Portland cement: application, types, and production

Due to Portland cement’s excellent binding properties, which give structural elements strength, it is a great building material. Concrete is most frequently produced using Portland cement. Additionally, it serves as a fundamental component of non-specialised grout, stucco, and mortar.

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Portland cement: Application

For general construction tasks in which special properties are not required, Portland cement is used. It is typically used for reinforced concrete structures like building structures, bridges, pavements, and areas where the soil is typical. Additionally, it is used for most units of concrete masonry and for all applications where there is no special sulphate hazard or when the heat produced during cement hydration is acceptable. However, it is less resistant to chemical attacks and has a more remarkable ability to resist cracking and shrinkage.

Portland cement: Different types as per Indian standards

33 grade Portland cement

This kind of cement is frequently used in plaster and masonry mortar.
It is used for grouting cable ducts in P.S.C. works, plastering, flooring, and normal-grade concrete up to M-20.

43 grade Portland cement

In reinforced cement concrete, also known as R.C.C., Portland cement is typically used.
For construction purposes, grade 43 is also used in R.M.C., also known as ready-mix concrete, and in precast structural concrete.
They are accustomed to producing concrete with an M20 to M30 grade.

53 grade Portland cement
Used for concrete projects with a grade higher than M-30, such as bridges, roads, multi-story buildings, etc.
Used when pouring concrete in cold weather.
Construction of R.C.C. bridges, precast buildings, factories, etc. (buildings that require strength) as well as the production of concrete sleepers primarily use grade 53 cement (for railways).

Portland cement: How to use it?

When combined with water and sand, Portland cement can be used to create cement mortar.
Cement concrete can be made using Portland cement and water, sand, and aggregate.
This cement is a binding substance.
Provides the desired size and shape for the construction.
This cement can be used for a variety of construction tasks.
In addition, Portland cement was used as a filler, a plaster, and a smoothing agent for floors.
This cement is employed as a barrier. The building’s exterior walls are shielded from the dam by this cement.

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Portland cement: How is it produced?

To make Portland cement, a straightforward procedure and some materials are required. For this, materials such as limestone, silicon, fly ash, iron, and aluminium are required.
Crushed calcium carbonate, silicon, and iron oxide raw materials are first combined and crushed before being put into a rotating cement kiln.
The kiln is laterally positioned with one side slightly higher than the other.
The kiln has a diameter of 3 to 4 metres and a length of roughly 90 metres.
A high-temperature flame that has a temperature of between 1450 and 1500 °C is set on the kiln’s disadvantage.
The raw items are placed on the other side of the kiln. When raw materials are placed in a kiln, as the kiln slowly decays, the raw materials fall to the bottom and come into contact with a hot flame, where they change into tricalcium silicate, dicalcium silicate, and tricalcium aluminate.
Everything that has been removed from the kiln is solid. Clinker is the name of this solid form.
Finally, all of the clinkers are ground to a fine powder to create Portland cement.
To regulate the cement’s rate of hardening, some gypsum should be added.

FAQs

In concrete, what function does Portland cement serve?

The anhydrous calcium silicates as well as other portland cement components react chemically with the water when mixed together, combining with it (hydration), breaking down in it (hydrolysis), and toughening and developing strength.