CEMENT

Definition

A Cement is a binder or an adhesive for different materials used for construction that sets and becomes
hard by adhering to different surfaces of various building materials used in the construction. It forms a
composite material strong enough to withstand the various types of loads.

Uses:-

 Cement mortar for Masonry work, plaster and pointing etc.

Composition

Functions of Cement Ingredients:

The ingredients of ordinary cement, as mentioned above, perform the following functions:

(1) Lime (CaO):

This is the important ingredient of cement and its proportion is to be carefully maintained. It imparts
strength and soundness. The 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 cement is decreased and it
causes cement to set quickly.

(2) Silica (SiO2):

This is also an important ingredient of cement and it gives or imparts strength to the cement due to the
formation of dicalcium and tricalcium silicates. If silica is present in excess quantity, the strength of
cement increases but at the same time, its setting time is prolonged.

(3) Alumina (Al2O3):

This ingredient imparts quick setting property to the cement. It acts as a flux and it lowers the clinkering
temperature. However the high temperature is essential for the formation of a suitable type of cement and
hence the alumina should not be present in excess amount as it weakens the cement.

(4) Calcium Sulphate (CaSO4):

This ingredient is in the form of gypsum and its function is to increase the initial setting time of cement.

(5) Iron Oxide (Fe2O3):

This ingredient imparts colour, hardness and strength to the cement.

(6) Magnesia (MgO):

This ingredient, if present in small amount, imparts hardness and colour to the cement. A high content of
magnesia makes the cement unsound.

(7) Sulphur (S):

A very small amount of sulphur is useful in making sound cement. If it is in excess, it causes cement to
become unsound.

(8) Alkalies:
1. Tricalcium Aluminate: It undergoes the process of hydration within the first twenty-four hours
after the addition of water in the cement. It also does the quick setting of Cement and also leads to
the volume changes as well and hence causes cracks in the cement. The heat of hydration of
tricalcium aluminate is the highest amongst all bogues compounds.

2. Tetra Calcium Aluminoferrate: It also undergoes the process of hydration within the first
twenty-four hours after the addition of water in cement. It is observed to have the worst
cementing property amongst all the bogues compounds and hence makes no engineering
significance in cement.
 3. Tricalcium Silicate: It undergoes hydration after one week of addition of water in Cement and is
responsible for the development of early strength in the cement, and this is the reason as well that
concentration of tricalcium silicate can be improved to attain early strength in structure to be
built.

4. Dicalcium Silicate: It undergoes hydration within a year after the addition of water to the Cement
and hence responsible for the progressive strength in a structure. It is also quite inert against the
chemical in Cement and hence can be used to create resistance against chemicals in the cement.

Hydration of Cement

When Cement is mixed with water and aggregates, it undergoes an exothermic reaction called hydration.
The chemical substance in Cement reacts with water to form hydrates products, also known as hydration
products.

During the hydration process, heat is also released, called the heat of hydration, and this is maximum for
Tricalcium aluminate followed by tricalcium silicate and tetra calcium alumino ferrate and the least for
Dicalcium silicate.

Types of Cement

There are different types of Cement depending on the use and the composition of cement. Every type of
Cement has a different way of being used and has its advantages and disadvantages.

1. Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC)

Ordinary Portland cement is the most widely used type of cement, which is suitable for all general
concrete construction. It is the most commonly produced and used type of cement around the world, with
annual global production of around 3.8 million cubic meters per year. This cement is suitable for all
kinds of concrete construction.

2. Portland Pozzolana Cement (PPC)

Portland pozzolana cement is prepared by grinding pozzolanic clinker with Portland cement. It is also
produced by adding pozzolana with the addition of gypsum or calcium sulfate or by intimately and
uniformly blending Portland cement and fine pozzolana
This cement has a high resistance to various chemical attacks on concrete compared with ordinary
portland cement, and thus, it is widely used. It is used in marine structures, sewage works, sewage works,
and for laying concrete underwater, such as bridges, piers, dams, and mass concrete works, etc

Rapid Hardening Cement

This type of Cement develops early strength as it has a higher rate of gain of strength and should not be
confused with quick setting Cement as it takes normal time to set but attains its strength quickly. The
strength attained by rapid hardening Cement in 3 days is equal to the strength obtained in 7 days for
normal cement. Also, such a type of Cement is generally used in prefabricated construction, cold weather
concreting, emergency repair work, or pavement of roads where the strength needs to be achieved
quickly.

Rapid hardening cement attains high strength in the early days; it is used in concrete where formworks are
removed at an early stage and are similar to ordinary portland cement (OPC). This cement has increased
lime content and contains higher c3s content and finer grinding, which gives higher strength development
than OPC at an early stage.

The strength of rapid hardening cement at the three days is similar to 7 days strength of OPC with the
same water-cement ratio. Thus, the advantage of this cement is that formwork can be removed earlier,
which increases the rate of construction and decreases the cost of construction by saving formwork cost.

Rapid hardening cement is used in prefabricated concrete construction, road works, etc

Sulphate Resisting Cement

Seawater contains sulphur in excess, and it leads to volume change. Not only the soil below seawater may
have a high amount of sulphur due to sewage but also normal OPC (ordinary portland cement) reacts with
sulphur and increases its volume. To avoid this, lime and alumina of Cement are reduced. This type of
Cement has great application in marine construction, sewage treatment works, and foundation works.

Sulfate resisting cement is used to reduce the risk of sulfate attack on concrete and thus is used in the
construction of foundations where the soil has high sulfate content. This cement has reduced the contents
of C3A and C4AF.
Sulfate resisting cement is used in construction exposed to severe sulfate action by water and soil in
places like canals linings, culverts, retaining walls, siphons, etc

Quick Setting Cement

The Cement is obtained by adding a small amount of alumina in finely ground Cement clinkers and
reducing the proportion of gypsum. This Cement is used for grouting operations and underwater
concreting as well.

Low Heat Cement

Low heat Cement is a special type of Cement having low heat of hydration, and this can be achieved by
increasing the proportion of dicalcium silicate and reducing the proportion of tricalcium silicate and
Tricalcium aluminate. This Cement also develops a slower rate of gain of strength.

Low heat cement suitable for mass concrete construction like gravity dams, as the low heat of hydration,
prevents the cracking of concrete due to heat

This type of Cement finds its application in huge constructions where a lot of quantity of Cement is to be
used like in building dams.
Hydrophobic Cement

The Cement is prepared by inter grinding Cement clinkers with water repellent film -forming
substance like stearic acid or oleic acid. This film protects the Cement from interacting with the
moisture present in the atmosphere, and the Cement remains fresh for use even after storage and
long transportation.

works, and for laying concrete underwater, such as bridges, piers, dams, and mass concrete works,
etc.

.White Cement

It is prepared from raw materials free from Iron oxide and is a type of ordinary portland cement,
which is white. It is costlier and is used for architectural purposes such as precast curtain wall and
facing panels, terrazzo surface, etc. and for interior and exterior decorative work like external
renderings of buildings, facing slabs, floorings, ornamental concrete products, paths of gardens,
swimming pools, etc
 Colored cement

It is produced by mixing 5- 10% mineral pigments with ordinary cement. They are widely used for
decorative works on floors.

Air Entraining Cement

Air entraining cement is produced by adding indigenous air-entraining agents such as resins, glues,
sodium salts of sulfates, etc. during the grinding of clinker.

This type of cement is especially suited to improve the workability with a smaller water-cement
ratio and to improve frost resistance of concrete

Properties of Cement

There are many physical properties of Cement that must be checked before using it like,

1. Strength of Cement: The strength of Cement should be checked before use and must be greater
than 175kg/cm 2 for an ordinary portland Cement by doing a cubical test of sand and Cement mixture
in a 3:1 ratio, respectively.
2. Fineness of Cement: A good Cement is fine in nature, and the fineness of Cement can also be
checked by sieve test or by touching the Cement between the index finger and thumb.
3. Soundness of Cement: Cement is subjected to expansion or volume change due to composition,
particle size, and many other factors. But a good Cement should not change its volume much.
4. Colour of Cement: The colour of Cement is greenish-grey, and the colour of Cement also shows
the degree of burning as lighter colour, like yellow, shows poor burning of cement.
5. Resistance against Moisture: The Cement should be moisture resistant to prolong its life and its
efficiency.
6. Plasticity: The Cement should be plastic in nature. It improves its workability in the initial time.