Construction materials testing
Le Chatelier Soundness Apparatus
A split brass cylinder with two long indicator arms that magnifies the expansion of a cement paste after boiling. It checks that cement will not expand and crack after it has set (soundness).
- Cement manufacturing
- Construction materials testing
- Ready-mix concrete
- Academic labs
TROUBLESHOOTING
Common problems, causes and fixes
Expansion results vary widely between duplicate moulds
Likely causes
- • One mould bent or stiff
- • Paste leaked through the slit
- • Uneven filling
What to do
- • Check mould elasticity and replace faulty moulds
- • Hold the slit closed while filling
- • Fill and compact consistently
Negative expansion
Likely causes
- • Indicator knocked during handling
- • Paste shrank and pulled the mould closed
What to do
- • Handle moulds by the body, not the indicators
- • Repeat the test
Water does not boil in the specified time
Likely causes
- • Heater element weak
- • Too much water or too many moulds
What to do
- • Service the heater
- • Use the bath volume recommended by the manufacturer
High expansion in a normally sound cement
Likely causes
- • Cement sample freshly ground with high free lime
- • Mould faulty
What to do
- • Retest after aeration if the specification allows
- • Repeat with a verified mould
In LimsPulse · Calibration Management
Keep every Le Chatelier in control: usage logs, calibration and maintenance schedules, and automatic blocking of overdue instruments.