---
code: "EN 196-6"
title: "Methods of testing cement — Part 6: Determination of fineness"
institution: "ISO"
category: "testing-analysis-systems"
revision: "2018"
scope: "Defines fineness testing for cements within EN 197-1: 90 µm sieving, air-jet sieving for fine fractions, and Blaine air permeability for comparative specific surface area."
testMethod: "Sieving: 10 g on 90 µm with R and sieve factor F. Air-jet: retention on test sieves (e.g. 63 µm, 90 µm) with dispersed agglomerates. Blaine: e = 0.500 bed, t at (20 ± 2) °C, K from reference cement."
specimenRequirements: "Sieving: 10 g, 0.01 g balance. Air-jet: material passing 2 mm sieve; controlled vacuum and test-sieve stack. Blaine: m = (1−e)ρV; four time readings or parallels within 1 %."
url: "https://vectorbtc.com.tr/resources/standards/en-196-6/"
---

# EN 196-6: Methods of testing cement — Part 6
## Determination of fineness

*National example (Turkey): TS EN 196-6 — the technical requirements follow EN 196-6:2018.*

---

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>
> The information on this page is a summary prepared by Vector Scientific Testing Devices based on a review of the applicable standard; it does not replace the official standard. For the authoritative, complete text, obtain the standard from the relevant standards body (e.g. your national standards institute, ASTM International, CEN) through official channels. Vector accepts no liability for direct or indirect loss arising from reliance on this summary.

---

## 1. Purpose and scope

This part of EN 196 describes how to determine **cement fineness** using three methods:

1. **Sieving method (90 µm)** — Detects **coarse particles** only. Suited to **production monitoring**; cannot characterize very fine material.
2. **Air-jet sieving method** — Measures **retention on test sieves** with a dispersed air stream. Suited to fine fractions and agglomerated ultrafine particles (e.g. **63 µm** and **90 µm** apertures); material should substantially pass a **2 mm** sieve.
3. **Air permeability (Blaine) method** — Measures time *t* for air through a **compacted bed** and calculates **specific surface area**. **Comparative**, not absolute; may not suit **ultrafine-rich** cements — air-jet sieving may be required as a supplement.

The methods apply to cements within the scope of **EN 197-1** and other specifications that reference them.

---

## 2. Method 1 — Sieving (90 µm)

### 2.1 Apparatus and materials

- **Test sieve:** Cylindrical frame **150–200 mm** diameter, depth **40–100 mm**; cloth aperture exactly **90 µm** stainless steel wire.
- **Balance:** At least **10 mg (0.01 g)** readability.
- **Reference material:** Calibration material with known sieve residue, stored in airtight containers.

### 2.2 Procedure and acceptance

**Sample preparation:** Shake the cement in a closed jar for **2 minutes**, wait **2 minutes**, then lightly stir with a dry rod to break lumps.

**Sieving:** Weigh **10.0 g** cement (±0.01 g) onto the sieve. Sieve with combined circular and linear motion until no fine material passes through.

**Duplicates:** Run two separate portions; obtain residue percentages **R₁** and **R₂**. If |R₁ − R₂| **exceeds 1 %** (absolute), sieve a third portion and report the **mean of three**.

**Sieve factor (F):** Check the sieve with reference material every **100 tests**. Compute **F = R₀ / P** (known residue R₀, reference mass P). **F** must lie within **1.00 ± 0.20**.

---

## 3. Method 2 — Air-jet sieving

The standard defines **air-jet sieving** for cement fineness when mechanical shaking is insufficient or when **particle size distribution** of fine agglomerates must be reported.

**Principle:** A controlled **vacuum** draws air through a rotating nozzle over the test sieve, dispersing agglomerates so only undersize particles pass.

**Typical use:**

- Fine and ultrafine cement fractions (e.g. **63 µm**, **90 µm** test sieves).
- Supplementary check when **Blaine** does not give meaningful results for ultrafine materials.
- Same laboratory climate as other cement tests: **20 ± 2 °C**, RH **≤ 65 %**.

Laboratories often run air-jet sieving on an **Alpine-type** analyser with **200 mm** test sieves and traceable vacuum control — see compatible equipment below.

---

## 4. Method 3 — Blaine air permeability

### 4.1 Laboratory conditions

- **Temperature:** **20 ± 2 °C** in the laboratory.
- **Relative humidity:** Not above **65 %**.
- All test and calibration materials shall reach **ambient temperature** before use.

### 4.2 Apparatus (Figure 1 essentials)

- **Permeability cell:** Stainless steel right cylinder; conical connection to the manometer shall be **air-tight** (ISO 383 ground joint **19/34** where specified).
- **Perforated disc:** Stainless disc with **30–40 holes** of **1 mm** diameter.
- **Tamper (piston):** When inserted, leaves exactly **H = 15 ± 1 mm** between the disc and the piston face; a flat channel on the edge vents air.
- **Manometer liquid:** Volatile, non-hygroscopic, low-viscosity liquid (e.g. dibutyl phthalate or fine mineral oil). Align the meniscus to the **lowest scale line (line 11)**.

---

## 5. Bed preparation (critical)

For standard cements the target bed **porosity e = 0.500**.

**Cement mass in the cell (m₁):**

```text
m₁ = (1 − e) · ρ · V = 0.500 · ρ · V
```

- **ρ** — cement density (g/cm³) from pycnometer.
- **V** — volume of the cell bed chamber.

**Compaction rule:** Insert the piston gently. After the head seats, withdraw the piston **5 mm**, rotate **90°**, and press again. **Do not** ram the bed — maximum force should be no more than comfortable thumb pressure. Withdraw the piston **slowly**.

**Very fine cements:** If the piston cannot seat at *e* = 0.500 or springs back when released, use a **higher porosity e₁** determined experimentally and recalculate *m₁*.

---

## 6. Permeability test operation

1. Mount the cell in the conical seat (light grease if needed for seal).
2. Close the top, open the valve, and raise the liquid to the **upper mark (line 8)** with a rubber bulb. Close the valve and verify the level is **stable** (leak check).
3. Open the top plug; when the liquid reaches **line 9**, **start** the stopwatch; **stop** at **line 10**.
4. Record time **t** to **0.2 s** and temperature to **1 °C**.
5. **Repeat** on the same bed, or prepare a fresh bed — **two measurements per bed**, **four readings total** (two beds × two runs, or equivalent per your procedure).

---

## 7. Calibration and apparatus constant (K)

Calibrate with **reference cement** (Blaine sand / CRM) of known specific surface to obtain the apparatus constant **K**.

**Re-calibrate** bed volume and **K** when:

- After every **1000** tests;
- Manometer liquid is changed;
- Filter paper type is changed;
- Manometer glass tube is replaced;
- Systematic deviation appears on a secondary reference cement.

---

## 8. Calculation and reporting

### 8.1 General formula

Specific surface **S** (cm²/g) from reference values and air viscosity **η**:

```text
S = (S₀·ρ₀·√η₀) / (ρ·√η) · (√e³·(1−e₀)) / (√e₀³·(1−e)) · √t / √t₀
```

When reference and test cement both use **e = e₀ = 0.500**:

```text
S = (524.2 · K · √t) / ρ
```

### 8.2 Acceptance and precision

- **Parallel tests** on the same sample: difference **≤ 1 %** (inclusive) — result accepted; otherwise repeat.
- **Report S** rounded to the nearest **10 cm²/g**.
- **Repeatability** standard deviation: about **50 cm²/g**.
- **Reproducibility** (between laboratories): about **100 cm²/g**.

---

## 9. Practical notes

1. **Sieving vs air-jet vs Blaine:** Use **90 µm** sieving for coarse-particle alerts; **air-jet** for fine PSD and when Blaine is inconclusive; **Blaine** for grinding consistency against reference cement.
2. **Air-jet equipment:** Negative-pressure jet sieves (e.g. Vector **VTR-1014 Alpine**) disperse cohesive fines that mechanical shakers cannot classify reliably.
3. **Automatic Blaine equipment:** Must be validated against the reference manual procedure and traceable **K**.
4. **Bed quality:** Hard tamping, moisture, and worn cells are the main causes of Blaine drift between shifts.
5. **Ultrafine cements:** When Blaine is unreliable, use **air-jet sieving** per the full standard and your accredited procedure.
6. **US laboratories:** For ASTM workflows (23 °C room, 3.4 % single-operator repeatability, NIST SRM 114), see the [ASTM C204 summary](/resources/standards/astm-c204/).

---

*This document is a comprehensive summary of EN 196-6:2018 (national titles such as TS EN 196-6 may apply in your region). For official use, refer to the standard issued by your national standards body (e.g. TSE for Turkey).*