Different Types of Cement – from British

Cement Association

Topics Covered
Sustainability and Factory-Made Cements

Factory-Made Composite Cements

Portland Cement CEM I

Sulfate-Resisting Cements

Rapid Hardening Portland Cements

White Cement

Masonry Cement

Expansive Cements

Environmental Cements

Non-Portland Cements

Sustainability and Factory-Made Cements

Integration of sustainability into all its operations now sets the UK cement industry's agenda. 
For cements to remain viable, their embodied energy and carbon footprint must be reduced over
time without jeopardising product performance.  The increasing availability of cements such as
CEM II types for use in concrete, mortar and grout plus the continued production of niche
Masonry cements for use only in mortar, will help the industry to meet its social and
environmental obligations and achieve necessary economic objectives.

Until now, Portland cement CEM I, of strength classes 42,5 or 52,5, has been the 'traditional'
cement in the UK, although it is the least sustainable type given its high proportion of cement
clinker.  Greener, more sustainable 'non-CEM I' cement solutions incorporating lower
proportions of clinker are now generally available in both bulk supply and packed in bags.  Use
of these non-CEM I factory-made cements should become more and more widespread as prudent
specifiers include a cement's sustainability credentials within their specification criteria.

Factory-Made Composite Cements

Used here, the expression, 'factory-made composite cements' means any cement that comprises
Portland cement clinker combined (interground or blended) with one or more additional
inorganic constituents plus an optimised amount of set-regulator (gypsum).  The additional
constituents are selected from materials such as power station fly ash, blastfurnace slag and
limestone, all already familiar to UK concrete, mortar and grouting practice.  Therefore, in terms
of the British/European standard for common cements, BS EN 197-1, factory-made composite
cements, are collectively, types: CEM II, CEM III, CEM IV and CEM V i.e. any 'non-CEM I'
cement specified in the standard.  Such a use of the term aligns with the UK concrete sector's
traditional understanding but is wider than is implied by the standard itself wherein two
particular cements, CEM II/M and CEM V, include the word 'composite' in their names. In
general, the appropriate use of factory-made composite cements delivers performance equal to
that of concrete containing CEM I cement and under certain conditions, can improve on the
durability performance achieved.

Furthermore, in the case of use in masonry mortars within the generality of exposure conditions,
factory-made composite cements can achieve the same level of performance on a one-to-one
basis as a CEM I cement within the same traditional volume mix proportions.

Portland Cement CEM I

Formerly known as ordinary Portland cement (OPC), CEM I is manufactured to conform to
British Standard BS EN 197-1.  CEM I is the cement that has been most commonly used
throughout the world in civil engineering and building works.  Concretes and mortars made
using CEM I are versatile, durable and forgiving of poor construction practice.  In addition,
specific properties can be enhanced by altering either the cement-making recipe or the size of the
particles and so producing different cements. However, CEM I is the least sustainable type and
use of alternatives is in the ascendancy.

Sulfate-Resisting Cements
The traditional sulfate-resisting cement used in the UK has been sulfate-resisting Portland
cement (SRPC), conforming to BS 4027.  SRPC is a special type of CEM I cement manufactured
to contain a high content of iron oxide in order to limit the amount of the mineral phase
tricalcium aluminate (C3A) and thereby increase its sulfate resistance.  Additionally, SRPC is
normally a low alkali cement which benefits concrete in resisting the alkali silica reaction
(ASR).  However, it is not the only sulfate-resisting cement available.  Various factory-made
composite cements are also sulfate-resisting including the generally available CEM II/B-V type
of Portland-fly ash cement containing at least 25% of fly ash.  Such CEM II/B-V cements are
permitted for use in the same wide-range of sulfate exposure conditions as is SRPC and are also
low in reactive alkalis.  Moreover, SRPC is a type of CEM I cement with a high clinker content,
it is no longer manufactured in the UK and is becoming more difficult to source.  Consequently,
greener sulfate-resisting composite cements will continue to grow in importance.

Rapid Hardening Portland Cements

Rapid hardening versions of CEM I cements are available.  The average particle size is smaller
in these cements and they gain strength more quickly than do ordinary CEM I types.  They
generate more heat in the early stages and can be useful in cold weather concreting.  However,
their principal use is in manufacturing precast concrete units where the high early strength of the
concrete permits quick re-use of moulds and formwork.

Cements described as either rapid-setting or extra rapid hardening may be mixtures of CEM I
and a non-Portland cement such as calcium aluminate or calcium sulfoaluminate and will tend to
both set and harden (gain strength) very quickly.

White Cement
White cement is a Portland cement CEM I made from specially selected raw materials, usually
pure chalk and white clay (kaolin) containing very small quantities of iron oxides and manganese
oxides.  White cement is frequently chosen by architects for use in white, off-white or coloured
concretes that will be exposed, inside or outside buildings, to the public's gaze.

Masonry Cement:
Masonry cements, as their name suggests, are designed for use in masonry mortars for
bricklaying, blocklaying, rendering and plastering work.  They are generally mixtures of
Portland cement CEM I plus selected mineral additions (e.g. limestone or hydrated lime) and
chemical admixtures such as air-entraining plasticisers that form tiny bubbles of air in the
mortar.  Masonry cements are used with sands and water to produce workable, cohesive mortars
that are freeze/thaw resistant in the fresh wet and hardened states.

Expansive Cements
Concretes, based on most cement types, tend to shrink in volume as they dry out.  Expansive
cements are designed to either compensate for this shrinkage or to lead to an overall increase in
volume compared to the concrete when first placed. They tend to be mixtures of Portland and
calcium sulfoaluminate clinkers, optimised for gypsum content.

Environmental Cements
In principle, environmental cements are of two types, neither of which conforms to any strict
definition: those that are formulated to treat and encapsulate environmental residues and those
designed to limit the environmental impact of manufacture in comparison with traditional
cements by reducing energy usage, virgin raw materials and/or atmospheric emissions.

The first type cover a range of compositions and properties, although many are Portland cement-
based, they are specifically formulated to treat and remediate contaminated soils, sludges and
wastes.  The use of these cements in situ, produces a new construction product, for example a
cement-bound soil, a practice/product that in time is set to replace the time-expired dig and dump
philosophy.

The second type of environmental cements tend to be described by their manufacturers as eco-
cements or low energy/low carbon cements and are differentiated by process, raw materials,
properties and uses.  There is a wide range of these non-Portland 'alternative cements' and their
potential is being monitored closely.

Non-Portland Cements
These products tend to embody less energy and have an inherently smaller 'carbon footprint' than
most cements based on Portland cement clinker; this means that during manufacture
comparatively less energy is used and less carbon dioxide is emitted.  In principle, this makes
such cements more sustainable and therefore potential candidates to eventually replace Portland
cements in whole or in part.  However, whether such non-Portland cements will simply satisfy
niche markets or occupy a more major role in construction depends crucially on the
geographical/geological availability of the raw materials used in their manufacture.  Limestone,
the principal raw material in Portland cement clinker production is geologically abundant and
hence it forms the basis for the 'global binder' Portland cement CEM I.  By and large, the raw
materials used to make non-Portland cements are less abundant and less widely dispersed.

Examples of these disparate cements publicised as possible candidates to be general construction

materials, are: calcium sulfoaluminate-based cements (e.g. CSA-bC2S variants) geopolymeric
cements (alkali aluminosilicates), magnesium-oxide based cements and C-Fix (hydrocarbon-
based).  Irrespective of the cement type, extensive research on long term performance will be
required before widespread acceptance in general construction, or indeed structural applications,
could be achieved.  In addition, there are a number of non-Portland cements that have established
niche markets, some examples of these are: calcium aluminate cement (high alumina) used for
refractory purposes or its rapid hardening properties, magnesium oxychloride cement (Sorel
cement) for flooring, magnesium phosphate cement for rapid repair of roads and airport runways,
alkali activated slags and natural/prompt cement.

Cement Basics
Written by: Finn Orfano • Edited by: Lamar Stonecypher
Published Jul 21, 2009 • Related Guides: IP

Concrete and cement are not the same thing. Learn the difference between the two and learn all
about the different types of cement that are available for construction projects.
How many times have you heard someone say walk on the cement sidewalk? How about the
concrete sidewalk? Which is correct? Actually, the correct phrase is "concrete sidewalk.” Many
people use the terms interchangeably, but actually they are different.

Concrete is a mixture of cement, water, sand, and gravel. By volume, 10 to 15% of concrete is
cement. As concrete hardens, the mixture becomes stronger. The hardening process can take
years. Concrete has the ability to withstand the pressure of heavy loads because it has high
compression strength. It can also be molded into any shape, can be made porous or watertight,
and is a relatively cheap material for use in construction projects.

Cement is powder and is one of the main ingredients in concrete. Cement and concrete have been
used in construction since at least the Roman Empire. Modern cement is made of limestone,
silicon, calcium, and often aluminum and iron.

The type of cement used in almost all concrete is Portland cement. Portland cement has been
around since 1824. The name Portland does not refer to a brand name, as many might think. The
original inventor, Joseph Aspdin, was a British bricklayer and named his new invention
“Portland” because its color reminded him of the color of the natural limestone on the Isle of
Portland which is a peninsula in the English Channel.

Although Portland cement is the main cement used in concrete, there are other types of cement.
The three types that are often mentioned are Portland, blended, and hydraulic. All Portland and
blended cements are actually hydraulic cement. What is hydraulic cement, though? Hydraulic
cement is actually the generic term in the construction industry. It refers to any cement that will
set and harden after it is combined with water. Most modern construction cements are hydraulic.
There are six different types of hydraulic cement:

 Type GU: General Use

 Type HE: High Early Strength
 Type MS: Moderate Sulfate Resistance
 Type HS: High Sulfate Resistance
 Type MH: Moderate Heat of Hydration
 Type LH: Low Heat of Hydration

Portland cement is a particular type of hydraulic cement. Portland cement contains hydraulic
calcium silicates. There are eight specific types of Portland cement that fall into categories
ranging from Type I to Type V. Type I and Type IA are general purpose cements. Type II and
Type IIA contain tricalcium aluminate, but no more than 8%. To compare to the hydraulic
cement types, some of the Type II cements meeting the standard for the moderate heat of
hydration type.

Type III and Type IIIA are similar to Type I cements. However, they have higher early strengths
because they are ground finer. Type IV cements are used in special types of structures that
require a small amount of heat to be generated from hydration. Type IV cements develop their
strength over a longer period of time when compared to other types. Finally, Type V cement has
a high sulfate resistance which means it contains no more than 5% tricalcium aluminate.
The third type of cement is blended cement. Blended cement is also hydraulic cement and is
made by mixing two or more materials. Usually the primary materials used in blended cement
are Portland cement and slag cement. Fly ash, silica fume, calcined clay, pozzolan, and hydrated
lime are also used. There are two main types of blended cement:

 Type IS (X): Portland blast furnace slag cement

 Type IP (X): Portrland-pozzolan cement

The X represents the amount of the second material that is in the mixture.

The reason that there are different types of cements is not only required because of the different
uses of the cement, but also because of the type of materials available differ by location. Many of
the types described above actually cross-over between the different categories. This allows for
flexibility in particular construction projects. For example, different pozzolans and slag are
available in different regions. As long as the desired properties of the concrete can be achieved
usually, there is flexibility in the final choice of cement that is used.

What are the 5 different types of cement and

their uses?
Answer:

1. Type-I - Ordinary portland cement used in general construction

2. Type-II - Portland pozzolana cement , moderate heat of hydration
3. Type- III - Rapid hardening cement used for quick setting works
4. Type-IV - low heat cement, low heat of hydration
5. Type-V - Sulphate resisting cement used in sewage linings,marine construction.

Cement
In the most general sense of the word, a cement is a binder, a substance that sets and hardens
independently, and can bind other materials together. The word "cement" traces to the Romans,
who used the term opus caementicium to describe masonry resembling modern concrete that was
made from crushed rock with burnt lime as binder. The volcanic ash and pulverized brick
additives that were added to the burnt lime to obtain a hydraulic binder were later referred to as
cementum, cimentum, cäment, and cement.

Cement used in construction is characterized as hydraulic or non-hydraulic. Hydraulic cements

(e.g., Portland cement) harden because of hydration, chemical reactions that occur independently
of the mixture's water content; they can harden even underwater or when constantly exposed to
wet weather. The chemical reaction that results when the anhydrous cement powder is mixed
with water produces hydrates that are not water-soluble. Non-hydraulic cements (e.g. gypsum
plaster) must be kept dry in order to retain their strength.

The most important use of cement is the production of mortar and concrete—the bonding of
natural or artificial aggregates to form a strong building material that is durable in the face of
normal environmental effects.

Concrete should not be confused with cement, because the term cement refers to the material
used to bind the aggregate materials of concrete. Concrete is a combination of a cement and
aggregate.

Contents
 

 1 History of the origin of cement

o 1.1 Early uses
o 1.2 Modern cement
 2 Types of modern cement
o 2.1 Portland cement
o 2.2 Portland cement blends
o 2.3 Non-Portland hydraulic cements
 3 Curing (Setting)
 4 Safety issues
 5 Cement industry in the world
o 5.1 China
o 5.2 Africa
 6 Environmental impacts
o 6.1 CO2 emissions
o 6.2 Heavy metal emissions in the air
o 6.3 Heavy metals present in the clinker
o 6.4 Use of alternative fuels and by-products materials
 7 Green cement
 8 See also
 9 References
 10 Further reading
 11 External links

[edit] History of the origin of cement

[edit] Early uses

It is uncertain where it was first discovered that a combination of hydrated non-hydraulic lime
and a pozzolan produces a hydraulic mixture (see also: Pozzolanic reaction), but concrete made
from such mixtures was first used by the Ancient Macedonians[1][2] and three centuries later on a
large scale by Roman engineers.[3] They used both natural pozzolans (trass or pumice) and
artificial pozzolans (ground brick or pottery) in these concretes. Many excellent examples of
structures made from these concretes are still standing, notably the huge dome of the Pantheon in
Rome and the massive Baths of Caracalla.[4] The vast system of Roman aqueducts also made
extensive use of hydraulic cement.[5]

Although any preservation of this knowledge in literary sources from the Middle Ages is
unknown, medieval masons and some military engineers maintained an active tradition of using
hydraulic cement in structures such as canals, fortresses, harbors, and shipbuilding facilities.[6][7]
The technical knowledge of making hydraulic cement was later formalized by French and British
engineers in the 18th century.[6]

[edit] Modern cement

Modern hydraulic cements began to be developed from the start of the Industrial Revolution
(around 1800), driven by three main needs:

 Hydraulic cement render (stucco) for finishing brick buildings in wet climates.
 Hydraulic mortars for masonry construction of harbor works, etc., in contact with sea water.
 Development of strong concretes.

In Britain particularly, good quality building stone became ever more expensive during a period
of rapid growth, and it became a common practice to construct prestige buildings from the new
industrial bricks, and to finish them with a stucco to imitate stone. Hydraulic limes were favored
for this, but the need for a fast set time encouraged the development of new cements. Most
famous was Parker's "Roman cement".[8] This was developed by James Parker in the 1780s, and
finally patented in 1796. It was, in fact, nothing like any material used by the Romans, but was a
"Natural cement" made by burning septaria – nodules that are found in certain clay deposits, and
that contain both clay minerals and calcium carbonate. The burnt nodules were ground to a fine
powder. This product, made into a mortar with sand, set in 5–15 minutes. The success of
"Roman Cement" led other manufacturers to develop rival products by burning artificial
mixtures of clay and chalk.

John Smeaton made an important contribution to the development of cements when he was
planning the construction of the third Eddystone Lighthouse (1755–9) in the English Channel.
He needed a hydraulic mortar that would set and develop some strength in the twelve hour period
between successive high tides. He performed an exhaustive market research on the available
hydraulic limes, visiting their production sites, and noted that the "hydraulicity" of the lime was
directly related to the clay content of the limestone from which it was made. Smeaton was a civil
engineer by profession, and took the idea no further. Apparently unaware of Smeaton's work, the
same principle was identified by Louis Vicat in the first decade of the nineteenth century. Vicat
went on to devise a method of combining chalk and clay into an intimate mixture, and, burning
this, produced an "artificial cement" in 1817. James Frost,[9] working in Britain, produced what
he called "British cement" in a similar manner around the same time, but did not obtain a patent
until 1822. In 1824, Joseph Aspdin patented a similar material, which he called Portland cement,
because the render made from it was in color similar to the prestigious Portland stone.

Setting time and "early strength" are important characteristics of cements. Hydraulic limes,
"natural" cements, and "artificial" cements all rely upon their belite content for strength
development. Belite develops strength slowly. Because they were burned at temperatures below
1250 °C, they contained no alite, which is responsible for early strength in modern cements. The
first cement to consistently contain alite was made by Joseph Aspdin's son William in the early
1840s. This was what we call today "modern" Portland cement. Because of the air of mystery
with which William Aspdin surrounded his product, others (e.g., Vicat and I.C. Johnson) have
claimed precedence in this invention, but recent analysis[10] of both his concrete and raw cement
have shown that William Aspdin's product made at Northfleet, Kent was a true alite-based
cement. However, Aspdin's methods were "rule-of-thumb": Vicat is responsible for establishing
the chemical basis of these cements, and Johnson established the importance of sintering the mix
in the kiln.

William Aspdin's innovation was counterintuitive for manufacturers of "artificial cements",

because they required more lime in the mix (a problem for his father), a much higher kiln
temperature (and therefore more fuel), and the resulting clinker was very hard and rapidly wore
down the millstones, which were the only available grinding technology of the time.
Manufacturing costs were therefore considerably higher, but the product set reasonably slowly
and developed strength quickly, thus opening up a market for use in concrete. The use of
concrete in construction grew rapidly from 1850 onwards, and was soon the dominant use for
cements. Thus Portland cement began its predominant role.

In the US the first large scale use of cement was Rosendale cement a natural cement mined from
a massive deposit of a large dolostone rock deposit discovered in the early 19th century near
Rosendale, New York. Rosendale cement was extremely popular for the foundation of buildings
(e.g., Statue of Liberty, Capitol Building, Brooklyn Bridge) and lining water pipes. But its long
curing time of at least a month made it unpopular after World War One in the construction of
highways and bridges and many states and construction firms turned to the use of Portland
cement. Because of the switch to Portland cement, by the end of the 1920s of the 15 Rosendale
cement companies, only one had survived. But in the early 1930s it was soon discovered that
Portland cement while it had a faster setting time was not as durable, especially for highways, to
the point that some states stopped building highways and roads with cement. An engineer,
Bertrain H. Wait, whose company had worked on the construction of the New York Cities
Catskill Aqueduct, and was impressed with the durability of Rosendale cement, came up with a
blend of both Rosendale and synthetic cements which has the good attributes of both: it was
highly durable and had a much faster setting time. Mr. Wait convinced the New York
Commissioner of Highways to construct an experimental section highway near New Paltz, New
York, of one sack of Rosendale to six sacks of synthetic cement, and it was proved a success and
for decades hence the Rosendale-synthetic cement blend became common use in highway and
bridge construction.[11]

[edit] Types of modern cement

[edit] Portland cement
Main article: Portland cement

Cement is made by heating limestone (calcium carbonate) with small quantities of other
materials (such as clay) to 1450 °C in a kiln, in a process known as calcination, whereby a
molecule of carbon dioxide is liberated from the calcium carbonate to form calcium oxide, or
quicklime, which is then blended with the other materials that have been included in the mix.
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).

Portland cement is a basic ingredient of concrete, mortar and most non-specialty grout. The most
common use for Portland cement is in the production of concrete. Concrete is a composite
material consisting of aggregate (gravel and sand), cement, and water. As a construction
material, concrete can be cast in almost any shape desired, and once hardened, can become a
structural (load bearing) element. Portland cement may be grey or white.

Portland cement blends

Portland cement blends are often available as inter-ground mixtures from cement manufacturers,
but similar formulations are often also mixed from the ground components at the concrete
mixing plant.[12]

Portland blastfurnace cement contains up to 70 % ground granulated blast furnace slag, with
the rest Portland clinker and a little gypsum. All compositions produce high ultimate strength,
but as slag content is increased, early strength is reduced, while sulfate resistance increases and
heat evolution diminishes. Used as an economic alternative to Portland sulfate-resisting and low-
heat cements.[13]

Portland flyash cement contains up to 35 % fly ash. The fly ash is pozzolanic, so that ultimate
strength is maintained. Because fly ash addition allows a lower concrete water content, early
strength can also be maintained. Where good quality cheap fly ash is available, this can be an
economic alternative to ordinary Portland cement.[14]

Portland pozzolan cement includes fly ash cement, since fly ash is a pozzolan, but also includes
cements made from other natural or artificial pozzolans. In countries where volcanic ashes are
available (e.g. Italy, Chile, Mexico, the Philippines) these cements are often the most common
form in use.

Portland silica fume cement. Addition of silica fume can yield exceptionally high strengths,
and cements containing 5–20 % silica fume are occasionally produced. However, silica fume is
more usually added to Portland cement at the concrete mixer.[15]

Masonry cements are used for preparing bricklaying mortars and stuccos, and must not be used
in concrete. They are usually complex proprietary formulations containing Portland clinker and a
number of other ingredients that may include limestone, hydrated lime, air entrainers, retarders,
waterproofers and coloring agents. They are formulated to yield workable mortars that allow
rapid and consistent masonry work. Subtle variations of Masonry cement in the US are Plastic
Cements and Stucco Cements. These are designed to produce controlled bond with masonry
blocks.

Expansive cements contain, in addition to Portland clinker, expansive clinkers (usually

sulfoaluminate clinkers), and are designed to offset the effects of drying shrinkage that is
normally encountered with hydraulic cements. This allows large floor slabs (up to 60 m square)
to be prepared without contraction joints.

White blended cements may be made using white clinker and white supplementary materials
such as high-purity metakaolin.

Colored cements are used for decorative purposes. In some standards, the addition of pigments
to produce "colored Portland cement" is allowed. In other standards (e.g. ASTM), pigments are
not allowed constituents of Portland cement, and colored cements are sold as "blended hydraulic
cements".

Very finely ground cements are made from mixtures of cement with sand or with slag or other
pozzolan type minerals that are extremely finely ground together. Such cements can have the
same physical characteristics as normal cement but with 50% less cement particularly due to
their increased surface area for the chemical reaction. Even with intensive grinding they can use
up to 50% less energy to fabricate than ordinary Portland cements.[16]

Non-Portland hydraulic cements

Pozzolan-lime cements. Mixtures of ground pozzolan and lime are the cements used by the
Romans, and can be found in Roman structures still standing (e.g. the Pantheon in Rome). They
develop strength slowly, but their ultimate strength can be very high. The hydration products that
produce strength are essentially the same as those produced by Portland cement.

Slag-lime cements. Ground granulated blast furnace slag is not hydraulic on its own, but is
"activated" by addition of alkalis, most economically using lime. They are similar to pozzolan
lime cements in their properties. Only granulated slag (i.e. water-quenched, glassy slag) is
effective as a cement component.

Supersulfated cements. These contain about 80% ground granulated blast furnace slag, 15 %
gypsum or anhydrite and a little Portland clinker or lime as an activator. They produce strength
by formation of ettringite, with strength growth similar to a slow Portland cement. They exhibit
good resistance to aggressive agents, including sulfate.

Calcium aluminate cements are hydraulic cements made primarily from limestone and bauxite.
The active ingredients are monocalcium aluminate CaAl2O4 (CaO · Al2O3 or CA in Cement
chemist notation, CCN) and mayenite Ca12Al14O33 (12 CaO · 7 Al2O3, or C12A7 in CCN). Strength
forms by hydration to calcium aluminate hydrates. They are well-adapted for use in refractory
(high-temperature resistant) concretes, e.g. for furnace linings.
Calcium sulfoaluminate cements are made from clinkers that include ye'elimite
(Ca4(AlO2)6SO4 or C4A3 in Cement chemist's notation) as a primary phase. They are used in
expansive cements, in ultra-high early strength cements, and in "low-energy" cements. Hydration
produces ettringite, and specialized physical properties (such as expansion or rapid reaction) are
obtained by adjustment of the availability of calcium and sulfate ions. Their use as a low-energy
alternative to Portland cement has been pioneered in China, where several million tonnes per
year are produced.[17][18] Energy requirements are lower because of the lower kiln temperatures
required for reaction, and the lower amount of limestone (which must be endothermically
decarbonated) in the mix. In addition, the lower limestone content and lower fuel consumption
leads to a CO2 emission around half that associated with Portland clinker. However, SO2
emissions are usually significantly higher.

"Natural" cements correspond to certain cements of the pre-Portland era, produced by burning
argillaceous limestones at moderate temperatures. The level of clay components in the limestone
(around 30–35 %) is such that large amounts of belite (the low-early strength, high-late strength
mineral in Portland cement) are formed without the formation of excessive amounts of free lime.
As with any natural material, such cements have highly variable properties.

Geopolymer cements are made from mixtures of water-soluble alkali metal silicates and
aluminosilicate mineral powders such as fly ash and metakaolin.

Curing (Setting)
Cement sets or cures when mixed with water which causes a series of hydration chemical
reactions. The constituents slowly hydrate and crystallize; the interlocking of the crystals gives
cement its strength. Maintaining a high moisture content in cement during curing increases both
the speed of curing, and its final strength. Gypsum is often added to Portland cement to prevent
early hardening or "flash setting", allowing a longer working time. The time it takes for cement
to cure varies depending on the mixture and environmental conditions; initial hardening can
occur in as little as twenty minutes, while full cure can take over a month. Cement typically
cures to the extent that it can be put into service within 24 hours to a week.

Safety issues
Bags of cement routinely have health and safety warnings printed on them because not only is
cement highly alkaline, but the setting process is exothermic. As a result, wet cement is strongly
caustic and can easily cause severe skin burns if not promptly washed off with water. Similarly,
dry cement powder in contact with mucous membranes can cause severe eye or respiratory
irritation. Cement users should wear protective clothing.[19][20][21]

Cement industry in the world

In 2010 the world production of hydraulic cement was 3,300 million tonnes. The top three
producers were China with 1,800, India with 220 and USA with 63.5 million tonnes for a
combined total of over half the world total by the world's three most populated states.[22]
For the world capacity to produce cement in 2010 the situation was similar with the top three
states (China, India and USA) accounting for just under half the world total capacity.[23]

China

"For the past 18 years, China consistently has produced more cement than any other country in
the world. [...] (However,) China's cement export peaked in 1994 with 11 million tonnes shipped
out and has been in steady decline ever since. Only 5.18 million tonnes were exported out of
China in 2002. Offered at $34 a ton, Chinese cement is pricing itself out of the market as
Thailand is asking as little as $20 for the same quality."[24]

In 2006 it was estimated that China manufactured 1.235 billion tonnes of cement, which was
44% of the world total cement production.[25] "Demand for cement in China is expected to
advance 5.4% annually and exceed 1 billion tonnes in 2008, driven by slowing but healthy
growth in construction expenditures. Cement consumed in China will amount to 44% of global
demand, and China will remain the world's largest national consumer of cement by a large
margin."[26]

In 2010, 3.3 billion tonnes of cement was consumed globally. Of this, China accounted for 1.8
billion tonnes. [27]

Africa
See also: Cement in Africa

Environmental impacts

Cement manufacture causes environmental impacts at all stages of the process. These include
emissions of airborne pollution in the form of dust, gases, noise and vibration when operating
machinery and during blasting in quarries, and damage to countryside from quarrying.
Equipment to reduce dust emissions during quarrying and manufacture of cement is widely used,
and equipment to trap and separate exhaust gases are coming into increased use. Environmental
protection also includes the re-integration of quarries into the countryside after they have been
closed down by returning them to nature or re-cultivating them.

CO2 emissions

Cement manufacturing releases CO2 in the atmosphere both directly when calcium carbonate is
heated, producing lime and carbon dioxide,[28] and also indirectly through the use of energy if its
production involves the emission of CO2. The cement industry produces about 5% of global
man-made CO2 emissions, of which 50% is from the chemical process, and 40% from burning
fuel.[29] The amount of CO2 emitted by the cement industry is nearly 900 kg of CO2 for every
1000 kg of cement produced. [30] The high proportion of carbon dioxide produced in the chemical
reaction leads to large decrease in mass in the conversion from limestone to cement. So, to
reduce the transport of heavier raw materials and to mimimize the associated costs, it is more
economical for cement plants to be closer to the limestone quarries rather than to the consumer
centers.[31]
In certain applications, lime mortar, reabsorbs the same amount of CO2 as was released in its
manufacture, and has a lower energy requirement in production than mainstream cement. Newly
developed cement types from Novacem[32] and Eco-cement can absorb carbon dioxide from
ambient air during hardening.[33] Use of the Kalina cycle during production can also increase
energy efficiency.

Heavy metal emissions in the air

In some circumstances, mainly depending on the origin and the composition of the raw materials
used, the high-temperature calcination process of limestone and clay minerals can release in the
atmosphere gases and dust rich in volatile heavy metals, a.o, thallium,[34] cadmium and mercury
are the most toxic. Heavy metals (Tl, Cd, Hg, ...) are often found as trace elements in common
metal sulfides (pyrite (FeS2), zinc blende (ZnS), galena (PbS), ...) present as secondary minerals
in most of the raw materials. Environmental regulations exist in many countries to limit these
emissions. As of 2011 in the United States, cement kilns are "legally allowed to pump more
toxins into the air than are hazardous-waste incinerators."[35]

Heavy metals present in the clinker

The presence of heavy metals in the clinker arises both from the natural raw materials and from
the use of recycled by-products or alternative fuels. The high pH prevailing in the cement
porewater (12.5 < pH < 13.5) limits the mobility of many heavy metals by decreasing their
solubility and increasing their sorption onto the cement mineral phases. Nickel, zinc and lead are
commonly found in cement in non-negligible concentrations.

Use of alternative fuels and by-products materials

A cement plant consumes 3 to 6 GJ of fuel per tonne of clinker produced, depending on the raw
materials and the process used. Most cement kilns today use coal and petroleum coke as primary
fuels, and to a lesser extent natural gas and fuel oil. Selected waste and by-products with
recoverable calorific value can be used as fuels in a cement kiln, replacing a portion of
conventional fossil fuels, like coal, if they meet strict specifications. Selected waste and by-
products containing useful minerals such as calcium, silica, alumina, and iron can be used as raw
materials in the kiln, replacing raw materials such as clay, shale, and limestone. Because some
materials have both useful mineral content and recoverable calorific value, the distinction
between alternative fuels and raw materials is not always clear. For example, sewage sludge has
a low but significant calorific value, and burns to give ash containing minerals useful in the
clinker matrix.[36]

Green cement
Green cement is a cementitious material that meets or exceeds the functional performance
capabilities of ordinary Portland cement by incorporating and optimizing recycled materials,
thereby reducing consumption of natural raw materials, water, and energy, resulting in a more
sustainable construction material.
The manufacturing process for green cement succeeds in reducing, and even eliminating, the
production and release of damaging pollutants and greenhouse gasses, particularly CO2.

TYpes of cement,uses and strength?

1/Ordinary cement
2/Rapid heat cement
3/Low heat cement
4/Portland blast furnace cement
5/High alumina cement
6/Expanding cement
7/Quick setting cement
8/Air & trading cement
9/Hydrophorbic cement
10/White cement

Ordinary cement

This type of cement is used a lot today, and is still known as OPC (ordinary Portland cement) ... It is
ground up into a powder to form ordinary OPC

Rapid heat cement

They generate more heat in the early stages and can be useful in cold weather concreting. ... as either
rapid-setting or extra rapid hardening may be

Low heat cement

Low Heat Cement complies with AS 3972, Special Purpose Type LH/SR. It is manufactured from the
ingredients of specially selected cement clinker and ground granulated blast furnace slag, that result in
significantly lower heat generation during the process of hydration than the comparable Portland
Cement.

Portland blast furnace cement

The granulated slag made by the rapid chilling of suitable molten slags from blast furnaces forms the
basis of another group of constructional cements. A mixture of portland cement and granulated slag,
containing up to 65 percent slag, is known in the English-speaking countries as portland blast-furnace
(slag) cement.

High alumina cement

of High Alumina Cement, Alumina Cement, Refractory Cement, Refractory Materails, ... Density
Corundum Bricks, high alumine cement ca50-G5, G7, G9, fused, ca70, ca80

Expanding cement

Expanding and nonshrinking cements expand slightly on hydration, thus offsetting the small contraction
that occurs when fresh concrete dries for the first time. Expanding cements were first produced

Quick setting cement

Rapid cure allows for quick access to repaired areas. Garonite anchoring cement sets and e-x-p-a-n-d-s
rapidly, curing twice as strong as concrete in one hour. Use indoors or out
Air & trading cement
Hydrophorbic cement

Cement is a hydraulic bonding agent used in building construction and civil engineering. It is a fine
powder obtained by grinding the clinker of a clay and limestone mixture calcined at high temperatures.
When water is added to cement it becomes a slurry that gradually hardens to a stone-like consistency. It
can be mixed with sand and gravel (coarse aggregates) to form mortar and concrete.

There are two types of cement: natural and artificial. The natural cements are obtained from natural
materials having a cement-like structure and require only calcining and grinding to yield hydraulic
cement powder. Artificial cements are available in large and increasing numbers. Each type has a
different composition and mechanical structure and has specific merits and uses. Artificial cements may
be classified as portland cement (named after the town of Portland in the United Kingdom) and
aluminous cement

White cement

White portland cement is readily available throughout North America. It has essentially the same
properties as gray cement, except for color, which is a very important quality control issue in the
industry.

The color of white cement depends on raw materials and the manufacturing process. It is the metal
oxides (primarily iron and manganese) that influence the whiteness and undertone of the material.
White cement is manufactured to conform to ASTM C 150, Specification for Portland Cement. Although
Types I, II, III, and V white cements are produced, Types I and III are the most common.

White cements produce clean, bright colors, especially for light pastels. Many different colors can be
created by adding pigments to concrete made with white portland cement. Two or more pigments can
be combined to achieve a wide range of colors. White cement (or a mixture of white and gray cement)
can be specified to provide a consistent color of choice. An even greater variety of decorative looks can
be achieved by using colored aggregates and varying the surface finish treatment or texture.

1 ordinary cement, is used in domestic houses and where no specific requirments are needed
3 low heat cement, is used when there are large pours because the heat of hydration will affect the final
curing temperature and if it curs to quick it wil crack
4 Portland blast furnace cement , is either pfa which is pulverised fuel ash or ggbs which is ground
granulated blastfurnace slag both of these reduce the heat of hydration ,just as i have mentioned b4
7 Quick setting cement, this is just used where as de name suggest the pour has to happen fast,
8 Air & trading cement, i presume this was mis understood and it shood be airentranment cement this
type of cement holds bubbles of air in it and has a porous finish so water can seep through it.
10 white cement, is used just like opc and its used so u dont have to paint over the finish produce

the strength of each is different and the strength of a particular mix depends on a lot of factors
strength goes down when u increase the water/cement ratio

to find the strength of a concrete u must do a test, the cube test is the most common, here u make a
concrete cube and crush it, very intresting to do when u know what is happening, also a slump test can
be done to find the workability of the concrete, the workability of the concrete is the ease at which the
concrete can be mixed, transported , placed and compacted.
Rheology is the viscosity of concrete. Portland cement is the most common type of cement in general
usage, as it is a basic ingredient of concrete, mortar and most non-speciality grout. The most common
use for Portland cement is in the production of concrete. Concrete is a composite material consisting of
aggregate (gravel and sand), cement, and water. As a construction material, concrete can be cast in
almost any shape desired, and once hardened, can become a structural (load bearing) element. Portland
cement may be gray or white

For details of the manufacture of Portland cement, see the main article.

[edit] Portland cement blends

These are often available as inter-ground mixtures from cement manufacturers, but similar formulations
are often also mixed from the ground components at the concrete mixing plant.[5]

Portland Blastfurnace Cement contains up to 70% ground granulated blast furnace slag, with the rest
Portland clinker and a little gypsum. All compositions produce high ultimate strength, but as slag content
is increased, early strength is reduced, while sulfate resistance increases and heat evolution diminishes.
Used as an economic alternative to Portland sulfate-resisting and low-heat cements.[6]

Portland Flyash Cement contains up to 30% fly ash. The flyash is pozzolanic, so that ultimate strength is
maintained. Because flyash addition allows a lower concrete water content, early strength can also be
maintained. Where good quality cheap flyash is available, this can be an economic alternative to
ordinary Portland cement.[7]

Portland Pozzolan Cement includes fly ash cement, since fly ash is a pozzolan, but also includes cements
made from other natural or artificial pozzolans. In countries where volcanic ashes are available (e.g.
Italy, Chile, Mexico, the Philippines) these cements are often the most common form in use.

Portland Silica Fume cement. Addition of silica fume can yield exceptionally high strengths, and cements
containing 5-20% silica fume are occasionally produced. However, silica fume is more usually added to
Portland cement at the concrete mixer.[8]

Masonry Cements are used for preparing bricklaying mortars and stuccos, and must not be used in
concrete. They are usually complex proprietary formulations containing Portland clinker and a number
of other ingredients that may include limestone, hydrated lime, air entrainers, retarders, waterproofers
and colouring agents. They are formulated to yield workable mortars that allow rapid and consistent
masonry work. Subtle variations of Masonry cement in the US are Plastic Cements and Stucco Cements.
These are designed to produce controlled bond with masonry blocks.

Expansive Cements contain, in addition to Portland clinker, expansive clinkers (usually sulfoaluminate
clinkers), and are designed to offset the effects of drying shrinkage that is normally encountered with
hydraulic cements. This allows large floor slabs (up to 60 m square) to be prepared without contraction
joints.

White blended cements may be made using white clinker and white supplementary materials such as
high-purity metakaolin.

Colored cements are used for decorative purposes. In some standards, the addition of pigments to
produce "colored Portland cement" is allowed. In other standards (e.g. ASTM), pigments are not an
allowed constituent of Portland cement, and colored cements are sold as "blended hydraulic cements".

[edit] Non-Portland Hydraulic Cements

Pozzolan-lime cements. Mixtures of ground pozzolan and lime are the cements used by the Romans, and
are to be found in Roman structures still standing (e.g. the Pantheon in Rome). They develop strength
slowly, but their ultimate strength can be very high. The hydration products that produce strength are
essentially the same as those produced by Portland cement.

Slag-lime cements. Ground granulated blast furnace slag is not hydraulic on its own, but is “activated” by
addition of alkalis, most economically using lime. They are similar to pozzolan lime cements in their
properties. Only granulated slag (i.e. water-quenched, glassy slag) is effective as a cement component.

Supersulfated cements. These contain about 80% ground granulated blast furnace slag, 15% gypsum or
anhydrite and a little Portland clinker or lime as an activator. They produce strength by formation of
ettringite, with strength growth similar to a slow Portland cement. They exhibit good resistance to
aggressive agents, including sulfate.

Calcium aluminate cements are hydraulic cements made primarily from limestone and bauxite. The
active ingredients are monocalcium aluminate CaAl2O4 (CA in Cement chemist notation) and Mayenite
Ca12Al14O33 (C12A7 in CCN). Strength forms by hydration to calcium aluminate hydrates. They are
well-adapted for use in refractory (high-temperature resistant) concretes, e.g. for furnace linings.

Calcium Sulfoaluminate Cements are made from clinkers that include ye’elimite (Ca4(AlO2)6SO4 or
C4A3\bar \mathrm{S} in Cement chemist’s notation) as a primary phase. They are used in expansive
cements, in ultra-high early strength cements, and in "low-energy" cements. Hydration produces
ettringite, and specialized physical properties (such as expansion or rapid reaction) are obtained by
adjustment of the availability of calcium and sulfate ions. Their use as a low-energy alternative to
Portland cement has been pioneered in China, where several million tonnes per year are produced[9]
[10]. Energy requirements are lower because of the lower kiln temperatures required for reaction, and
the lower amount of limestone (which must be endothermically decarbonated) in the mix. In addition,
the lower limestone content and lower fuel consumption leads to a CO2 emission around half that
associated with Portland clinker. However, SO2 emissions are usually significantly higher.

“Natural” Cements correspond to certain cements of the pre-Portland era, produced by burning
argillaceous limestones at moderate temperatures. The level of clay components in the limestone
(around 30-35%) is such that large amounts of belite (the low-early strength, high-late strength mineral
in Portland cement) are formed without the formation of excessive amounts free lime. As with any
natural material, such cements have very variable properties.

Geopolymer cements are made from mixtures of water-soluble alkali silicates and aluminosilicate
mineral powders such as mellinin.