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Portland Cement Compressive Strength

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The most common strength test, compressive strength, is carried out on a 50 mm (2-inch) cement mortar test specimen. The test specimen is subjected to a compressive load (usually from a hydraulic machine) until failure. This loading sequence must take no less than 20 seconds and no more than 80 seconds. Table 2 shows ASTM C 150 compressive strength specifications.

Table 1. ASTM C 150 Portland Cement Mortar Compressive Strength Specifications in MPa (psi)
Curing TimePortland Cement Type
IIAIIIIAIIIIIIAIVV
1 day----12.4 (1800)10.0 (1450)--
3 days12.4 (1800)10.0 (1450)10.3 (1500)8.3 (1200)24.1 (3500)19.3 (2800)-8.3 (1200)
7 days19.3 (2800)15.5 (2250)17.2 (2500)13.8 (2000)--6.9 (1000)15.2 (2200)
28 days------17.2 (2500)20.7 (3000)
Note: Type II and IIA requirements can be lowered if either an optional heat of hydration or chemical limit on the sum of C3S and C3A is specified

Standard Test Methods

  • AASHTO T 106 and ASTM C 109: Compressive Strength of Hydraulic Cement Mortars (Using 50-mm or 2-in. Cube Specimens)
  • ASTM C 349: Compressive Strength of Hydraulic Cement Mortars (Using Portions of Prisms Broken in Flexure)
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Concrete cylinder and core strength

ASTM C39 · C42 · C174 · AASHTO T 22
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APA

Pavement Interactive. (2018, September 5). Portland cement compressive strength. HeadLight. Retrieved [the date you read it], from https://pavementinteractive.org/reference-desk/testing/cement-tests/portland-cement-compressive-strength/

ASCE

Pavement Interactive. (2018). “Portland Cement Compressive Strength.” HeadLight, <https://pavementinteractive.org/reference-desk/testing/cement-tests/portland-cement-compressive-strength/> ([the date you read it]).

BibTeX

@misc{pavint-portland-cement-compressive-strength,
  author = {{Pavement Interactive}},
  title = {Portland Cement Compressive Strength},
  year = {2018},
  publisher = {HeadLight},
  howpublished = {\url{https://pavementinteractive.org/reference-desk/testing/cement-tests/portland-cement-compressive-strength/}},
  note = {Accessed [date]}
}
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