What will be the depth of penetration of the Plunger in Vicat Apparatus (IS ∶ 5513 - 1976) from the bottom of the Vicat Mould, when the cement paste is tested for standard consistency, according to IS 4031 -1988?
Vicat’s Apparatus is used to find out the consistency, initial setting time and final setting time of the cement. In the normal consistency test, we have to find out the amount of water to be added to the cement to form a cement paste of normal consistency. Vicat's apparatus consists of an arrangement to hold the plunger of 10 mm diameter and two other needles which are made to freely fall into a mold filled with the cement paste and the amount of penetration of the needles of plunder can be noted using the vertical graduations from 0 mm to 50 mm. The length of the needle varies from 40 mm to 50 mm. The needle of diameter 1 mm is used and the center needle of the attachment of the Vicat plunger projects the circular cutting edge by 0.5 mm as can be observed in the figure below: