CONCRETE TECHNOLOGY

(CE 207)

4th Semester

Prepared By: Engr. Muhammad Waleed Sarwar

Sarhad Univeristy of Science & Information Technology

 Introduction as Construction Material
• Cement is a binder, a substance used for
construction that sets, hardens, and adheres
to other materials to bind them together.
• Cement is used to bind sand and gravel
(aggregate) together.
• Cement mixed with fine aggregate Figure 1: Cement
produces mortar for masonry, or
with sand and gravel, produces concrete.
• Cement is the most widely used binding
material in existence.

Figure 2: Cement Mortar

 Manufacturing of Cement
Portland cement is made by heating limestone (calcium carbonate) with other materials
(such as clay) to 1450°C in a kiln, in a process known as calcination that liberates a
molecule of carbon dioxide from the calcium carbonate to form calcium oxide, or
quicklime. Which then chemically combines with the other materials in the mix to form
calcium silicates and other cementitious compounds. The resulting hard substance, called
'clinker', is then ground with a small amount of gypsum into a powder to make ordinary
Portland cement, the most commonly used type of cement (often referred to as OPC). The
most common use for Portland cement is to make concrete. As a construction material,
concrete can be cast in almost any shape, and once it hardens, can be a structural (load
bearing) element. Portland cement may be grey or white.
 Types of Cement
There are various types of cement used in concrete construction. Each type of cement has its own
properties, uses and advantages based on composition materials used during its manufacture.

1. Type I Normal cement.

2. Type IA Normal + air entrained agents.

3. Type II Moderate sulphate resistant cement.

4. Type IIA Moderate sulphate resistant cement + air entrained agents.

5. Type III High early strength cement.

6. Type IIIA High early strength cement + air entrained agents.

7. Type IV Low heat cement.

8. Type V High sulphate resistant cement.

1. Type I (Normal Cement) or 10 Cement:
• Normal Portland Cement.
• Used for general purpose.
• Available widely.
• Used where concrete is not subjected to specific exposures such as sulphate attacks from
soil or water or to an objectionable temperature rise due to heat of hydration.
• Suitable for all uses e.g. pavement, sidewalk, R.C buildings, bridges, water tanks, culverts,
sewers etc.
• This type of cement reaches its design strength in 28 days.
2. Type IA (Normal + Air entrained agents) or 10A Cement:
• Normal concrete plus air entrained agents.
• Air entrained concrete has microscopic air bubbles in the concrete.
• Air bubbles provide durability for concrete exposed to freezing and thawing.
• These air bubbles help to improve the workability of the concrete and reduce the slump.
• Smaller quantities of air entraining materials are mixed with cement at the time of
manufacture, well distributed and completely separated air bubbles.
• These are in millions per cubic feet.
3. Type II (Moderate sulphate resistant cement) or 20 Cement:
• Low heat of hydration (High C2S).
• Slow strength development (High C2S).
• This type of cement is used where structure is exposed to precaution sulphate attack.
• Like where concrete will come in contact with ground or buried in ground e.g. in drainage
structures, large piers, retaining walls etc.
• Type II generates less heat than type I and reaches its desired strength in 45 days.

4. Type IIA (Moderate sulphate resistant cement+air entrained agents) or

20A:
• Type II or 20 containing air entraining agents.
5. Type III ( High early strength cement) or 30 Cement:
• Rapid hardening cement/ High early strength cement.
• High C3S content upto 70%.
• High C2S.
• Same strength as Type 10 cement.
• It is used where formwork is to be removed quickly or sufficient strength for further
construction is required.
• It has high heat of hydration and achieves its design strength in 7 days or less.
• In cold climate it may serve well.
• Repair places of early traffic opening.
6. Type IIIA (High early strength cement + air entrained agents) or 30A:
• Type III or 30 containing air entraining agents.

7. Type IV (Low heat Cement) or 40 Cement:

• Low heat of hydration cement.
• Low C3S.
• Strength development slower than Type 10.
• This type of cement is used in mass concreting because it generates less heat, though sets
slowly but becomes much stronger after curing.
• Its design strength is 90 days.
8. Type V (High sulphate resisitant cement) or 50 Cement:
• High sulphate resisting cement.
• Lower strength than Type I.
• Low C3S.
• When concrete is exposed to highly alkaline soil or water having high sulphate content
then this type is used.
• This type of cement has a low C3A content so as to avoid sulphate attack from outside the
concrete.
• Otherwise the formation of calcium sulphoaluminate and gypsum would cause disruption
of concrete due to an increase in volume of resultant compounds.
Figure 3: General features of the main types of portland cement
 Chemical Properties of Cement
The raw materials for cement production are limestone (calcium), sand or clay (silicon),
bauxite (aluminum) and iron ore, and may include shells, chalk, marl, shale, clay, blast
furnace slag, slate. Chemical analysis of cement raw materials provides insight into the
chemical properties of cement.
• Tricalcium aluminate (C3A):
Low content of C3A makes the cement sulfate-resistant. Gypsum reduces the hydration of
C3A, which liberates a lot of heat in the early stages of hydration. C3A does not provide any
more than a little amount of strength.
• Tricalcium silicate (C3S):
C3S causes rapid hydration as well as hardening and is responsible for the cement’s early
strength gain and initial setting.
• Dicalcium silicate (C2S):
As opposed to tricalcium silicate, which helps early strength gain, dicalcium silicate in
cement helps the strength gain after one week.
• Ferrite (C4AF):
Ferrite is a fluxing agent. It reduces the melting temperature of the raw materials in the kiln
from 3,000°F to 2,600°F. Though it hydrates rapidly, it does not contribute much to the
strength of the cement.
• Magnesia (MgO):
The manufacturing process of Portland cement uses magnesia as a raw material in dry process
plants. An excess amount of magnesia may make the cement unsound, but a little amount of it
can add strength to the cement. Production of MgO-based cement also causes less CO2
emission. All cement is limited to a content of 6% MgO.
• Sulphur trioxide:
Sulfur trioxide in excess amount can make cement unsound.
• Iron oxide/ Ferric oxide:
Aside from adding strength and hardness, iron oxide or ferric oxide is mainly responsible for
the color of the cement.
• Alkalis:
The amounts of potassium oxide (K2O) and sodium oxide (Na2O) determine the alkali content
of the cement. Cement containing large amounts of alkali can cause some difficulty in
regulating the setting time of cement. Low alkali cement, when used with calcium chloride in
concrete, can cause discoloration.
• Free lime:
Free lime, which is sometimes present in cement, may cause expansion.
• Silica fumes:
Silica fume is added to cement concrete in order to improve a variety of properties, especially
compressive strength, abrasion resistance and bond strength. Though setting time is
prolonged by the addition of silica fume, it can grant exceptionally high strength. Hence,
Portland cement containing 5-20% silica fume is usually produced for Portland cement
projects that require high strength.
• Alumina:
Cement containing high alumina has the ability to withstand frigid(cold) temperatures since
alumina is chemical-resistant. It also quickens the setting but weakens the cement.
 OTHER CEMENTS
1. High Alumina Cement (HAC):
The raw materials of HAC are limestone or chalk and bauxite (a residual deposit formed
by weathering under tropical conditions of rock containing Al2O3, Fe2O3, FeO, TiO2)
which are interground and calcined(heating) at 1600⁰C in the kiln. The solidified material
is fragmented and ground to a fineness of 2500-3000 cm2/gr. Its color is dark grey.
Properties:
• High resistance to the action of sulfate waters (due to absence of Ca(OH)2).
• Extremely high early strength (suitable for emergency repairs). 80% of the ultimate
strength is achieved in 24 hours or even at 6-8 hours.
• Initial set = 4 hrs and Final set = 5 hrs.
• It is expensive.
• Never use HAC in mass concrete.
• Never use with an admixture.
• Never mix HAC with PC (flash set and low strength).
2. Portland Pozzolan Cement:
• Pozzolan: Volcanic dust found at Pozzuoli, Italy and used since Roman times
as hydraulic cement when mixed with lime. All pozzolans contain silica and
siliceous or aluminous minerals.
• Fly ash, slag (blast-furnace), silica fume are artificial pozzolans. Volcanic ash
is natural pozzolan.
• Portland Pozzolan Cement produces less heat of hydration and offers greater
resistance to the sulfate attack than OPC (useful for marine and hydraulic
construction and mass concrete).
• Most pozzolans do not contribute to the strength at early ages, so strength
gain of these cements is slow.
• Therefore they require larger curing period, but the ultimate strength is the
same as OPC.
3. Masonry Cement:
• Is used in mortar for brickwork.
• Made by intergrinding very finely ground PC, limestone and air-entraining
agent, or alternatively PC and hydrated lime, granulated slag or inert filler
and an air-entraining agent.
• More plastic than OPC.
• Due to low strength it can not be used for structural concrete.
4. Natural Cement:
• Raw material is cement rock (which is a clayey limestone containing up to
25% argillaceous material).
• The resulting cement is intermediate between PC and hydraulic lime.
• Contains no C3S and is therefore slow hardening.
5. Expansive Cements:
• These are cements which upon hydration give product capable of expansion.
• Expansive cements are used in special applications such as the prevention of
water leakage.
• It has high resistance to sulfate attack.

 Nomenclature for Cements:

• Cement is described in terms of cement type, strength class and rate of early
strength development.
• For example;
• PC52.5R
• PC: Portland Cement (Type of Cement)
• 52.5: 52.5 MPa (Standard Strength at 28 days)
• R: Rapid (Sub-class: Indicated the rate of early strength development
i.e. R: rapid, N: Normal, L: Low) Total
 TESTING OF CEMENT
Testing of cement can be brought under two categories:
a. Field testing
b. Laboratory testing.
Field Testing:
It is sufficient to subject the cement to field tests when it is used for minor
works. The following are the field tests:
a. Open the bag and take a good look at the cement. There should not be any
visible lumps. The colour of the cement should normally be greenish grey.
b. Thrust your hand into the cement bag. It must give you a cool feeling. There
should not be any lump inside.
c. Take a pinch of cement and feel-between the fingers. It should give a smooth
and not a gritty feeling.
d. Take a handful of cement and throw it on a bucket full of water, the particles
should float for some time before they sink.
 Assignment No. 1

1. Types of Laboratory Test on Cement.

Last date of Submission: Next Class.