb. The bulb has a capacity of almost 250 millilitres. The average diameter of the bulb is 7.8 cm. In millimetres, the stem is graduated.

At a distance of 8.8 cm from the bulb’s top, the zero graduation can be found. A bulb with a length of 3.5cm and a capacity of 17 ml can be found 2 cm from the zero.

The stem is marked with 18 ml at 1 cm from the bulb and grated to a maximum of 24 ml. Above the 24ml mark, the portion is in the shape of a 5cm diameter funnel.

The specific gravity of Kerosene is 0.79 g/cc The specific gravity of water is 1g/cc

Procedure for Specific Gravity Test on Cement

• Step #1 : The flask must be completely dry and free of liquid and moisture before being used. W1 represents the weight of the empty flask.
• Step #2 : The bottle is half-filled with cement (approximately 50gm) and sealed with a stopper. W2 is assigned to the arrangement, which is weighed with a stopper.
• Step #3 : The top of the bottle is filled with kerosene. Air bubbles are removed from the mixture after it has been thoroughly mixed. W3 is the weight of the flask containing kerosene, cement, and a stopper.
• Step #4 : The flask is then emptied and filled to the brim with kerosene. W4 is assigned to the arrangement after it has been weighed.

Observations and Calculations

Specific Gravity of Cement Sg is given by the formula (Specific Gravity of Cement Formula) ,

Here, the specific gravity of kerosene is 0.79g/cc . Note:

• Duplicate determination of specific gravity should agree within 0.01.
• To get an accurate result, the flask should be held in a constant temperature before each reading is taken.

Cement Specific Gravity Result – A good cement should have the Specific gravity of 3.1-3.6 g/cc.

Specific Gravity of Cement – Detailed Explanation

How many of you know about specific gravity of cement?

Specific Gravity of Cement

In this post, we will explain you about,

• What is Specific Gravity?

Why are we calculating this value for cement?

• Significance of specific gravity of cement
• Experiment to determine this value

What is Specific Gravity of Cement?

Definition – Specific Gravity is just a comparison between the weight of a volume of a particular material to the weight of the same volume of water at a specified temperature.

In Simple – It is a value to calculate whether the material is able to sink or float on water. Every material has some specific gravity. The value is normally in digits like 0.1 – 100. If the value is less than 1, then the material will float on water. If the value is greater than 1, then the material will sink.

3.15g/cc means the cement is 3.15 times heavier than the water of the same volume .

Normally aggregates are derived from stockpiles, which may be exposed to various conditions.

If the cement has exposed to extreme moisture content then, the specific gravity of cement will differ because of the moisture content present in the pores.

Every material has solid particles and pores which may contain water in it.

Normally our nominal mix design is based on the value of specific gravity of cement as 3.15. The value will change over time if the cement is exposed to various weather conditions. So it is essential to determine the specific gravity of cement before using it.

This is why we are insisted on avoiding old stock cement , which may be affected by the external moisture content.

The significance of specific gravity of cement

As already said, the cement may contain lots of moisture content if it is exposed to various conditions and humidity.

We all know that water cement ratio is an important factor. It is directly proportional to workability and the strength of a bonding. If the cement has already more moisture in it then, the value of water-cement ratio will actually affect the workability and strength rather than increasing it.

If the specific gravity of cement is greater than 3.19 then, the cement is either not minced finely as per the industry standard or it has more moisture content which will affect the mix and bonding. This is why you find lots of chunks while mixing old stock cement for concrete.

How to calculate cement specific gravity?

To find specific gravity of cement value.

Required Materials & Apparatus:

• Ordinary Portland Cement
• Le-Chatelier Flask capacity of 250 ml or Specific Gravity Bottle / Pycnometer (100 ml)
• Weighing balance with 0.1 gm accurate

Test Procedure:

• The Flask should be free from the liquid that means it should be fully dry. Weigh the empty flask(W1)
• Fill the cement on the bottle up to half of the flask (about 50gm) and weigh with its stopper (W2)
• Add Kerosene to the cement up to the top of the bottle. Mix well to remove the air bubbles in it. Weigh the flask with cement and kerosene (W3)
• Empty the flask. Fill the bottle with kerosene up to the top and weigh the flask (W4)

Calculation:

The specific gravity of kerosene is 0.79 g/cc

The error value will be acceptable ±0.01. The practical will be done within 30° C temperature.

Experiment Video

Here is the video tutorial that we found on YouTube which illustrates the test

We hope that now you have the fair amount of knowledge on the Specific gravity of cement and importance of this test. If you found this article helpful support us by sharing.

Happy Learning 🙂

Portland Cement Specific Gravity

Specific gravity is normally used in mixture proportioning calculations. The specific gravity of portland cement is generally around 3.15 while the specific gravity of portland-blast-furnace-slag and portland-pozzolan cements may have specific gravities near 2.90 (PCA, 1988 [1] ).

Standard Test Methods

• AASHTO T 133 and ASTM C 188: Density of Hydraulic Cement
• Portland Cement Association (PCA). (1988). Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures. Portland Cement Association. Skokie, IL. ↵

• Aggregate Crushing Test
• Alkalinity of Water by Indicator Method
• Atterberg Limit Test
• Bending Test of Wood
• Caliberation of Pressure Gauge Using Dead Weight Pressure Gauge Calibration
• California Bearing Ratio Test
• Classification of Soils According to AASHTO
• Classification of Soils According to the Unified Soil Classification SyStem (USCS)
• Compaction Test on Soil
• Compressive Strength of Concrete Determination
• Coring of Pavement for the Determination of Average Depth
• Curing of Concrete
• Determination of Bitumen Content Using Centrifuge Extractor
• Determination of Moisture Content of Soil
• Dissolved Oxygen in Water Determination
• Fall Cone Test
• Hydrometer Analysis
• Impact Test on Steel (Charpy Method)
• Impact Test on Steel (Izod Method)
• Insitu (Field) Density Test
• Penetration Test of Asphaltic cement
• Rebound Number of Hardened Concrete
• Seasoning of Timber
• Setting Time of Cement Test
• Shear Test (Direct)
• Sieve Analysis of Soil
• Soundness Test on Cement

Specific Gravity Determination of Cement

• Specific Gravity Determination of Soil
• Standard Consistency of Cement Test
• Study of Laminar, Turbulent and Transition Flow
• Suspended Solids in Water
• Tensile Test on Steel
• Torsion Test on Steel
• Total Dissolved Solids in Water
• Total Hardness of Water Determination
• Total Solids in Water
• Unconfined Compression Test
• Turbidity of Water Sample
• Workability of Concrete

Introduction

     Specific gravity is the ratio of the density of a substance to the density of a reference substance; equivalently, it is the ratio of the mass of a substance to the mass of a reference substance for the same given volume. Apparent specific gravity is the ratio of the weight of a volume of the substance to the weight of an equal volume of the reference substance. The reference substance is nearly always water at its densest (4°C) for liquids; for gases it is air at room temperature (25°C). Simply put, the specific gravity of a substance determines its behavior in water. If it is less than 1, the substance floats in water, and if greater than 1, the substance sinks. Specific gravity is normally used in mixture proportioning calculations. The specific gravity of portland cement is generally around 3.15 (i.e. 3.5 times heavier than water) while the specific gravity of portland-blast-furnace-slag and portland-pozzolan cements may have specific gravities near 2.90 (i.e. 2.9 times heavier than water)

Why do we need to know the specific gravity of cement before usage?

     Normally the specific gravity of Portland cement is 3.15, and the nominal mix design is based on this value. The value will change over time if the cement is exposed to various weather conditions. For example, if the cement has been exposed to extreme moisture content then, the specific gravity of cement will differ because of the moisture content present in the pores. So it is essential to determine the specific gravity of cement before using it. As you may already know, the water cement ratio is an important factor in concrete mixing and construction and t is directly proportional to workability and the strength of a bonding. Thus, if the cement already has more moisture in it, then, the value of water cement ratio will actually affect the workability and strength of the concrete. In a nutshell, the density of the bulk cement (including voids between particles) varies considerably, depending on how it is handled and stored. For example, vibration during transportation of bulk cement consolidates the cement and increases its bulk density. Thus, cement quantities are specified and measured by weight rather than volume.

Objective(s) of the Experiment

     The experiment is carried out to determine the value of the specific gravity of cement.

Equipments and Materials Needed

• Ordinary Portland Cement
• Weighing balance with 0.1 gm accuracy
• Le-Chatelier Flask of capacity of 250 ml or Specific Gravity Bottle / Pycnometer ( of 100 ml volume)

How Come Kerosene is Used when Water was the Material Mentioned in the Introduction?

     Normally, for the determination of specific gravity of any material, water is the best material to use. However, when water is added to cement, a compound is formed (carbon oxide), while kerosene and cement do not react together. This amendment is later catered for as you will see in the calculation by a factor of 0.79, which is the specific gravity of kerosene.

• Wash and completely dry the flask, then weigh it. Record the Weight of Empty Flask = W1
• Pour the cement up to half of the flask (about 50gm) and weigh. Record the Weight of Flask and Cement= W2
• Add Kerosene to the cement up to the top of the flask. Mix well to remove the air bubbles in it and weigh. Record the Weight of Flask with Cement and Kerosene to Fill = W3.
• Empty the flask, wash properly and dry it. Fill the bottle with kerosene up to the top and weigh. Record the Weight of Flask with Kerosene to Fill= W4

Results and Calculations

• The error value will be acceptable within ±0.01.
• The practical will be done within 30°C temperature.

Discussion and Conclusion

      Depending on your value, you can know the quality of your cement. If the specific gravity of cement is greater than 3.19 then, the cement was either not pulverized finely as per the industry standard or it has more moisture content which will affect the mix and bonding. This is why you find lots of chunks while mixing old stock cement for concrete.

• Wikipedia. “Specific Gravity”. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Specific_gravity. Assessed December 20, 2017.
• CivilBlog.com “Specific Gravity of Cement Determination”. http://www.civilorg.com/Specific_Gravity_of_Cement_Determination.
• Mamlouk, M.S. And Zaniewski J.P. (2011). “Materials For Civil and Construction Engineers”

Credits: Samuel Alalade. Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria.

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