Table of Contents
Cement has to possess good properties and composition of cement. It is very important to have good quality. And it requires some physical and chemical test to check quality of cement. Practically and in many time, it is not possible to evaluate and check quality of cement by lab tests and that why we need to go primarily for field test for cement. Field tests are considered for primary physical test, which easy to performed and not need much time. These tests are not to accurate to provide exact composite and results but enough to provide basic idea about good quality cement.
Following are the Field test for cement:
1. Colour test:
Colour of cement should be Gray with light tone of green, should be uniform in colour.
2. Feel test for cement:
It should be fine, smooth when taken in hand and rubbed in with fingers. Due to presence of any others matter it feels hard or rough.
3. Lumps:
It should be free from lumps and should be free from moisture. Lumps are formed due to presence of moisture in the air if bag is kept open
4. Bag pack:
Bags should be stored properly as per standards of store of cement.
5. Manufacturing Date:
Date of manufacturing is always mentioned in cement bag and before using it checking date of manufacturing is most important. Cement reduces its strength with the age and to avoid that it should store for longer duration.
6. Temperature Test:
When hand is plunged into bag cement should feel cool inside bag of cement. If it has more moisture it feels hot or warm and this mean cement has already start hydration process and it will form hard lumps in cement.
7. Smell test:
Smell test is carried out by making cement paste. When cement paste is rubbed between the finger and it feel sticky that means cement consist more clay and silt compound in it and this type of cement should avoided for construction.
8. Glass plate test:
Glass plate test is carried out by making cement paste. A thick paste of cement is kept on glass for 24 hours and it should not formed any cracks. Cracks on paste mean that cement is not good enough for construction.
9. Water Sinking test:
In this test small amount of cement is thrown on water and before sinking into water it should float for some time.
10. Block test:
In this test a block of 25mm x 25mm x 25mm is made with cement paste and it should be immersed in water for at least three days. After that compression test has to been carry out and it should at least take a load of 15kg.