We knew the importance of cement in construction. According to the requirement, cement has been manufactured in multiple types by altering its raw material and the manufacturing process.
In this post, we are going to discuss the different types of cement and its uses.
We can categorize the cement into two broad categories such as,
Natural Cement
Artificial Cement
1. Natural Cement
Natural Cement is manufactured from crushed stone, with 20 to 40% clay content and remaining lime
mixed carbonate magnesia. It holds brown in colour and sets rapidly when mixed with water.
USES – It is mostly used for the restoration of old buildings and monuments. Also used in modern construction for decoration purposes.
ADVANTAGE
Quick setting
Preserves stone
100% Natural
Resistant to corrosive water
Artificial Cement
All the modern cement that we used in day to day life is known as artificial cement. The composition of the different materials produces artificial cement. Artificial cement is classified below.
2. Ordinary Portland Cement
Ordinary Portland cement is widely used to construct a normal structure where the special cement
properties are not required. It produces the medium range of strength development and heat generation. OPC cement is resisting the dry shrinkage and cracking, but it has less resistance to chemical attack.
USES – Most commonly used in construction. Different grades of OPC cement are available in the market according to the need.
ADVANTAGE
Great Resistance to Cracks and Shrinkage
Faster initial setting time than PPC
Less curing time compared to PPC
3. Rapid Hardening Portland Cement
Rapid hardening cement is also known as “High early strength cement” because it produces the strength
at the age of 3 days is equal to the 7 days strength of OPC cement with the same water-cement ratio.
RHC is a special cement where high early strength is required. Another name for Rapid hardening cement is “High early strength cement”. It attains compressive strength in a short period.
A higher percentage of C3 S (Tricalcium silicate) has added to the cement to attain higher strength in a short period, and it is lighter than OPC.
USES –It is used to manufacture precast structures such as electrical poles, slabs. It used for highly strength requirement areas such as concrete pavements, roads where public transport happens frequently.
ADVANTAGE
Lighter than OPC cement.
It requires a short curing period.
It protects the structure from sulphate attack
Quick Setting time to complete the work faster.
4. Extra Rapid Hardening Cement
This cement has manufactured by adding 3% of calcium chloride with Rapid Hardening Portland Cement.
USES –Generally, this type of cement is used in waterlogged areas, bridges, dams. Because those structures required high strength required in a short period to continue the flow of construction activity.
ADVANTAGE –It gives 25% higher strength than RHP Cement in 2 days and 10 to 20% higher at 7 Days.
5. Low Heat Portland Cement
As the name suggests it produces less heat during hydration. It contains a low percentage (5%) of C3 S, and a high percentage (46%) of C2 S and remaining materials are the same as ordinary cement.
Due to its less compressive strength, it is not suitable to construct the structure. C3S – Hydrate Quickly; C2S – Hydrate Slowly
USES – Low heat cement is mainly used in mass concrete (Raft Concrete) work. Used to construct offshore concrete towers, gravity dams, retaining walls. Used in hot weathering conditions.
ADVANTAGE
Improves structure durability
Sulphate resistant
Minimize the thermal cracking due to low heat
6. Sulphate Resisting Cement
The sulphate resisting cement is a type of cement that has low Tricalcium aluminate (C3A) & Tetracalcium
alumino ferrite (C4AF) content and high Tricalcium silicate (C3S) content than the normal chemical composition of OPC.
It is expensive and not readily available because a particular raw material has required for manufacturing the cement.
USES – Mostly sulphate resisting cement is used to construct the underground structure, sewer line, Coastal works, and the structure near the sea. Used to construct cooling towers, Treatment plants, Piling works.
ADVANTAGE
Protects the structure from sulphate attack.
High durability under aggressive conditions.
Low heat development during hydration.
7. Waterproof Cement
The waterproof cement is manufactured by adding water repellent agents and some metal like Ca, Al with ordinary or RHC cement.
USES –Waterproof cement is used to construct the water retaining structure like dams, tanks.
ADVANTAGE
Protects the structure from deterioration by water.
Reduces maintanance
8. High Alumina Cement
High alumina cement is the same as rapid hardening cement, which attains ultimate strength in a short
period. It has manufactured from bauxite and limestone. It contains 35% of Alumina and a balance of lime components. HAC seems to be the colour of chocolate.
USES – It can be used in the construction of a chemical plant or storage yard, marine construction.
ADVANTAGE
It is not affected by frost
It does not expand during the setting
It achieves high strength in a short period.
9. Quick Setting Cement
Quick setting cement contains less percentage of gypsum and Aluminium Sulphate. The setting time of this cement was accelerated by Aluminium Sulphate Al2(SO4)3.
USES – Quick Setting cement is used in waterlogged areas such as underwater construction, river bridges, piers.
It can be used in rainy and cold weathering conditions.
10. Slag Cement
Portland Slag Cement is a hydraulic cement that is manufactured by grinding burnt furnace slag to suitable fineness and
mixed with ordinary portland cement in a particular ratio. It seems to be the colour of blackish grey.
The price of slag cement is lower than the OPC cement. It is not suitable for standard RCC structure because it has less early strength.
USES –Generally, slag cement is used in seawater construction because of its good sulphate resistance capacity. It is used in mass concrete works such as pile, dam, raft, concrete road & precast products.
ADVANTAGE
Gives a smooth finish
Low cost compared to OPC
Lower evolution of heat
11. White Cement
It is a pure form of OPC. White cement only differs from the ordinary portland cement by its colour. It has a clean & bright colour because of its manufacturing process. It was manufactured by the raw material iron oxide and manganese oxide, adding with OPC.
USES –It is mostly used for decorative purposes (false ceiling). It is used in architectural work because of its good aesthetic values. It is also used as sealant and grouting material for floorings.
12. Acid Resistant Cement
Acid-resistant cement is manufactured by mixing of acid-resistant aggregates like quartz and sodium fluosilicate (Na2) with ordinary cement.
USES –ARC cement is widely used in the chemical industry.
13. Coloured Cement
Coloured cement is manufactured by adding 5 to 15% of suitable pigment while grinding the cement.
Example
Iron Oxide (Fe2O3 )- Red colour
Chromium Oxide (Cr2O3) – Green Colour
Cobalt Oxide (CoO) – Blue Colour
Uses – It is used for the decorative purpose where multiple color sealants needed such on a false ceiling.
14. Expanding Cement
To produce the Expanding cement, the expanding material added with ordinary cement. It increases in volume once they set.
USES – It is used in the construction of a water storage structure. It is used where the shrinkage and cracks are need to be avoided. It is used in the construction where the concrete needs to create pressure on other structures.
ADVANTAGE
Helps to prevents leakage
Seals small cracks
Stronger than Portland Cement
15. Portland Pozzolana Cement
Pozzolana is an artificial material having silica and alumina. It is having excellent tensile strength and also economically reasonable. Mostly PPC cement is used in the construction of sewage works.
USES – It is used in marine construction & hydraulic structures. It is used in mass concrete works such as pre & post-tensioned structures.
ADVANTAGE
Eco-friendly
Made of recycled materials
Less Carbon monoxide emission
16. Super sulphated Cement
The super sulphated cement has manufactured by the combination of granulated slag, calcium sulphate, and portland cement. It produces less heat of hydration during the setting time.
Super sulphated cement is used in the construction of seawater related works.
17. Masonry Cement
This cement has manufactured by the raw material of Portland cement, gypsum, and limestone with water repellent agents. Typically its compressive strength is 2.5Mpa in 7 days.
USES – It is mainly used for mortar purposes.
IS Code for Cement
We listed out the IS code for the respective cement.
1 Comment
Is there Reinfrocen cement or it is concrete?