Concrete Technology

Dr. P. DINAKAR
Department of Civil Engineering
Portland Cement

Portland Cement

Portland Cement
Portland cement is a type of binder that glue individual

filler particles together to form into concrete.

A binder can be classified as organic and inorganic

binder.

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Organic Binder
Epoxy: Resin + hardener
Asphalt : Petroleum asphalt original form or cutbacks

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Inorganic Binder
Use water for mixing
Non-hydraulic cement:

cannot harden in water

examples: Gypsum and Lime
Hydraulic cement:

can harden in water

examples: Hydraulic lime, Pozzolan cement, Portland
cement

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Gypsum Plaster Boards

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Gypsum Plaster Boards

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Inorganic Binder - Gypsum

Natural gypsum, CaSO4.2H2O
Heated to about 130-160C, it loses a part of water of

crystallization, is known as half-hydrate gypsum (plaster

of Paris) CaSO4.0.5H2O)
At about 200C, gypsum loses all its water of

crystallization, turn out into anhydrate gypsum.

Gypsum-based items should be used only in dry state

and in premises of not more than 60% relative humidity

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Inorganic Binder - Cement

Raw material:

Limestone CaCO3

Shell, coral, chalk

Manufacture: burning limestone at a temperature of

about 900~1000C lime stone is decomposed to CaO

and CO2

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Cement
Portland cement is the major binder for civil engineering.

Manufacture of Portland cement

Chemical composition

Hydration

Types of Portland cement

Porosity of hardened cement paste and the role of

water

Basic tests of Portland cement

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Manufacture of Portland Cement

Raw materials:
Main materials:

Limestone(CaCO3) (1000oC) CaO + CO2

Clay (600oC) SiO2+ Al2O3+ Fe2O3+ H2O

Additional materials

Aluminium & Iron (Al2O3+ Fe2O3)

Gypsum (2CaSO42H2O)

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Manufacture of Portland Cement

Limestone(CaCO3) (1000oC) CaO+ CO2

(100)

(56)

(44)

One ton cement contains about 620kg CaO

So that CO2= 620 x 44 / 56 = 487kg
Fuel burning produces CO2 450kg

One ton cement produces one ton CO2!!

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Manufacture of Portland Cement

CLINKER

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Clinker composition and performance

Clinker is a sintered material produced by burning a blend of raw

materials at high temperature in a kiln

The clinker minerals are formed by chemical reactions between

CaO (calcium oxide) and SiO2, Al2O3, Fe2O3

The main minerals formed by these reactions are

C3S (tricalcium-silicate) or Alite

3CaO.SiO2

C2S (dicalcium-silicate) or Belite

2CaO.SiO2

C3A (tricalcium-aluminate) or Aluminate 3CaO.Al2O3

C4AF (tetracalcium-alumoferrite) or Ferrite 4CaO.Al 2O3.Fe2O3

(In cement chemistry, oxides are conventionally identified by the

initial letter of their formula; e.g. C, S, A, F)
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Chemical Composition
Abbreviation
CaO = C

SiO2= S

Al2O3= A

Fe2O3= F

H2O = H

SO3 = S

Examples: Ca(OH)2= CH

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Chemical Composition of Clinker

Major Compounds
Compounds

Oxide

Colour

Per

Tricalcium
silicate

C3S

White

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Alite

Dicalcium
silicate

C2S

White

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Belite

Tricalcium
Aluminate

C3A

White /
grey

12

Aluminate

Tetracalcium
Alumino
Ferrite

C4AF

Black

Ferrite

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Influence of Clinker on Cement Performance

Clinker
phase

Early strength

Final

Water

Setting

(Hydration
heat)

strength

demand

time

C3S
C2S
C3A
C4AF

Beneficial effect (positive influence)

Indifferent effect (no influence)
Detrimental effect (negative influence)
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Chemical Composition
Minor components
Gypsum, MgO, and alkali sulfates
Gypsum: To avoid flash set (barrier effect)

Alkalies (MgO, Na2O, K2O, free lime) :

Increase pH value upto13.5

Potential Problems - Soundness problem

- Alkali aggregate reaction
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Chemical Composition
MgO: limited to 4-5%,
Free-lime: behaves similarly with MgO
SO3: typically <3.5%, if excessive, expansion
Alkalis (K2O and Na2O): Limit content 0.6%

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Raw Materials for Cement

Calcareous material Containing CaCO3 (primary

source limestone); impurities such as iron and
alumina are sometimes present

Argillaceous material Containing clayey matter,

source of SiO2, Al2O3 and Fe2O3

Gypsum Added in the final stages of manufacture

as a set regulator

Sometime, ground limestone is also added to cement

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Location of Cement Plants

Outskirts of the city
Primarily, where raw material sources are easily

available
Necessary infrastructure (power, equipment, manpower,

access) should be available

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Cement Production

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Schematic Depiction of Process

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Limestone is quarried
near the cement plant

Quarry rock is trucked to

the primary crusher

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Rotary Kiln

Clinker

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Concrete Batching Plant

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Concrete Batching Plant

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Pulverization
Raw material feedstock should be pulverized to the

right size
Reduces overall power consumption
Better blending and burning possible with reduced

size of material

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Blending of raw materials

Choice of blending process

- Wet or dry
Wet process more uniform mixing
Dry process higher output, lower power consumption
Dry process with precalciners are the order of the day

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Blending Wet Vs. Dry

When moisture content of raw materials is > 15%, wet blending (in slurry form) is preferred
When MC < 8%, dry blending is done
For 8% < MC < 15%, dry blending with precalciners used
Wet blending better blend

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Picture of a cement plant,

showing a precalciner and
rotary kiln

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Burning in kiln
Only rotary kilns used nowadays
Typical kilns are long ~ 30 40 m
Length of kiln also depends on blending process
Temperature inside kiln varies from 850 (at inlet) to

1450 oC (at the outlet)

Reactions are not completed inside kiln; some

require cooling to occur

What comes out of kiln is called clinker

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Reactions in Kiln
Upto 700oC:activation of silicates to remove moisture &

change of structure
Between 700-900oC : removal of CO2, initial combination

of aluminates and ferrites, start of reaction between

CaO and SiO2
900-1200oC : formation of Belite (C2S)
> 1250oC: reaction between C2S and CaO leading to

formation of Alite (C3S)

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Intergrinding with gypsum

Final step in cement manufacture
Gypsum added as a set regulator (absence

flash set)
Strict control on temperature required
Done in ball mills
Cement of required fineness produced

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Hydration of Calcium Silicates

The chemical and Physical processes between Portland

cement and water:

Hydrations of pure cement compounds
Calcium silicates

2 C3S + 6H = C3S2H8+ 3CH + heat

2 C2S + 4H = C3S2H8+ CH + heat
C3S2H8 (C-S-H Gel) : 50-60% small Size
CHCa(OH)2 : 20-25% pH value 12
Hydrated PC contains about 50 - 60% of C-S-H
and 20 - 25% of CH
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Hydration of Calcium Silicates

C-S-H Gel

Calcium silicate hydrate constitutes 50-60% of the solids in the

paste. It forms a continuous binding matrix. It is amorphous and
fibrous and hence has a large surface area. It is an important
factor for the strength development of cement paste.
CH

Calcium hydroxide makes up about 20% of the solids in the

paste. It exists in the form of thick, crystalline hexagonal plates
and is embedded in the C-S-H matrix. Its growth fills the pore
spaces. It does not significantly contribute to strength. Its
leaching causes white patches and efflorescence.

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Hydration of the Ferrite Phases

Yet not well understood !
Similar reactions as for the C3A, but slower.

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Hydration
Kinetics and Reactivities
Hydration rate order : C3A > C3S > C4AF > C2S
Reactivities:

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Heat of Hydration
Calorimetric Curve of Portland Cement

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Hydration Five Stages

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Thermal influence on heat of hydration

H
e
a
te
v
o
lu
t
io
nr
a
t
eQ
/t [
J
/(
h
.g
)
]

100

50C

80

60

40C

40

20

30C
20C

12

16
20
Time [hours]

24

28

32

36

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SO3 influence on heat of hydration

Heat evolution rate Q/t [J/(h.g)]

15.0

12.5

2.7% SO 3

10.0

7.5

3.2% SO 3
5.0

3.6% SO 3
2.5

0.0

4.1% SO 3

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

110

120

130

140

150

Time [hours]
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Influence of cement fineness

Heat evolution rate Q/t [J/(h.g)]

15.0

12.5

Specific surface = 5500 cm/g

10.0

7.5

3500 cm/g
5.0

2500 cm/g
2.5

0.0

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

Time [hours]
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Types of Portland Cement

ASTM BSI
Type I OPC (ordinary)
Type II

---

Type III

RHPC

Type IV

LHPC

Type V

SRPC

OPC -----Ordinary Portland cement

RHPC ---Rapid Hardening P.C.
LHPC ---Low Heat P.C.
SRPC ---Sulfate Resistance P.C.
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Types of Portland Cement

Applications:

Type I ---General purpose

Type III ---High early strength

Type IV ---Mass concrete (dam, pile)

Type V ---Ocean structure

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Temperature rise for the different types of cement

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Hydration
Setting and hardening

Setting :Losing plasticity and starting solidification.

Initial setting: ~2 hours after mixing.

Final setting: ~5-10 hours after mixing.

Hardening: Process of gain of strength.

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The role of water

Hydration & Workability
Three types of water

i. Chemically reacted water-nonevaporable water

ii. Absorbed water-on surface of CSH gel
iii. Free water-water held by capillary tension

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The role of water - Changes in hydration

100% hydration

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Changes in hydration
Constant w/c 0.50

Increasing hydration

Evaporable
water

Total
solid
volume
No
=0
hydration

= 0.25

= 0.5

= 0.75

Unhydrated cement

Gel pores

Hydration products (gel)

Capillary pores
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= 1.0 Complete
hydration

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Basic Tests of Portland Cement

Test standards

ASTM-American Society for Testing and Materials

BSI-British Standard Institution

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Basic Tests of Portland Cement

Fineness (=surface area/weight):
Represent average size of cement grain
Typical value of 350 m2/kg
Controls rate of hydration

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Normal Consistency
Water requirement of cement paste
Definition

The quantity of mixing water to form a standard paste

for setting and soundness test

It depends upon the compound composition and

fineness of cement

About 24%~30% for Portland cement

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