Grade of Cement

All of us know there are 33,43 & 53 grade of cement available in the market. Have you ever wondered why there are this many grades? How has it been graded?

What is meant by the grade of cement?

Grade of cement is nothing but the compressive strength of the cement mortar cube after 28 days of setting. 

Grade of concrete greatly depends on the cement grade. It is essential to choose the right grade of cement for the required work. For instance, 33 Grade cement is only allowable upto M20 grade concrete.

How will cement be graded?

Cement will be mixed with water and sand at a specific ratio according to the IS codes guidance and made in a cube form of 70.6 mm. Then it will be tested for its average compressive strength just like concrete compressive strength at 3, 7 & 28 Days time interval

Strength of Cement	@ 3 Days	@ 7 Days	@ 28 Days
33 Grade	16 N/mm2	22 N/mm2	33 N/mm2
43 Grade	23 N/mm2	33 N/mm2	43 N/mm2
53 Grade	27 N/mm2	37 N/mm2	53 N/mm2

Why are there so many cement grades?

As the grade of cement increases, the fineness, strength, and cement cost will also increase. 

We don’t need high-grade cement for low strength concrete. According to the usage and applications, cement has been graded as 33, 43 & 53. There are other sorts of cement grades are also available in the market such as Super Grade, PSC Grade.

Types of Cement Grades

In general construction, we use the below grades of cement

• 33 Grade – The cement achieves 33 N/mm² compressive strength after 28 days of setting
• 43 Grade – The cement gains 43 N/mm² compressive strength after 28 days of setting
• 53 Grade – The cement gains 53 N/mm² compressive strength after 28 days of setting

Each one is distinct in its strengths and weaknesses.

Difference between 33, 43 and 53 Grade 

DETAILS	33 Grade of Cement	43 Grade of Cement	53 Grade of Cement
Indian Standards	IS 269	IS 8112	IS 12269
Heat of Hydration	Lower	Lower	Higher
Uses	Rarely Used.  Suitable for the concrete below M20	Suitable for PCC  RCC Works for Up to M30 All Types of finishing works	For RCC works above M30
Applications	For Concrete Structures which requires low strength such as parapet walls & Compound walls	Plastering Works Tiling Works Flooring Pathways Finishing works of bridges, water retaining structures	Suitable for high strength concrete structures such as column, slab, beam & footing Used in High rise buildings, industrial buildings, precast concrete works, prestressed structures like bridges, silos, runways, concrete roads
Price	Cheaper	Moderate	Costly

Happy Learning 🙂