How to Calculate the Specific Gravity of Cement with respect to IS code?

The specific gravity of cement: Definition :

The ratio of the weight of a given volume of cement to the weight of an equal volume of water is called specific gravity of cement.

IS Code of specific gravity test is IS 2720 part 3

Apparatus required :

Le-Chatelier flask Weighing balance of 0.1 Gram accuracy

Sample materials required :

Cement Kerosene

Important key points :

The specific gravity of kerosene is 0.79 gram per centimetre cube The specific gravity of water is 1 gram per centimetre cube

Interesting point : The reason behind kerosene is used to find out the specific gravity of cement and not the water is given below;

In general, to calculate the specific gravity of the material, we use water. In the case of cement, we use kerosene for finding specific gravity of it. Cement hydrates and forms calcium oxide when it reacts with water Cement won't show any type of reaction when it mixed with kerosene. Hence kerosene is used to find the specific gravity of cement instead of water.

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I added an important formula used to calculate specific gravity of cement.

The specific gravity of cement= ( weight of a given volume of material/weight of an equal volume of water )

Or

Specific gravity of cement = ( W2 - W1) / (W2 - W1) - (W3 - W4) x 0.79 Specific gravity of kerosene= 0.79g/cc

The specific gravity is normally defined as the ratio between the weight of a given volume of material and the weight of an equal volume of water.

The determination of Specific Gravity of Cement as per IS Codes with the use of Standard Le – Chatelier Flask.

The detailed procedure for the determination of specific gravity of cement and its importance is explained in the article below-

Determination of Specific Gravity of Cement and Its Importance

IS 4031(part 11): 1988 specifies the following test procedure to be adopted for the Determination of Specific Gravity of Cement and the test should be done at room temperature.

Apparatus:

• Standard Le – Chatelier Flask 
• Analytical balance of accuracy +/-0.0002g 
• Constant temperature water bath 
• Cement 
• Kerosene

Procedure:

• Kerosene is taken in the Le-Chateliers Flask, such that the level is in between the ‘0’ &  ‘1’ (V1) mark.
•  64 g (W) cement is then added to the flask using a funnel. Care to be taken so that cement particles did not stick to the walls of the flask. 
• The neck should be sealed with the glass lid or cork and rotated in all axis in order to ensure all the air bubbles are removed, after adding cement. 
• The flask is then placed in room temperature inside a water bath for 24 hours. 
• The final reading of the level in the flask (V2) mark is then noted after the 24 hour period. 
• Then specific gravity of cement can be calculated using following equation. 
• Density = Mass of cement(gm)/Displaced volume (cm3) Density = W/(V2-V1)

It is based on the fact the change in volume observed is equal to the volume of cement and we already know the weight so Density/ Specific Gravity can be calculated and Kerosene is used here because it is a non-polar liquid.