Properties of Cement

The cement is a binding material, which have the following physical and chemical properties.

Physical Properties:
1. Setting Time:
Cement time is affected by no. of items including (fineness of cement, water ratio, chemical
content especially gypsum)
Test: It is measured by Vicat Test.

2. Soundness:
Soundness refers to the ability of cement to not shrink upon hardening. Good quality cement retains its
volume after setting without delayed expansion, which is caused by excessive free lime and magnesia.
Test: Le-Chatelier test

3. Consistency of cement:
The ability of cement paste to flow is consistency.

Test: It is measured by Vicat Test.

4. Fineness:
The fineness or size of cement grain particles affects the Hydration rate and thus the rate of gain of
strength. When the size of particles is small there is more surface area available for water cement
interaction, thus the rate of gain of strength is higher and vice versa.
Test: Blane air permeability test

5. Heat of Hydration:
The heat of hydration is affected most by C3S and C3A present in cement, and also by water-cement
ratio, fineness and curing temperature.

Test: ASTM C 186

6. Strength:
The strength of cement involves the compressive, tensile and flexural.
Test: Strength is determined for cement mortar not for the cement paste.

7. Specific Gravity:
Specific gravity is generally used in mixture proportioning calculations. Portland cement has a specific
gravity of 3.15.

Test: ASTM C 188

Chemical Properties of Cement:

There are some compounds in cement, which add different properties into it.
1. Tricalcium silicate (C3S):

C3S causes rapid hydration as well as hardening and is responsible for the cement’s early strength gain (7
days strength) an initial setting.

2. Dicalcium silicate (C2S)

It helps cement to gain strength after one week.

3. Tricalcium aluminate (C3A):

Low content of C3A makes the cement sulfate-resistant. Gypsum reduces the hydration of C3A,
which liberates a lot of heat in the early stages of hydration. C3A does not provide any more than
a little amount of strength.
4. Ferrite (C4AF):
Ferrite is a fluxing agent. It reduces the melting temperature of the raw materials in the kiln from 3,000°F
to 2,600°F. Though it hydrates rapidly, it does not contribute much to the strength of the cement.

5. Gypsum (CSH2):
It reduces the heat of hydration produced in early stages and avoids the flash set.

6. Iron oxide/ Ferric oxide:

Aside from adding strength and hardness, iron oxide or ferric oxide is mainly responsible for the color of
the cement.

7. Alkalis:

Cement containing large amounts of alkali can cause some difficulty in regulating the setting time of
cement.

8. Silica fumes:
They are added in order to enhance the compressive strength and abrasion of the cement concrete but it
prolongs the setting time so the cement containing high amount of silica is used in high strength concrete.

9. Alumina:
Makes the concrete temperature resistant but also reduces the strength of concrete.