CONSTRUCTION

MATERIALS 1 (CEMENT)
(ECCOM1A)
CEMENT
LEARNING OUT COMES
The learning outcomes in concrete are 7 as follows:
• Know the importance of cement in construction work,
• Identify the various types of cement in construction,
• Know the all the materials used in the manufacture of cement,
• Know the manufacture processes of cement,
• Know how reaction of cement when mixed with other materials,
• Identify other materials known as extenders used to modify
cement, and
• Know the proper storage and handling of cement.
Know the definition and importance of cement
materials in construction work,
Cement modern development started with the Roman empire
more than 2000 years ago. Cement is a substance that is used in a
soft or plastic state which then hardens to make things stick
together. It can thus be regarded as a binder, glue or adhesive
which in its hardened state binds aggregate particles to form a
rigid composite. This composite is a mixture of water, fine
aggregates (sand) coarse aggregate (gravel and crushed stones)
and cement mixed in various proportions to acquire different
crushing strengths, in which within a few hours of mixing, cement
undergoes a chemical reaction with water, forming a hardened
paste. This paste (concrete) allows it to be worked and moulded
into different desired strengths and shapes.
Know the definition and importance of cement materials in
construction work (cont’d),

Apart from the above constituent materials, other admixtures

may be added to cement to alter its behavioural structural
strength properties.
The hydration reaction process of water usually continues for
weeks, months, and years and with suitable conditions its
strength will increase with time.
 Know the definition and importance of cement materials in construction work
(cont’d),

Cement is important in construction because:

• It is one of the most important component of
concrete which as it gives good structural strength
to construction structures;
• It makes structures have a long operational lives;
• It is most used in construction material in the
world of civil engineering structures such as:
residential houses, high rise buildings, industrial
buildings, bridges, roads and dams.
Identify the various types of cement in construction,

These are the important types of cement:

• Ordinary Portland cement, and
• Rapid-hardening Portland cement or high-early
strength cement.
Know the all the materials used in the manufacture
of cement,
These are the materials used in manufacture of cement
are:
1. Calcareous material (calcium oxide, limestone and
chalk),
2. Argillaceous materials (silica, alumina, clay, and shale),
and
3. Ferriferous materials (iron ore).
 Know the manufacture processes of cement,
The manufacture of cement is important. Cement in general is the binding material
that reacts with water to form hardened paste that binds aggregates and other
materials together. Its manufacture is as described below
These are the two processes (wet or dry) of cement manufacture: (Wet & process)
and they consist of:
1.Lime stone and clay are grounded in water or in dry condition,
2.The resultant paste or powder is fed in rotary kiln,
3.If the slurry is wet it is dried first before it is burned, if its powder it straight
away burnt in kiln at 1500 degree centigrade to produce cement clinkers,
4. The cement clinkers are cooled, grounded in a ball mill to the required degree of
fineness with a little gypsum added to retard the setting time of cement to allow
for transportation and placement of cement.
Know how reaction of cement when mixed with
other materials,
Water is an important ingredient of brings chemical reaction to
cement, quality and quantity of water influences cement:
1.Workability of cement as it becomes a paste, and
2. Cement affects the strength of concrete.
Water factors:
a. Water quality depends on impurities such as chlorides,
sulphates, carbonates, organic acids, organic matters or
suspended solids.
b. Water quantity is determined by proper ratio( water:
cement). The less the ratio, the stronger the concrete and vice
versa.
Know how reaction of cement when mixed with other materials
(cont’d),
When cement is mixed with water and other constituents to form
concrete it matures through 3 stages:
1.Plastic stage is the stage after it has just been mixed (lasts only
few hours),
2.Setting stage is stage after it has been poured in position, and
compacted into required shape and it stops to be fluid and lasts a
few hours to a few days),
3. Hardening stage where concrete begins to gain mechanical
strength and stiffness ( these process brings notice some strength
after one week, sufficient or the required strength after one month
(28 days) for standard strength, this acquired strength improves
very slowly or remains the same for years).
Know how reaction of cement when mixed with other
materials,
Cement may be mixed to the constituents parts below produce
concrete:
1.Cement,
2. Water, and
3.Aggregates:
3.1 Fine aggregates (sand),
3.2 Coarse aggregates (crashed stones).
When cement is mixed with the above, concrete or mortar is formed
 Know how reaction of cement when mixed with
other materials,
Water/cement ratio: It affects the strength of concrete.
The water/cement (w/c) ratio is defined as the ratio of the total water available
in the mix and the weight of the Cementous materials.
The formula for calculating water/cement ratio (w/c) is
w/c ratio = w/W
Where w is the weight of water in the mix.
Where W is the total weight of Cementous materials ( cement + extenders).
These w/C ratio rated as follows:
High strength concrete ratio of (0.25-0.40),
Conventional concrete ratio of (0.45- 0.80),
Sand-cement floor screed ratio (0.55- 0.60).
Identify other materials known as extenders used to
modify cement,
These are the extenders used to modify cement and concrete:
1.Fly ash,
2.Ground granulated blast furnace slag,
3. Silica fume, and
4. Natural pozzolans.
These supplementary constituents are used because of environmental,
economic, and technical benefits (makes concrete more impermeable and
durable, reduced cost and increase durability in extreme marine
conditions).
 Know the proper storage and handling of cement.
Good cement storage and handling of practice consists of the following: If it is in 50
kg bags the procedure as follows:
1.Store should be weather proof,
2.Store should have damp- proof floor,
3. Cement bags should always be laid on timber board raised plat form in addition,
4. Avoid use of corrugated iron sheets as it risks cutting the bags,
5. Bags must closely be stacked to reduce air circulation between the bags,
6. They should not be packed against outside wall,
7.Arrangement of the packing order should be first in, first out,
8.Stores to the store should be opened as rarely as possible,
Know the proper storage and handling of cement (cont’d),

9. Never stack cement beyond 12 bags in height,

10. Never store more than 20 bags of cement per cubic meter of
storage space,
11.Never drop a bag of cement,
12. Store different cement separately,
13. Carry cement and do not drag cement bags over rough
surfaces,
14. Transfer cement from a damaged bag as soon as possible into
2 old cement bags,
Know the proper storage and handling of cement (cont’d),

16. Never walk over cement bags with shoes in case you
damage the bags, and
17.No equipment must be stored over the cement bags
during transportation.
Know the proper storage and handling of cement (cont’d),

In case of bulk cement, Portable silos may be used for

storage and these precautions are important:
1.The type of cement should be clearly marked,
2.During receipt of such cement ensure that the seals
on the tanker should not be broken, and
3.Ensure weather proofing to the silos by checking
inspection of the hatches and filters of the silos.
FURTHER READING SHOULD INCLUDE
Further reading on this module include:
 Nagaratnam, S.; Carthigesu, T.G.; Rabin, T.; and Kannan,
M. B. 2016. Civil Engineering materials, International
edition. Cengage Learning. Canada.
 Amsterdam, E.V. 2013. Construction materials for civil
engineering second ed. Juta and Company Ltd. South
Africa.
 The internet search.