You are on page 1of 6

ENGINEERING MATERIALS

INGREDIENTS OF PORTLAND CEMENT

THEORY

Manufacture of Portland Cement:


I. Raw materials of Portland Cement:
The raw materials required for manufacturing of Portland
cement is discussed as follows:

1. Calcareous materials:
The most important calcareous (calcium containing)
material is lime stone. It occurs in the form of chalk,
metamorphic lime stone, sedimentary lime stones,
carbonite lime stone, coral and secondary lime stones.
Marl is calcareous sedimentary deposit often used with
small shells (also called as soft limestone).

2. Argillaceous materials:
The important argillaceous (rocks in which clay minerals
are a secondary but significant component) materials
available for making Portland cement are clay, slate,
shale ashes, blast furnace slag, cement rocks etc.
Cement rock itself is used as a raw material because of
its richness in argillaceous materials and it may
constitute the source of silica and alumina. Blast
furnace slag produced from high grade ore may be
1

ENGINEERING MATERIALS

INGREDIENTS OF PORTLAND CEMENT

THEORY

used as a source of alumina and silica. Basic slag


contains about 50% CaO, 30% SiO2 and remaining
20% contains alumina and iron oxide. An addition to
this, some plants use precipitated calcium carbonate,
sand, waste bauxite and iron which are consumed in
small amounts to adjust the composition of mixture.

3. Gypsum ( )
Gypsum is added to regulate the setting of cement.

4. Pulverised coal
Pulverised coal is used as a fuel in the manufacturing
process of Portland cement.

5. Composition of raw material


Raw materials are mixed in calculated proportions, the
average percentage composition is given as below

ENGINEERING MATERIALS

INGREDIENTS OF PORTLAND CEMENT

THEORY

Components

Formulae

Percentage

Lime

CaO

60-67

Silica

17-25

Alumina

2 3

3-8

Iron Oxide

2 3

2-4

Magnesium

MgO

15

Alkali Oxide

2 /2

0.3 1.5

Sulphur Trioxide

Oxide

1 -3

II. Functions of the Ingredients of


Cement
1. Lime
Lime is the principal constituent of cement. It affects the
strength of cement, if added in excess. Hence, properly
calculated amount of lime is added in the manufacturing
of Portland cement, if it is excess in amount, it reduces
strength of cement, because it makes the cement to
expand and disintegrate. On the other hand, lesser the
amount of lime than required also reduces the strength
and there will be the change in proportions of
3 , 2 4 and 4 . This will alter the property like

ENGINEERING MATERIALS

INGREDIENTS OF PORTLAND CEMENT

THEORY

setting and hardening of cement and makes it quicksetting.

2. Silica
Lime undergoes reaction with silica to form dicalcium
silicate ( 2 ) and tricalcium silicate ( 3 ). These 2
and 3 play important role in development of strength
of cement.

3. Alumina
With

reaction

of

alumina,

lime

gives

tricalcium

aluminate which is responsible for setting of cement. If it


is in excess quantity, then cement undergoes setting
very fastly, because with the reaction of water, there is
evolution of large amount of heat. Due to this, the
application of cement paste for any structure becomes
difficult. If it is in lesser quantity, then setting becomes
slow. Therefore to get better quality of cement, correct,
quantity of tricalcium aluminate is required which will
provide the ideal rate of setting.

ENGINEERING MATERIALS

INGREDIENTS OF PORTLAND CEMENT

THEORY

4. Iron Oxide
Iron oxide is responsible for the development of colour,
strength and hardness to the cement.

5. Sulphur trioxide
Less proportion of sulphur trioxide is desirable because
it impart soundness to cement. But if it is in excess then
reduces the soundness of cement.

6. Alkalies
Alkalies which are a part of lime and ground minerals
actually causes the phenomenon of cement
efflorescence.
( Efflorescence is a crystaline deposit on surfaces of
masonry or concrete. It is whitish in appearance, and is
sometimes referred to as "whiskers. They are, for the
most part, water-soluble salts that come from many
possible sources to mar and detract from an otherwise
beautiful and serviceable structure. First of all, there
must be water present to dissolve and transport the
salts. Groundwater is often a source of efflorescence.
For water to carry or move the salts to the surface there
must be channels through which to move and migrate.
The more dense the material, whether it be brick, stone,
5

ENGINEERING MATERIALS

INGREDIENTS OF PORTLAND CEMENT

THEORY

or concrete, the more difficult for the water to transport


salts to the surface. Conversely, the more porous the
material, the greater the ease with which salts are
transported and deposited. Salt-bearing water, on
reaching the surface of a structure, air evaporates to
deposit the salt. When humidity is low, the water may
evaporate before reaching the surface of the structure,
leaving the salt deposit beneath the surface, and
unseen. When the humidity is high, water evaporation is
slower allowing more opportunity for whisker growth. )

Example of efflorescence

You might also like