CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS SOUNDNESS

LECTURE 2 – PORTLAND CEMENT  Soundness of cement paste refers to its ability

to retain its volume after setting.
 The autoclave expansion test (figure 2.1)
Portland cement concrete is used in structures
(ASTM C151) is used to check the soundness
such as:
of the cement paste. In this test, cement paste
1) Building
bars are subjected to heat and high
2) Bridges
pressure, and the amount of expansion is
3) Tunnels
measured. ASTM C150 limits autoclave
4) Dams
expansion to 0.8%
5) Factories
6) Pavements
WATER-CEMENT RATIO
7) Playground
 The ratio of the weight of water to the weight
Portland concrete cement consists of: of cement, sometimes called water-
1) Portland cement cementitious material ratio, which includes
2) Aggregates fly ash, slag, silica fume, and natural
3) Water pozzolans, have been used as admixtures in
4) Air voids recent years to alter some of the properties of
5) Admixtures Portland cement concrete.
 Hydration requires approximately 0.22 kg to
SPECIFIC GRAVITY OF PORTLAND 0.25 kg of water per 1 kg of cement, figure
CEMENT 2.2 shows a typical relationship between the
water-cement ratio and compressive
The specific gravity of Portland cement strength.
(without voids between particles) is about 3.15
and can be determined according to ASTM C188

Portland cement was patented by Joseph

Aspdin in 1824 and was named after the
limestone cliffs on the Isle of Portland in
England. (Kosmatka et al., 2008)

HYDRATION AND PROPERTIES OF

HYDRATED CEMENT

Hydration is a chemical reaction between

the cement particles and water.

 Setting (1st phase)

Refers to the stiffing of the cement paste
or the change from a plastic state to a solid state.
Setting is usually described by two levels: Initial
set and final set. The definition of the initial and
final set is arbitrary, based on measurements by
either Vicat apparatus (ASTM C191) or the
Gilmore needles (ASTM C266).

 Hardening (2nd phase)

Refers to the strength gain in a set cement
paste.

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 TYPES OF PORTLAND CEMENT

Type Name Application

General concrete work when the special properties

I Normal of other types are not needed. Suitable for floors,
reinforced concrete structures, pavements, etc.

Protection against moderate sulphate exposure,

0.1-0.2% weight water soluble sulphate in soil or
150-1500 ppm sulphate in water (sea water). Can
Moderate
be specified with moderate heat of hydration,
II Sulphate
making it suitable for large piers, heavy
Resistance
abutments, and retaining walls. The moderate
heat of hydration is also beneficial when placing
concrete in warm weather.

Used for fast-track construction when forms need

III High Early
to be removed as soon as possible or structure
Strength
needs to be put in service as soon as possible.

Low Heat of Used when mass of structure, such as large dams,

IV
Hydration requires careful control of the heat of hydration.

Protection from severe sulphate exposure, 0.2-

High Sulphate
V 2.0% weight water soluble sulphate in soils or
Resistance
1500-10,800 ppm sulphate in water.

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 OTHER CEMENT TYPES  Internal stresses reduced the durability of
hardened concrete, especially when cycles
1) White Portland cement of freeze and thaw are repeated many times.
2) Blended hydraulic cement (ASTM C595)  In addition to improving durability, air
3) Type IS (Portland blast furnace slag cement) entrainment provides other important
4) Type IP (Portland – pozzolan cement) benefits to both freshly mixed and hardened
5) Hydraulic cement (ASTM C1157) concrete. Air entrainment improves
a. Type GU (General Use) concrete resistance to several destructive
b. Type HE (High Early Strength) factors, including freeze-thaw cycles, de-
c. Type MS (Moderate sulphate resistance) icers and salts, sulfates, and alkali-silica
d. Type HS (High sulphate resistance) reactivity.
e. Type MH (Moderate heat of hydration)  Air entrainment also increases the
f. Type LH (Low heat of Hydration)
workability of fresh concrete. Air
6) Masonry and mortar cements
entrainment decreases the strength of
7) Plastic cements
concrete.
8) Finely-ground cements
 Air entrainers are usually liquid, and should
meet the specifications of ASTM C260
ADMIXTURES FOR CONCRETE
 Admixtures are ingredients other than
II. WATER REDUCERS
Portland cement, water and aggregates that
 Workability of fresh concrete or plastic
may be added to concrete to impart a
concrete requires more water than is needed
specific quality to either the plastic (fresh)
for hydration. Therefore, water-reducing
mix or the hardened concrete (ASTM
admixtures have been developed to gain
C494). Some admixtures are charged into
workability and, at the same time, maintain
the mix as solutions. In such cases the liquid
quality.
should be considered part of the mixing
 Water reducers increase the mobility of the
water. If admixtures cannot be added in
cement particles in the plastic mix, allowing
solution, they are either weighed or
workability to be achieved at lower water
measured by volume as recommended by
contents.
the manufacturer.
 Water reducers are produced with different
levels of effectiveness: Conventional, mid-
range, and high-range water reducers.
Admixtures are classified by the following
chemical and functional physical
characteristics:
Water reducers can actually be used to
1) Air entrainers
accomplished three different objectives,
2) Water reducers
according to Hewlett (1978):
3) Retarders
1) Adding a water reducer without altering
4) Hydration controller admixtures
the other quantities in the mix increases
5) Accelerators
the slump, which is a measure of
6) Specialty admixtures
concrete consistency and an indicator of
workability.
2) The strength of the mix can be increased
I. AIR ENTRAINERS by using the water reducer by lowering
 Air entrainers produce tiny air bubbles in the
the quantity of water and keeping the
hardened concrete to provide space for
cement content constant.
water to expand upon freezing. These air
3) The cost of the mix, which is primarily
pockets relieve internal pressure on the
determined by the amount of cement,
concrete by providing tiny chambers for
can be reduced. In this case, the water
water to expand into when it freezes.
reducer allows a decrease in the amount
of water.

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SUPERPLASTICIZERS
 Adding superplasticizer to a concrete with a  They consist of two parts:
75-mm slum can increase the slump to 230- 1) Stabilizer: it completely stops the
mm (9 in.), or the original slump can be hydration of the cementing materials
maintained by reducing the water content by for up to 72 hours.
12% to 30%. 2) Activator: it stabilized concrete re-
 The use of superplasticizers has resulted in a established normal hydration and
major breakthrough in the concrete industry. setting.
Now, the high-strength concrete in the order  These admixtures are very useful in
of 70-80MPa compressive strength or more extending the use of ready-mixed concrete
can be produced when superplasticizers are when the work at the jobsite is stopped for
used. various reasons.
 They are also useful when concrete is being
hauled for a long time.
SUPERPLASTICIZER CAN BE USED
WHEN:
 A low water-cement ratio is beneficial V. ACCELERATORS
(e.g. high strength concrete, early  Accelerators are used to:
strength gains, and reduced porosity 1) Reduce the amount of time before
 Placing thin sections finishing operation begin.
 Placing concrete around tightly spaced 2) Reduce curing time
reinforcing steel 3) Increase rate of strength gain
 Placing cement underwater 4) Plug leaks under hydraulic pressure
 Placing concrete by pumping efficiently
 Consolidating the concrete is difficult  Calcium chloride, CaCl2, is the most widely
used accelerator.
* note: When superplasticizers are used, fresh
concrete stays workable for a short time, 30-60
minutes, and is followed by rapid loss in The PCA recommends against using calcium
workability. chloride under the following conditions:
1) Concrete is prestressed
2) Concrete contains embedded
III. RETARDERS aluminum such as conduits,
 Retarders are used for several reasons, such especially if the aluminums is in
as the following: contact with steel
1) Offsetting the effect of hot weather. 3) Concrete is subjected to alkali-
2) Allowing for unusual placement or aggregate reaction
long hauling distances. 4) Concrete is in contact with water or
3) Providing time for special finishes. soil containing sulfates
 Retarders can reduce the strength of 5) Concrete is placed during hot
concrete at early ages (e.g., 1 to 3 days). weather
 Some retarders entrain air and improve 6) Mass application of concrete
workability.
VI. SPECIALTY ADMIXTURES
IV. HYDRATION – CONTROL  Supplementary cementitious materials
ADMIXTURE include:
1) Fly Ash
 These admixtures have the ability to stop 2) Ground granulated blast furnace slag
and reactivate the hydration process of 3) Silica fume
concrete. 4) Natural pozzolan