The Blaine air permeability method determines cement fineness by packing a prepared cement sample into a permeability cell, drawing a fixed volume of air through the compacted powder bed, and measuring how long that air takes to pass between reference levels. That transit time is then converted into a Blaine fineness value, which reflects the material’s specific surface area.

In practical terms, a finer powder creates more resistance to airflow, so the measured time changes with the surface area of the sample. Labs usually verify the setup with a reference cement, then repeat the same preparation steps for routine checks, batch comparison, and process control. The method on this page is aligned with ASTM C204, EN 196-6, GB/T 8074, and NF P15-403, with correlation to ISO 9277.

Need to confirm the right setup for your cement fineness workflow? Learn more about this system, or request a quote if you want help matching the configuration to your test method or lab routine.