The basic components of cement are:

SiO2 Al2O3 Fe2O3 CaO MgO SO3 Na2 + K2O Cl IR 17-25 % 4-8% 0.5-0.6 % 61-63 % 0.1-4.0 % 1.3-3.0 % 0.4-1.3 % 0.01-0.1% 0.6-1.75 %

There are four major compounds in cement and these are known as C2S, C3S, C3A & C4AF, and their composition varies from cement to cement and plant to plant. In addition to the above, there are other minor compounds such as MgO, TiO2, Mn2O3, K20 and N2O. They are in small quantity. Of these K2O and Na2O are found to react with some aggregates and the reaction is known as Alkali Silica Reaction (ASR) and causes disintegration in concrete at a later date. The silicates C3S and C2S are the most important compounds and are mainly responsible for the strength of the cement paste. They constitute the bulk of the composition. C3A and C4AF do not contribute much to the strength., but in the manufacturing process they facilitate combination of lime and silica, and act as a flux. In a typical Portland cement, the composition of mineralogical compounds could be

Table 1 : The extent of chemical compounds in cement

S no 1 2 3 4 5 Compound C3 S C2 S C3 A C4AF Freelime Composition as % 48-52 % 22-26 % 6-10 % 13-16 % 1-2 %

Role of compounds on properties of cement Characteristic Setting Hydration Heat Liberation (Cal/gm) 7 days Early Strength C3S Quick Rapid Higher High up to 14 days C2 S Slow Slow Lower Low up to 14 days C3 A Rapid Rapid Higher C4AF Higher

Not much beyond 1 Insignificant day -

Later Strength

High at Moderate at later stage later stage after 14 days

Heat of Hydration
Most of the reactions occurring during the hydration of cement are exothermic in nature (heat is generated). This heat is called heat of hydration. It is desirable to know the heat producing capacity of cement in order to choose the most suitable cement for a given purpose. For Ordinary Portland Cement, half of the total heat is liberated between 1-3 days, about th in 7 days and nearly 90% in 28 days. The rate at which the heat is produced is important for practical purposes. It may lead to cracks if not properly dissipated. The sum total heat produced, if spread over a longer period can be dissipated to a greater degree with fewer problems. The hydration of C3S produces higher heat as compared to the hydration of C2S. Fineness of cement also affects the rate of heat development. The heat of hydration generated is generally as follows at 28 days.

Comparative table of heat of hydration produced at the end of 90 days

S Heat of hydration (calories per Compound no gram) 1 C3 S 100-110 2 C2 S 50-60 3 C3 A 300-315 4 C4AF 95-105 It may be seen that the heat produced by C3S is twice that of C2S and that by C3A is still higher. It follows that, reducing the proportions of C3S and C3A, the heat of hydration and its rate can be reduced. What is hydration of cement? When water is added to cement, the paste is formed due to chemical reaction, which hardens into rock like mass over a period of time. Compounds like C3S and C2S react in the presence of

moisture and fully hydrated reaction can be expressed as 2C3S +6H -> C3S2H3 +3Ca(OH)2 2C2S +4H -> C3S2H3 +Ca(OH)2 C3S2H3 (Calcium Silicate Hydrate) becomes a hard mass over a period of time and normally called as C-S-H gel. While C3S contributes to most of the strength development during the first two weeks, C2S influences gain of strength after two weeks. However, in the long term (over a year) the contribution to strength is same for equal individual weight.