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IS 8142:1976 is the Indian Standard (BIS) for method of test for determining the setting time of concrete by penetration resistance. This standard details the method for determining the initial and final setting times of concrete by measuring penetration resistance. The test is performed on mortar sieved from a representative concrete sample, providing a more realistic assessment of in-situ setting behaviour compared to tests on cement paste alone.
Method of test for determining the setting time of concrete by penetration resistance
Overview
Status
Current
Usage level
Specialized
Domain
Materials Science — Cement, Concrete, Aggregates and RCC
Standard Test Method for Time of Setting of Concrete Mixtures by Penetration Resistance
Both standards determine initial and final setting times of concrete by measuring penetration resistance of sieved mortar.
BS EN 480-2:2006BSI / CEN, UK / Europe
MediumCurrent
Admixtures for concrete, mortar and grout - Test methods - Part 2: Determination of setting time
Describes a similar penetration test, but its primary scope is assessing the effect of admixtures on a reference mortar.
ISO 7033:1987ISO (International Organization for Standardization)
HighWithdrawn
Concrete — Determination of setting time of concrete by the penetration method
Provided a globally standardized method for determining concrete setting time via penetration resistance, very similar to IS 8142.
Key Differences
≠The standard test temperature specified in IS 8142 is 27 ± 2°C, whereas the primary standard temperature in ASTM C403 is 23 ± 2°C (73.5 ± 3.5°F).
≠IS 8142 defines initial and final set based on two resistance values (3.5 and 27.6 MPa), while BS EN 480-2 determines a single 'setting time' at a much lower resistance of 0.5 MPa.
≠The scope of BS EN 480-2 is specifically for evaluating the effect of admixtures by comparing a test mix to a reference mix, whereas IS 8142 and ASTM C403 are general methods for characterizing any concrete mixture.
≠IS 8142 and ASTM C403 require a penetration depth of 25 mm, while the procedure in BS EN 480-2 specifies a shallower penetration depth of 15 ± 2 mm.
Key Similarities
≈The fundamental principle is identical: determining setting time by measuring the force required to cause a needle of known area to penetrate a mortar specimen sieved from concrete.
≈Both IS 8142 and ASTM C403 define initial setting time at a penetration resistance of 3.5 MPa (500 psi) and final setting time at 27.6 MPa (4000 psi).
≈The test specimen is prepared in the same way in both IS 8142 and ASTM C403, by sieving fresh concrete through a 4.75 mm sieve to remove coarse aggregate.
≈The specified sets of penetration needles in IS 8142 and ASTM C403 have virtually identical bearing areas, ranging from approx. 645 mm² down to 16 mm².
≈The required specimen container dimensions (approx. 150 mm diameter x 150 mm depth) and minimum mortar depth (140 mm) are effectively the same in IS 8142 and ASTM C403.
Parameter Comparison
Parameter
IS Value
International
Source
Initial Set Resistance
3.5 MPa
500 psi [3.5 MPa]
ASTM C403 / C403M
Final Set Resistance
27.6 MPa
4000 psi [27.6 MPa]
ASTM C403 / C403M
Standard Test Temperature
27 ± 2°C
23 ± 2°C [73.5 ± 3.5°F]
ASTM C403 / C403M
Sieve Size for Mortar Preparation
4.75 mm
4.75 mm (No. 4 Sieve)
ASTM C403 / C403M
Needle Penetration Depth
25 ± 2 mm
1 in. ± 1/16 in. [25 ± 2 mm]
ASTM C403 / C403M
Largest Needle Bearing Area
650 mm²
1 in.² [645 mm²]
ASTM C403 / C403M
Setting Resistance (for admixtures)
Not defined for this purpose
0.5 MPa
BS EN 480-2:2006
Minimum Mortar Depth in Container
14 cm
5.5 in. [140 mm]
ASTM C403 / C403M
⚠ Verify details from original standards before use
Key Values5
Quick Reference Values
Penetration Resistance for Initial Set3.5 MPa
Penetration Resistance for Final Set27.6 MPa
Sieve for Mortar Extraction4.75-mm IS Sieve
Standard Penetration Needle Areas645, 323, 161, 65, 32, and 16 mm²
Test Sample Temperature27 ± 2 °C
Key Formulas
Penetration Resistance (MPa) = P / A (where P is force in Newtons, A is needle area in mm²)