Cement is an extremely fine material having adhesive and cohesive
properties which provides a binding medium for the discrete ingredients.
It is a binder, a substance used for construction that sets, hardens, and
adheres to other materials to bind them together. They are not very
water-soluble and so are quite durable in water and safe from chemical
attacks. Cement mixed with fine aggregate produces mortar for masonry,
or with sand and gravel, produces concrete.
Concrete is the most widely used material in existence and is behind only
water as the planet's most-consumed resource. It is capable of bonding
the constructional material like sand, stones, bricks, buildings, blocks and
many more. The principal constituents of cement are the compounds of
calcium, aluminium and silicon. Cement containing calcium is called
calcareous whereas containing aluminium and silicon is called
argillaceous. Cement has a unique property of setting and hardening of
calcareous and argillaceous material underwater by virtue of certain
chemical reactions.
Raw materials for cement production
1. Limestone (CaC03)
2. Clay (Si02, Al203 and Fe203)
3. Gypsum (CaS04.2H20)
4. Magnesia (MgO)
5. Sulphur
6. Alkalies
Main steps in cement production
Raw Mill Raw Mill Silo Suspension Preheater
_,
Dispatch
Gypsum Clinker SIio
1. Crushing: The raw materials are extracted from quarries by blasting,
drilling or ripening using heavy machinery. The raw materials are then
crushed in a rotating cylindrical ball or tube mill. The ores are crushed
first to 6 inches and reduced them by a secondary crusher or hammer mill
to 3 inches.
2. Grinding: The crushed ore is mixed either in dry or wet ways is then
grounded and then made homogeneous by means of compressed gas in
a grinding mill. The resulting material is known as slurry having 35-40 %
water.
3. Heating: Slurry is then introduced in a rotary kiln with the help of a
conveyor. The rotary kiln consists of a large cylinder, 8 to 10 feet in
diameter and a height of 300-500 feet. It is made of steel and lined with
firebricks. In a rotary kiln, the slurry is passed through different zones of
temperature. The whole process in kiln is completed in 2 to 3 hours.
Different temperature zones
i. Preheating zone: In this zone, the temperature is kept to 500°C and
usually the moisture is removed and clay is broken into silica, aluminium
oxide and iron oxide.
ii. Decomposition zone: Temperature is raised upto 800°C. In this zone,
limestone decomposes into quick lime and CO2.
CaCO3 ➔ CaO + CO2
iii. Burning zone: In this zone, temperature is maintained upto 1500°C and
the oxide formed in above zone combines together and form respective
silicate, aluminate and ferrite.
2CaO + SiO2 ➔ 2CaO.SiO2
3CaO + SiO2 ➔ 3CaO.SiO2
3CaO + AhO3 ➔ 3CaO.AhO3
4CaO + Al2O3 + Fe2O3 ➔ 4CaO.AhO3.Fe2O3
iv. Cooling zone : This is last stage where the whole assembly is cooled
u to 150-200°C.
•••
4. Final grinding: The product which is obtained from rotary kiln is called
clinker. It is usually in the form of greenish black or grey coloured solid. It
is then air cooled and required amount of gypsum is mixed with the
clinker to slow down the setting of cement so that cement is adequately
hardened.
5. Packing and Shipping: Cement is conveyed from grinding mills to silos
(large storage tanks) where it is packed in 20-40 kg bags. Most of the
product is shipped in bulk quantities by trucks, trains or ships, and only a
small amount is packed for customers who need small quantities.
Types of cement
Depending upon the hardening and setting behaviour, cement is mainly
classified into two types:
i. Hydraulic cement
The cement that sets very quickly and hardens with addition with water
is called hydraulic cement. It is mainly composed of limestone, gypsum
and clay.
ii. Non-hydraulic cement
The cement which sets very slowly by the absorption of CO2 from the
atmosphere and cannot harden while in contact with water is called non-
hydraulic cement. It is composed of lime, gypsum, clay and oxychloride.
Depending upon the composition and characteristics, two commercially
available important types of
cement are:
1. Ordinary portland cement (OPC)
2. Portlant pozzolana cement (PPC)
Ordinary portland cement Portland pozzolana cement
{OPC) {PPC)
Definition A mixture of limestone and It is prepared by adding
other raw pozzolanic
materials like argillaceous, materials to OPC. So, the main
available import ant types of
cement are:
1. Ordinary portlan d cement (OPC)
2. Portlan t pozzola na cement (PPC)
Ordinary portland cement I
Portland pozzolana cement
(OPC) (PPC) I
Definition A mixture of limestone and It is prepared by adding
other raw pozzolanic
materials like argillaceous, materials to OPC. So, the main
calcareous, components are OPC clinker,
gypsum is prepared and then gypsum and
grinded pozzolanic materials (15-35% )
to prepare OPC. which
include calcined clay, volcanic
I ash, fly ash.
Strength Initial strength is higher than -It has higher strength than
PPC. OPC over
I a long period of time.
Heat of Generally more heat than It has a slow hydration process
hydration PPC and and thus
makes it less suitable for generates less heat than OPC.
mass casting.
Durabili ty Less durable in aggressive More durable in aggressive
weather. weather.
Cost Costlier than PPC. Cheaper than OPC.
Environmental Emits CO2 It constitutes industri al and
impact during the manufac turing natural waste
process. which makes it eco-frie ndly.
Setting time Lower than PPC. Its initial Setting time is higher than OPC.
setting time Its initial
is 30 minutes and final setting time is 30 minutes and
setting time is final setting
280 minutes. Its faster time is 600 minutes. Its lower
setting time setting time
helps faster construc tion. helps to get better finishing.
Grades 33, 43 and 53 No specified grades
available
Resistan ce Low resistance against alkali, High resistance against alkali,
sulphate s and chlorides. sulphates
and chlorides.
Applica tion It is suitable where fast It is suitable for all types of
construction construction
is required. work.
