TYPES OF CEMENT USED IN CONSTRUCTION  Clinkering temperature is lowered by the presence

of the requisite quantity of alumina.

What is cement?
 Is a binding agent that sets and hardens to adhere
to building units such as stones, bricks, tiles, etc.
 Cement mixed with water causes a chemical
reaction and forms a paste that sets and hardens to
bind individual structures of building materials.
 The water causes the hardening
of concrete through a process
called hydration. Hydration is a chemical reaction in
which the major compounds in cement form
chemical bonds with water molecules and become
hydrates or hydration products.
Composition of Cement
There are eight major ingredients of cement.
 Excess alumina weakens the cement.
4. Magnesia: Magnesium Oxide. Chemical formula is MgO.
 Magnesia should not be present more than 2% in
cement.
 Excess magnesia will reduce the strength of the
cement.
5. Iron oxide: Chemical formula is Fe2O3. (from clay, iron ore,
scrap iron and fly ash)
 Iron oxide imparts color to cement.
 It acts as a flux.
 At a very high temperature, it imparts into the
chemical reaction with calcium and aluminum to
form tricalcium alumino-ferrite.

The general percentage of these ingredients in cement is 6. Calcium Sulfate: Chemical formula is CaSO4. (found
given below: together with limestone)

Ingredient Percentage in  This is present in cement in the form of

cement gypsum(CaSO4.2H2O)
Lime 60-65
 It slows down or retards the setting action of
Silica 17-25
cement.
Alumina 3-8
Magnesia 1-3
7. Sulfur Trioxide: Chemical formula is SO3
Iron oxide 0.5-6
Calcium Sulfate 0.1-0.5  Should not be present more than 2%.
Sulfur Trioxide 1-3
 Excess Sulfur Trioxide causes cement to unsound.
Alkaline 0-1
8. Alkaline:
Functions of Cement Ingredients
 Should not be present more than 1%.
1. Lime: Lime is calcium oxide or calcium hydroxide. (from  Excess Alkaline matter causes efflorescence
limestone, chalk, shells, shale or calcareous rock)  Efflorescence is a crystalline deposit of salts that can
form when water is present in or on brick, concrete,
 Presence of lime in a sufficient quantity is required stone, stucco or other building surfaces. It has a
to form silicates and aluminates of calcium. white or greyish tint and consists of salt deposits left
 Deficiency in lime reduces the strength property to behind when water evaporates.
the cement.
 Excessive presence of lime cause cement to expand
and disintegrate.
Summary of Production Process
2. Silica: Silicon dioxide is known as silica, chemical formula
1. Cement is typically made from limestone and clay or
SiO2. (from sand, clay or argillaceous rock)
shale. These raw materials are extracted from the
quarry crushed to a very fine powder and then
 Sufficient quantity of silica should be present in
blended in the correct proportions.
cement to form di-calcium and tri-calcium silicate.
2. This blended raw material is called the 'raw feed' or
 Silica imparts strength to cement.
'kiln feed' and is heated in a rotary kiln where it
3. Alumina: Alumina is Aluminium oxide. The chemical reaches a temperature of about 1400 C to 1500 C.
formula is Al2O3. (from bauxite, recycled aluminum, clay) The raw feed enters the kiln at the cool end and
gradually passes down to the hot end, then falls out
 Alumina imparts quick setting property to the of the kiln and cools down.
cement.
 3. The material formed in the kiln is described as
'clinker' and is typically composed of rounded
nodules between 1mm and 25mm across.
4. After cooling, the clinker may be stored temporarily
in a clinker store, or it may pass directly to the
cement mill.
5. The cement mill grinds the clinker to a fine powder.
A small amount of gypsum - a form of calcium
sulfate - is normally ground up with the clinker. The
gypsum controls the setting properties of the
cement when water is added.
Cement is primarily characterized into two types:
3. Rapid Hardening Cement
1. Hydraulic Cement
 The cement which hardens in the presence of water.
 This is primarily because of hydration.
 The best example for hydraulic cement is Portland
cement.
2. Non Hydraulic Cement
 The cement which doesn’t harden underwater.
 It hardens when it reacts with the atmospheric
carbon dioxide (carbonation).
 Carbonation is the reaction of carbon dioxide in the
environment with the calcium hydroxide in
the cement paste.
 It is resistant to attack by chemicals after setting.
Types of Cements:
4. Quick Setting cement
1. Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC)
 The most common type of cement.
 Less resistant to chemical attack.
 It is not suitable for the construction work which is
exposed to sulphates in the soil.
 Composition:
1. Argillaceous or silicates of alumina (clay and
shale)
2. Calcareous or calcium carbonate (limestone,
chalk, and marl)
 Uses:
1. Used for general construction purposes
2. Used in most of the masonry works.
2. Portland Pozzolana Cement (PPC)
5. Low Heat Cement
 In this cement type, clinker and pozzolanic material
(volcanic ash, fly ash, etc.) are mixed in a definite
proportion with Portland cement.
 It produces less heat. Due to this property, it can be
used in mega projects.
 It offers greater resistance to sulfates and corrosive
actions of sea water.
 Composition:
1. OPC clinker
2. Gypsum
3. Pozzolanic Materials (Fly ash, volcanic ash, and
calcined clay or silica fumes)
 Uses:
1. Used in hydraulic structures, marine structures,
construction near the seashore, dam
construction etc.
2. Used in the manufacture of precast sewage
pipes
 Also known as High-Early-Strength cement.
 It attains its maximum strength with-in 24-72 hours.
 The strength of Rapid Hardening cement at age of 3
days is almost same as the 7 days strength of
Ordinary Portland cement.
 Properties:
1. It contains relatively more tri-calcium silicate.
2. It is more fine-grained than the ordinary
cement. This factors helps in quicker and
complete hydration of cement particles during
setting and helps in gaining early strength.
 Uses:
1. Mostly used where rapid construction is
needed like the construction of pavement.
2. It also gives high strength.
 The cement which sets in a very short time.
 Initial setting time is 5 minutes and the final setting
time is 30 minutes.
 Composition:
1. Clinker
2. Aluminum sulphate (1% to 3% by weight of
clinker)
 Uses:
1. Used in underwater construction.
2. Used in rainy & cold weather conditions.
3. Used in a higher temperature where water
evaporates easily.
4. Used for anchoring or rock bolt mining and
tunneling.
 Spatial type of cement which produce low heat of
hydration during setting.
  It possesses less compressive strength than ordinary
Portland cement.
 Composition:
1. Low percentage (5%) of tri-calcium aluminate
(C3Al)
2. Higher percentage (46%) of di-calcium silicate
(C2S)
 Uses:
1. Used for the construction of dam’s large
footing, large raft slabs, and wind turbine
plinths.
2. Used for the construction of chemical plants.
6. Sulphate resisting portland cement
The Sulphate Resisting Portland Cement should be
kept in a place which is dry otherwise through premature
hydration and carbonation the quality of cement
deteriorates.
 provides maximum resistance to chloride
ions – minimising the risk of corrosion of
reinforced steel.
 provides high level of concrete
performance and structural integrity in
highly aggressive sulphate and acidic
environments.
 increased workability and pumpability.
 Foundations.
 Piling works.
 Concrete surfaces subjected to alternate wetting
and drying such as bridge piers, concrete surface in
tidal zone, apron etc.
 Coastal protective works such as sea walls, break
waters, tetrapods etc.
 Building near seacoast.
7. High Alumina Cement
The process of manufacture of High Alumina Cement is
different compared to that of ordinary portland cement.
Bauxite and lime are used as the raw material. The raw
materials are mixed in the required proportion and grinded
into small fragments of 100 mm. These lumps are fed in kiln
and heated up-to their fusion point which is 1600°C. The
molten material fall down on the steel plate and it is send to
cool down in rotary kiln.
 It is very resistant to chemical attacks.
 The pH level is low.
 High resistant to chemical corrosion, due to which it
is used for construction of water pipes, sewage
pipes, factory drains, coastal constructions and in
factory chimneys.
 Hardening property of this cement is fast.
 It acts as a bonding material when added in
refractory castables because it forms ceramic bond
at high temperatures.
8. White Cement
• White portland cement has essentially the same
properties as gray cement, except for color.
• Limestone and clay is used as a prominent raw
material for the manufacture of white cement
• Iron oxide and manganese oxide, contains very little
amount
9. Colored Cement
 In this type of cement, pigment (color) is mixed with
the Portland cement in a definite proportion.
 The Pigment is mixed in a finest powdered state. The
amount of pigment used depends upon the shade of
the desired color.
10. Air Entraining Cement
• Air-entrained portland cement is a special cement
which has air bubbles introduced in the cement or
concrete that provides the space for expansion of
minute droplets of waters in the concrete due to
freezing and thawing and protects from cracks and
damage of concrete.
• The manufacture of this special concrete is same as
that of normal ordinary portland cement, after the
cement clinkers are formed, in the grinding process
the cement clinkers are added with some air
entraining materials which makes the cement as air
entrained cement.
The ways of incorporating air in concrete:
 Using gas forming materials as aluminum powder,
zinc powder and hydrogen peroxide.
 Using surface active agents that reduces surface
tension. They may be natural wood resins and their
soaps, animal or vegetable fats or oils, alkali salts of
sulfonated or sulphated organic compounds.
 Using cement dispersing agents.
11. Expansive Cement
• Expansive cement is special type of cement when
mixed with water, which forms a paste that tends to
increase in volume to a significantly greater degree
than Portland cement paste after setting. The
 expansion of the cement mortar or concrete is
compensated for the shrinkage losses.
• (1) Type K expansive cement
• a mixture of portland cement, anhydrous
tetracalcium trialuminate sulfate (C4A3S), calcium
sulfate (CaSO4), and lime (CaO).
(2) Type M expansive cement
• interground or blended mixtures of portland
cement and calcium sulfate suitably proportioned.
(3) Type S expansive cement
• a portland cement containing a high computed
tricalcium aluminate (C3A) content and an amount
of calcium sulfate above the usual amount found in
portland cement.
12. Hydrophobic Cement
As the name of the cement denotes, hydro means water and
phobic means against. Hydrophobic cement is obtained by
grinding portland cement clinker with a film-forming
substance such as oleic acid in order to reduce the rate of
deterioration when the cement is stored under unfavourable
conditions. It is also known as Hydrographic cement.
 Uses in longer storage periods and extremely wet
climatic conditions.
 Majorly used in the Tunnel construction as
the underground repairs are difficult and costly.
 These cements are used in construction of dams,
spillways, under water constructions.
 Used in the structures that are exposed to rain or
rain puddling, such as green roofs, other kinds of
roofs, parking structures, and plazas.
 Used in drainage system works and manholes.
 Used in water treatment plants , dams and retaining
walls.
 It can fix leaky pipes and basements without having
to stop the leaking.
13. Blast Furnace Slag
 Blast furnace slag cement is the mixture of ordinary
Portland cement and fine granulated blast furnace
slag obtained as a by product in the manufacture of
steel with percent under 70% to that of cement.
Ground granulated blast furnace slag cement
(GGBFS) is a fine glassy granules which contain
cementatious properties.
 It is manufactured by grinding clinker and specific
amounts of blast furnace slag together. A small
percent of gypsum is also added for controlling its
setting time.
Properties:
The slag cement offers a number of advantages, which are
the following.
(i) They possess better workability, cohesiveness, and
plasticity. These qualities are explained to be due to lesser
specific gravity and greater specific surface area of slag
cement.
(ii) They have better resistance to sulfates of alkali metals,
alumina, and iron.
(iii) It produces low heat. This property makes it useful for use
in mega projects like Dams.
(iv) It is economical as compared to ordinary cement.
Uses:
It is better suited for use in marine structures as in docks,
harbors, and jetties. It is also used in road construction in
marshy and alkaline soils.
14. Waterproof Cement
 Water proof cement is prepared by using some of
the waterproofing material like Ca, Al with the
ordinary cement during the process of cement
manufacturing.
 They are mostly used in the structures where water
proofing is required, like in the Dams, Water Tanks,
etc.
15. Ultra high strength Cement
In advanced countries, an Ultra-high early strength cement is
produced by separating the finest fraction ( above 700 m2/kg
) from the rapid hardening cement at the manufacturing
stage itself.
16. Low Alkali Cement
 Such types of cement are specially made Portland
cement in which alkali content is kept below in
minimum amount, by exercising very strict control
over the composition of the raw material used.
 They are used in those circumstances
where aggregates -for making concrete- are
suspected to contain reactive silica.
When alkali- silica reactive constituents are suspected to be
present in the aggregate and cement
 HYDRAULIC CEMENT BY VICAT NEEDLE
KEY TERMS:
HYDRAULIC CEMENT – Is a type of cement that sets very
quickly and hardens with the addition of water to the finely
ground cement.
VICAT APPARATUS - a device for determining the normal
consistency and time of setting of portland cements that
consists of a rod weighing 300 grams, having a needle in each
end, and supported in a frame with a graduated scale to
measure the distance to which the needle penetrates the
cement.
SETTING TIME - is defined as a specified time required for
concrete or mortar to change from liquid state to plastic state
and plastic state to solid state so that surface becomes
sufficiently rigid to withstand a definite amount of pressure.
INITIAL SETTING TIME - is the interval between the mixing of
the cement with water and the time when the mix has lost
plasticity.
FINAL SETTING TIME - is the point at which the set cement
has acquired a sufficient firmness to resist a
certain defined pressure.
Apparatus or Materials:
– Portland Cement
– Vicat Apparatus
– Mixing Container
– Balance sensitive to 0.1 gm
– #200 sieve
– Spatula
PROCEDURE:
1. Weigh about 300 gm. of cement accurately and
make a paste with 0.85 times the water required to
make a paste of normal consistency.
2. Place the paste in the rubber mold. Place the paste
into the apparatus then remove the excess paste
3. Bring the small end of the rod of the Vicat apparatus
on the surface of the paste and the quickly release
the needle to allow it to penetrate the paste
4. Read the penetration of the needle registered on
the dials. Remove the paste and place back into the
apparatus. The initial set is said to have occured
when the needle ceases to pass point 5 mm above
the bottom of the mold.
5. The time taken from the instant of adding water to
the cement up to the moment when the needle
ceases to penetrate a point 5mm above the bottom
of the mold is known as the initial setting time of
cement. For ordinary portland cement, the initial set
should not be less than 30 minutes.
CALCULATION:
Initial setting time=T2-T1
Final setting time=T3-T1
Where,
T1 =Time at which water is first added to cement
T2 =Time when needle fails to penetrate 5 mm to 7
mm from bottom of the mold
T3 =Timewhen the needle makes an impression but
the attachment fails to do so.
Example:
Brand of Cement S.R.MAPPLE LEAF
– Time of Starting the experiment = 9:25 am
– Time at taking initial setting reading = 10:45 am
– Time at taking final setting reading = 1:50 pm
– Initial Setting Time = …1 hour 20 minutes….
– Final Setting Time = …4 hours 25 minutes….
After Performing the experiment we have concluded the
results that the initial setting time of cement is 1 hr 20 mins
and final setting time of cement paste is 4 hrs & 25 mins. The
minimum initial setting time is 45 minutes and maximum final
setting time is 10 hrs. As the Initial and Final setting time is
coming in between the prescribed range , it means that the
experiment is performed accurately.
CONCRETE MIXING RATIOS
When making concrete it's important to use the
correct concrete mixing ratios to produce a strong, durable
concrete mix.
To make concrete there are four basic materials you
need: portland cement, sand, aggregate (stone), and water.
Cement
• Cement is the bonding agent that holds the
aggregate and sand of concrete together once it
cures.
 • It is important to remember, more cement does not Adding Water
mean greater compressive strength, it means better
adhesion. The two are not synonymous.

TRIVIA

Bricklayer Joseph Aspdin of Leeds, England first

made portland cement early in the 19th century by burning
powdered limestone and clay in his kitchen stove.
Hydration - The strength properties of the concrete is
Aggregate
inversely proportional to its water content.
• Washed, crushed rock — often mistakenly called
Applications of Different Grades of Concrete
gravel — aggregate is the component that gives
concrete its compressive structural integrity. M10 (1:3:6) and M15 (1:2:4)
Concrete has tremendous compressive strength.
The rocks and sand support the concrete when it is
being compressed.

Sand

• Not only the filling agent that eliminates air pockets Boundary Walls Freestanding
and spaces between the individual crushed rocks,
Retaining Walls
sand also has a very high compressive strength.

Water M25 (1:1:2)

• Water creates the chemical change in the quicklime
Reinforced Foundations
of cement that makes it adhere to rock and sand,
water also makes concrete workable. Without
water, mixing, forming, and finishing concrete is not
possible.

CONCRETE MIX PROPORTION AND ITS APPLICATION

Dry Mixtures Driveways and Garage Floor

Grades of Concretes M30 (1:0.75:1.5)

Suspended Beams Flagstones

PORTLAND CEMENT
 Cement- is a binder, a substance used for
construction that sets, hardens, and adheres to
other materials to bind them together. Cement is
seldom used on its own, but rather to bind sand and
gravel together. Cement mixed with fine aggregate
produces mortar for masonry, or
with sand and gravel, produces concrete. Concrete
is the most widely used material in existence and is
only behind water as the planet's most-consumed
resource.
 Portland cement, binding material in the form of a
finely ground powder, usually gray, that is
manufactured by burning and grinding a mixture
of limestone and clay or limestone and shale. The
inventor Joseph Aspdin, of England, patented the
basic process in 1824, naming it for the resemblance
of the cement when set to portland stone, a
limestone from the Isle of Portland.
 Portland cement is the most common type
of cement in general use around the world as a basic
ingredient of concrete, mortar, stucco, and non-
specialty grout.
 The low cost and widespread availability of the
limestone, shales, and other naturally-occurring
materials used in Portland cement make it one of
the lowest-cost materials widely used over the last
century. Concrete produced from Portland cement
is one of the world's most versatile construction
materials.
Five types of Portland Cement
Type I Portland cement is known as common or general-
purpose cement. It is commonly used for general
construction, especially when making precast, and precast-
prestressed concrete that is not to be in contact with soils or
ground water.
Type II provides moderate sulfate resistance, and gives off
less heat during hydration. This type is for general
construction exposed to moderate sulfate attack, and is
meant for use when concrete is in contact with soils and
ground water, especially in the western United States due to
the high sulfur content of the soils.
Type III has relatively high early strength. Use for rapid
construction. This gives the concrete using this type of
cement a three-day compressive strength equal to the seven-
day compressive strength of types I and II. Its seven-day
compressive strength is almost equal to 28-day compressive
strengths of types I and II. The only downside is that the six-
month strength of type III is the same or slightly less than that
of types I and II. Therefore, the long-term strength is
sacrificed.
Type IV Portland cement is generally known for its low heat
of hydration. This causes the heat given off by the hydration
reaction to develop at a slower rate. However, as a
consequence the strength of the concrete develops slowly.
After one or two years the strength is higher than the other
types after full curing. This cement is used for very large
concrete structures, such as dams, which have a low surface
to volume ratio.
Type V is used where sulfate resistance is important. This type
of cement has good strength against sulfate attacks.
Sulfate attack can lead to expansion, cracking, strength loss,
and disintegration of the concrete.
Other Types of Portland Cement
 Types Ia, IIa, and IIIa have the same composition as
types I, II, and III. The only difference is that in Ia, IIa,
and IIIa, an air-entraining agent is ground into the
mix.
 Types II(MH) and II(MH)a have a similar composition
as types II and IIa, but with a mild heat.
Safety issues
Bags of cement routinely have health and safety warnings
printed on them, because not only is cement highly alkaline,
but the setting process is also exothermic. As a result, wet
cement is strongly caustic, and can easily cause severe skin
burns if not promptly washed off with water. Similarly, dry
cement powder in contact with mucous membranes can
cause severe eye or respiratory irritation. The reaction of
cement dust with moisture in the sinuses and lungs can also
cause a chemical burn, as well as headaches, fatigue, and
lung cancer.
ADMIXTURES
ADMIXTURES
Admixtures are natural or manufactured chemicals which are
added to the concrete before or during mixing.
WHY USE ADMIXTURES?
• Admixtures are used to give special properties to
fresh or hardened concrete.
• Admixtures are used to overcome difficult
construction situations.
2 Classification of Admixtures
• Chemical Admixtures
• Mineral Admixtures
 Chemical Admixture
Chemical admixtures are the ingredients in concrete other
than Portland cement, water, and aggregate that are added
to the mix immediately before or during mixing.
It reduces the cost of construction, modify properties of
hardened concrete, ensure quality of concrete during
mixing/transporting/placing/curing, and overcome certain
emergencies during concrete operations.
5types of chemical Admixture
• Water-reducing admixtures
• Superplasticizers
• Retarding admixtures
• Accelerating admixtures
• Air entraining admixture
Water-reducing admixtures
• Reduces the required water content for a concrete
mixture by about 5 to 10 percent.
• It increases concretes strength without further
cement addition.
• Concrete having greater workability be made
without the need for more water.
Superplasticizers
(also known as high-range water reducers)
• Reduces water content by 12 to 30 percent
• The effect only last for 30 to 60 minutes, depending
on the brand and dosage rate.
Retarding admixtures
• Delay or extend the setting time of cement without
effecting the strength development
• Retarders keep concrete workable during
placement and delay the initial set of concrete.
• Durability increases
Accelerating admixtures
• Increase the rate of early strength development
• Useful for modifying the properties of concrete in
cold weather
• Quicker setting time
• Useful for emergency repair work
Air Entraining Admixtures
• Used to improve workability
• Increased in durability
• Better resistance to frost action and reduction in
bleeding
Mineral admixtures
-Mineral admixtures are finely divided materials
which are added to the concrete relatively large amounts,
usually of the order of 20 to 100 percent by weight or
Portland cement.
Commonly used mineral admixtures
• Fly Ash
• Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBFS)
• Silica Fume
• Rice Husk Ash
• Metakaolin
• Surkhi
TEST of CONCRETE
 Slump test
 Compressive strength test
 Water Permeability test
 Rapid Chloride Ion Penetration Test
 Water Absorption Test
 Initial Surface Absorption Test
1. Slump test - This is to determine the workability of
concrete in terms of slump test.
Types of Slump
 True Slump: The concrete mass after the test
when slumps evenly all around without
disintegration is called the true slump.
 Shear Slump: When one-half of the concrete
mass slide down the other is called the shear
slump. This type of slump is obtained in a lean
concrete mix.
 Collapse Slump: When the sample is collapsed
due to adding excessive water, it is known as
collapse slump.
 Zero Slump: For very stiff or dry mixes it does
not show any changes of the slump after
removing the slump cone.
2. Compressive strength test - The durability of the
concrete is measured by breaking cylindrical or cube
concrete specimens in a compression-testing machine.
Compressive strength is calculated from the failure CONCRETE PAVEMENT
load divided by the cross-sectional area resisting the Slab of concrete made from cement,
load and the units are reported in units of pound-force aggregate, sand, and water.
per square inch (psi) or megapascals (Mpa). Minimum
of 4,500 psi as per ASTM C 496.
Jointed Concrete Pavements
The table below shows the compressive strength (Doweled or Undoweled)
gained by concrete after 1, 3, 7, 14 and 28 days with
The most commonly used concrete pavements for
respect to the grade of concrete we use.
highways, airports, and many streets and roads.
Age Strength per cent

1 day 16%

3 days 40%

7 days 65%

14 days 90%

28 days 99% The most common type of jointed

3. Water permeability test - It determines the pavements are jointed plain concrete pavements (JPCP’s),
resistance of concrete against water under hydrostatic which do not contain any steel reinforcement, but may
pressure. This test is with the accordance of the include dowel bars or other devices that transfer the weight
German Standard DIN 1048 at 28 days age.The more of vehicles across the slabs.
depth of water penetration, the less is the durability of
Continuously Reinforced Concrete Pavements
concrete.
Are constructed with reinforcing steel to
4. Rapid Chloride ion penetration test - It is a standard hold cracks together tightly. Transverse cracks are
test method for electrical indication of concrete’s
expected in the slab, usually at intervals of 1.5 ft to 6ft
ability to resist chloride ion penetration.The test shall
(0.5 to 1.8 m), so the reinforcing steel is placed
be done in accordance with ASTM C1202-97.
prior to the placement of concrete.
5. Water Absorption test - The evaluation of water Concrete Overlays
absorption of concrete as a measure for resistance
Is a thin color concrete cement based products that
against carbonation and chloride migration.
Dry(oven) → Weigh → Immerse in water → Weigh again go over existing concrete for repair or decorative
reasons. Overlays can be applied as thin as a feather finish up
The increase in weight as a percentage of original
to in most cases 3/4″ depending on the desired finish.
weight is expressed as its absorption (in percent)
Bonded Concrete Overlays
6. Initial Surface Absorption Test - This test specified These are thin (typically 2 in. to 6 in. thick), and
in BS 1881 part 5 originally developed as a laboratory
may be placed directly on an underlying asphalt,
method of measuring the porosity of concrete. The test
concrete, or composite pavement that is still structurally
consists of the measurement of water flow into the
surface area. The contact area is defined by a plastic sound.
cell sealed onto the surface.. Unbonded Concrete Overlays
May be used to rehabilitate existing
asphalt, concrete, or composite pavements. They
are typically 4 in. to 11 in. thick and are placed on a
stable base to serve as a new full-depth pavement section.
Precast Pavements • Water
These are typically used for constructing or • Portland cement.
repairing a concrete pavement surface where
casting and curing of panels are done in advance. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE
Next Generation Concrete Surface 1. For strength requirements, select the water to cement
In response to noise issues on urban ratio by weight.
highways and the public’s demand for quieter 2. Before mixing concrete, be sure that the mixer has been
urban roadways, ACPA led a large-scale initiative "buttered" with a mixture of cement, sand, and water.
involving industry and academia, which developed and 3. Divide your water into two buckets, one with about 3/4 of
tested a unique surface texture that can be used for the water. Put about half the coarse aggregate and the 3/4-
either new or existing concrete pavements. bucket of water.
Roller-Compacted Concrete 4. Start the mixer.
Roller-compacted concrete (RCC) is a stiff, 5. Add about half the fine aggregate.
zero slump, strong concrete mixture that is typically 6. Carefully add all the cement with the mixer running. Try
placed with high-density paving equipment. not to make a lot of dust!
Concrete Pavement Restoration 7. Mix until all the cement is blended in.
Concrete pavement restoration (CPR) is a 8. Add the rest of the coarse and fine aggregate.
term that applies to restoring a concrete pavement’s 9. Mix for a while.
ride quality and/or surface texture. 10. Add enough water from the final quarter of the water to
Full-Depth Reclamation produce a workable mix.
It is a technique in which hot-mixed 11. Mix for three minutes, followed by a three-minute rest,
asphalt (HMA) material from the existing followed by a two-minute final mixing.
pavement is removed, combined with 12. Perform a slump test using the procedure given below. If
portland cement, and used to create a new and results are satisfactory, skip to the next step.
improved base. The FDR base is then topped with a
new concrete surface or HMA wearing course to provide a SLUM TEST
strong, uniform base or subbase. 1.To perform the test, you need a slump cone and a tamping
Cement-Treated Base rod. The slump conea (fig. 3.1), 12 in. in height, with a base
It is a mixture of aggregate material and/or opening 6 in. Both the top and bottom openings are
granular soils combined with engineered amounts of perpendicular to the vertical axis of the cone.
portland cement and water that hardens after compaction
and curing to stabilize a variety of soils, which in turn,
creates a stronger, stiffer, and more durable paving material.
Recycled Concrete Aggregates
These are aggregates produced from the
recycling of existing concrete. Existing
2. Cylindrical plastic molds are used to cast the concrete
concrete is removed, processed into
appropriate aggregate sizes, and reused in specimens. The molds should be filled in three approximately
various pavement applications. equal layers. Each layer should be ridded (poked with a bullet

LABORATORY CONCRETE MIXTURE PROPORTIONING nosed steel rod) 25 times to eliminate unwanted air bubbles.

Concrete is a mixture of five components: The top of the molds should be struck off with the rod and

• Coarse aggregate then with a wooden float.

• Fine aggregate
3. Once the specimens have been struck off, the outside of
the molds should be cleaned as well as the mixer and tools.
Fresh concrete is a lot easier to clean than when it has set.
4. The cylinders should now be placed in the lab fog room for
curing. After 24 hours a member of your group must strip off
the mold and carefully mark your specimen with your group
number.
5. If the slump is less than required, return the concrete to
the mixer, add the remaining water, and mix for one minute.
Perform a second slump test. If results are satisfactory, go on
to step 10.
6. If the slump is still less than required, return the concrete
to the mixer, add additional water, as well as additional
Portland cement to maintain the desired water/cement ratio
(Wt. of PC added = Wt. of water added/WC ratio), and mix for
one minute.
Continue taking slump tests and adding water and cement
until the desired slump is obtained.
13. Record the final slump.
14. Record the actual weight of water and cement used
15. Cast 6 cylinders
COMPRESSION TEST
1. Prepare the testing machine by cleaning the bearing
plates and, if needed, cleaning and lubricating
The known and measured quantities are:
• Original cross-sectional area of the
specimen--------Ao
• Applied load at various points------------F
• Original height of the cylinder-----------Lo
• Original diameter of cylinder------------Do
• Maximum compressive stress-----------f'c
2) Provide written definitions for all results calculated, from
the aggregate, mix and strength labs.
3) Compare, using percent difference, the design
compressive strength with actual results.
4) Will your concrete mix work for the designs project you
chose?
5) The effect of water on the mixture before and after setting
6) How does aggregate affect the mixture?
7) Draw the stress-strain curves for concrete cylinders have a
shape similar to those shown in Fig. X, where f'c is the
ultimate compression stress. (Note: Several factors influence
the magnitude of f'c including moisture content of cylinders,
speed of tests and size of cylinders, usually 6" diameter by
12" long, Discus with your classmates how the shape of the
sample also influences strength test results.)

COMPRESSION TEST PROCEDURE

The compressive strength of concrete is one of the
factors, which controls the loads, which may be applied to a
concrete structure. Therefore, for every significant structure
it is important to check the compressive strength from a
representative number of concrete cylinders cast from the
same batches of concrete used to form the structure.
Report Requirements
1) Calculate the compressive strength of the concrete using
the following formula:
Where:
f´c = compressive strength (in psi)
P= maximum load (in pounds)
A= cross-sectional area of specimen (in inches)