Quick Determination of Cement Properties Through the Use of Hot-Pressing

Abstract By proper application of heat and pressure to a cement paste having a very low water/cement ratio W/C, a hard, strong, dense cylindrical specimen is formed in a very short time. Specimen preparation is simple and only a few grams of cement are required. Compression and splitting (modified tension) tests can be performed and the soundness of the cement can be predicted. Temperature, pressure, time, W/C, sample size, and cement fineness are the parameters that affect the degree of strength. With standardization of the hot-pressing parameters, the physical properties of the cement paste can be obtained quickly instead of after the usual waiting period of from one to four weeks.