Designation: C91/C91M − 12

Standard Specification for

Masonry Cement1
This standard is issued under the fixed designation C91/C91M; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
This standard has been approved for use by agencies of the Department of Defense.

1. Scope 2. Referenced Documents

1.1 This specification covers three types of masonry cement 2.1 ASTM Standards:3
for use where mortar for masonry is required. C109/C109M Test Method for Compressive Strength of
Hydraulic Cement Mortars (Using 2-in. or [50-mm] Cube
1.2 Units—The values stated in either SI units or inch- Specimens)
pound units are to be regarded separately as standard. The C151 Test Method for Autoclave Expansion of Hydraulic
values stated in each system may not be exact equivalents; Cement
therefore, each system shall be used independently of the other. C183 Practice for Sampling and the Amount of Testing of
Combining values from the two systems may result in non- Hydraulic Cement
conformance with the standard. Values in SI units shall be C185 Test Method for Air Content of Hydraulic Cement
obtained by measurement in SI units or by appropriate Mortar
conversion, using the Rules for Conversion and Rounding C187 Test Method for Amount of Water Required for Nor-
given in Standard IEEE/ASTM SI 10, of measurements made mal Consistency of Hydraulic Cement Paste
in other units. Values are stated in only SI units when C188 Test Method for Density of Hydraulic Cement
inch-pound units are not used in practice. C219 Terminology Relating to Hydraulic Cement
C266 Test Method for Time of Setting of Hydraulic-Cement
1.3 The text of this standard refers to notes and footnotes Paste by Gillmore Needles
which provide explanatory material. These notes and footnotes C270 Specification for Mortar for Unit Masonry
(excluding those in tables and figures) shall not be considered C305 Practice for Mechanical Mixing of Hydraulic Cement
as requirements of the standard. Pastes and Mortars of Plastic Consistency
1.4 The following safety hazards caveat pertains only to C430 Test Method for Fineness of Hydraulic Cement by the
45-µm (No. 325) Sieve
Sections 16 and 17 of this specification. This standard does not
C511 Specification for Mixing Rooms, Moist Cabinets,
purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated
Moist Rooms, and Water Storage Tanks Used in the
with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard
Testing of Hydraulic Cements and Concretes
to establish appropriate safety and health practices and C778 Specification for Sand
determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to C1506 Test Method for Water Retention of Hydraulic
use. (Warning—Fresh hydraulic cementitious mixtures are Cement-Based Mortars and Plasters
caustic and may cause chemical burns to skin and tissue upon IEEE/ASTM SI 10 Standard for Use of the International
prolonged exposure.)2 System of Units (SI): The Modern Metric System
3. Terminology
3.1 Definitions:
3.1.1 masonry cement—a hydraulic cement, primarily used
in masonry and plastering construction, consisting of a mixture
1
This specification is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee C01 on of portland or blended hydraulic cement and plasticizing
Cement and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee C01.11 on Masonry materials (such as limestone, hydrated or hydraulic lime)
Cement.
Current edition approved April 1, 2012. Published May 2012. Originally
3
approved in 1932. Last previous edition approved in 2005 as C91 – 05. DOI: For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
10.1520/C0091-12. contact ASTM Customer Service at [email protected]. For Annual Book of ASTM
2
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 04.01. See the section on Safety Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
Precautions in the Manual of Cement Testing. the ASTM website.

Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States

char 12 Copyright by ASTM Int'l (all rights reserved); Tue Apr 23 14:20:21 EDT 2013 1
Downloaded/printed by
Font Times-Bold
Universidad De Chile pursuant to License Agreement. No further reproductions authorized.
Color red
Pos 10 10
 C91/C91M − 12
together with other materials introduced to enhance one or 9. Normal Consistency
more properties such as setting time, workability, water 9.1 Determine normal consistency by the Vicat apparatus in
retention, and durability. accordance with Test Method C187.
3.1.2 Other terms used in this specification are defined in
Terminology C219. 10. Autoclave Expansion

4. Classification 10.1 Determine autoclave expansion in accordance with

Test Method C151. After molding, store the bars in the moist
4.1 Type N—For use in preparation of Specification C270 cabinet or room for 48 h 6 30 min before removal from the
Type N mortar without further addition of cements or hydrated molds for measurement and testing in the autoclave. Calculate
lime, and for use in preparation of Specification C270 Type S the difference in length of the test specimen before and after
or Type M mortar when cement is added in accordance with the autoclaving to the nearest 0.01 % of the effective gauge length
requirements of C270. and report as the autoclave expansion of the masonry cement.
4.2 Type S—For use in preparation of Specification C270
Type S mortar without further addition of cements or hydrated 11. Time of Setting
lime. 11.1 Determine the time of setting by the Gillmore needle
4.3 Type M—For use in preparation of Specification C270 method in accordance with Test Method C266.
Type M mortar without further addition of cements or hydrated 12. Density
lime.
12.1 Determine the density of the masonry cement in
5. Physical Properties accordance with Test Method C188, using kerosine as the
liquid. Use the density so determined in the calculation of the
5.1 Masonry cement shall conform to the applicable re-
air content of the mortars.
quirements prescribed in Table 1 for its classification.
13. Blended Sand
6. Sampling
13.1 The sand shall be a blend of equal parts by weight of
6.1 The masonry cement shall be sampled in accordance graded standard sand and standard 20–30 sand conforming to
with Practice C183. Specification C778.
7. Temperature and Humidity 14. Preparation of Mortar
7.1 The temperature and relative humidity of the air in the 14.1 Proportions for Mortar—Mortar for air entrainment,
vicinity of the mixing slab and dry materials, molds, base compressive strength, and water retention tests shall be pro-
plates, and mixing bowl shall conform to the requirements of portioned to contain 1620 g of sand and a mass of cement, in
Test Method C109/C109M. grams, in accordance with Table 2. The sand shall consist of
7.2 The moist cabinet or moist room shall conform to the 810 g of graded standard sand and 810 g of 20–30 standard
requirements of Specification C511. sand. The quantity of water, measured in millilitres shall be
such as to produce a flow of 110 6 5 as determined by Test
8. Fineness Method C109/C109M.
8.1 Determine the residue on the 45-µm (No. 325) sieve in 14.2 Mixing of Mortars—Mix the mortar in accordance with
accordance with Test Method C430. Practice C305.

TABLE 1 Physical Requirements

Masonry Cement Type N S M
Fineness, residue on a 45-µm (No. 325) sieve, max, % 24 24 24
Autoclave expansion, max, % 1.0 1.0 1.0
Time of setting, Gillmore method:
Initial set, minutes, not less than 120 90 90
Initial set, minutes, not more than 1000 1000 1000
Compressive strength (average of 3 cubes):
The compressive strength of mortar cubes, composed of 1
part cement and 3 parts blended sand (half graded standard
sand, and half standard 20–30 sand) by volume, prepared and
tested in accordance with this specification shall be equal to or
higher than the values specified for the ages indicated below:
7 days, MPa (psi) 3.4 [500] 9.0 [1300] 12.4 [1800]
28 days, MPa (psi) 6.2 [900] 14.5 [2100] 20.0 [2900]
Air content of mortar, prepared and tested in accordance with
requirements of this specification:
Min, volume % 8 8 8
Max, volume % 21 19 19
Water retention value, min, % of original flow 70 70 70

char 12 Copyright by ASTM Int'l (all rights reserved); Tue Apr 23 14:20:21 EDT 2013 2
Downloaded/printed by
Font Times-Bold
Universidad De Chile pursuant to License Agreement. No further reproductions authorized.
Color red
Pos 10 10
 C91/C91M − 12
TABLE 2 Cement in Laboratory Batch of Mortar 16.2.2 The remainder of the testing procedure shall conform
Masonry Cement Type Mass of Cement, g to Test Method C109/C109M.
N 480
S 510 17. Water Retention
M 540
17.1 Water retention shall be determined in accordance with
the procedures in Test Method C1506.
15. Air Entrainment
18. Storage
15.1 Procedure—If the mortar has the correct flow, use a
separate portion of the mortar for the determination of en- 18.1 The cement shall be stored in such a manner as to
trained air. Determine the mass of 400 mL of mortar in permit easy access for the proper inspection and identification
accordance with Test Method C185. of each shipment, and in a suitable weathertight building that
will protect the cement from dampness and minimize ware-
15.2 Calculation—Calculate the air content of the mortar house set.
and report it to the nearest 1 % as follows:
D 5 ~ W 1 1W 2 1V w ! / @ ~ W 1 /S 1 ! 1 ~ W 2 /S 2 ! 1V w # (1) 19. Inspection
19.1 Every facility shall be provided to the purchaser for the
A 5 100 2 ~ W m /4D ! necessary inspection and sampling.
where: 19.2 All packages shall be in good condition at the time of
D = density of air-free mortar, g/cm3, inspection.
W1 = mass of cement, g,
W2 = mass of sand, g, 20. Rejection
Vw = millilitres-grams of water used, 20.1 At the option of the purchaser, the cement shall be
S1 = density of cement, g/cm3 rejected if it fails to meet any of the requirements of this
S2 = density of standard sand, 2.65 g/cm3, specification.
A = volume percent of entrained air, and
Wm = mass of 400 mL of mortar, g. 20.2 At the option of the purchaser, packages more than 2 %
below the mass marked thereon shall be rejected. At the option
16. Compressive Strength of the purchaser, the entire shipment represented shall be
16.1 Test Specimens: rejected if the average mass of packages in any shipment as
16.1.1 Molding—Immediately after determining the flow shown by weighing fifty packages taken at random is less than
and mass of 400 mL of mortar, return all of the mortar to the that marked on the packages.
mixing bowl and remix for 15 s at the medium speed. Then 20.3 At the option of the purchaser, cement remaining in
mold the test specimens in accordance with Test Method storage prior to shipment for a period greater than six months
C109/C109M, except that the elapsed time for mixing mortar, after testing shall be retested and, at the option of the purchaser
determining flow, determining air entrainment, and starting the shall be rejected if it fails to meet any of the requirements of
molding of cubes shall be within 8 min. this specification.
16.1.2 Storage—Immediately after molding, store all test
specimens in the molds on plane plates in a moist cabinet or 21. Manufacturer’s Certification
moist room for 48 to 52 h in such a manner that the upper 21.1 Upon request of the purchaser in the contract or order,
surfaces shall be exposed to the moist air. Then remove the a manufacturer’s report shall be furnished at the time of
cubes from the molds, and place them in the moist cabinet or shipment stating the results of the tests made on samples of the
moist room for 5 days in such a manner as to allow free material taken during production or transfer and certifying that
circulation of air around at least five faces of the specimens. At the applicable requirements of this specification have been met.
the age of 7 days, immerse the cubes for the 28-day tests in
saturated lime water in storage tanks of noncorrodible materi- 22. Packaging and Package Marking
als. 22.1 When masonry cement is delivered in packages, the
16.2 Procedure: brand, name of the manufacturer, type of masonry cement, and
16.2.1 Test the cube specimens immediately after their net mass of the package in kilograms shall be indicated plainly
removal from the moist cabinet or moist room for 7-day thereon. Similar information shall be provided in the shipping
specimens, and immediately after their removal from storage documents accompanying the shipment of masonry cement in
water for all other specimens. If more than one specimen at a bulk.
time is removed from the moist cabinet or moist room for
7-day tests, cover these cubes with a damp cloth until the time 23. Keywords
of testing. 23.1 masonry; masonry cement; mortar

char 12 Copyright by ASTM Int'l (all rights reserved); Tue Apr 23 14:20:21 EDT 2013 3
Downloaded/printed by
Font Times-Bold
Universidad De Chile pursuant to License Agreement. No further reproductions authorized.
Color red
Pos 10 10
 C91/C91M − 12
ASTM International takes no position respecting the validity of any patent rights asserted in connection with any item mentioned
in this standard. Users of this standard are expressly advised that determination of the validity of any such patent rights, and the risk
of infringement of such rights, are entirely their own responsibility.

This standard is subject to revision at any time by the responsible technical committee and must be reviewed every five years and
if not revised, either reapproved or withdrawn. Your comments are invited either for revision of this standard or for additional standards
and should be addressed to ASTM International Headquarters. Your comments will receive careful consideration at a meeting of the
responsible technical committee, which you may attend. If you feel that your comments have not received a fair hearing you should
make your views known to the ASTM Committee on Standards, at the address shown below.

This standard is copyrighted by ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959,
United States. Individual reprints (single or multiple copies) of this standard may be obtained by contacting ASTM at the above
address or at 610-832-9585 (phone), 610-832-9555 (fax), or [email protected] (e-mail); or through the ASTM website
(www.astm.org). Permission rights to photocopy the standard may also be secured from the ASTM website (www.astm.org/
COPYRIGHT/).

char 12 Copyright by ASTM Int'l (all rights reserved); Tue Apr 23 14:20:21 EDT 2013 4
Downloaded/printed by
Font Times-Bold
Universidad De Chile pursuant to License Agreement. No further reproductions authorized.
Color red
Pos 10 10