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SCIENTIFIC REPORT
The Marsh Cone as a viscometer: theoretical analysis and
practical limits
ABSTRACT RÉSUMÉ
In this study, we have investigated the possibility of Dans cette étude, on a évalué la possibilité d’utiliser le cône
using the Marsh cone as a viscometer. Rheological de Marsh en tant que viscosimètre. Des mesures rhéologiques,
measurements along with digital image recording of Marsh couplées avec des enregistrements d’images numériques
cone flow on glycerol-water mixes were carried out. The d’écoulements au cône de Marsh, de mélanges de glycérol et
equations needed to solve the flow problem are written in d’eau ont été effectués. Les équations nécessaires pour
the case of a purely Newtonian viscous fluid. We show that résoudre le problème ont été écrites dans le cas d’un fluide
flow time can be directly linked to the Newtonian viscosity. purement visqueux. On montre alors que le temps
Flow time is proportional to viscosity. The Marsh cone is d’écoulement est proportionnel à la viscosité. Le cône de
then used to test several cement pastes and measured flow Marsh est ensuite essayé sur des pâtes de ciment pour
time is compared to predicted flow time. The correlation lesquelles le temps d’écoulement mesuré est comparé à celui
between flow time and cement pastes apparent viscosity calculé. La corrélation entre le temps d’écoulement et la
stays valid only for no yield stress cement pastes and for viscosité apparente reste valide uniquement pour les pâtes de
flow time higher than about 15 s. ciment n’ayant pas de seuil d’écoulement et pour des temps
d’écoulement supérieurs à environ 15 s.
Editorial Note
LCPC is a RILEM Titular Member.
152 Fig. 2 - Glycerol-water mix volume versus time for various mixes.
Viscosity in [mPa.s] is mentioned in caption. Nozzle diameter
equal 10 mm [experimental results and simulations].
200
shear stress [Pa]
150
280
H0
100
tan α
Hf 50
0 0
0 50 100 150 200
h 60
strain rate [s-1]
2 r = 4.75 Fig. 3 - Shear stress in terms of strain rate during a viscometer
8 or 10 test. Water-glycerol mixture (water : 5 %, glycerol : 95 % (weight
ratio)) at T = 21.7 °C. The strain rate is ramped from 0 to 200 s-1
Fig. 1 - Studied geometry and main notations (length in mm). [experimental results].
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Materials and Structures / Matériaux et Constructions, Vol. 37, Month 2004
then
8µ h 1 1 1 1
4+ 3 − Q = ρg (H + h )
3
π r 3h tan (α ) r (r + H tan (α ))
(6)
with
dH
Q = −π (r + H tan (α )) (7)
2
dt
The following relation comes
+ ρg (H − z )
and
8µ Q 1 1
p(0) = ρgH − − (4)
3π tan (α ) r 3 (r + H tan (α ))3
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Le Roy, Roussel
errror [%]
Knowing the mixture flow time, the viscosity may be
calculated using Equation (9). The comparison between 20 60
measured viscosity and calculated viscosity is plotted on
Fig. 6. For the lowest values, the predicted viscosity values are 15
40
higher than the measured ones. One extreme example is the 10
case of pure water that is also plotted as a black dot on Fig. 6. 20
The calculated viscosity is 64 [mPa.s], whereas the measured 5
viscosity is about 1 [mPa.s]. In these regimes, the assumption nozzle diameter [mm]
of a succession of quasi steady states is not valid any more and
the flow time is not any more proportional to the viscosity. As 6 8 9 10
such, the flow time value is not a meaningful measurement Fig. 7 - Prediction accuracy evolution as a function of nozzle
from a rheological point of view. diameter. Glycerol-water mix of viscosity [72 mPa.s].
This conclusion is confirmed on Fig. 2 on which the filling
volume versus time is plotted for different viscosities. It is Table 2 - Cement paste compositions
observed that the evolution is linear up to a emptying ratio of Cement Cement Filler Water Super Visc.
50%-60%. The simulation accuracy increases with the pastes (kg.m-3) (kg.m-3) (kg.m-3) Plast. Agent
viscosity. For the given geometry (initial volume equal to 1.7 l N° Dry Dry
and nozzle diameter equal to 10 mm), the prediction is (kg.m-3) (kg.m-3)
acceptable beyond viscosity values of 200 [mPa.s], which 0 984 365 473 3.44 1.41
corresponds to a flow time of 15 s according to the EN 445 test. 1 985 366 473 2.70 1.41
Nevertheless, cement grout used in geotechnical 2 986 366 473 2.03 1.41
3 988 367 473 1.36 1.41
applications behave like low viscous fluid. The accuracy
4 989 367 473 0.68 1.42
prediction can then be preserved by diminishing the nozzle
5 985 366 473 0.68 2.82
diameter, as it is shown on Fig. 7 for a glycerol-water mix of 6 983 365 473 2.03 2.81
viscosity of [72 mPa.s]. 7 981 364 473 3.43 2.80
8 979 364 473 0.68 5.59
9 977 363 473 2.01 5.58
5. APPLICATION ON CEMENT PASTES 10 974 362 473 3.41 5.57
11 972 361 473 0.67 8.33
5.1 Pastes composition
- Cement : CEM I 52,5 N CE ;
11 different cement pastes, studied in [8], consisting of
- Filler : Betocarb P2 MEAC ;
cement, limestone filler, superplasticizer, viscosity agent and
- Superplasticizer : Cimfluid Adagio 2019 ;
water, were used for the validation. The water cement ratio is
- Viscosity agent: Collaxim L4.
around 0.56 and the water binder ratio is 0.4. The chosen
compositions are given in Table 2. The components are:
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Materials and Structures / Matériaux et Constructions, Vol. 37, Month 2004
5.2 Pastes behaviour identification diminishes very rapidly. In that domain, the modelling should
be improved to take into account the plastic yield value.
The pastes behaviour parameters are identified using the
viscometer test assuming that they behave as Bingham
fluids with low yield stress. A test result example is plotted 6. CONSEQUENCES ON MARSH CONE
on Fig. 4. The results for each paste are given in Table 3. PRACTICAL USE
5.3 Marsh cone test results We have seen that the flow time is proportional to the
viscosity in a certain domain. Considering the test used for
The filling volume is 0.8 L and the passing volume is 0.4 L.
post tension grouts control (EN 445) with the 10 mm nozzle
For this test standard, the initial height is H0 = 0.212 m and the
and viscosities lower than 200 [mPa.s], it can be shown,
final height is H = 0.165 m. The nozzle diameter is 8 mm. The
using the previous results, that the flow time is not always
measured flow times and rheological behaviour for each paste
directly linked to the viscosity. On one hand, a 10%
are given in Table 3 with experimental comments. Using the
accuracy is obtained for flow times higher than 15 s. But,
measured viscosity and the relation (9), one may then try to
on the other hand, for lower flow times, the discrepancy
predict the flow time and compare it to the experimental flow
increases rapidly. In practice, the French regulation for
time. This comparison is plotted on Fig. 8. It can be observed
public markets imposes a minimum flow time of 13 s, value
that low plastic yield is not detrimental to the viscosity
which is closed to the previous one. If a low viscosity grout
prediction in most of practical marsh cone use. Nevertheless,
is controlled using this test, it then becomes difficult to spot
beyond a plastic yield of 20 [Pa], the marsh cone accuracy
an accidental water content modification as a non negligible
water variation doesn’t affect in a great proportion the flow
Table 3 – Experimental results of cement pastes flow time. The 13 s value has then to be considered as an
time for the tested geometry. For the paste n°11, the absolute minimum in pre-grouting control tests. If a lower
flow will not occur or will stop before 0.4 dm3 has value is obtained, the batch has to be rejected, and the water
passed through the nozzle content decreased up to obtain a correct flow time. This
Cement Flow Experimental Plastic Plastic point has to be emphasized since the grout sedimentation is
pastes Time comment viscosity Yield sensible to water content. A way to avoid the test
N° (s) µp Value discrepancy is to change the nozzle diameter recommended
(mPa.s) Ki (Pa) by EN 445 in order to measure higher flow time than 15 s.
0 9.81 Normal flow 170 0 A correct post tension grout will then be easily
1 10.69 Normal flow 170 5 differentiated from an over watered one.
2 11.09 Normal flow 200 6 Moreover, apparent viscosity of grouts whose behaviour
3 11.63 Normal flow 220 10 may be approximated by a Bingham law is difficult to
4 16.34 Normal flow 270 19 assess using Marsh cone, because flow time becomes
5 20.41 Normal flow 290 28 strongly affected by plastic yield value higher than 20 [Pa].
6 11.56 Normal flow 200 7
Another test, such as Vane test may be used to evaluate the
7 10.59 Normal flow 170 5
influence of the plastic yield value on the calculated
8 51.97 Difficult flow 500 40
9 14.69 Normal flow 240 18
viscosity.
10 14.13 Normal flow 240 8 On another hand, for geotechnical applications, the
11 / No flow 610 60 viscosity is often lower than 100 [mPa.s]. Using a standard
EN 445 Marsh cone would lead to a viscosity overestimated
by about 100%. As mentioned previously, it is necessary to
reduce the diameter nozzle (Fig. 7). In EN 12 715, the
nozzle diameter recommendation of 4.75 mm has then to be
followed.
7. CONCLUSIONS
This study presents an analytical modelling of the flow
process in a Marsh cone. Based on this modelling,
Newtonian fluid viscosity can be precisely calculated from
the flow time. The authors of course recognize that more
work is still needed in order to classify the Marsh cone as a
on site viscometer. Repeatability and reproducibility still
have to be studied. On a practical point of view, two issues
are of high interest: effect of marginal change in water
content on flow time and acceptable change in water
content for a given grout. However, this is outside the scope
Fig. 8 - Comparison between the measured flow time and the of the present work that focused on the correlation between
predicted flow time using (9) and the measured viscosity in Table flow time and apparent viscosity.
3. The x = y curve is also plotted [experimental results and The limits of the approach presented in this work have
simulation]. two origins. On one hand, the excessive debit obtained on
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Le Roy, Roussel
low viscosity grouts is responsible for the model admixtures and superplasticizer – A study based on the
discrepancy. This can be corrected by choosing a narrower Marsh cone test’, Mater. Struct. 32 (221) (1999) 479-
nozzle. On another hand, plastic yield stress is not taken 485.
into account in the modelling. For yield stress values higher [4] EN 445, ‘Grout for prestressing tendons – tests
than 20 [Pa], it is considered that the test is no more methods’ (1996).
suitable. In practice it should be emphasised that the Marsh [5] ASTM C939-94a, ‘Standard test method of flow of
cone has to be used within its application domain to reach grout for preplaced-aggregate concrete (flow cone
its maximum efficiency as a control tool. method)’ 470-471.
[6] EN 12 715, ‘Execution of special geotechnical work –
grouting’ (2000).
REFERENCES [7] Nehdi, M., Mindess, S. and Aïtcin, P.C., ‘Statistical
modelling of the microfiller effect on the rheology of
[1] Aïtcin, P.C. and Baalbaki, M., ‘Concrete admixtures – composite cement pastes’, Adv. in Cem. Res. 9 (33)
Key components of modern concrete, Concrete (1997) 37-46.
technology: New trends, Industrial Applications’, [8] Cordin, J., ‘SCC segregation : mix fitting parameters
(E&FN Spon, London, 1994) 33 – 47. influence on SSC cement paste fresh behaviour’,
[2] De Larrard, F., Bosc, F., Catherine, C. and Deflorenne, Internal report LCPC, France, (2002) [only available in
F., ‘The AFREM method for the mix-design of high French].
performance concrete’, Mater. Struct. 30 (201) (1997)
439-446.
[3] Agullo, L., Toralles-Carbonari, B., Gettu, R. and
Aguado, A., ‘Fluidity of cement pastes with mineral
Paper received: September 15, 2003; Paper accepted: May 12, 2004
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