Cement

Cements in a general sense are adhesive and cohesive

Portland cement
Portland cement may be defined as a product obtained by
finely pulverizing clinker produced by calcining to incipient
fusion, an intimate and properly proportioned mixture of
argillaceous and calcareous materials.
The ordinary Portland cement has been classified as 33 Grade
(IS269:1989), 43 Grade (IS 8112:1989), and 53 Grade (IS
12669-1987).
 Excess increases strength of cement but increases
setting time of cement
Bougues compounds
The various constituents combine in burning and form
cement clinker. The compounds formed in the burning
process have the properties of setting and hardening in
the presence of water. They are known as Bogue
compounds.
Hydration
The chemical reaction between cement and water is known as
hydration of cement. The reaction takes place between the
active .components of cement (C4AF, C3A, C3S and C2S) and
water.
When the cement comes in contact with water, the hydration
products start depositing on the outer periphery of the nucleus of
hydrated cement. This reaction proceeds slowly for 2-5 hours and
is called induction or dormant period.
Rate of hydration
The reaction of compound C3A with water is very fast and is
responsible for flash setting of cement (stiffening without
strength development) and thus it will prevent the hydration of
C3S and C2S. However, calcium sulphate (CaSO4) present in the
clinker dissolves immediately in water and forms insoluble
calcium sulphoaluminate. It deposits on the surface of C3A
forming a colloidal membrane and consequently retards the
hydration of C3A. The amount of CaSO4 is adjusted to leave a
little excess of C3A to hydrate directly. This membrane in the
process breaks because of the pressure of the compounds formed
during hydration and then again C3A becomes active in the
reaction

Water requirement
About an average 23 per cent (24 per cent C3S, 21 per cent C2S)
of water by weight of cement is required for complete hydration
of Portland cement. This water combines chemically with the
cement compounds and is known as bound water. Some quantity
of water, about 15 per cent by weight of cement, is required to fill
the cement gel pores and is known as gel water. Therefore, a
total of 38 per cent of water by weight of cement is required .
Dry method
The dry process is adopted when the raw materials are quite
hard. The process is slow and the product is costly. Limestone and
clay are ground to fine powder separately and are mixed.
Wet method
The chief advantages of the wet process are the low cost of
excavating and grinding raw materials, the accurate control of
composition and homogeneity of the slurry, and the economical
utilization of fuel through the elimination of separated drying
operations. On the other hand the longer kilns, essential in the
wet process, cost more and are less responsive to a variable
clinker demand than the short kilns which can be used in the dry
process.

Testing of cement

1.FINESNESS TEST
The degree of fineness of cement is the measure of the mean size
of the grains in it.
There are three methods for testing fineness: the sieve method
—using 90 micron (9 No.) sieve, the air permeability method—
Nurse and Blains method and the sedimentation method—
Wagner turbidimeter method. The last two methods measure the
surface area, whereas the first measures grain size.
. Since cement grains are finer than 90 micron, the sieve analysis
method does not represent true mean size of cement grains. Also,
the tiny cement grains tend to conglomerate into lumps resulting
in distortion in the final grain size distribution curves. Considering
these demerits, fineness is generally expressed in terms of
specific area, which is the total surface area of the particles in unit
weight of material.
IMPORTANCE = . Since cement grains are finer than 90 micron,
the sieve analysis method does not represent true mean size of
cement grains. Also, the tiny cement grains tend to conglomerate
into lumps resulting in distortion in the final grain size distribution
curves. Considering these demerits, fineness is generally
expressed in terms of specific area, which is the total surface area
of the particles in unit weight of material.
2 ) CONSISTENCY TEST =
This is a test to estimate the quantity of mixing water to form a
paste of normal consistency defined as that percentage water
requirement of the cement paste, the viscosity of which will be
such that the Vicat’s plunger penetrates up to a point 5 to 7 mm
from the bottom of the Vicat’s mould
IMPORTANCE =It is important to know the initial setting time,
because of loss of useful properties of cement if the cement
mortar or concrete is placed in moulds after this time. The
importance of final setting time lies in the fact that the moulds
can be removed after this time. The former defines the limit of
handling and the latter defines the beginning of development of
mechanical strength.
The factors influencing the setting properties of cement are its
composition, the percentage of retardant, degree of calcination,
fineness of grinding, aeration subsequent to grinding clinker,
percentage of water used to make cement paste, the
temperature of the mixing water, cement and the atmosphere
where the cement paste is placed, and the amount of
manipulation the paste receives.
The effect of gypsum is to increase the setting time of freshly
ground cement.
Cements stored in warm rooms will, in general, be quick setting
than those stored in cold places. Cold mixing water retards set
while warm water accelerates it. Cement exposed to thoroughly
saturated atmosphere will set much more slowly than those
exposed to a dry atmosphere. If, however, a considerable
proportion of moist CO2 is present in the air, the setting time is
found to reduce greatly. By lengthening the time of mixing and by
prolonged troweling of the surface mortars, it is also possible to
considerably delay the setting time.
3 ) Soundness test
It is essential that the cement concrete does not undergo large
change in volume after setting.
The main cause for unsoundness in Portland cement is the
hydration of the uncombined lime encased within the cement
particles.
 STRENGTH
- CONDITION AFFECTING STRENGTH = Gypsum and Plaster
of Paris present in quantities larger then 3 per cent.
- the strength of cement is greatly influenced by the degree of
burning, the fineness of grinding, and the aeration it receives
subsequent to final grinding.
COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH =Compressive strength is the
basic data required for mix design. By this test, the quality
and the quantity of concrete can be cotrolled and the
degree of adulteration can be checked.
TENSILE STRENGTH =The tensile strength may be
determined by Briquette test method or by split tensile
strength test..

 HEAT OF HYDRATION
Heat is evolved during hydration of cement, the amount being
dependent on the relative quantities of the clinker compounds.
The evolution of heat causes an increase in temperature of the
concrete, being greatest in mass concreting. Since the cooling
of a mass of concrete can only occur from surfaces exposed to
atmosphere the temperature of the interior is higher than that
at the surface and also there is a rapid increase in strength in
the interior than at the surface. Shrinkage cracks may result
from stresses, induced by cooling of the surface while the
interior of concrete is still at higher temperature. However, in
 practice, the heat evolution may be taken to its advantage in
cold weather provided the concrete is warm at the time of
placing and excessive heat loss is prevented by suitable lagging.
 TYPES OF CEMENT
  SUPERSULPHATED PORTLAND CEMENT = is
manufactured by intergrinding or intimately blending a mixture
of granulated blast furnace slag not less than 70 per cent,
calcium sulphate and small quantity of 33 grade Portland
cement.
. It is used only in places with temperature below 40°C. It has low
heat of hydration and is resistant to chemical attacks and in
particular to sulphates. Water resistance of concretes from
supersulphate Portland cements is higher than that of common
Portland cements because of the absence of free calcium oxide
hydrate. Supersulphated Portland cement is used for similar purpose
as common Portland cement. But owing to its higher water-resisting
property, it should be preferred in hydraulic engineering installations
and also in constructions intended for service in moist media. RCC
pipes in ground water, concrete structures in sulphate bearing soils,
sewers carrying industrial effluents.
 PORTLAND SLAG CEMENT =
It is manufactured by intimately intergrinding a mixture of
Portland cement clinker and granulated slag with addition of
gypsum or calcium sulphate.
This cement can be used in all places where OPC is used.
However, because of its low heat of hydration it can also be
used for mass concreting, e.g., dams, foundations, etc.
 MASONARY CEMENT=
The Portland cement clinker is ground and mixed intimately
with pozzolanic material (flyash or calcined clay), or non-
pozzolanic (inert) materials (limestone, conglomrates,
dolomite, granulated slag) and waste materials (carbonated
sludge, mine tailings) and gypsum and air entraining plasticizer
in suitable proportions.
 CALCIUM CHLORIDE CEMENT=
 It is also known as extra rapid hardening cement and is made
by adding 2 per cent of calcium chloride. Since it is
deliquescent, it is stored under dry conditions and should be
consumed within a month of its dispatch from the factory. It is
very suitable for cold weathers.
 WATER REPELENT CEMENT = It is also called hydrophobic
cement. A small amount of hydrophobic surfactants such as
stearic acid, boric acid or oleic acid is mixed with the ordinary
Portland cement during grinding of clinker. The weak points of
hydrophobic cement are its small strength gain during the
initial period because of the hydrophobic films on cement
grains which prevent the interaction with water, but its 28-day
strength is equal to that of ordinary Portland cement.
It is most suitable for basements and for making water tight
concrete.
 WATER PROOF CEMENT =
It is manufactured by adding strearates of Ca and Al and
gypsum treated with tannic acid, etc. at the time of grinding.
It is resistant to penetration of water.
Water retaining structures like tanks, reservoirs, retaining
walls, swimming pools, bridge piers, etc.

STORAGE OF CEMENT