The most widely used material on earth is concrete and cement is the main ingredient of concrete. Cement shows different properties and characteristics depending on the chemical compositions. This is how different types of cement are made to exhibit different properties by changing the chemical composition, fineness of the cement.
In the past several years there has been a series of researches carried out to produce different types of cement by varying the oxide compositions and fineness of cement. The efforts made in order to produce different types of cement suitable for different environmental conditions.
While making changes in oxide compositions it has been found that the results are not satisfactory so the additives were introduced. Additives are materials to be added in the clinker at the time of grinding.
In this article we will take a look on properties and use of various kinds of cement, these cements basically classified as Portland cement and Non-Portland cement.
Different types of cement used in construction works are listed below with the respective IS codes.
Out of above following are Special Cements
The types of cements are explained in detail below with their properties and uses.
Also Read: ASTM Classification of Cement
Portland cement is most commonly used type of cement and majorly known as OPC.
Ordinary Portland Cement is classified into three grades namely grade 33, grade 43, grade 53 cement depending on the strength of the cement at 28 days when tested as per IS 4031-1988. The rating 33, 43, 53 is the 28 days characteristic compressive strength of cement.
If characteristic strength is not less than 33N/mm2 then cement is called as 33-grade cement.
If characteristic strength is not less than 43N/mm2 then cement is called as 43-grade cement.
If characteristic strength is not less than 53N/mm2 then cement is called as 53-grade cement.
The use of ordinary portland cement is decreasing rapidly now a days as because of the increasing popularity of blended cement as it consumes less energy, has a lesser environmental impact, and cheaper than OPC.
Rapid hardening cement is somewhat similar to ordinary portland cement. Rapid hardening cement is cement in which there is development of high early strength i.e. fast hardening.
Strength developed in 3 days by rapid hardening cement is equal to strength developed by ordinary portland cement in 7 days.
The early strength gain and rapid hardening in rapid hardening cement is a result of higher fineness, high C3S content, and lower C2S content as compared to OPC. C3S has a property of development of early strength and faster hardening and C2S has the property of ultimate strength and slow hardening.
Due to high proportion of C3S there is greater evolution of heat of hydration and therefore should not be used in massive concrete construction but can be used in cold conditions.
As name indicates Extra rapid hardening cement is obtained by integrating calcium chloride with rapid hardening cement. The addition of calcium chloride is done in order to allow very fast hardening of the cement.
The composition of calcium chloride in extra rapid hardening cement should not exceed 2 percent by weight of rapid hardening cement.
Extra rapid hardening cement should not be stored for a period of more than a month and concrete made with ERHC should be transported, placed, compacted and leveled within 20 minutes.
The strength of extra rapid hardening cement is 25% greater than rapid hardening cement at one or two days and also about 10 to 20% higher at 7 days. The strength gain will stop after some time and strength of ERHC and OPC will be the same.
The cement which offers resistance to sulphate attack is known as sulphate resistance cement. Sulphate solution permeates into the concrete and attack calcium hydroxide, hydrated calcium aluminate and results in excessive expansion and ultimately into cracks.
The sulphate attack generally takes place due to alternate wetting and drying which is usually takes place in marine structures.
Sulphate resistance cement consists of low C3A and low C4AF content as C3A reacts faster than sulphates. The C3A content should not be more than 5% for sulphate resistant cement.
Portland slag cement is cement made by mixing portland cement clinker, gypsum, and granulated blast furnace slag in suitable proportions and grinding it to obtain uniform cement particles. It also can be prepared by separately grinding all the ingredients and then mixing them together.
Portland slag cement is physically same as ordinary portland cement but has a property of low heat of hydration and it shows better resistance to chloride, soils, water containing sulphates or metals like iron also acidic water. That is why it is preferred in the marine environment.
As compared to OPC Portland slag cement has strength generation and rate of hardening somewhat slower in first 28 days. Because of low heat of hydration the PSC is suitable for mass concrete construction but not suitable for cold weather.
Also Read: ASTM Classification of Cement
Quick setting cement has the property of a very fast setting. Gypsum is added to the cement at the time of grinding so as to increase the setting time of cement. So by reducing the gypsum content the the quick setting property can be achieved.
For the preparation of a quick setting, cement gypsum content is reduced and some quantity of aluminum sulphate is added. Because of the quick setting property the cement need to be transported, placed, finished very early.
Preparation of super sulphated cement is carried out by grinding together a mixture of 80 to 85% granulated slag, 10 to 15% burnt gypsum, and 5% of portland cement clinker. The super sulphated cement is finer than portland cement and more sensitive to deterioration while storing than OPC.
As C3A has property of resistance to sulphates the quantity of C3A is kept well below 3.5% in super sulphated cement. Just because it has low heat of hydration and high resistance to chemical attack it can be used in the construction of dams.
Low heat cement is portland cement with reduced quantities of rapid hardening compounds like C3S and C3A and increased quantity of C2S. C2S has property of slow hardening so special care should be taken at the time of removing formwork.
Even if strength gain is slow in case of low heat cement but at the end of 28 days the ultimate strength will be same as that of ordinary portland cement. As per Indian standards heat of hydration of low heat cement should be as follows
7 days = not more than 65 calories per gram
28 days = not more than 75 calories per gram
All other properties like setting time, soundness are same as that of ordinary portland cement.
Portland pozzolana cement is obtained by grinding together portland cement clinker and pozzolana but without addition of gypsum. The percentage composition of pozzolana should be 10 to 25 % as that of portland cement clinker.
Portland pozzolana cement produces low heat of hydration. It offers a greater resistance to acidic water and calcium hydroxide.
Also Read: ASTM Classification of Cement
Air entraining cement is obtained by mixing air entraining agents with ordinary portland cement clinker at the time of grinding. The air entraining agents can be added upto the extent of 0.025-0.1% by weigth of cement clinker.
The Air entraining agents can be used are alkali salts of wood resin, synthetic detergents of alkyl aryl sulphonate, calcium lignousuphate, calcium salts, animal fats, and vegetable fats.
Air entraining agent will produce small bubbles after mixing with water and can influence the workability, segregation and bleeding of concrete. Generally workability of air entrained concrete is more than non air entrained concrete.
Coloured cement is prepared by mixing portland cement with 5 to 10% of colour imparting pigments. Pigment when mixed with OPC by mechanically of manually doesn’t show signs of uniform distribution so it is recommended to add pigments at the time of grinding.
Different colours are obtained by the addition of pigments by taking grey or white cement as a base but the use of white cement is costly and grey cement can only be used for the production of red and brown cement.
Hydrophobic cement is obtained by grinding ordinary portland cement with water repellent film-forming substances. Water repellent film-forming substances can be oleic acid and stearic acid.
The water repellent film formed around the particles will protect the cement from deterioration for a long time allowing transportation and long storage. Normal OPC cement will get deteriorated and loose strength if stored for a long time or under unfavorable conditions but Hydrophobic cement won’t lose any strength in those circumstances.
The film will break down when it cement and aggregate are mixed together in concrete formation and cement will be ready for hydration.
Hydrophobic cement has greater water resistance than OPC. This cement type is costlier than ordinary portland cement.
Masonry cement is obtained by mixing ordinary portland cement or blended hydraulic cement and plasticizing materials and materials which improves the properties like workability, water resistance and setting time.
Masonry cement is used only for masonry mortar works but should not be used for any kind of concrete works.
Cement which does not shrink during hardening and even after hardening is known as expansive cement.
ordinary portland cement concrete usually shrinks during drying, hardening and even after hardening and this is known as drying shrinkage.
To avoid the problem of drying shrinkage expansive cement is used which expands slightly with the time avoiding the drying shrinkage problem.
Oil well cement is special form of cement used in oil wells for the purpose of sealing. Oil wells are drilled for large depths through the rocks and soil and there is a possibility that oil or gases can come out from the gap between the metal case and rock.
The escaped gases can cause a very big security problem can even result in explosion. To avoid this the gap in between casing and rock is filled by using this oil well cement.
The oil well cement can be made by adjusting the chemical composition of cement or adding retarders to ordinary portland cement.
Cement which gains considerable strength in just few hours is known as resident cement. The very rapid strength generation results in evolution of enormous amount of heat because of which it is also suitable for cold weather conditions.
The shrinkage rate of resident cement is much higher than OPC whereas it is poor in sulphate resistance.
High alumina cement is obtained by fusing the mixture of alumina and calcareous materials and grinding them to form a uniform powder.
High alumina cement is having property of high strength development about 20% strength is gained in just one day.
These are some of the generally used very high strength cements
Also Read: ASTM Classification of Cement
As per ASTM classification basic 5 types of cement are
1.Type-I
2.Type-II
3.Type-III
4.Type-IV
5.Type-V
Also we have type-IA, IIA and IIIA
Ordinary portland cement is most commonly used cement. OPC can be classified into 3 different grades namely Grade 33, Grade 43, Grade 53.
Type V cement is High Sulphate Resistant Cement.
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