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Introduction

A cement can be simply defined that material, which works as a binder. It sets and
hardens when it dries and is capable of reacting with carbon dioxide in the air while also
being capable of binding other materials together. The term ‘cement’ can be traced back to
Romans who used the term opus caementicium to describe masonry resembling modern
concrete that was made from crushed rock with burnt lime as binder. The earliest version
perhaps, dates back to third millennium B.C. where it was used in Mesopotamia.

The volcanic ash and a pulverised brick additive that were added to the burnt lime to
obtain a hydraulic binder were later referred to as cementum, cimentum, cament and
cement.
Cement works by holding the materials together; rather binding them and this binding
effect is achieved when it reacts with water. Over time, the chemical reaction continues to
occur and it is said that the reaction is infinite (continues forever). Cement is used by making
a mix of cement, sand and plaster of Paris.
The most important use of cement is the production of mortar and concrete. The
bonding of natural or artificial aggregates to form a strong building material that is durable
in the face of normal environment effects.

Portland Cement
Cement is made by heating limestone (calcium carbonate), with small quantities of other
materials (such as clay) to 1450Cͦin a kiln, in a process known as calcinations, whereby a
molecule of carbon dioxide is liberated from the calcium carbonate to form calcium oxide or
quicklime, which is then blended with the other materials that have been included in the
mix. The resulting hard substance, called ‘clinker’, is then ground with a small amount of
gypsum into a powder to make ‘Ordinary Portland Cement’, the most commonly used type
of cement (often referred to as OPC).
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Portland cement is a basic ingredient of concrete, mortar and non specialty grout. The most
common use for Portland cement is in the
production of concrete. Concrete is a composite material consisting of aggregate (gravel
and sand), cement and water. As a construction material, concrete can be cast in almost
any shape desired and once hardened, can become a structural (load bearing) element.
Portland cement may be grey or white.

Theory : Chemistry of Cement

Cement is essentially a finely ground mixture of calcium silicates (3Cao. SiO2) and
aluminates (3Cao. ALO3) which sets to a hard mass treated with water. This property
makes cement capable of joining rigid masses like bricks, stones, tiles etc. into coherent
structures. The cements have property of setting and hardening under water due to certain
physicochemical process and are, therefore, called hydraulic cements. During setting of
cement, the physical changes taking place are gel formation and crystallisation and
chemical changes are hydration and hydrolysis.


The process of solidification of cement paste involves: (i) setting, and (ii) hardening.

Setting is stiffening of the original plastic mass into initial gel formation. After setting,
hardening starts due to gradual start of crystallisation in the interior of the mass. The
strength developed by cement at any time depends upon the amount of gel formed and the
extent of crystallisation. A mixture of cement, sand, small pieces of stone (gravel) and water
is known as concrete and sets to an extremely hard structure.
When cement is used for construction purposes, it is always mixed with sand and
little water to make a pasty material called mortar. Here cement or lime forms the binding
material and function of sand is to prevent shrinking and cracking and to increase the
bulk, thereby reducing the cost of the mortar. When cement is used as the binding
material it is called cement mortar and when lime is used as the binder it is called lime-
mortar. Sand in addition to its other functions also increases the adhesive qualities of the
binding material. 



Effect of quality of sand on setting of cement mortar.

Sand obtained from different sources has different qualities. For example, sea sand
obtained from sea contains some unwanted salts and retards the setting of cement and is
unsuitable for making mortar. On the other hand, pit sand obtained from pits in the soil and
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river sand obtained from river bed are considered excellent for preparing mortar and
concrete.

Effect of time on setting of cement mortar

Time has an important role on the strength developed by cement mortar. When a cement
sand paste in the ratio 1:3 in water is allowed to dry, the strength of the solid mass keeps on
increasing with increase in the time given for setting. It acquires nearly full strength in 28 days.

Vicat Apparatus for Cement Setting Time Test

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Objective
To study the setting of mixtures of cement with sand, lime and fly-ash with respect to time
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Requirements

Beakers, glass rod, weights, small wooden boxes or empty match boxes. Lime, pit

sand, river sand, cement, fly-ash, rice husk.

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Procedure

1. Prepare mixtures of the various compositions as given in the following observation

table.
2. Take each of the mixtures in different beakers and prepare their pastes by adding
minimum quantity of water.
3. Take 9 empty match-box inner cases and mark them from 1 to 9.
4. Fill three cases with paste of each composition.
5. Spray water from time to time over the pastes so that they remain moist all the time.
6. After three days take out one slab of each composition and test for their strength by the
method described in previous experiment.
7. Similarly, take out a set of three slabs after 7 days and then after 30 days and test for

their strengths.
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Observations

Composition of Minimum weight required to break the slab after

S.NO
mixture 3 Days 7 Days 10 Days
1 CEMENT:RIVER 18 GRAM 20 GRAM 30 GRAM
SAND(1:3)
2 CEMENT:RIVER 16 GRAM 18 GRAM 26 GRAM
SAND:FLY ASH
(2:9:1)
3 CEMENT:RIVER 10 GRAM 15 GRAM 20 GRAM
SAND:LIME
(1:3:1)

By seeing the observation we can estimate the hardness of the slab.

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Conclusions

The strength of the slab increases with increase in the setting time allowed.
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Precautions

1. Handle the glass wares safely.

2. Allow the time required to set.
3. Spray only required amount of water.
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Bibliography

1. www.google.com
2. www.scribd.com
3. ncert lab manual for class 12
4. www.slideshare.com
5. www.wonderfulengineering.com