Procedure

25% of clean water is added to about 500g

of Portland cement and mix on glass plate
with the spatula. Paste is mixed thoroughly
after about 30 second with hands for one
minutes. The kneaded paste is tossed 6
times from one hand to other hand and
distance is about 150 mm apart.

The paste is pressed into the vicat mould

resting on a non-porous plate and it is filled
with the cement paste in one layer. The
surface at the top of the mould is smoothed
off using hand and the trowel.

The test black confined is placed in the

mould and resting on the plate under the
rod bearing plunger G. The plunger is
lowered gently in to contact with the surface
of the test block. The block is released
quickly and it is allowed to sink in. After
filling the mould, this operation should be
carried out immediately.

The test repeatedly with trial pastes with

varying percentages of water until a paste
giving a penetration of 33 to 35 mm is
founded. The amount of water used for each
trial paste is recorded and expressed as
percentage by weight of dry cement. The
percentage of water is identified
corresponding to the standard cement
paste.
Discussion
A)

Variation of data occur because variety of amount water used to mix with the cement. Hence, the
penetration of plunger is depend on amount of water mixed with cement.

Graph of Penetration of Plunger against

Percentage of Water
35

30
Penetration of Plunger (mm)

25

20

15

10

0
25 35 38
Percentage of Water

There are three trial conducted to gain the approximation of real ranged value targeted. For trial 1, 25
percent of water is used as the procedure written to be mixed with cement and the penetration of
plunger is zero because the mixture is very hard. For trial 2, 35 percent of water is used and it produced
29 mm of penetration which is closed to the range value needed. The range needed is 33 to 35 mm.
Hence, another trial is conducted with just small proportion of water changed. Third trial used 38
percent of water and successfully gained the range which is 35 mm penetration of plunger which mean
it has acquired the standard consistency of percentage of water in the paste. Based on trial and error we
get the standard value. that is, in between 25% to 33% of water (by weight of the cement), we will
achieve the standard consistency for different type of cement. Based on the graph, the higher the
percentage of water added, the deeper the penetration of plunger. This is because of water play
important role in hydration process in for setting times. The water causes the hardening of concrete
through aprocess called hydration. Hydration is a chemical reaction in which the major compounds
in cement form chemical bonds with water molecules and become hydrates or hydration products.
B)

Based on the result we gained from this experiment is quite differ to the usual values. The usual value is
supposed to be 25% or below 30% of amount of water used to get the true consistency value. However,
our group get 38%, which is out of range. This is due to some errors that can be avoid and non-avoidable
factors. It is quite hard to achieve the real value as the facilities provided is not first class advanced
technology and the environment factors distract the possibilities to gain the correct value. The
carelessness of the observer also be a distractor to get the real value,

C)

As mentioned in B, our result can be used to get the right amount of water needed to achieve the
strength that we need for normal consistency for paste in a certain environment. Hence, the
environment and place could be a factor for some experiment to get the result. Hence, 38% is
approximate and fair value for this experiment.

D)

We have prepared a paste of weighed quantity of cement ( 500 gm ) with weighed quantity of normal
water. ( starting with 25% of water). We have added the water & counted from the time of adding water
to the dry cement until commencing to fill the mould & the paste started to form . We have checked
that its less than 1 minutes ( we did it in 2 minutes ). We have filled the Vicat mould with this paste
resting upon a non-porous plate. We have smoothened the surface of the paste, making it level with the
top ofthe mould. We have slightly shaken the mould to expel the air . After that, We have Immediately
placed the test block with the non-porous testing plate, under the rod bearing the plunger of the vicat
device .We have lower the plunger gently to touch the surface of the test block and quickly release,
allowing it sink into the paste . We have recorded the depth of penetration. We have cleaned the
plunger after finishing. We have repeated the test using varying percentages of water ( 25%, 35% & 38%
)and continued the test as described above until the plunger is 33 mm to 35 mm from the top of the
Vicat mould . However, based on the procedure, the correct percentage amount of water used is 25%
which is differ to the amount of water used by our group. This is because there are certain inaccuracies
and errors involved in this experiment. For instance, observational, errors in judgment of an observer
when reading the scale of a measuring device to the smallest division and time reading. Next,
theoretical. Theory says that the temperature of the surrounding will not affect the readings taken when
it actually does, then this factor will introduce a source of error.
Conclusion

In conclusion of this experiment is to find out the correct amount of water to be added to a given
quantity of cement so as to get a paste normal consistency. This experiment tells us the amount of
water content at which we can obtain the maximum strength of cement. The achieved Standard
Consistency is coming within the range of water( 25% to 38% ) So, the standard consistency of
cement paste is within that range. 38% of water is the required amount of water to have a
consistence cement paste , the reason for that is we get a 35 mm in that percent of water-adding. In
this experiment, there are certain factors that affect the percentage of water used such as errors
due to the observer and instrument error. Moreover the temperature and humidity values were not
in the specified range. Hence, the person who conducted the experiment must be more careful and
be precise to conduct the experiment to gain the best result. This test also gives us information that
how much amount of water is enough to prepare a paste of cement before using it at the site at the
time of construction.
Reference
Book Chapter

IS:4031(Part 4):1988-Methods of physical tests for hydraulic cement (Determination of

consistency of standard cement paste)

Internet

Lab Test For Cement. Civil Engineering GYAN, 24 Feb. 2015. Web. 1 October. 2017.
Consistency Test of Cement. The Construction Civil, Web. 1 October. 2017.
Standard Consistency of Cement. The Constructor, 9 Mar. 2010. Web. 1 October. 2017
Test To Check Consistency Of Cement. Civil Engineering Portal, Web. 1 October 2017