CVS 228 2020/21 Hand-out 1
TYPES OF CEMENT
Following are the various types of cement available in the market:
A. Portland cements.
i. Ordinary Portland cement
ii. Modified Portland cement
iii. Rapid hardening Portland cement.
iv. Low heat Portland cement
v. Sulphate resisting Portland cement
vi. Water-proof Portland cement.
B. Other varieties of Cement:
(i) High alumina cement
(ii) Quick setting cement
(iii) Blast furnace slag cement
(iv) White cement
(v) Coloured cements
(vi) Acid resistance cement
(vii) Expanding cement
(viii) Hydrophobic cement
(ix) Portland Pozalana cement
(x) Supersulphated cement
(xi) Masorny cement.
A. Portland Cements
1. Ordinary Portland cement:
This is by far the most common cement in use
It has medium rate of strength development and heat generation.
It has adequate resistance to dry shrinkage and cracking, but has less resistance to
chemical attack.
Uses: (i) It is admirably suitable for use in general concrete construction when there is no
exposure sulphates in the soil or in ground water.
(ii) It is used in small structures where heat of hydration will not cause any defect
2. Modified Portland cement:
This cement, on setting, develops less heat of hydration than ordinary Portland cement.
Uses: Due to lower heat of hydration it can be employed in hot climates and for
construction of heavy abutments, large piers, retaining walls etc; where sulphate content is
not high.
3. Rapid hardening Portland cement:
It is also known as High early strength cement.
It contains large proportion of lime and other constituents are the same as for
ordinary Portland cement.
It’s prepared more carefully and burnt at a higher temperature than that of ordinary
Portland cement.
The strength developed at the age of 3 days is of the same order as the 7 days
strength of ordinary Portland cement with same water-cement ratio. The increased
rate of gain of strength of this cement is achieved by a higher C3S content and by
finer grinding of the cement clinker. It is ground finer and has specific surface not
less than 3250 cm2/g.
It is lighter than ordinary Portland cement.
The curing period is short, hence it is economical.
Uses: It is used where a rapid strength development is required; e.g., when framework is to
be removed early for re-use, or where sufficient strength for further construction is wanted
as quickly as practicable.
4. Extra rapid hardening cement
This type of cement is obtained by intergrinding calcium chloride with rapid
hardening Portland cement. The quantity of calcium chloride should not exceed 3
percent.
Its strength is about 25 percent higher than that of rapid hardening cement at 1 or 2
days and 10 to 20 percent higher at 7 days.
Uses: It is suitable for cold weather concreting, or when a very high early strength is
required but when it is inadvisable to use aluminous cement.
5. Low heat Portland cement:
Contains a low percentage (about 5%) of tricalcium silicate (C3S) which hydrates
quickly and a higher percentage (about 46%) of dicalcium silicate (C2S) which
hydrates slowly.
It contains less lime than ordinary cement; other materials remain the same as in
the case of ordinary cement.
It possesses less compressive strength.
The initial setting time is about one hour and final setting time is about 10 hours.
Uses: During the setting action of cement, a considerable amount of heat is produced, in
order to reduce the amount of heat, this type of cements is used. It is mainly used for mass
concrete work.
6. Sulphate resisting Portland cement:
In this cement, the percentage of tricalcium aluminate (C3A) is kept below 5 percent
and it results in the increase in resisting power against sulphates.
The heat developed by this type of cement is not much higher than that of low heat
cement. Theoretically it is an ideal cement but because of the special requirement
for the ‘composition of the raw materials used in its manufacture, sulphate-resisting
cannot be easily and cheaply made.
Uses: It is used at places where sulphate action is severe. It is employed for structures
which are likely to be damaged by severe alkaline conditions such as canal linings, culverts
etc.
7. Water-repellent Portland cement
It contains a small percentage of water-proofing material uniformly mixed with the
cement and is manufactured under the name “Aquacrete”. The cement is prepared with
ordinary or rapid hardening cements and white cement.
If such cement is used in concrete, a considerable care is needed to avoid reduction in
strength.
Uses: It is chiefly used in water-tight concrete and water-tight renderings to check
moisture penetration in basements etc. and for coloured renderings and stucco.
8. Water-proof Portland cement:
These cements are prepared by mixing with ordinary or rapid hardening cements, a
small percentage of some metal stearate (Ca, Al etc.) at the time of grinding.
Concrete made with such a cement is more resistant to penetration by water and
some oils than that made from ordinary Portland cement.
It is also adequately resistant to the corrosive action of acids and alkalis or other
harmful salts usually present in industrial waters.
Uses: It is used for the construction of water-retaining structures like tanks, reservoirs,
retaining walls, swimming pools, dams, bridges, piers etc.
B. Other Varieties of Cements
1. High alumina cement:
It is a rapid hardening cement of chocolate colour.
It is manufactured from bauxite and limestone in special reverberatory furnaces. It
contains nearly 35 per cent of alumina and the ratio of alumina to lime lies between
0.55 and 1.3.
Advantages:
(i) It resists the action of acid and high temperature and does not expand on setting.
(ii) Its initial and final setting times are 3 hours and 4 to 5 hours respectively. It
therefore allows more time for mixing and placing operations.
(iii) It sets quickly and attains higher ultimate strength in a short period. Its strength
after I day is about 40 N/mm2 and after 3 days is about 50 N/mm2.
(iv) It is completely resistant to the action of sulphates.
(v) It offers excellent resistance to fire.
(vi) It is not affected by frost since it evolves great heat during setting.
(vii) It is not necessary to grind it to fine powder since its setting action manly depends
on the chemical reactions.
Disadvantages:
(i) It is unsuitable for mass concrete construction as it develops considerable heat
on setting
(ii) It is much costlier than ordinary Portland cement.
(iii) Extreme care has to be taken to ensure that it does not come in contact with
even traces of lime or ordinary cement.
Uses:
(i) Its field of application includes works in chemical plants and furnaces.
(ii) It is employed in colder regions having temperatures 18°C or below and during
war time emergency.
(iii) It is used in under-water construction.
2. Quick setting cement:
It contains less percentage of gypsum (retarder) and is ground much finer than
ordinary Portland cement. The setting action is accelerated by adding a small
percentage of aluminum sulphate, during grinding.
It is costlier than ordinary Portland cement.
Its initial and final setting times are 5 minutes and 30 minutes respectively.
The setting action of such a cement starts within 5 minutes and it becomes stone-hard in
less than half an hour.
Uses: Due to its quick setting property it is used in works where concrete is to be placed
under water or in running water.
3. Blast furnace slag cement:
It is made by intergrading Portland cement clinker and granulated blast-furnace slag,
the proportion of the latter not exceeding 65 per cent of the weight of the mixture.
It has lower evolution of heat.
It is more resistant to attack of weathering agencies.
It is cheaper than ordinary Portland cement.
Its colour is blackish grey.
Its initial setting time is not less than 30 minutes. Its final setting tine is not more than
10 hours.
Uses:
(i) It can be used in mass concrete structures (since its heat of hydration is lower
than that of ordinary Portland cement). However, in cold weather, the low heat of
hydration of blast-furnace slag cement, coupled with a moderately low rate of
strength development can lead to frost damage. This cement should not be used in
thin R.C.C. structures since its early strength is less.
(ii) Because of its fairly high sulphate resistance, this type of cement is frequently
used in sea water construction.
4. White cement:
White Portland cement is made from raw materials containing very little iron oxide and
manganese oxide. China clay is generally used, together with chalk or limestone free
from specified impurities. Oil is used as fuel for the kiln in order to avoid contamination
by coal ash. Since iron acts as flux in clinkering, its absence necessitates high kiln
temperatures but sometimes cryolite (sodium aluminium fluoride) is added as a flux.
Contamination of the cement with iron during grinding has also to be avoided. For this
reason, the rather inefficient pebble grinding is used instead of a usual ball mill,
although nickel and molybdenum alloy balls have been introduced. The cost of grinding
is thus higher, and this, coupled with the more expensive raw materials, makes white
cement rather expensive.
It dries quickly
It possesses high strength.
It has superior aesthetic values.
It should not set earlier than 30 minutes.
It should be carefully transported and stored in closed container only.
Uses:
(i) It is used for floor finish, plaster work, ornamental work etc.
(ii) It is also used as mortars for marbles and tiles.
(iii) Miscellaneous applications of white cement include swimming pools (where it
replace the use of glazed tiles with coloured shades usable under water), moulding
sculptures and statues, painting garden furniture etc.
(iv) It is also employed for ready mixed concrete and precast concrete blocks.
5. Coloured cements:
Coloured cements are prepared by adding 5 to 15 percent of a suitable colouring
pigment before the cement is finally ground.
Iron oxide is added to give red and yellow colours.
Chromium oxide provides green colour.
Cobalt oxide provides blue colour.
Coloured cements are also known as “Colourcrete”.
These are much costlier than the ordinary cement.
Uses : These cements are widely used for finishing of floors, external surfaces, artificial
marble, stair treads, textured panel faces, window sill slabs etc.
6. Acid resistance cement:
An acid resistance cement contains (i) acid-resistant aggregates such as quartz, quartzite
etc., (ii) additive such as sodium fluosilicate (Na, SiF6), and (iii) aqueous solution of sodium
silicate or soluble glass.
The addition of additive sodium fluosilicate accelerates the hardening process a
soluble glass and also increases the resistance of cement to acid.
The soluble glass works as the binding material of acid-resistant cement.
It cannot resist the action of water well. Its resistance to water can be increased by
adding 0.5% of linseed oil or 2% of creosote and it is then known as acid and water
resistant cement.
Uses: It is used for acid-resistant and heat-resistant coatings of installations of chemical
industry.
7. Expanding cement:
It is produced by adding an expanding medium like sulpho-aluminate and a stabi1isin
agent to the ordinary cement,
This cement expands whereas other cements shrink.
Uses:
(i) It is used for the construction of water retaining structures.
(ii) It is also employed for repairing the damaged concrete surf aces.
8. Hydrophobic cement:
It contains additives (e.g., acidol, naphthene soap, oxidized petrolatum, etc.) which
forms a thin film around cement groins and decrease the melting ability of cement
grain
In this type of cement, in initial stage, the gain in strength is less as hydrophobic film
on cement grains prevent the interaction with water, However, after 28 days, its
strength equals that of ordinary Portland cement.
Uses: When this cement is used in the preparation of concrete, the fine pores in concrete
are uniformly distributed and thus the frost resistance and water resistance of such
concrete an increased considerably.
9. Portland pozzolana cement:
It is an interground blended mixture of cement and pozzolana. Pozzolana is a natural or
artificial material containing silica and alumina in a reactive form. Pozzolanic material
most commonly met with are: volcanic ash, pumic, opaline shales and cherts, burn clay,
flyash etc.
In the manufacture of cement, about 25 per cent of pozzolanic material is added to the
ordinary cement clinkers and mix is thoroughly ground.
Advantages:
(i) Possesses higher tensile strength.
(ii) Evolves less heat during setting.
(iii) Attains compressive strength with age.
(iv) Offers great resistance to expansion.
(v) Imparts higher degree of water-tightness
(vi) Imparts plasticity and workability to mortar and concrete prepared from this type
of cement.
(vii) Offers higher resistance to chemical attack and to the action of sea water.
(viii) Not costly
Disadvantages
(i) Less compressive strength in. early days.
(ii) Less resistance to erosion and weathering action.
Uses
(i) It is widely used for hydraulic structures (mass concrete works) such as has
wires etc.
(ii) It is also used in sewage works and for laying concrete under water.
10. Super-sulphate cement
It is made by intergrinding a mixture of 80 to 85% of granulated slag with 9 to 15%
of calcium sulphate and about 5% Portland cement clinker and ground to a fineness
of 4000 to 5000 cm2/g.
It is highly resistant to sea-water.
It can withstand the highest concentration of sulphates normally found in soil or
ground water.
It also offers resistance to peaty acids and oils.
The heat of hydration of this type of cement is low.
Its compressive strength should not be less than 15 N/mm2, 22 N/mm2 and 3
N/mm2 after 3 days, 7 days and 28 days respectively.
This type of cement should not be mixed with other cements.
It combines chemically with more water than is required for the hydration of
Portland cement, so that concrete with water-cement ratio less than 0.5 should not
be made and mixes richer than 1:6 (cement: total aggregate) are not recommended.
Uses :
i. Supersulphated cement can be used in all cases where normal cements are used
except in very hot weather.
ii. It is used in variety of aggressive conditions, for example, marine works, mass
concrete jobs to resist the attack of aggressive water; reinforced concrete pipes in
ground water, concrete consultation in sulphate bearing soils.
It has been used for the undersides of bridges, over railways tracks and for concrete
sewers, carrying industrial effluents.
11. Masonry cement
It is prepared by intergrinding a mixture of Portland cement clinker with inert
materials (non-pozzolanic) such as limestone, dolomite limestone and dolomite
gypsum and an air-entraining plasticizer in suitable proportion.
Its initial and final setting times are 90 minutes and 24 hours respectively.
Its compressive strength is 2.5 N/mm2 for 7 days.
Because of its property of producing a smooth, plastic, cohesive, strong yet workable
mortar when mixed with fine aggregate, masonry cement is superior to urn-mortar,
lime-cement mortar and cement mortar.
