CEMENT

• Cement


  A fine, soft powder used as a binder that hardens after contact with water
• Cement


  • Adaptable to various construction needs, including residential, commercial, and industrial projects
  • Primarily composed of calcium, silicon, aluminum, and iron, which are derived from limestone, clay, shale, and other raw materials
• Physical properties of cement

  • Fineness
  • Soundness
  • Consistency
  • Strength
  • Setting time
  • Heat of hydration
  • Loss of ignition
  • Bulk density
  • Specific gravity
• Fineness of cement


  The size of the particles of the cement

  
• Soundness of cement


  The ability of cement to not shrink upon hardening
• Le Chatelier Test


  Tests the expansion of cement due to lime
• Autoclave Test


  Cement paste (of normal consistency) is placed in an autoclave (high-pressure steam vessel) and slowly brought to 2.03 MPa, and then kept there for 3 hours
• Consistency of cement


  The ability of cement paste to flow consistently
• Strength of cement


  Three types of strength are measured - compressive, tensile and flexural
• Cement mortar strength and cement concrete strength are not directly related. Cement strength is merely a quality control measure. The tests of strength are performed on cement mortar mix, not on cement paste. Cement gains strength over time, so the specific time of performing the test should be mentioned.
• Setting time of cement

  Cement sets and hardens when water is added. This setting time can vary depending on multiple factors, such as fineness of cement, cement-water ratio, chemical content, and admixtures.
• Heat of hydration


  The reaction that takes place when water is added to cement
• Loss of ignition


  The weight loss of a cement sample when heated to 900-1000°C until a constant weight is obtained
• Bulk density is not very important when cement is mixed with water, as the water replaces areas where there would normally be air.
• Specific gravity (relative density)

  Generally used in mixture proportioning calculations
• Chemical properties of cement

  • Tricalcium aluminate (C3A)
  • Tricalcium silicate (C3S)
  • Dicalcium silicate (C2S)
  • Ferrite (C4AF)
  • Magnesia (MgO)
  • Sulfur trioxide
  • Iron oxide/ Ferric oxide
  • Alkalis
  • Free lime
  • Silica fumes
  • Alumina
• Types of cement


  • Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC)
  • Portland Pozzolana Cement (PPC)
  • Sulfate Resistant Cement
  • High Alumina Cement
  • White Cement
  • Low Heat Cement
• Types of Portland cement

  • Type I - Regular
  • Type II - Moderate-heat-of-hardening
  • Type III - High-early-strength
  • Type IV - Low-heat
  • Type V - Sulfate-resisting
• Cement manufacturing process

  1. Mining and preparing raw materials

  2. Crushing and grinding

  3. Blending

  4. Heating and calcination

  5. Burning in the kiln

  6. Cooling and grinding

  7. Storage and packaging
• Cement


  • Adhesion
  • Hardness
  • Moisture resistance
  • Aesthetics

  
• Applications of cement


  • Bonding
  • Plastering
  • Decoration
  • Prefabricated components
• Concrete construction


  • Eiffel Tower
  • Golden Gate Bridge
• Retro-style buildings


  • Crafting antique bricks and stones
• Cement occupies an irreplaceable role in the construction industry. With ongoing technological innovations, the future promises even more eco-friendly, high-performance, and versatile applications of cement.