EN 197-1

Hydration Reaction of cement: Calcium oxides (CaO) and silicates (SiO2) are crosslinked
due to interaction with water causing a crystallization process to occur that results in
hardening.
CEM cement must have at least 50% (CaO) and SiO2.

Cement Chemist’s Notations:

Clinker Cement Chem Notation Mass %
Tricalcium silicate (CaO)3 ·
25–50%
SiO2 C3S
Dicalcium silicate (CaO)2 ·
C2S 20–45%
SiO2
Tricalcium
C3A 5–12%
aluminate (CaO)3 · Al2O3
Tetracalcium
aluminoferrite (CaO)4 · C4AF 6–12%
Al2O3 · Fe2O3
Gypsum CaSO4 · 2 H2O CS̅H2 2–10%

Cement CCN Mass

Calcium oxide, CaO
Silicon dioxide, SiO2
Aluminium oxide, Al2O3
Ferric oxide, Fe2O3
Sulfur (VI) oxide, SO3
Table 1: Chemical notation acronyms
C 61–67%
S 19–23%
A 2.5–6%
F 0–6%
S̅ 1.5–4.5%

Portland cement clinker is made by sintering (heating/pressure to bond molecules without

melting) a mix of raw materials that have been powdered to the point of homogeneity. The
mix must be at least 2/3 CaO and SiO2, with the remainder being Al2O3 and Fe2O3. The mass
ratio can not be less than CaO/SiO2 = 2.0 (2 parts CaO to one of SiO2), with less than 5%
magnesium oxide, MgO.
Portland cement clinker to be labeled as sulfate resistant must also have a specific tricalcium
aluminate content specified by the equation C3A = 2.65 *percentage Al2O3 minus 1.69*
percentage Fe2O3.

Common Constituents
Name
Portland Cement Clinker
Granulated Blast Furnace
Slag (S)
Pozzolanic Materials (P,Q)
Fly ash, Siliceous, from coal
-fired power generation
Chem Content Hydraulic Properties
As above Yes
2/3 mix of CaO, SiO2 and Yes
MgO, 1/3 Al2O3 and other
SiO2 and Al2O3 (volcanic Similar when Ca(OH)2 is
ash) also present
SiO2 and Fe2O3 with more Pozzolanic properties
than 10% reactive CaO

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 (V)
Fly ash, Calcareous, from
coal-fired power generation
(W)
Burnt oil shale; sedimentary
rock containing extractable
or burnable (800°C) organic
compounds
Limestone (L,LL)
Silica Fume (D) by-product
of ferrosilicon alloy
production from quartz
Calcium Sulfate (Gypsum)
Additives
Table 2: Common Cement Additives
CaO, SiO2 and Al2O3 with Pozzolanic properties
more than 10 reactive CaO
Contains dicalcium silicate Pozzolanic oxides
(Ca2SiO4), monocalcium
aluminate (CaAl2O4), CaO,
and SiO2.
CaCO3 > 75%, clay less than
1.2%. LL = TOC < 0.2%, L
= TOC <0.5%
SiO2 as spherical particles, Pozzolanic properties
less than 0.4% elemental Si.
CaSO4+2H2O or CaSO4 Slows flash hardening
Other things added shall not
exceed 1.0%, except
pigments
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Main Notation of the 27 Composition (% by mass)
Types products Main Constituents
Clinker Blast Silica Pozzolana Fly Ash Burnt Limestone Minor
Furnac Fume Natural Calcine Siliceou Calceriou Shale additional
e Slag d s s constituents
K S D P Q V W T L LL
CEM Portland CEM I 95-100 0-5
I
CEM Portland CEM II/A-S 80-94 6-20 0-5
II Slag CEM II/B-S 65-79 21-35 0-5
P-Silica CEM II/A-D 90-94 6-10 0-5
Fume
Portland CEM II/A-P 80-94 6-20 0-5
Pozzolana CEM II/B-P 65-79 21-35 0-5
CEM II/A-Q 80-94 6-20 0-5
CEM II/B-Q 65-79 21-35 0-5
Portland CEM II/A-V 80-94 6-20 0-5
Fly Ash CEM IIB-V 65-79 21-35 0-5
CEM II/A-W 80-94 6-20 0-5
CEM II/B-W 65-79 21-35 0-5
P & Burnt CEM II/A-T 80-94 6-20 0-5
Shale CEM II/B-T 65-79 21-35 0-5
P& CEM II/A-L 80-94 6-20 0-5
Limestone CEM II/B-L 65-79 21- 0-5
35
CEM II/A- 80-94 6-20 0-5
LL
CEM II/B- 65-79 21- 0-5
LL 35
P CEM II/A-M 80-88 12-20 0-5
Composite CEM II/B-M 65-79 12-20 05-

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 Cement
CEM Blast CEM III/A- 35-64 36-65 0-5
III furnace CEM III/B 20-34 66-80 0-5
Cement CEM III/C 5-19 81-95 0-5
CEM Pozzolani CEM IV/A 65-89 11-35 0-5
IV c Cement CEM IV/B 45-64 36-55 0-5
CEM Composite CEM V/A 40-64 18-30
V Cement CEM V/B 20-38 31-49
Table 3: Percentage allowable content of modern cements

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Sulfate Resisting Cements
For grades of SRCs see table in standard.197-1, but permitted C3A content increases as
progress down the table above.

Mechanical, Physical, Chemical and Durability Requirements

Mechanical and Physical Strength, Time Limits
Strengt Compressive Strength Initial Soundnes
h Class Early Standard Setting s
Time Expansion
2 Days 7Days 28 Days Min Min
32.5 L >12.0 >32.5 >52.5 >75 >10
32.5 N >16.0
32.5 R >10.0
42.5 L >16.0 >42.5 >62.5 >60
42.5 N >10.0
42.5 R >20.0
52.5 L >10.0 >52.5 >45
52.5 N >20.0
52.5 R >30.0
Table 4: Cement Strength Categories

Heat of Hydration shall not exceed 270 J/g. This helps control expansion upon heating and
contraction and cracking on cooling. 270 Joules converts to 0.142°C.

Chemical Requirements

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The different classes of cement each have amounts stipulated concerning the following
qualities:
Property Test Reference Cement Type Strength Class Requirement
%
Loss on Ignition EN-196-2 CEM I All < 5.0
CEM III
Insoluble EN-196-2 CEM I All < 5.0
residue CEM III
Sulfate Content EN-196-2 CEM II 32.5 N < 3.5
(SO3) CEM II 32.5 R
CEM IV 42.5 N
CEM V 42.5 R <4.0
52.5 N
52.5 R
CEM III All
Chloride EN-196-2 All All <0.1
Content
Pozzolanicity EN-196-5 CEM IV All Satisfies test
Table 5: Chemical requirements for Cement

(Pozzolans are siliceous and aluminous materials that do not act as cement on their own but
when mixed with Ca(OH)2 take on cement-like properties e.g., mechanical strength,
durability, water resistance. Volcanic ash in 500 B.C.E., recycled ground ceramics when ash
not available).
Pozzolanic Additives:
Diatomaceous earths (Dolomite)
Thermally activated Kaolin clay
Fly ash
Silica fume
Rice husk ash

Possible Irish alternatives:

Oat husk ash
Heat activated grey daub clay (Daub = Adobe)
Oyster shell lime

Durability Requirements
Care must be taken to avoid possible adverse reactions when choosing aggregates and cement
types to pair (alkali in some cements may contribute to Alkali Silica Reaction (ASR) see
papers on ASR).

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Sulfate resistance is denoted by the CEM suffix SR. Properties of different classes of SR
cements are low sulfate (SO3) and C3A contents and Pozzolanicity that satisfies the 8 day test.
Property Test Reference Cement Type Strength Class Requirement
%
Sulfate Content EN 196-2 CEM I-SR 0 32.5 N < 3.0
(SO3) CEM I-SR 3 32.5 R
CEM I-SR 5 42.5 N
CEM IV/A-SR 42.5 R < 3.5
CEM IV/B-SR 52.5 N
52.5 R
C3A in Clinker EN 196-2 CEM I-SR 0 All =0
CEM I-SR 3 < 3.0
CEM I-SR 5 <5
CEM IV/A-SR <9
CEM IV/B-SR
Pozzolanicity EN 196-5 CEM IV/A-SR All Satisfies the 8
CEM IV/B-SR day test
Table 6: Additional requirements for SR cements

Cement Nomenclature
Cements are named according to their composition (Table 3), strength class (Table 4) and
sulfate resistance (SR as in Table 6).
Low Heat cement carries the extra designation LH.
Standard 197-1 has examples of the different designations.

Conformity Testing
Spot tests are to be carried out as in Table 6, see 197-1. Testing methods are set out in EN
196-1, 196-2, 196-3 196-5 and 196-8 or -9. 196-8 can be found at
https://www.academia.edu/43087677/BS_EN_196 , others are downloaded PDF files.
List of tests:
Early strength
Standard strength
Initial setting time
Soundness (Expansion)
Loss on Ignition
Insoluble residue
Sulfate content
Chloride content

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C3A in clinker
Pozzolanicity
Heat of hydration
Composition

Conformity
Cement must conform to the requirements for mechanical, chemical and physical properties
set out earlier, evaluated on the basis of continual sampling at the point of release to
customers.
95% of cement sampled must fall above lower strength limits and 90% below upper limits,
with a Cr of 5%.
The CR (capability ratio) is used to summarize the estimated spread of the system
compared to the spread of the specification limits  (upper and lower).