Koya University

Faculty of Engineering
Civil Department - 2nd Stage
Concrete Technology

Test no: 1

Fineness of Cement by Sieve Analysis Method

Student Name: Muhammad Saleem Asaad

Group: B
Expr Date:8-11-2015
Submission Date:15-11-2015

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 Test No.1
Fineness of Cement by Sieve Analysis Method
THEORY& IMPORTANCE

This experiment is carried out to check the proper grinding of

cement. The cement which is produced by an industry is
checked for its quality, that either it is good for certain type of
construction or it doesn’t possess that much strength. For
example, for RCC and other heavy load bearing structures such
as bridges it is essential that the cement which is being used in
the concrete should have the ability to provide the required
strength, while in the PCC structures it is not so much critical.
The ability to provide strength of a certain type of cement is
checked by finding the fineness of that cement, because the
fineness of cement is responsible for the rate of hydration and
hence the rate of gain of strength and also the rate of evolution
of heat.
If the cement is fine then greater is its cohesiveness, which is
the property, required in the concrete because it gives
compactness to the concrete. Usually cement loses 10% of its
strength within one month of its manufacturing.
There are different types of sieves such as # 10, # 100,# 200,#
300 etc. the number of the sieve indicates the number of holed
present in a linear inch of that sieve. For finding the fineness of
Wet or Dry cement the following sieve numbers are
recommended by ASTM.
Cement by wet process = # 300 sieve
Cement by dry process = # 200 sieve

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APPARATUS

1. Sieve # 200 with pan and cover

2. Sample of cement
3. Triple beam balance (sensitive to 0.1g)
4. Scoop
5. Bristle brush
6. Empty plate
7. Stopwatch

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TEST PROCEDURE

Take the triple beam balance and adjust the reading of the
balance to zero.
Take a pan and note its weight.
Put some cement in the pan placed on the balance, so that
the weight of cement becomes 100 grams. This will be weight
W1 of the cement.
Put the cement in the sieve carefully and close the sieve
tightly.
Start shaking the sieve horizontally; keep on shaking the
sieve for 10 to 15 minutes regularly.
After 15 minutes take the residue left in the sieve, put it in
a pre-weighed plate and note the weight W2 of the residue
with the help of triple beam balance.
Then by using the following formula calculate the
percentage fineness of cement:

W1= Total weight of cement

W2= Weight of residue

𝑷𝒆𝒓𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒈𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔 (%)= 𝑾𝟏−𝑾𝟐/𝑾𝟏∗𝟏𝟎𝟎

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 Calculation

Sample 1

Weight of sieve 200(g)=272g

Weight of sample(W1)=100g

Weight of sieve + residue=277g

Weight of residue(W2) =277 - 272=5g

W1−W2
Percentage of fineness% = ×100
W1

100−5
= ×100
100

= 95%

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Sample 2

Weight of sieve 200(g)=272g

Weight of sample(W1) =100g

Weight of sieve + residue=315g

Weight of residue(W2) =315 - 272=43g

W1−W2
Percentage of fineness% = ×100
W1

100−43
= ×100
100

= 57%

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Sample 3

Weight of sieve 200(g)=285g

Weight of sample(W1) =100g

Weight of sieve + residue=310g

Weight of residue(W2) =310 - 285=25g

W1−W2
Percentage of fineness% = ×100
W1

100−25
= ×100
100

= 75%

95+57+75
Average fineness% =
3

= 75.67%

The fineness of cement isn’t in range of ATSM standard, so it

can’t be used for making concrete.

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 Discussion

By this experiment we know the grinding or fineness of cement

and its useful to checked the strength of cement by rate of
fineness, standard range of cement for use it must be greater
than 90% if its smaller than this range it can’t use, we do this
test three times and get average result, without errors result
must be don’t greater ±10 of average result, our result is
smaller than 90% so we can’t use for making concrete. during
did this test may be having same errors, Errors come when
sieve doesn’t shake good or holes of sieve may be closed and
cement can’t go down.