Building and Finish

Material

Lecture 02
(Cement)

Amit Imtiaz
BRICK
CEMENT
PLASTER
CONCRETE
SAND
STONE
CEMENT
• Commonly used building material for construction.
• Obtained by burning clay & limestone and then grinding the clinker to produce
fine powder.
• It is a material with adhesive & cohesive properties.
• To bind the sand & coarse aggregate together .
• To fill voids in between sand & coarse aggregate particle form a compact mass.

CEMENT Limestone LIME

LIME
• Commonly used building material which is obtained by burning limestone .
• Generally it is used as binding &cementing material.
CEMENT IS SUPERIOR TO LIME
• Lime hardens by slowly absorbing carbon dioxide and turning back to limestone
over time. Cement consists of highly reactive silica-containing compounds --
when mixed with water, they harden quickly.
• Cement is used for construction of structures in wet places and under water.
• Cement is used where great strength & durability of structures are required.
• Where mortar or plaster has to set quick and attain it’s strength, cement is used.
• Cement is used where hard surface is required for the protection of exposed
surfaces of structure against destructive agents of weather and certain organic
& inorganic chemicals.
• For water tightness of structure cement is used.
• Cement is also used for decorative ornamental and pointing works.
USE OF CEMENT
Cement Grout - A mixture of cement, sand & water .
• to act as filler material in tilling work and cracks

Cement Mortar - A mixture of cement, sand & water to form a

paste which are used
• to bind building blocks (stones, bricks, and concrete masonry
units),
• to fill and seal the irregular gaps between them,

Cement Concrete - A composite product which is obtained

by mixing of cement, water, fine aggregate (sand) and coarse
aggregate (gravel / crushed stone).
• It is used in building construction such as the preparation
of foundations, columns, beams, slabs, lintels, stairs and other
load bearing elements etc.
• It is used in the construction of important engineering
structures such as bridges, culverts, dams, tunnels, roads etc.

Understanding Concrete, Cement and Mortar:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJIk453_j0I&list=RDCMUCUtWNBWbFL9We-
cdXkiAuJA&index=1
Differences between Cement and Mortar:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNOcI2dxyiY&list=RDCMUCEWWY1Fj8LBejCcKHfzAsjw
&index=2
PORTLAND CEMENT
Portland cement is the most common type of cement in
general use around the world as a basic ingredient
of concrete, mortar, grout and stucco. Generally it is
made by mixing substances containing Calcium
Carbonate such as chalk or limestone, with substances Clay
containing silica , alumina and iron oxide such as clay or
shale.

•Clay/shale
SiO2 Silica (silicon oxide) abbreviated S
Fe203 Ferrite (iron oxide) abbreviated F
Al203 Alumina (aluminium oxide) abbreviated A

•Limestone/chalk Limestone

CaC03 Calcium carbonate abbreviated C

•then the mixture heated and became clinker.

•Clinker then grounded to powder.

Several types of Portland cement are available. The most

common, called ordinary Portland cement (OPC) which
is grey.
Clinker
FUNCTIONS OF VARIOUS INGREDIENTS OF CEMENT
1. Lime (CaO): 63%
• Sufficient quantity is needed to form silicates and aluminates of calcium.
• Deficiency in lime reduces the strength of cement and causes the cement to set
quickly.
• Excess lime makes cement unsound and causes it to expand and disintegrate.

2. Silica (SiO2): 30%

• Sufficient quantity is needed to form dicalcium and tricalcium silicate.
• Imparts strength to cement.
• Excessive use causes cracking &warping.

3. Alumina (Al2O3)
• It imparts quick setting property to the
cement.
• Clinkering temperature is lowered by the
presence of the requisite quantity of alumina.
• Excess alumina weakens the cement.
cracking &warping.
4. Magnesia (MgO)
• It should not be present more than 2%.
• Excess magnesia will reduce the strength of the cement.

5. Iron-Oxide (Fe2O3.)
• Imparts color to cement.
• Imparts hardness and strength to cement.

6. Calcium Sulphate (CaSO4)

• This is presented in the form of gypsum(CaSO4.2H2O)
• It slows down or retards the setting action of cement.

7. Sulfur Trioxide (SO3)

• It should not be present more than 2%. Excess Sulfur
Trioxide causes the cement to unsound.

8. Alkaline:
• It should not be present more than 1%. Excess
Alkaline matter causes efflorescence. Efflorescence on wall
PROPERTIES OF CEMENT
Hydration of cement
❑ All reactions of cement to water is known as hydration
❑ Different constituents have different rates of hydration. The major substituents of
cements are:
• C3A (Tricalcium aluminate) - very quick reaction
• C4AF ( Tetracalcium alumino ferrite) - very quick reaction
• C3S (Tricalcium silicate) - quick reaction (mainly responsible for imparting strength
in early days)
• C2S (Dicalcium silicate) - slow reaction (mainly responsible for imparting
progressive strength)
❑ Heat is liberated as cement sets & hardened by reacting with water.
❑ The rate of hydration & the heat evolved increases with the fineness of cement
but the total amount of heat liberated in unaffected by fineness.
PROPERTIES OF CEMENT
Setting of cement
❑ The time from the addition of water to the initial & final setting stage.
❑ Also refers to time of changes of the cement paste from a liquid to a rigid
stage.
❑ The setting process is accompanied by the temperature changes in the
cement paste.
❑ Initial setting : Defined as the beginning of the noticeable stiffening in the
cement paste. It corresponds to a rapid rise in temperature. Normally takes
about 45 – 175 minutes.
❑ Final Setting Time: Refers to completion of setting, which corresponds to the
peak temperature in the cement paste. Normally takes between 3 hours to 10
hours for this to happen. The stage at which this is completed, the final
hardening process begins.
❑ Hardening : Refers to the gained of the strength of the cement paste. During
the setting time the cement gained very little strength.
PROPERTIES OF CEMENT
Fineness of cement:
❑ Fineness of cement is a measure of the sizes particles of cement.
❑ It is expressed in terms of specific surface of cement.
❑ Most important factor that will determines the properties of cement .
❑ Process of Hydration :
• Since hydration starts at the surface of the cement particles, it is the total
surface area of cement that represents the material available for hydration.
• The finer the cement is ground, the greater will be its specific surface.
• So the rate of hydration depends on the fineness of cement particles & for
rapid development of strength higher fineness necessary.
• Finer grinding increases the speed with which the various constituents reacts
with the water and workability of concrete mixes.
• Greater fineness increases the cohesiveness of a concrete mix.
• In some special type of cement the strength increases slowly than normal
though they are finely grounded.
PROPERTIES OF CEMENT
Strength of cement:
❑ The strength of mortar, plaster, concrete depend on
- the cohesion of cement paste,
- adhesion to the aggregate particles &
- lastly on the strength of aggregate itself.
❑ There are several forms of strength: tensile strength, compressive strength, &
flexural strength. Cement is very weak in tension and very strong in compression.
❑ Since structural techniques are designed mainly to exploit the good strength of
mortar, plaster, concrete in compression, the tensile strength if cement is often of
lesser interest than its compressive strength.
❑ Various factors affect the strength of cement such as water-cement ratio,
cement-fine aggregate ratio, size and shape of a specimen, the manner of
molding and mixing etc.
PROPERTIES OF CEMENT
Soundness of cement:
❑ Soundness refers to the ability of cement to not shrink upon hardening.
❑ Good quality cement retains its volume after setting without delayed
expansion, which is caused by excessive free lime, magnesia and
calcium sulphate .
❑ Unsound cement causes a large change in volume accompanying
expansion which results in disintegration and cracking.
2 CATEGORIES OF CEMENT

Hydraulic Cement :
• It would set & hardened under water
• Become adhesive due to a chemical reaction between the dry ingredients
and water.
• Can be classified into 3 kind of cement that is:
1) Natural Cement
2) Portland Cement
3) Aluminous Cement

Non-hydraulic cement :
• It does not set in wet conditions or under water. Rather, it sets as it dries and
reacts with carbon dioxide in the air.
• It is resistant to attack by chemicals after setting.
TYPES OF PORTLAND CEMENT

Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC)

• Has a medium rate of hardening.
• Suitable for most type of work.
• Can be attacked by acids & sulphates present in soil / groundwater.
• Sulphates also occur in clay bricks.
Rapid – hardening Portland Cement (RHPC)
• Similar chemical composition as OPC but different proportion.
• More finely grounded than OPC which causes to the increased rate of rapid hardening.
• This cement is used where rapid strength development is required.
• Concrete made with RHPC develops in 7 days the same strength that it takes 28 days to
develop in concrete made with OPC.
• It is comparatively costly than Ordinary Portland Cement.
• A special type of RHPC is ‘speed cement’ which is extremely finely grounded. This
cement is suitable for winter concreting or urgent jobs like road repair, well sealing,
grouting etc.
• Another special type of RHPC is ‘extra rapid hardening portland cement’ which is suitable
for cold weather concreting or when a very high strength is required.
TYPES OF PORTLAND CEMENT
Quick Setting Cement
• This cement has the property of setting initially after about 7 minutes and final setting is
only 30 minutes.
• This quick setting action of this cement is achieved by fineness and adding small
parcentage of Al2(So4)3 and a very little amount of retarder (Gypsum) to the clinker
during grinding.
• This cement has got disadvantages in normal working because the time is too short to
ensure proper- mixing and laying of concrete
• The cement is very advantageous where concrete has to be laid under running water.

Pozzolana Portland Cement

• This is a blended mixture of portland cement and pozzolana.
• Pozzolana is a natural or artificial materials containing silica in a reactive form.
• Most commonly used pozzolana materials are volcanic ash (natural pozzolana), shales,
calcined earth, burnt clay, fly ash etc.
• The percentage or pozzolana should be between 15 to 50 of the weight of the cement.
• It gains strength very slowly. So it requires curing over a comparatively long period
• The ultimate strength is approximately the same as that of ordinary portland cement.
Sulphate Resisting Portland Cement
• This is manufactured for using in situation where resistance of disintegration under the
action of sulphate is required.
• In certain regions water may have high content of sulphates of various minerals and OPC
is liable to disintegrate because of the unfavorable chemical reactions between the
water and cement.
• This kind of cement is recommended to be used for hydraulic structures in alkaline water
and for canal lining culverts etc.

Low Heat Portland Cement

• The rise in temperature in the interior of a large concrete mass (such as dams)due to the
heat evolved by the hydration of cement can lead to serious cracking. So it is necessary
to limit the rate of heat evaluation of the cement used in this type of structure.
• Using this kind of cement causes dissipation of a greater proportion of heat and a low rise
in temperature .
• It’s slow in development of strength and the ultimate strength is the same.
• Useful for dam & other mass concrete construction.
Blast furnace Portland Cement
• Made by grinding a mixture of OPC with selected granulated blast furnace slag.
• Hydrates slower than OPC so this cement evolves less heat and hardens slower than OPC
• It has resistance to sulphate and is used in seawater construction.

White Portland Cement

• This 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 cool ash.
• The strength of this cement is lower than that of OPC.
• It is not liable to cause staining because it has low content of soluble alkalies.
• It is 4 to 6 time costlier than OPC.
• The commercial name of this cement is ‘snowcrete’ which is mainly used for architectural
and ornamental purposes specially in tropical countries.