Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) — basic IS characteristics and limits For Ordinary Portland Cement used in general construction, which of the following statements match typical Indian Standard requirements and accepted practice (sieving residue, soundness, setting time, and 7-day strength)?

Introduction / Context:
Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) remains the most widely specified binder for concrete and mortar. Quality control depends on quickly verifiable properties: fineness (sieve residue), soundness, setting times, and compressive strength at specified ages. Understanding these baseline limits is essential for field compliance and mixture design.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• OPC for general structural use.
• IS practice with 90-µm sieve check for fineness.
• Le Chatelier soundness and Vicat setting times.
• 7-day compressive strength check representative of older unit conventions (kg/cm²).

Concept / Approach:
Fineness affects early hydration rate and strength gain. Excess residue (coarse particles) slows hydration and can impair strength. Soundness limits (e.g., ≤10 mm by Le Chatelier) guard against long-term expansion from free lime or magnesia. An initial set ≥30 min ensures workable time for placement. 7-day compressive strength limits provide an intermediate performance benchmark and quality screen for each cement lot.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:
While current IS grades specify strengths in MPa (e.g., 33, 43, 53), older unit conversions and acceptance ranges map reasonably to the values listed, especially for general awareness questions.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Choosing any single statement ignores the integrated nature of OPC specifications that jointly control fresh and hardened properties.

Common Pitfalls:
Mistaking standard sieve designations; conflating initial set with final set; assuming 7-day strength guarantees 28-day grade without considering curing and mix design.

Final Answer:
All the above