ASTM C204-00
(Test Method)Standard Test Method for Fineness of Hydraulic Cement by Air Permeability Apparatus
Standard Test Method for Fineness of Hydraulic Cement by Air Permeability Apparatus
SCOPE
1.1 This test method covers determination of the fineness of hydraulic cement, using the Blaine air permeability apparatus, in terms of the specific surface expressed as total surface area in square centimetres per gram, or square meters per kilogram, of cement. Although the test method may be, and has been, used for the determination of the measures of fineness of various other materials, it should be understood that, in general, relative rather than absolute fineness values are obtained.
1.1.1 This test method is known to work well for portland cements. However, the user should exercise judgment in determining its suitability with regard to fineness measurements of cements with densities, or porosities that differ from those assigned to Standard Reference Material No. 114.
1.2 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the standard.
1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
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American Association State
Designation: C 204 – 00 Highway and Transportation Officials Standard
AASHTO No.: T 153
Standard Test Method for
Fineness of Hydraulic Cement by Air-Permeability
Apparatus
This standard is issued under the fixed designation C 204; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope 3. Apparatus
1.1 This test method covers determination of the fineness of 3.1 Nature of Apparatus—The Blaine air-permeability ap-
hydraulic cement, using the Blaine air-permeability apparatus, paratus consists essentially of a means of drawing a definite
in terms of the specific surface expressed as total surface area quantity of air through a prepared bed of cement of definite
in square centimetres per gram, or square metres per kilogram, porosity.The number and size of the pores in a prepared bed of
of cement. Although the test method may be, and has been, definite porosity is a function of the size of the particles and
used for the determination of the measures of fineness of determines the rate of airflow through the bed. The apparatus,
various other materials, it should be understood that, in illustrated in Fig. 1, shall consist specifically of the parts
general, relative rather than absolute fineness values are described in 3.2-3.8.
obtained. 3.2 Permeability Cell—The permeability cell shall consist
1.1.1 This test method is known to work well for portland of a rigid cylinder 12.70 6 0.10 mm in inside diameter,
cements. However, the user should exercise judgement in constructed of austenitic stainless steel. The interior of the cell
determining its suitability with regard to fineness measure- shallhaveafinishof0.81µm(32µin.).Thetopofthecellshall
ments of cements with densities, or porosities that differ from be at right angles to the principal axis of the cell. The lower
those assigned to Standard Reference Material No. 114. portion of the cell must be able to form an airtight fit with the
1.2 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the upper end of the manometer, so that there is no air leakage
standard. between the contacting surfaces. A ledge ⁄2 to 1 mm in width
1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of the shall be an integral part of the cell or be firmly fixed in the cell
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the 55 6 10 mm from the top of the cell for support of the
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro- perforated metal disk. The top of the permeability cell shall be
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica- fitted with a protruding collar to facilitate the removal of the
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use. cell from the manometer.
NOTE 1—ASTM A 582 Type 303 stainless steel (UNS designation
2. Referenced Documents
S30300) has been found to be suitable for the construction of the
2.1 ASTM Standards:
permeability cell and the plunger.
A 582/A 582M Specification for Free-Machining Stainless
3.3 Disk—The disk shall be constructed of noncorroding
and Heat-Resisting Steel Bars
metal and shall be 0.9 6 0.1 mm in thickness, perforated with
C 670 Practice for Preparing Precision and Bias Statements
30 to 40 holes 1 mm in diameter equally distributed over its
for Test Methods for Construction Materials
area. The disk shall fit the inside of the cell snugly. The center
E 832 Specification for Laboratory Filter Papers
portion of one side of the disk shall be marked or inscribed in
2.2 Other Document:
a legible manner so as to permit the operator always to place
No. 114 National Institute of Standards and Technology
that side downwards when inserting it into the cell. The
Standard Reference Material
marking or inscription shall not extend into any of the holes,
nor touch their peripheries, nor extend into that area of the disk
that rests on the cell ledge.
This test method is under the jurisdiction ofASTM Committee C01 on Cement
and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee C01.25 on Fineness. 3.4 Plunger—The plunger shall be constructed of austenitic
Current edition approved July 10, 2000. Published September 2000. Originally
stainless steel and shall fit into the cell with a clearance of not
published as C 204 – 46 T. Last previous edition C 204 – 96a.
more than 0.1 mm. The bottom of the plunger shall sharply
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 01.03.
meet the lateral surfaces and shall be at right angles to the
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 04.02.
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 14.04.
principal axis.An air vent shall be provided by means of a flat
Available from National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg,
3.0 6 0.3 mm wide on one side of the plunger. The top of the
MD 20899.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
C204–00
FIG. 1 Blaine Air-Permeability Apparatus
plunger shall be provided with a collar such that when the The top of one arm of the manometer shall form an airtight
plunger is placed in the cell and the collar brought in contact connection with the permeability cell. The manometer arm
with the top of the cell, the distance between the bottom of the connected to the permeability cell shall have a line etched
plunger and the top of the perforated disk shall be 15 6 1 mm.
around the tube at 125 to 145 mm below the top side outlet and
3.5 Filter Paper—The filter paper shall be medium reten- also others at distances of 15 6 1 mm, 70 6 1 mm, and 110 6
tive, corresponding to Type 1, Grade B, in accordance with
1 mm above that line.Aside outlet shall be provided at 250 to
Specification E 832. The filter paper disks shall be circular,
305 mm above the bottom of the manometer for use in the
with smooth edges, and shall have the same diameter (Note 2)
evacuation of the manometer arm connected to the permeabil-
as the inside of the cell.
ity cell.Apositive airtight valve or clamp shall be provided on
the side outlet not more than 50 mm from the manometer arm.
NOTE 2—Filter paper disks that are too small may leave part of the
The manometer shall be mounted firmly and in such a manner
sample adhering to the inner wall of the cell above the top disk. When too
large in diameter, the disks have a tendency to buckle and cause erratic that the arms are vertical.
results.
3.7 Manometer Liquid—The manometer shall be filled to
3.6 Manometer—The U-tube manometer shall be con- the midpoint with a nonvolatile, nonhygroscopic liquid of low
structed according to the design indicated in Fig. 1, using viscosity and density, such as dibutyl phthalate (dibutyl 1,2-
nominal 9-mm outside diameter, standard-wall, glass tubing. benzene-dicarboxylate) or a light grade of mineral oil.
C204–00
TABLE 1 Density of Mercury, Viscosity of Air (h), and h at
3.8 Timer—The timer shall have a positive starting and =
Given Temperatures
stopping mechanism and shall be capable of being read to the
Density of
nearest 0.5 s or less. The timer shall be accurate to 0.5 s or less
Room Viscosity of Air, h
Mercury, =h
Temperature, °C µPa·s
for time intervals up to 60 s, and to 1 % or less for time
Mg/m
intervals of 60 to 300 s.
18 13.55 17.98 4.24
20 13.55 18.08 4.25
22 13.54 18.18 4.26
4. Calibration of Apparatus
24 13.54 18.28 4.28
4.1 Sample—The calibration of the air permeability appa-
26 13.53 18.37 4.29
ratus shall be made using the current lot of NIST Standard
28 13.53 18.47 4.30
Reference Material No. 114. The sample shall be at room
30 13.52 18.57 4.31
temperature when tested.
32 13.52 18.67 4.32
34 13.51 18.76 4.33
4.2 Bulk Volume of Compacted Bed of Powder—Determine
the bulk volume of the compacted bed of powder by the
mercury displacement method as follows:
4.2.1 Place two filter paper disks in the permeability cell,
4.3 Preparation of Sample—Enclose the contents of a vial
pressingdowntheedges,usingarodhavingadiameterslightly
of the standard cement sample in a jar, approximately 120 cm
smaller than that of the cell, until the filter disks are flat on the
(4 oz), and shake vigorously for 2 min to fluff the cement and
perforated metal disk; then fill the cell with mercury, ACS
break up lumps or agglomerates. Allow the jar to stand
reagent grade or better, removing any air bubbles adhering to
unopened for a further 2 min, then remove the lid and stir
thewallofthecell.Usetongswhenhandlingthecell.Ifthecell
gently to distribute throughout the sample the fine fraction that
is made of material that will amalgamate with mercury, the
has settled on the surface after fluffing.
interior of the cell shall be protected by a very thin film of oil
4.4 MassofSample—The mass of the standard sample used
justpriortoaddingthemercury.Levelthemercurywiththetop
for the calibration test shall be that required to produce a bed
of the cell by lightly pressing a small glass plate against the
of cement having a porosity of 0.500 6 0.005, and shall be
mercury surface until the glass is flush to the surface of the
calculated as follows:
mercury and rim of the cell, being sure that no bubble or void
W5rV~12e! (2)
exists between the mercury surface and the glass plate.
Remove the mercury from the cell and measure and record the
where:
mass of the mercury. Remove one of the filter disks from the
W = grams of sample required,
cell. Using a trial quantity of 2.80 g of cement (Note 3)
r = density of test sample (for portland cement a value of
3 3
compress the cement (Note 4) in accordance with 4.5 with one
3.15 Mg/m or 3.15 g/cm shall be used),
filter disk above and one below the sample. Into the unfilled V = bulk volume of bed of cement, cm , as determined in
space at the top of the cell, add mercury, remove entrapped air,
accordance with 4.2, and
e = desired porosity of bed of cement (0.500 6 0.005)
and level off the top as before. Remove the mercury from the
cell and measure and record the mass of the mercury. (Note 5).
4.2.2 Calculate the bulk volume occupied by the cement to
NOTE 5—Theporosityistheratioofvolumeofvoidsinabedofcement
the nearest 0.005 cm as follows:
to the total or bulk volume of the bed, V.
V 5 ~W 2W !/D (1)
A B
4.5 Preparation of Bed of Cement—Seat the perforated disk
on the ledge in the permeability cell, inscribed or marked face
where:
down. Place a filter paper disk on the metal disk and press the
V = bulk volume of cement, cm ,
edges down with a rod having a diameter slightly smaller than
W = grams of mercury required to fill the cell, no cement
A
that of the cell. Measure the mass to the nearest 0.001 g the
being in the cell,
quantity of cement determined in accordance with 4.4 and
W = grams of mercury required to fill the portion of the
B
place in the cell.Tap the side of the cell lightly in order to level
cell not occupied by the prepared bed of cement in
thebedofcement.Placeafilterpaperdiskontopofthecement
the cell, and
and compress the cement with the plunger until the plunger
D = density of mercury at the temperature of test,
collarisincontactwiththetopofthecell.Slowlywithdrawthe
Mg/m (see Table 1).
plunger a short distance, rotate about 90°, repress, and then
4.2.3 Make at least two determinations of bulk volume of
slowly withdraw. Use of fresh paper filter disks is required for
cement, using separate compactions for each determination.
each determination.
The bulk volume value used for subsequent calculations shall
4.6 Permeability Test:
be the average of two values agreeing within 60.005 cm .
4.6.1 Attach the permeability cell to the manometer tube,
Notethetemperatureinthevicinityofthecellandrecordatthe
making certain that an airtight connection is obtained (Note 6)
beginning and end of the determination.
andtakingcarenottojarordisturbthepreparedbedofcement.
NOTE 3—It is not necessary to use the standard sample for the bulk
4.6.2 Slowly evacuate the air in the one arm of the manom-
volume determination.
eterU-tubeuntiltheliquidreachesthetopmark,andthenclose
NOTE 4—Thepreparedbedofcementshallbefirm.Iftoolooseorifthe
the valve tightly. Start the timer when the bottom of the
cement cannot be compressed to the desired volume, adjust the trial
quantity of cement used. meniscus of the manometer liquid reaches the second (next to
C204–00
the top) mark and stop when the bottom of the meniscus of 6. Calculation
liquid reaches the third (next to the bottom) mark. Note the
6.1 Calculate the specific surface values in accordance with
time interval measured and record in seconds. Note the
the following equations:
temperature of test and record in degrees Celsius.
S T
=
s
4.6.3 In the calibration of the instrument, make at least three S 5 (3)
T
=
s
determinations of the time of flow on each of three separately
S h T
= =
prepared beds of the standard sample (Note 7). The calibration s s
S 5 (4)
=T =h
shall be made by the same operator who makes the fineness
s
determination. 3
S ~b2e !=e T
=
s s
S 5 (5)
NOTE 6—A little stopcock grease should be applied to the standard = e T ~b2e!
=
s s
taper connection. The efficiency of the connection can be determined by
S ~b2e ! e h T
= = =
s s
attaching the cell to the manometer, stoppering it, partially evacuating the
S 5 (6)
one arm of the manometer, then closing the valve.Any continuous drop in e T h b2e!
= = = ~
s s
pressure indicates a leak in the system.
S r ~b 2e !=e =T
s s s s
NOTE 7—The sample may be refluffed and reused for preparation of the
S 5 (7)
test bed, provided that it is kept dry and all tests are made within4hof r~b2e!= e T
=
s s
the opening of the sample.
S r ~b 2e ! h e T
= = =
s s s s s
S 5 (8)
4.7 Recalibration—The apparatus shall be recalibrated
r~b2e! e T h
= = =
s s
(Note 8):
where:
4.7.1 At periodic intervals, the duration of which shall not
S = specific surface of the test sample, m /kg,
exceed 2 ⁄2 years, to correct for possible wear on the plunger or
S = specific surface of the standard sample used in
s
permeabilitycell,oruponreceiptofevidencethatthetestisnot
calibration of the apparatus, m /kg (Note 9),
providing data in accordance with the precision and bias
T = measured time interval, s, of manometer drop for test
statement in Section 8.
sample (Note 10),
4.7.2 If any loss in the manometer fluid occurs, recalibrate
T = measured time interval, s, of manometer drop for
s
starting with 4.5, or
standard sample used in calibration of the apparatus
4.7.3 If a change is made in the type or quality of the filter (Note 10),
paper used for the tests. h = viscosity of air, micro pascal seconds (µPa·
...
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