Effect of Cement parameters on Concrete

properties

Concrete Laboatory - Kalamboli

Effect of phase composition

 High C3S results

 in high early strength.
 in high total heat of hydration.
 Relatively low final setting time of concrete
 Release of higher lime and hence improved
reactivity with pozzolona.
 Higher dosage of admixture

 High C2S results

 in high later age strength.
 Low C2S will result in low strength gain beyond 7
days.

Effect of cement
Phase composition

 High C3A results in

 Faster setting( low setting time)
 Higher rate of initial heat of hydration.
 Loss of workability
 Flash set beyond a limit
 Higher water demand
 Higher admixture demand
 Decreased bleeding and increased probability of
plastic shrinkage cracks.
 Low sulfate resistance.
 Reduced chloride permeability

Effect of cement
Sulphate
 Calcium sulphate (gypsum) content in cement
has a pronounced effect on the performance of
concrete
 Gypsum acts as a set retarder
 Low sulphate content results in faster setting and
high shrinkage.
 Very high content will result in Delayed Ettringite
Formation (DEF) (C3A.3CS.31 H2O) , resulting in
delayed expansion and cracking of concrete.
 “Optimum “sulphate content is required to give
maximum strength and minimum shrinkage

Effect of cement
Sulphate
 “Optimum” sulphate content depends on the alkali and C 3A
content of the cement.
 For low alkali C3A cements (<6%) sulphate content would
be about 2%.
 At high ambient temperature, higher gypsum content
would be required.

 Gypsum hemihydrates CaSO4 . 2 H2Oresults in false set

Effect of cement
Fineness of cement
 Optimum fineness is required for good
performance of concrete.
 High fineness results in
 high water demand
 faster setting
 low slump
 high cohesiveness
 high early strength
 high heat of hydration
 high admixture demand
 higher pozzolona absorption
 higher shrinkage

Effect of cement
Other constituents of cement - alkali
 Low alkali content result in higher adsorption of
water reducers and superplasticizsers, resulting
in high dosage requirements.
 At the same time higher dosage of
superplasticizser result bleeding and segregation
in low alkali cement.
 Optimum alkali content as per studies is 0.4 –
0.6%.
 On the other hand lower alkali and C3A cement
is more amenable to set retarders and result in
higher strength with water reducers.

Effect of cement
Other constituents of cement
 High MgO present in the form of periclase would
result in delayed expansion. However, there is lot
of debate is still on the limiting content of MgO in
cement.
 Manganese present in slag results in coluration of
concrete.

Effect of cement
 Effects of cements on concrete properties-
Summary

Concrete Property Cement Parameter

Placeability Cement amount, fineness, setting
characteristics
Strength Cement composition (C3S, C2S and
C3A), loss on ignition, fineness
Drying Shrinkage SO3content, cement composition
Permeability Cement composition, fineness
Resistance to sulfate C3A content
Alkali Silica Reactivity Alkali content
Corrosion of embedded Cement Composition (esp. C3A
steel content)

Effect of cement
Effects of cements on concrete properties- Summary

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Effect of cement
Effects of cements on concrete properties- Summary

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Effect of cement
 Effects of cements on concrete properties- Summary

The effects are assuming change in one component. However, in reality this
is unlikely as the clinker sulphate content variation will affect alkali content
and gypsum variation affects fineness.

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Effect of cement