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The raw materials used for the manufacture of Ordinary Portland Cement contains mainly lime, silica,
compounds.
The relative proportions of these oxide compounds are responsible for various physical properties of
cement.
Rate of cooling and fineness of grinding also affect the properties of cement.
When water is added to cement, ingredients of cement react chemically with water and form various
and aggregates.
The hydration of cement may happen in two ways. The one is through solution mechanism,
in which the cement compounds dissolve in water to produce a supersaturated solution from
which different hydrated products get precipitated. The second theory is that water attack
cement compounds in the solid state converting them into hydrated products.
Setting of cement
Hardening of cement
state.
year.
hours.
To know the setting of cement, initial
1.
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3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Situation
OPC
Grouting operations
Situation
Open the bag of cement and take a good look at the cement. There should not any
visible lump.
The colour of the cement should be greenish grey.
When hand is inserted in cement bag it should give cool feeling.
Take a pinch of cement and feel between the fingers. It should give a smooth feeling
Bagged cement should be stored in waterproof shed with nonporous walls and floors.
The plinth level should be well above ground level.
Number of opening like doors, windows and ventilators should be minimum and kept
tightly shut.
Drainage should be provided if necessary to prevent accumulation of water in the vicinity
of the shed.
Cement bags should be kept 30 cm away from walls.
Not more than 14 bags should be kept one above other.
To reduce air circulation no gap is desirable between rows of cement bags.
In moist area cement bags should be placed on wooden planks kept above
floor.
Old bags should be used first. For beams and slab casting use fresh bags.
Once the cement has been properly stored it should not be disturbed until it is
to be used. The practice of moving and restacking the bags, exposes fresh
cement to air.
Fineness
Standard consistency
Initial and final setting time
Compressive strength
soundness
The aggregates occupy about 75 % of the volume of concrete and hence their influence
durability to concrete.
The aggregate is used primarily for the purpose of providing bulk to the concrete.
zones become progressively finer from grading zone I to grading zone IV.
Generally, the maximum size of aggregate should be as large as possible within the
specified limits, but in no case greater than one- fourth of the minimum thickness of
the member as specified in IS : 456- 2000.
For heavily reinforced concrete member the nominal maximum size of aggregate
should usually be restricted to 5 mm less than the minimum clear distance between
the main bars or 5 mm less than the minimum cover to reinforcement, whichever is
smaller. Generally, for reinforced concrete work, aggregates having a maximum size
of 20 mm are considered satisfactory.
Rubbles 160 mm size or up to any reasonable size may be used in plain concrete. Such
a concrete is called plum concrete. The rubbles used are called Plums.
The quantity of rubble up to a maximum limit of 20 % by volume of concrete is used
Designation
40 mm Nominal size
20 mm Nominal size
80 mm
100
40 mm
95-100
100
20 mm
45-75
95-100
4.75 mm
25-75
30-50
600 micron
8-30
10-35
150 micron
0-6
0-6
When aggregates comprising majority of particles are of nearly same size are called
Rounded aggregate
Irregular aggregate
Angular aggregate
Flaky aggregate
Elongated aggregate
edges.
Contains higher percentage of voids ranging from 35 to 38.
It requires more cement paste for a given workability.
The interlocking between the particles, though better than that
Possessing well defined edges formed at the intersection of roughly planner faces.
Contains a maximum percentage of voids ranging from 38 to 40.
The interlocking between the particles is good, thereby providing a good bond.
They requires more cement paste to make workable concrete of high strength than that
to tension.
Example:- crushed rocks of all types, talus , screes.
The aggregate whose least dimension is less than 3/5 (0.6) of its mean dimension is
oriented in one plane with water and air voids forming underneath. They also reduces
strength of concrete.
The presence of these particles should not be more than 15 % in the mass of aggregates.
Examples:- Laminated, rocks.
the angularity number measures the percentage of voids in excess of that in the rounded gravel.
If the voids are 40 % the angularity number of such aggregate is considered as 7.
If the voids are 33 % the angularity number of such aggregate is considered 0.
Natural sand used in making concrete is normally obtained from river. In the years to
come natural sand will not be available in large quantity for mega infrastructural
projects.
When rock is crushed in the normal way it is likely to yield flaky fine aggregate.
Improved version of crushers are used to produce cubical shaped well graded fine
aggregate.
This method of production of artificial sand is being practiced for high rise building
The compressive strength of concrete cannot exceed that of the bulk of the aggregate
Bulking is the phenomenon of increase in the volume of fine aggregates caused by the
what is known as surface tension which keeps the neighbouring particles away from it.
Therefore, no point contact is possible between the particles. This cause increase in
volume of the mass of fine aggregates.
The extent of bulking depends upon the percentage of moisture present in the sand and
It is interesting to note that the bulking increases with the increase in moisture content
up to a certain limit and beyond that the further increase in the moisture content results
in the decrease in the volume.
For ordinary sand the bulking usually between 15-30 %.
Fine sand bulks more and the maximum bulking is obtained at a higher water content
about 40 %.
Sand
F.M.
Fine sand
2.2 2.6
Medium sand
2.6 2.9
Coarse sand
2.9 3.2
Carbonates and bicarbonates of sodium and potassium affect the setting time. While
sodium carbonate may cause quick setting, the bicarbonates may either accelerate or
retard the setting. Alkali carbonates and bicarbonates should not exceed 1000 ppm.
Brakish water contains chlorides and sulphates. When chloride does not exceed 500 ppm
and SO3 does not exceed 400 ppm the water is harmless.
Salts of manganese, zinc, copper, tin and lead cause a marked reduction in strength of
concrete.
The salts present in sea water reduces strength of concrete by 10 to 20 % chlorides
Suspended particles of clay and silt are undesirable as they interfere with setting,
aggregates and water, added to the concrete mix immediately before or during mixing
to modify some properties of concrete in the fresh or hardened state.
They should not adversely affect any property of concrete.
Admixture are no substitute for good concrete practice.
The use of admixtures like accelerators, retarders, air- entraining agents, pozzolanic
concrete.
One of the common plasticizer generally used is lignosulphonic acid in the form of calcium
conditions.
Higher dosages of super-plasticizer may increase rate of loss of workability.
Excess use of accelerators cause more heat evolution and there are chances of cracks in the
concrete.