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Specifying cement
standards and nomenclature

Chris A Clear BSc PhD CEng MICE FICT

Research Manager, Concrete Performance

British Cement Association

Chris A Clear

Cementitious Materials
Portland Cement, CEM I or PC
Ground Granulated Blastfurnace
Slag, ggbs
Pulverised-fuel ash, pfa

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Other Materials
Limestone
Silica Fume, SF
Metakaolin

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Materials outside current standards

Pulverised-fuel ash, run of station or conditioned ash

Cement Kiln Dust (CKD)
Lime Kiln Dust (LKD)

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Portland Cement,
CEM I

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Manufacture Portland Cement

Kiln
temperature
1400 C

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Ground granulated
blastfurnace slag,
ggbs

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Manufacture of iron and slag

Iron ore, Coke, Limestone

Blastfurnace

Air

1500 C

Air

Slag
Iron

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Grinding of cement or slag

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Pulverised-fuel ash, pfa.

Also known as fly ash.

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Pulverised-fuel ash or fly ash, production

Separator
Ash from
coal
burning
power
station
Coarse fly ash for use
as grout, fill or bulking
agent.

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Fine fly ash

for use
with
cement

Main Cementitious Materials

Lime

Raw Materials
Main process
Final process

Particle shape

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Limestone/
chalk
Burning at
1100 C
Sometimes
grinding

Cement

Ground
granulated
blastfurnace
slag

Pulverisedfuel ash,
fly ash

Limestone or
chalk with clay
or shale
Burning at
1400 C

Iron ore,
limestone

Pulverised
siliceous coal

Burning at
1500 C

Burning

Grinding

Grinding

Classification

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Standards and specifications

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Standards and specifications for cement, lime, ggbs & pfa

Binder

Cement

Lime

Pulverised-fuel ash
or fly ash

Ground granulated
blastfurnace slag

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Title of specification
Cement
Part 1: Composition, specifications and conformity
criteria for common cements
Part 4: Composition, specifications and conformity
criteria for low early strength blastfurnace cements

Number
BS EN 197-1
BS EN 197-4

Building lime Definitions, specifications and

conformity criteria

BS EN 459-1

Liming materials Description and minimum

requirements

BS EN 14069

Fly ash for concrete. Definitions, requirements and

quality control

BS EN 450

Pulverised-fuel ash
Part 1. Specification for pulverised-fuel ash for use
with Portland cement
Part 2. Specification for pulverised-fuel ash to be
used as a Type I addition
Part 3. Specification for pulverised-fuel ash for use
in cementitious grouts
Specification for Ground granulated blastfurnace slag
for use with Portland cement

BS 3892 : Part 1
BS 3892 : Part 2
BS 3892 : Part 3
BS 6699

Cement and Combinations for Concrete

Nomenclature
Cement type

Portland
Portland fly
ash

Portland slag
Portland
limestone
Blastfurnace

Pozzolanic

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Constituents, %

Cement to
BS EN 197

Combination to
BS 8500

CEM I
Clinker

Pfa,
fly ash

Ggbs

Limestone

CEM I

95-100

CEM II/A-V

CIIA-V

80-94

6-20

CEM II/B-V

CIIB-V

65 -79

21-35

80-96

6-20

65-79

21-35

CEM II/A-S
CEM II/B-S

CII-S

CEM II/A-L or LL

CIIA-L or LL

80-94

6-20

CEM III/A

CIIIA

35-74

36-65

CEM III/B

CIIIB

20-34

66-80

CEM IV/B (V)

CIVB (V)

45-64

36-55

Ternary Diagram

SiO2
Silica
glass

Fly
ash
ggbs

CaO
Calcium

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CEM I

CAC

Al2O3
Alumina

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Strength class

16

Compressive strength, MPa

Standard

BS EN 197-1

Ident Class

2 day

7 day

28 day

28 day

min.

min.

min.

max.

CEM 52,5 R

30

52.5

CEM 52,5 N

20

52.5

CEM 42,5 R

16

42.5

62.5

CEM 42,5 N

10

42.5

62.5

CEM 32,5 R

10

32.5

52.5

32.5

52.5

CEM 32,5 N
CEM 52,5 L
BS EN 197-4
BS EN 14216

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10

52.5

CEM 42,5 L

16

42.5

62.5

CEM 32,5 L

12

32.5

52.5

22.5

42.5

VLH

22,5

Strength development

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90
80

350 kg/m3, WRA, medium slump

70
60
Strength,
N/mm2

50
40
Test days
CIIIB, 70% ggbs
CIIIA, 50% ggbs
CIIB-V, 30% pfa
CEM II/A-L, 20% limestone
CEM I, Portland cement

30
20
10
0

28

56

Age, days

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Examples

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BS EN 197-1

CEM I

52.5

Common cement

Portland

Class

Normal

42.5

Class

Normal

BS EN 197-1 CEM II/B-V

Common cement

Portland fly-ash

BS EN 197-1

CEM III/B

42.5

Common cement

Blastfurnace

Class

Low

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Cement and Lime Industry Guidance

The Essential Guide to Stabilisation/Solidification for the

Remediation of Brownfield Land

using Cement and Lime

Available from:
enquiries@concretebookshop.com

Chris A Clear

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