University of Bahrain
College of Engineering
Department of Civil Engineering
LAB 1
(Determination of Consistency and Setting Time of Cement)
Sec. 2
Instructor: Dr. Mustafa Aytekin
Students:
Abdullah Sameer 20191279
Yousif Mohamed 202407354
Introduction:
Cement and mortar are essential materials in civil engineering, as their properties
significantly affect the durability, strength, and long-term performance of concrete
structures. Cement serves as the primary binding agent, and understanding its behavior
when combined with water is crucial for achieving high-quality mixes. Determining its
consistency and strength characteristics helps ensure the reliability of concrete and
mortar used in construction.
In this experiment, two main tests were conducted: the Standard Consistency Test of
Cement, and the Compressive and Tensile Strength Tests of Mortar. The consistency
test identifies the exact amount of water required to prepare a cement paste of normal
consistency—a value needed for several other tests, such as setting time and strength
evaluations, since the water-to-cement ratio strongly influences hydration and
workability.
The second part of the experiment examines the mechanical behavior of mortar
prepared using a fixed proportion of cement to sand. Mortar is widely used in masonry,
plastering, and as a bonding material, making its strength characteristics essential to
structural performance. Compressive strength measures resistance to crushing forces,
while tensile strength reflects resistance to cracking. Since mortars generally have low
tensile capacity, evaluating this property is important for understanding behavior under
service loads.
Overall, the experiment provides insight into how changes in the water-to-cement ratio
affect mortar strength, helping identify an optimal mix that balances workability and
durability.
.
Data:
1. Standard Consistency Test of Cement – Components
• Cement
• Water
• Vicat Apparatus
• Vicat Mold
• Plunger
• Mixing Bowl
• Spatula
2. Compressive and Tensile Strength Test of Mortar – Components
• Cement
• Standard Sand
• Water
• Compression Cube Molds (50 × 50 × 50 mm)
• Tensile Briquette Molds (25 × 25 mm)
• Compression Testing Machine
• Tensile Testing Machine
• Mortar Mixer
• Trowel / Scraper
Weight of cement used: 400 grams
Specimen Weight of Water (g) Penetration from
Bottom of Mold (mm)
1 100 23
2 120 14
3 140 5
4 160 3
5 180 0
Compressive and Tensile Strength of Mortar
Mix ratio (cement : sand): 1:2
Curing period: 7 days
Specimen sizes:
- Compression: 50mm× 50mm× 50mm
- Tension: 25mm× 25mm
Failure Load in Failure Load in
Specimen w/c Ratio (%) Compression, Fc Tension, Ft
(kN) (kN)
1 25 69 1.8
2 30 81 2.3
3 35 92 3.2
4 40 84 2.8
5 45 73 2.5
Discussion:
The Standard Consistency Test results show a clear relationship between
water content and plunger penetration. At 100 g of water, the penetration
reached 23 mm, whereas at 180 g, penetration decreased to 0 mm. Normal
consistency is typically defined by a penetration of 5–7 mm, which in this
experiment corresponded to 140 g of water—a water-to-cement ratio of
35%. This indicates that the cement sample requires approximately
one-third of its weight in water to achieve the desired consistency.
For the Compressive and Tensile Strength Tests of Mortar, the influence of
the water-to-cement (w/c) ratio was evident. Strength increased as the ratio
rose up to 35%, where maximum loads of 92 kN (compression) and 3.2 kN
(tension) were obtained. Beyond this ratio, strength decreased due to
excess water causing higher porosity in the hardened mortar.
At low w/c ratios (25–30%), the mixes were stiff, making proper compaction
difficult and resulting in lower strength due to entrapped air. Conversely, at
higher ratios (40–45%), the additional water increased voids within the
structure, weakening both compressive and tensile strength. These
observations align with established cement behavior, where both
insufficient and excessive water negatively affect material quality.
Overall, the experiment confirms that an optimum w/c ratio exists, and in
this case, 35% provided the best balance between workability and
strength.
Conclusion:
The experiment demonstrated that the standard consistency of cement was
achieved at approximately 140 g of water per 400 g of cement, equivalent to a
35% water-to-cement ratio. The compressive and tensile strength tests further
showed that mortar strength improves with increasing w/c ratio up to 35%, where
maximum values of 92 kN in compression and 3.2 kN in tension were recorded.
Strength declined beyond this point due to increased porosity caused by excess
water.
Thus, the results emphasize the importance of maintaining an optimal
water-to-cement ratio. In this experiment, a ratio of 35% provided the most
favorable balance between workability and structural performance, reinforcing
its significance in producing durable and reliable construction materials.