This European Prestandard lays down the procedures for determining the contents of the constituents of cements that fall within the scope of ENV 197-1.
The first method outlined in clause 6 applies to all cements, whatever the number and nature of their constituents. This is a selective dissolution method which is to be considered as the reference method where the various constituents, generally of an unknown number, are not available separately at the same time as the cement, which is usually the case.
Any other method with the same objectives can be considered as an alternative to the reference method when it is shown that, with valid statistical calculation, it gives equivalent results.
In individual cases where the laboratory has been formally advised that:
- the cement contains only two constituents, the method is greatly simplified because it is sufficient to determine the set regulator content (R) to know the clinker content;
- the cement contains only three constituents, i.e. a set regulator, clinker and one of the following three: slag, pozzolana or fly ash. One of the methods given in clause 7 can then be applied. All the methods in this clause are variations of the reference method described in clause 6.
NOTE: In the different methods that this standard comprises, the term "granulated blastfurnace slag" defined in 4.2 of ENV 197-1 : 1992 is designated by the term "slag".