PORTLAND CEMENT

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Basic Relationship
Test for Cement
Concrete
Ingredients
Effects of Chemical
Admixtures on
Concrete
Portland Cement (PC)
is used at binding materials in to a
compact whole of a building and civil
engineering construction.

is used of making bridges, building and

almost everything.

finely grey colored powder and made

from limestone and clay.
5 Types of Portland Cement
There are 5 types of Portland cement which varies
the percentage that changes the rate of setting, heat
of evolution and strength characteristics.

Type I, Type II, Type III, Type IV and Type V

 Type I
Also called as General Portland
Cement, Regular Portland Cement or
Ordinary Portland Cement for it is
commonly used in all types of work.
commonly used of constructing a
building, road constructions and
parking areas.
it is used when there is no exposure
to sulfates in the soil or groundwater.
it creates a fair amount of heat during
the hydration process.
 Type II Type III
Moderate Heat of Hardening High Early Strength Portland
Portland Cement Cement
It is particularly suitable for mass It is ground finer and reacts
concrete used in any structures faster than Type I, so the early
containing moderate amount of compressive strength gains are
sulfate greater.
Recommended for near in the This cement has quicker
sea. hardening rate speeds strength
development during the first 7
days of curing.
 Type IV Type V

Low Heat Portland Cement Sulphate Resisting Portland

It is used when low heat of Cement
hydration is required. It can withstand to the action of
It is ideal for mass construction, Sulfate.
heavy structures such as It is better to use than Type II
Majority used in constructing Portland Cement if the
large footings and large slabs. construction is in contact to a sea .
What is the Purpose of picking a
right Portland Cement?
Different project constructions doesn’t have the same cement
that will use in other projects such a bridges, dams, pavement
and others.
Insuring the overall quality, strength, durability and safety of a
construction project depends on a place, temperature and
environment of a project.
What is cement
testing?

it is the scientific methodical procedure

of determining the properties and
features of cement.
Purpose

crucial for ensuring the quality and

reliability of cement
Common tests for
Cement

1. Fineness Test
measures the particle size distribution of cement,
which affects its setting time and strength
development
 Importance
Durability

Workability

Heat of Hydration

Early Strength Development

Apparatus
 Test Procedure
1. Take 100 gm of cement sample and note its weight as W1.
2. Pour the 100 grams of cement into a 90 µm sieve and close it with the lid
3. Shake it with your hands
4. Brush the sieve base gently with a bristle brush so that nothing is left on
the sieve surface
5. Now weigh the retained amount of cement on the sieve and note it as W2.
6. Calculate the percentage of the weight of cement retained on the 90 µm sieve
using the formula: (W2/W1) x 100.

The amount of cement retained on the 90 µm sieve should

not exceed 10%.
2. Setting time test
this test determines the time
taken for cement to set and
harden.

Importance
this test is crucial as it helps determine the workability and
hardening time of the cement
Apparatus

Stopwatch
 Test Procedure
1. Prepare a cement paste by mixing cement with water.
2. Start the stopwatch at the instant water is added to the cement.
3. Using a Vicat apparatus, determine the time at which the cement paste can no
longer be penetrated by a specific weighted needle. This is the initial setting time.
4. Continue the test until the needle makes an impression on the paste while the
annular collar fails to do so. This is the final setting time.

The initial setting time of Ordinary Portland Cement

should not be less than 30 minutes, and the final setting
time should not be more than 10 hours.
 3. Standard Consistency
Test
this test determines the amount
of water to be added to cement to
achieve a paste of standard
consistency

Importance
It helps in achieving the desired workability
and strength of the concrete mix
Apparatus
 Test Procedure
1. Take about 300 gm of cement into a tray and mix it with a known percentage
of water.
2. Prepare a cement paste by adding 26% of water to 300 gm of cement and mix
it well.
3. Fill the Vicat mold having 80mm diameter and 50mm height with this paste
The paste should be filled into the Vicat’s mould within 3 – 5 minutes from the addition of water.
4. Place the cement paste-filled mold under the consistency test plunger in the
Vicat apparatus.
5. Lower the plunger such that it touches the top surface of the mold filled with
paste, and quickly release, allowing it to sink into the paste
The standard consistency of any cement is achieved when the
Vicat plunger penetrates to a point 33 to 35 mm from the
bottom of the Vicat mold.
4. Soundness Test
the soundness test of cement is
conducted to determine the
ability of cement to resist volume
expansion after setting

Importance
This test is crucial for ensuring the durability
and long-term integrity of structures.
 Apparatus
Le-Chatelier Method
 Test Procedure
1. Prepare a cement paste and fill it into the Le-Chatelier mould.
2. Submerge the mould in water at a temperature of 27 ± 2°C and keep there
for 24 hours.
3. Measure the distance between the two indicators of the Le-Chatelier mould
(L1).
4. Submerge the mould again in water and bring it to boiling in 25-30 minutes
and keep it boiling for 3 hours.
5. Cool down the mould and measure the distance between the two indicators.
(L2).
The difference between the two measurements indicates the
unsoundness of cement (L1-L2).
For Portland Cement, the value of soundness of cement must not exceed 10mm
5. Compressive Strength
Test
this test measures the ability of
cement to withstand loads that
tend to reduce its size

Importance
This test is crucial for determining the strength and
durability of cement, which directly impacts the
structural integrity of buildings and other
infrastructure projects
Apparatus

Cube mould
 Test Procedure
1. Prepare a cement paste by mixing cement with water.
2. Fill the paste into a cube mould of dimension 70.6mm * 70.6mm * 70.6mm12.
3. After 24 hours, demould the cube and submerge it in freshwater for curing.
4. After curing, place the cube in a compression testing machine.
5. Apply load until the cube cracks or fails.

The maximum load that the cube can withstand before failure
is its compressive strength
 These tests ensure that the cement used in construction is of
high quality and meets the required standards. They help in
predicting how the cement will behave under different conditions
and thus, play a significant role in ensuring the safety and
durability of the structures built with it.
 Concrete
Ingredients
Concrete ingredients refer to the individual
components used in the mixture to create
concrete, typically including cement,
aggregates (such as sand and gravel), water,
and optional additives or admixtures, which are
carefully combined in specific proportions to
achieve desired properties and performance
characteristics in the final product.
 1. Cement
Cement is the hydraulic binder (hydraulic =
hardening when combined with water) which is
used to produce concrete. Cement paste
(cement mixed with water) sets and hardens by
hydration, both in air and under water.

The selection of cement materials and grades

affect the strength of concrete and the heat of
hydration of concrete solidification, etc. The
quality of related finished products plays a
major role in the quality of finished concrete.
 2. Concrete Aggregates
Concrete aggregates, consisting of sand and gravel, represent the grain skeleton
of the concrete. All cavities within this skeleton have to be filled with binder
paste as much as possible.
2.1 Coarse Aggregate
Those particles that are predominantly
retained on the 4.75 mm (No. 4) sieve and will
pass through 3-inch screen, are called Coarse
Aggregates coarse aggregate. The coarser the
aggregate, the more economical the mix.
2.2 Fine Aggregate
Type of aggregates are those particles passing
the 9.5 mm (3/8 in.) sieve, almost entirely
passing the 4.75 mm (No. 4) sieve, and
predominantly retained on the 75 µm (No. 200)
sieve are called fine aggregate.
 3. Water
Water is a crucial component that facilitates
the chemical reaction known as hydration
between cement and water, leading to the
hardening and setting of concrete. It is
responsible for initiating the bonding process
and plays a vital role in determining the
workability, strength, and durability of the
concrete mixture.
 Suitability of Water
Drinking water
Suitable for concrete. Does not need to be tested.

Ground water
May be suitable for concrete but must be checked.

Water recovered from processes in the concrete industry (e.g. wash water)
Generally suitable for concrete but the requirements in Annex A of the
standard must be met (e.g. that the additional weight of solids in the concrete
occurring when water recovered from processes in the concrete industry is
used must be less than 1% of the total weight of the aggregate contained in
the mix).
 Suitability of Water
Sea water or brackish water
May be used for non-reinforced concrete but is not suitable for reinforced or
pre-stressed concrete. The maximum permitted chloride content in the
concrete must be observed for concrete with steel reinforcement or
embedded metal parts.

Natural surface water and industrial process water

May be suitable for concrete but must be checked.

Waste water
Not suitable for concrete. Combined water is a mixture of water recovered
from processes in the concrete industry and from a different source.
 4. Mineral
Admixtures

To improve the performance of

concrete, save cement, and adjust
the strength level of concrete,
natural or artificial mineral
materials added during concrete
mixing are collectively referred to
as concrete admixtures.
 Mineral Admixtures
Fly ash: A by-product of coal combustion in power plants, fly ash is a finely divided
residue that improves workability, reduces heat generation, and enhances long-
term strength and durability of concrete.

Silica fume: Also known as microsilica, silica fume is a by-product of silicon metal
production and consists of very fine particles. It improves concrete's strength,
durability, and resistance to chemical attack and abrasion.

Ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS): GGBFS is a by-product of iron

production from blast furnaces. It improves concrete's workability, strength,
durability, and resistance to sulfate attack and alkali-silica reaction.

Natural pozzolans: Natural pozzolans, such as volcanic ash or calcined clay, react
with calcium hydroxide in cement to form additional cementitious compounds,
improving concrete's strength, durability, and resistance to chemical attack.
 Additives in concrete ingredients,
5. Additive also known as admixtures, are
substances added in small

Admixtures quantities to concrete mixtures to

modify its properties or improve its
performance. These additives can
serve various purposes

Additive Admixtures
1. Set Retarding
2. Accelerating
3. Air Entrainment
4. Water Reducing
5. Shrinkage Reducing
6. Super Plasticizers
7. Corrosion Inhibiting
ADMIXTURES ADMIXTURE
Concrete admixtures can improve concrete quality,
manageability, acceleration, or retardation of setting
time, among other properties that could be altered
to get specific results.
7 MUST-USE CONCRETE ADMIXTURES
SET RETARDING
are used to delay the chemical reaction that
takes place when the concrete starts the setting
process.
are used in concrete pavement construction,
allowing more time for finishing ​concrete
pavements
Retarders can also be used to resist cracking,
due to form deflection that can occur when
horizontal slabs are placed in sections.
They are generally used in the hot weather
condition to counter the rapid hardening due to
high temperature, thus allowing the time for
mixing, transporting and placing.
ACCELERATING ADMIXTURE
are used to increase the rate of concrete strength
development or to reduce concrete setting time.
Accelerating admixtures are especially useful for
modifying the properties of concrete in cold
weather.

AIR ENTRAINMENT ADMIXTURE

can increase the freeze-thaw durability of
concrete.
Air entrainers admixtures are compatible with
almost all concrete admixtures. Typically for every
one percent of entrained air, compressive strength
will be reduced by about five percent.
This is one of the several types of damage that the freeze thaw cycle
causes on concrete.
WATER REDUCING ADMIXTURE
are chemical products that when added to
concrete can create a desired slump at a lower
water-cement ratio than what is normally
designed. Water reducers have been used primarily
in bridge decks, low-slump concrete overlays, and
patching concrete.

SHRINKAGE REDUCING ADMIXTURE

are added to concrete during the initial mixing. This
type of admixture could reduce early and long-
term drying shrinkage.
SUPER PLASTICIZERS ADMIXTURE
The main purpose of using superplasticizers is to
produce flowing concrete with a high slump in the
range of seven to nine inches to be used in heavily
reinforced structures and in placements where
adequate consolidation by vibration cannot be
readily achieved.
Superplasticizer improves the workability of
concrete.
CORROSION INHIBITING
Corrosion-inhibiting admixtures fall into the
specialty admixture category and are used to slow
corrosion of reinforcing steel in concrete.
Corrosion-inhibiting admixtures have little effect on
strength at later ages but may accelerate early
strength development.
strength development.

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