Density of bulk cement grade M500

A characteristic such as cement density is quite informative information about a given building material, which allows you to assess the reliability of the future mortar, as well as its strength.

The difference between this indicator in different types of cement can vary significantly, which requires builders to correctly select the material and make the appropriate calculations. First of all, the density of cement affects the preparation of proportions for the preparation of building mixtures for the construction of buildings and structures.

Characteristics of cement, its chemical formula

Materials scientists classify building materials such as cement as artificial inorganic binders. With liquid materials, it is capable of forming a mass that has plasticity, the ability to harden and take on the shape of a stone-like body.

Most often, cement is used to prepare concrete and various solutions for construction. There are many different types of this material, differing in their characteristics, application, as well as physical and operational properties.

Characteristic

The formula of cement is quite complex, since the chemistry of this substance is multicomponent and complex. In most cases, the material consists of the following substances :

• CaO (calcium oxide) – 67 percent;
• SiO2 (silicon dioxide) – 22 percent;
• Al2O3 (aluminum oxide) – 5 percent;
• Fe2O3 (iron oxide) – 3 percent;
• other components – 3 percent.

Based on the list of components, we can conclude that the chemical formula of cement is large and quite confusing. Thanks to this composition, the material has many useful qualities.

Certain characteristics allow them to be assessed, the most important of which experts include the following:

• bulk density of cement;
• specific density of cement;
• strength indicators;
• setting and hardening time;
• specific gravity;
• resistance to low temperatures;
• grinding fineness;
• material consumption;
• corrosion resistance, etc.

The above characteristics of the material are quite important. They may vary slightly depending on conditions, which requires a careful approach to calculations. The first two indicators can significantly affect the determination of the amount of cement required for the construction of certain objects.

In general, the density of the binder is in the range from 3000 to 3200 kilograms per cubic meter. But these are only average statistical data, which may differ depending on many factors.

Technical specifications

The main technical characteristic is the brand (“M” and digital indicator). The number means the load (in kg) per volume of already set mortar, that is, the compressive strength.

In practical terms, this means the weight that the cement can support without failure. For example, if it is capable of bearing a weight of 400 kg, then the cement is assigned the M400 grade.

When marking packaging material, the brand and composition of additives (in %) are noted, which is designated by the letter “D” and informs about the components of this type of cement. For example, D10 means that 10% of the additive material is included in the dry composition. Additives are added to enhance properties such as water resistance, resistance to corrosion, frost resistance and other characteristics of cement. The rest of the article offers consideration of other properties that need to be taken into account during construction:

• Strength. M400 corresponds to 400 kg/cm2. This is the most commonly used brand, which is used for various types of construction and finishing work: construction of structures, monolithic structures, production of concrete slabs and blocks and many others. M500 corresponds to 500 kg/cm2. This cement has fast setting and high strength; it is used for the construction of multi-storey monolithic structures, the production of load-bearing elements, floor slabs, and also when increased strength of buildings is required. Cement production must meet the requirements set out in GOST 31108-2003. It determines the ratio of components in the dry mixture and the production process.
• Activity is the compressive strength of a single sample of cement mortar. Experts compare this indicator with the standard one and, accordingly, assign a certain grade to the cement. It depends on the following factors: the activity of clinker granules, grinding fineness, and the presence of additives. There is a direct relationship here: additives significantly improve cement activity.
• Density of cement. The lowest density is considered to be that of freshly prepared cement mortar. The constituent particles are influenced by electrostatic forces, which cause them to repel each other. During transportation and storage, the mixture settles and, accordingly, undergoes a compaction process. This indicator depends on the size of the granules. When calculated, the average density of cement corresponds to 1300 kg/m3. However, it depends on storage conditions.
• Specific and volumetric gravity of cement. The first is calculated by the ratio of its weight to the volume it accepts. This is necessary to correctly determine the volume of cement components. Depending on the state of the powder, the specific gravity may vary. Thus, it is within 1000 kg/m3 for fresh powder, and about 1500 kg/m3 for already sufficiently aged powder. Volumetric weight is calculated based on average density and corresponds to about 1300 kg/m3. This means that a package weighing 50 kg has a volume of approximately 0.04 m3. The volumetric weight becomes greater when lying for a long time or transporting cement.

• Best before date. Cement has a certain shelf life. Manufacturers provide a guarantee of safety when stored under the conditions recommended on the packaging for about 60 days. If sealed storage conditions are created, cement can remain in storage for about a year.
• Bulk density (kg/m3). This indicator indicates the ratio of the volume and mass of the powder. This is the same as the specific gravity of a loose mixture. A measuring flask of a certain height is filled with powder. Then weighing takes place. Having the weight of the empty flask, the bulk density is calculated. Freshly prepared mixtures have this indicator in the range of 1200 kg/m3. Caked cement has a density (kg/m3) of 1500.
• Freezing period. The cement solution sets and hardens after a certain period of time. In warm weather, this can happen in two to three hours. In cold weather this period reaches 10 hours. Various additives that were previously introduced can change the described process.
• Grind size. The smaller the granule size, the faster the solution will harden. This indicator depends on the type of equipment on which the powder was produced. The recommended granule size is taken to be in the range of 40-80 microns.

Bulk and specific

Bulk density is a special characteristic of any bulk materials, including dry cement. This indicator can be determined in various units of measurement, but most often builders and materials scientists present it in kilograms per cubic meter (kg/m3).

The specific density of cement is an indicator characterizing the ratio of the weight of the material to the volume it occupies. The units of measurement remain the same as for bulk density - kg/m3.

An alternative name for this indicator is the specific gravity of the substance. This characteristic of cement may differ depending on many factors, but builders and materials scientists have determined approximate values ​​for each type of material in normal condition.

In general, the bulk and specific density of cement is known for different groups of this material:

• alumina class;

Aluminous

• Portland cement;

Portland cement

• slag class;

Slag class

• pozollan class.

Aluminous cement is a fast-acting hydraulic binder. A special mixture is selected for this material, since it must be rich in alumina. In addition to this component, this cement also contains a sufficient amount of various impurities.

They allow you to increase some indicators and performance properties of the material. At the moment, there are several types of this cement: GC-40, GC-50 and GC-60. First of all, their difference is that they harden in different amounts of time.

Their bulk density is approximately in the range from 950 to 1150 kilograms per cubic meter. The true (that is, specific) density of this type of material is twice as large: from 3000 to 3100 kilograms per cubic meter.

Portland cement is also a hydraulic binder. It is made by grinding several components together. These include clinker, gypsum and various additives.

Among the chemical compounds in this material, calcium silicates predominate, the amount of which reaches 80 percent depending on the manufacturer. It is this type of cement that is most often used in construction in different parts of the world.

This is due to its excellent characteristics and performance properties. The bulk density of this cement, grades M400 and M500, ranges from 1100 to 1300 kg/m3.

M 500

As for the specific indicator, it is slightly higher than that of aluminous materials: from 3100 to 3200 kg/m3.

The density of M200 cement is slightly lower than the data provided, since it has fewer various additives and impurities. Accordingly, the scope of application of such a material is more limited , since this indicator affects many properties and qualities of cement.

M 200

Slag cements are distinguished by the fact that their additives are active mineral substances in the form of granulated blast furnace slag. Due to the fact that these components of the material have the ability to harden on their own, this type of binder is of better quality than its pozollan analogues.

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In addition, the production of such cements is the correct disposal of blast furnace products that are used in the smelting of pig iron from ores. These types of material exist in three grades: M300, M400 and M500. They have individual characteristics and application features.

Read the material about cement production technology.

The bulk density of cement M300, M400 and M500 ranges from 1100 to 1250 kilograms per cubic meter. This figure for sulfate-slag material is slightly lower: from 1000 to 1200 kilograms per cubic meter.

The specific density of Portland slag cement is 2900-3000 kilograms per cubic meter, while the sulfate-slag substance is 2800-2900 kilograms per cubic meter.

Puzollan cements began to be produced quite a long time ago. These materials are one of the most ancient binders, since the substance of volcanic rock - pozollana - was first used in Ancient Rome. This material is distinguished by increased anti-corrosion properties.

The specific density of pozollan cement in a loose state ranges from 800 to 1000 kilograms per cubic meter . If this material is compacted, then this figure will increase slightly - up to 1200-1600 kilograms per cubic meter.

As for the specific gravity of the pozollan binder, it does not exceed 2700 to 2900 kilograms per cubic meter.

For more information on how to determine the density of cement, watch the video:

Volumetric weight of cement

It is known that in the metric system of units, the bulk density of a material is numerically equal to its specific gravity, although specific gravity is a dimensionless quantity, while density is expressed in g/cm3. In English units, bulk density, expressed in lb/ft3, can be calculated by multiplying the specific gravity of the material by the volumetric gravity of water (equal to 62.4 lb/ft3). It should be remembered that this determines the density of only individual filler grains. If it is necessary to dispense filler by volume or recalculate material consumption by weight into the amount of material by volume, it is important to know the bulk volumetric weight of the filler, i.e. the weight of a unit volume of filler in bulk (including voids). The bulk volumetric weight of the filler depends on how densely its grains are packed into the mass. Therefore, for an aggregate of a certain specific gravity, its volumetric weight depends on the grain composition and shape of the aggregate grains. An increase in the bulk volumetric weight of the filler is facilitated by the possibility of filling the voids between large grains with smaller particles. The density of grains in the filler mass is strongly influenced by the shape of the grains. For a coarse aggregate of a certain specific gravity, we can say that the higher its volumetric gravity, the fewer voids should be filled with cement-sand mortar. At one time, test data to determine bulk volumetric gravity were used as a basis for selecting the composition of concrete. The value of the bulk volumetric weight of the filler obtained as a result of testing depends not only on the various properties of the material that determine the possible voidness of the filler, but also on its actual compaction in each individual case. For example, if all the filler grains are the same size and have a spherical shape, then their most dense packing is achieved when the centers of the grains are located at the vertices of an imaginary tetrahedron. In this case, the volumetric weight of the filler is 0.74 of the specific gravity of its grains. With the loosest arrangement of grains, their centers are located in the corners of imaginary cubes, and in this case the volumetric weight is only 0.52 of the specific gravity of the filler grains. Thus, the degree of compaction of the aggregate during testing must be specified by the technical specifications. BS 812: 1960 provides for testing of aggregate in both the loose (uncompacted) and jointed (compacted) states. Volumetric weight is determined using a metal measuring cylinder of a certain diameter and height, the value of which depends on the largest coarseness of the aggregate. For sand, cylinders with a volume of 2.8 liters are used, for coarse aggregate with the largest particle size of no more than 38.1 mm, a cylinder with a volume of 14.1 liters is used. When determining the bulk volumetric weight in an uncompacted state, cement dried to a constant weight is carefully poured into a measuring cylinder until a cone forms above the top of the cylinder, which is then removed flush with the edges of the vessel with a ruler. To determine the bulk volumetric weight of cement in a compacted state, the vessel is filled with filler in three stages. At each stage, 73 of the required volume of material is poured, which is then bayoneted 25 times with a round rod with a diameter of 15.9 mm. Excess filler is also removed using a ruler. Volumetric weight is defined as the weight of cement contained in the cylinder divided by its volume. If the aggregate contains film water on the surface, then as a result of increasing its volume it will be laid less densely. It should be taken into account that the values ​​of bulk-volume weight obtained in the laboratory sometimes cannot be directly used when recalculating the consumption of materials by weight to their consumption by volume, since the degree of compaction of the aggregate in the laboratory and in the field may be different. Cement is found in many building mixtures. Cement density is an important characteristic. To what extent in the loose state the density of cement will be close to the average density determines the quality of the cement, and, accordingly, the prepared cement mixture for construction. Typically, cement has a density in a loose state of about 1100/1200 kg/m3, in a compacted state - 1500/1600 kg/m3.

Density factors

The bulk density of cement differs significantly from the true one in that it is a value that can change. It is most often found in the range from 1100 to 1600 kilograms per cubic meter.

There is a certain list of various factors that can affect the material by changing the bulk density of cement.

These include:

1. Brand of material . It is believed that any cement of a lower grade has a correspondingly lower density. That is why this indicator for the M200 material will be lower than for the M400.
2. It is important to pay attention to this factor, since the brand of cement is practically the first thing a person pays attention to when purchasing this product.
3. Production technology . Depending on how the cement was made, it may have different fractions, differing primarily in the diameter of the particles. This in turn significantly influences what airspaces there will be between them.
4. If the cement particles are significant in size, then the voids will also be quite large. The finer the grind, the less air space will remain in the finished material.

Production technology

1. Chemical composition . If certain plasticizers, additives, alumina or other elements are added to the material, its bulk density may change slightly. This is due to the fact that the size of these components differs from the particle size of the cement itself.
2. As a result, they can both increase airspace and occupy it while being quite small.

Chemical composition

1. Storage conditions. In some environments, the material can quickly gain or lose its technical characteristics. For example, cement located in a silo for a long time may not change its density at all, unlike material located in open space.
2. Moisture can displace the spaces between voids, making the cement heavier and more compact. If the transportation of cement was careless, most often its density indicators increase. The more bruises there were on the road, the higher the density of the material will be.
3. Date of manufacture. If the cement was made relatively recently, a small amount of static charge remains in it, which can significantly increase the air space between the particles of the material.
4. It follows that the longer the time has passed since the production date, the higher the density will be.

The density of dry cement varies from all of the above factors, so it is very important to pay attention to them when making calculations, or when searching for an answer to why there are differences between the material parameters specified by the manufacturer and the real data.

What affects the density of cement?

The bulk density of cement is a variable value, in contrast to the truth (specific). This indicator usually varies in the range of 1100-1600 kg/m3.

The density of the material is affected by:

1. Brand of cement. The lower it is, the lower the density indicator. For example, cement grade CEM 22.5 (M300) has a lower density than material labeled CEM 52.5 (M600). This is taken into account when choosing a binder for preparing concrete and mortars.
2. Chemical composition. Cement is a multicomponent substance, and the type and ratio of components can be different, which affects the density indicator. Special additives to improve the characteristics of cement can also increase the density of the material.
3. Manufacturing technology. Cement is produced by dry, wet and combined methods, but in all cases the prepared raw materials are annealed and the resulting clinker is crushed. The finer the fraction, the fewer voids between the particles of the material, and vice versa. Finely ground cement has a higher density.
4. Storage and transportation conditions. The packaging of the material should reliably protect it from contact with air, but in practice, packaging leaks are often encountered. In this case, it is important in what conditions the cement was stored - outdoors, in a room with normal or high humidity. Cement absorbs moisture, its particles expand and fit closer to each other - the density of the material increases. Compaction also occurs when transporting packages of cement on uneven roads, careless handling, as the bulk material is shaken and compacted.
5. Shelf life. For some time after production, a static charge remains in the bulk material, due to which particles of ground clinker repel each other - the larger the air gaps between the particles of the material, the lower its density. Accordingly, during long-term storage of cement, this effect disappears and the material becomes compacted.

The first three items on the list are taken into account by the manufacturer, who indicates the true density of the cement. But before putting the material into use, it is worth considering how long ago the cement was made and how storage and transportation conditions affected it. You can calculate bulk cement yourself.

Calculation and determination

Determining the bulk density of cement is a fairly simple process that does not require large calculations or complex mechanisms for measuring this indicator. To do this you will need all three things:

• a funnel through which material can pass;
• a measuring cylinder that allows you to measure the volume of cement;
• scales designed to determine the mass of the test substance.

There is no need to select large volumes with a graduated cylinder. An ordinary liter container with a measuring ruler on its walls is enough. I use a funnel and pour a certain amount of cement into the cylinder. After this, it is necessary to level the surface of the material in the container and remove excess, if any.

The mass of the cement under study should be weighed, having previously also known the mass of the measuring cylinder itself. In this case, it is prohibited to compact the material or shake it.

The density of cement after receiving all the research data can be determined using a simple formula:

PH=(M2-M1)/V

In this formula, M2 refers to the total weight of the graduated cylinder and the cement that was poured into it. Instead of M1, insert the mass of the container itself. V is the volume of material poured into the cylinder, which corresponds to the indicator taken from the measuring ruler. Mass is measured only in kilograms, volume - in cubic meters.

The density of cement according to GOST is determined as follows: PH=M/V, where M is the sample of cement in grams, and V is the volume of liquid displaced by cement in cubic centimeters. At its core, this method is practically no different from the one described above, being its analogue.

In this way, density can be determined with an accuracy of 0.01 grams per cubic centimeter. For a more correct measurement, the study is carried out twice, recording their average value as a result.

Knowing the bulk density of cement is necessary for various reasons. These include the need to carry out calculations for concrete components.

Thanks to knowledge of the characteristics of the material, you can determine how much of it needs to be added to the concrete mixer.

Average specific gravity of different types of cement. Table