Cement

Cement in its broadest term means any substance

which acts as a binding agent for materials.
Natural cement (Roman Cement) is obtained by
burning and crushing the stones containing clay,
carbonates of lime and some amount of carbonate of
magnesia.
The clay content in such stones is about 20 to 40
percent. Natural cement resembles very closely
eminent hydraulic lime.
It is not strong as artificial cement, so it has limited
use in practice.
Artificial cement is obtained by burning at very
high temperature a mixture of calcareous and
argillaceous materials in correct proportion.
Calcined product is known as clinker. A small
quantity of gypsum is added to clinker and it is
then pulverized into very fine powder is known
as cement.
Cement was invented by a mason Joseph Aspdin
of leeds in England in 1824.
The common variety of artificial cement is known
as normal setting cement or ordinary cement or
Portland cement.
 Ingredients
Ordinary Portland cement contains two basic
ingredients, namely argillaceous and calcareous. In
argillaceous materials, clay predominates and in
calcareous materials, calcium carbonate predominates.
Good ordinary cement contains following ingredients.
• 1. Lime (CaO) ………. 60-65%
2. silica (SiO2) ………. 17-25%
3. Alumina(Al2O3) ………. 3-8%
4. Calcium sulphate (CaSO4) ………. 4%
5. Iron Oxide (Fe2 O3) ………. 0.5-6%
6. Magnesia (MgO) ………. 0.5-4%
7. Alkalies ………. 1-3%
 Functions of Ingredients
1. Lime: Lime is the important ingredient of cement and its
proportion is to be maintained carefully. Lime in excess
makes the cement unsound and causes the cement to
expand and disintegrate. On the other hand, if lime is in
deficiency the strength of the cement is decreased and it
causes cement to set quickly

2. Silica: This also an important ingredient of cement and it

gives or imparts quick setting property to imparts strength
to cement.

3.Alumina: This ingredient imparts quick setting properly

to cement. Excess alumina weakens the cement.
4. Calcium Sulphate: This ingredient is in the form of
gypsum and its function is to increase the initial setting
time of cement.

5. Magnesia: The small amount of this ingredient

imparts hardness and colour to cement.

6. Sulphur: A very small amount of sulphur is useful in

making sound cement. If it is in excess, it causes the
cement to become unsound.

7. Alkalies: Most of the alkalies present in raw material

are carried away by the flue gases during heating and
only small quantity will be left. If they are in excess in
cement, efflorescence is caused.
Type of Cement Main Constituent Properties Uses

OPC Lime & Silica 33, 43 and 53 grades All types of

constructions
PPC OPC + 10-25% Flyash Less Heat of Hydration Mass concrete such as
SSA-3000 & Slow attainment of dams
strength
RHC Fine Grinding OPC or CS-1 day-16, Repair work of Roads
increasing C3S 3 day-27.5 and Dams
SSA-3250
Super Sulphated 70% GGBS, CaSO4 and Water resistant & Pipes in Ground
Portland Cement 33 Grade OPC, C3A1-3 Frost resistant, Water, Sewer
SSA-4000 CS- 3-15, 7-22, 28-30

Sulphate Resisting C3A <5% CS-3-10, 7-16, 28-33 In sea coast for
Portland Cement Calcareous + Sulphate resistance
Argillaceous,SSA-2250

Portland Slag Cement OPC + 25-65% GGBS Low Heat of Hydration Mass Concrete

Low Heat Portland Less C3A, More C2S & 272-314 J/g Mass Concrete like
Cement C4AF, Dams and Raft
Foundations
Type of Cement Main Constituent Properties Uses

Masonry Cement OPC + Fly ash + GGBS + Fineness<15% residue

Gypsum + Air Entrainer Setting time-19 min-24
hr, CS(50mm)7-2.5, 28-5
White and Coloured Pure White Chalk as 90% CS of OPC Flooring and Wall
Portland Cement Lime, FeO,1% Plastering
5-10% pigment in OPC
Air Entraining Vinsol Resin / Minute Cracks improves
Cement Vegetable Fat+ OPC Workability and
Resistant to weather
Calcium Chloride Extra Rapid Hardening, 1 day-25% OPC Cold Weathers
Cement 2% CaCl2 7 day-20% OPC

Water Repellent Hydrophobic Cement Resistant to moisture Basement & Water

Cement Boric Acid 0.1-0.5% Tight Concrete

Water Proof Cement OPC + Ca + Al + Gy + Resistant to Penetration Tanks, reservoirs,

Tannic Acid of Water retaining walls

High Alumina 40% Bauxite, 40% lime, Not Quick Setting, CS-1 Resistant to fire, sea
Cement 15% FeO day-30, 3 days 35 water, Sulphate
Al not less than 32% SSA-2250 water, in refractory
& precast
 Ordinary Portland Cement
(is 269:1989)

 Although there are many types of Cement , about 80 -90% of total

production is of Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) only.
 OPC is classified in three types of grades depending upon strength of
cement as
1)33 Grade
2)43 Grade
3)53 Grade

 Faster rate of development of strength

 Offers 10-20 % savings in cement consumption
 33 grade cement is almost out of the market
 The manufacture of OPC is decreasing in view of popularity of blended
cement on account of lower energy consumption, environmental
pollution.
 Portland Pozzolana Cement
 It is manufactured by intergrinding of OPC clinker with 10-25%
of pozzolanic material
 PPC produces low heat of hydration and offer greater
resistance to the attack of aggressive water than OPC.
 PPC can generally be used where OPC is usable
 rate of development of strength unto 7 days
Suitability
 It is economical
 It offers durability charecteristics in marine & hydraulic
structures
 Strength of PPC is higher than OPC
 Coloured cement
(is 8042-1989)
 For manufacturing of this cement ,white or grey
portland cement is used as base
 Use of white cement is costly while using grey
portland cement only red & brown cement can be
produced
 Consists of PPC with 5-10% of pigment
 For manufacture of white portland cement required
limestone is only available around
Jodhpur(Rajasthan)
 White cement is ground finer than grey cement
Rapid Hardening Cement
(is 8041-1990)
 This cement develops higher rate of
development of strength
 Suitability
-Road repair works
-In pre-fabricated concrete
construction
-In cold weather concrete
 Types of Cement
In addition to ordinary cement, the following are the other varieties of cement.
• a. Acid Resistance Cement: This consists of acid resistance aggregates such as
quartz, quartzite’s, etc, additive such as sodium fluosilicate (Na2SiO6) and
aqueous solution of sodium silicate. This is used for acid resistant and heat
resistant coating of installations of chemical Industry. By adding 0.5 percent of
unseed oil or 2 percent of ceresit, its resistance to water is increased and
known as acid water resistant cement.

• b. Blast Furnace Cement: For this cement slag as obtained from blast furnace in
the manufacture of pig iron and it contains basic elements of cement, namely
alumina, lime and silica. The properties of this cement are more or less the
same as those of ordinary cement and prove to be economical as the slag,
which is waste product, is used in its manufacture.
 c. Coloured Cement: Cement of desired colour may be
obtained by intimately mixing mineral pigments with
ordinary cement. The amount of colouring may vary from 5
to 10 percent and strength of cement if it is exceeds 10
percent. Chromium oxide gives brown, red or yellow for
different proportions. Coloured cements are used for
finishing of floors, external surfaces, artificial marble,
windows.

d. Expanding Cement : This type of cement is produced by

adding an expanding medium like sulpho – aluminate and a
stabilizing agent to ordinary cement. Hence this cement
expands where as other cement shrinks. Expanding cement is
used for the construction of water retaining structures and
also for repairing the damaged concrete surfaces.
e. High alumina Cement: This cement is produced by grinding clinkers
formed by calcining bauxite and lime. The total content should not be
less than 32 percent and the ratio by weight of alumina to lime should
be between 0.85 and 1.30.
Advantages
1. Initial setting time is about 3 hours therefore, allows more time for
mixing and placing operations.
2. It can stand high temperatures.
3. It evolves great heat during setting therefore not affected by frost.
4. It resists the action of acids in a better way.
5. It lets quickly and attains higher ultimate strength.

Disadvantages:
1. It is costly
2. It cannot be used in mass construction as it evolves great heat and
as it sets soon.
3. Extreme care is to taken to see that it does not come in contact
with even traces of lime or ordinary cement.
• f. Hydrophobic Cement: This type of cement contains
admixtures, which decreases the wetting ability of cement
grains. The usual hydrophobic admixtures are acidol
napthene soap, oxidized petrolatum etc when
hydrophobic cement is used, the fire pores in concrete are
uniformly distributed and thus the frost resistance and the
water resistance of such concrete are considerably
increased.
g. Low Heat Cement: Considerable heat is produced during
the setting action of cement. In order to reduce the
amount of heat, this type of cement is used. It contains
lower percentage of tri calcium aluminates C3A and higher
percentage of dicalcium silicate C2S. This type of cement is
used for mass concrete works because it processes less
compressor strength.
h. Pozzolona Cement: Pozzolona is a volcanic powder and the
percentage should be between 10 to 30.
Advantages
1. It attains compressive strength with age.
2. It can resist action of sulphates.
3. It evolves less heat during setting.
4. It imparts higher degree of water tightness.
5. It imparts plasticity and workability to mortar and concrete
prepared from it.
6. It offers great resistance to expansion
7. It possesses higher tensile strength

Disadvantages:
1. Compressive strength in early days is less.
2. It possesses less resistance to erosion and weathering
action.
 i. Quick Setting Cement: This cement is prepared by
adding a small percentage aluminum sulphate which
reduce the percentage of gypsum or retarded for setting
action and accelerating the setting action of cement. As
this cement hardness less than 30 minutes, mixing and
placing operations should be completed. This cement is
used to lay concrete under static water or running water.
j. Sulphate Resisting Cement: In this cement percentage of
tricalcium aluminates is kept below 5 to 6 percent and it
results in the increase in resisting power against
sulphate. This cement is used for structure which are
likely to be damaged by sever
alkaline condition such as canal linings, culverts, siphons
etc.
 k. Rapid Hardening cement: This cement has same initial and
final setting times as that of ordinary cement. But it attains
high strength in early days due to
1. Burning at high temperature.
2. Increased lime content in cement composition.
3. Very fine grinding.
• Advantages:
1.Construction work may be carried out speedily.
2.Formwork of concrete can be removed earlier.
3. It is light in weight.
4. It is not damaged easily.
5. This cement requires short period of curing.
6. Use of this cement also higher permissible stresses in the
design.
7. Structural member constructed with this cement may be
loaded earlier.
 l. White Cement: This is a variety of ordinary
cement and it is prepared form such raw materials
which are practically free from colouring oxides of
Iron, manganese or chromium. For burning of this
cement, oil fuel is used instead of coal. It is used for
floor finish; plaster work, ornamental works etc.
 Uses of Cement

1. Cement mortar for masonry work, plaster, pointing etc

2. Concreter for laying floors, roofs and constructing lintels,
beams, weather sheds, stairs, pillars etc.
3. Construction of important engineering structure such as
bridges, culverts, dams, tunnels storage reservoirs, light houses,
docks etc.
4. Construction of water tanks, wells, tennis courts, septic tanks,
lampposts, roads, telephone cabins etc.
5. Making joints for drains, pipes etc.
6. Manufacture of pre cast pipes, piles, garden seats, artificially
designed urns, flowerpots, etc dustbins, fencing posts etc.
7. Preparation of foundations, watertight floors, footpaths etc.
• Admixtures – Uses.
These are the ingredients or substance, which
are added to concrete to improve its
properties like strength, hardness, water
resisting power, workability etc. Many
admixtures like alum etc are commonly used
for this purpose.