Chemical Classification of Sedimentary Rocks for Building Materials

(After Mourad, I. Youssef and M. Osman, 1978)

No. Symbol Rock Name SiO2 Al2O3 CaO MgO Remarks
> < > < > < > <
1 HgL High grade limestone 0 1 0 0.5 54 56
2 L Limestone 0 5 0 2 48 56 0 1.1
2a MgL Magnesiam Limestone 0 5 0 2 48 56 1.1 2.2
2b DL Dolomitic Limestone 0 5 0 2 48 56 2.2 10
3 SlSiL Slightly Siliceous Limestone 5 15 0 2 40 53 0 1.1
3a MgSlSiL Magni-Slightly Siliceous 5 15 0 2 40 53 1.1 2.2
Limestone
3b DSlSiL Dolo-slightly siliceous 5 15 0 2 35 53 2.2 10
limestone
4 SiL Siliceous Limestone 15 25 0 2 34 47 0 1.1
4a MgSiL Magni-siliceous Limestone 15 25 0 2 34 47 1.1 2.2
4b DSiL Dolo-siliceous Limestone 15 25 0 2 34 47 2.2 10
5 HSiL Highly Siliceous Limestone 25 40 0 4 25 42 0 1.1
5a MgHSiL Magni-Highly siliceous L.S 25 40 0 4 20 42 1.1 2.2
5b DHSiL Dolo-Highly Siliceous 25 40 0 4 15 39 2.2 10
Limestone
6 CalS Calcareous Sandstone 40 70 0 4 5 30
7 S Sandstone 70 100 0 4 0 5
8 ArgL Argilaceous Limestone 5 10 2 4 40 50 0 1.1
8a MgArgL Magni-argillaceous Limestone 5 10 2 4 40 50 1.1 2.2
8b DArgL Dolo-argillaceous limestone 5 10 2 4 40 50 2.2 10
9 SArgL Sandy argillaceous limestone 10 25 2 4 35 46
9a MgSArgL Magni-sandy argillaceous L.S 10 25 2 4 35 46 1.1 2.2
9b DSArgL Dolo-sandy argillaceous L.S 10 25 2 4 35 46 2.2 10
10 ML Marly limestone 10 15 4 6 39 45
10a MgML Magni-marly limestone 10 15 4 6 39 45 1.1 2.2
10 DML Dolo-marly limestone 10 15 4 6 39 45 2.2 10
b
11 SML Sandy marly limestone 15 35 4 6 25 42
11a MgSML Magni-sandy marly limestone 15 35 4 6 25 42 1.1 2.2
11 DSML Dolo-sandy marly limestone 15 35 4 6 25 42 2.2 10
b
12 MS Marly Sandstone 35 70 4 8 7 30
13 LM Limy marl 15 20 6 8 35 40
14 M Marl 20 35 6 14 20 37
15 SM Sandy marl 35 45 6 14 10 28
16 CalSC Calcareous sandy claystone 45 65 8 16 5 20
17 CM Clayey marl 35 40 14 16 15 20
18 MC Marly claystone 40 45 16 18 5 20
19 CalC Calcareous claystone 45 50 16 20 5 15
20 C Claystone 45 70 16 22 0 5
21 SC Sandy Claystone 55 70 6 16 0 5
22 CS Clayey sandstone 70 90 4 8 0 5
23 LatL Lateritic limestone 2 10 2 10 36 50 Al2O3≅SiO2
24 CalLat Calcareous laterite 10 20 10 30 5 36 Al2O3>SiO2

ASCOM Table
To 700°C
Water is lost from clay minerals. Dehydrated clay recrystallizes. Some reactive silica may
displace CO2 from CaCO3.

700-900°C
As calcination continues, free lime increases. Calcination maintains feed temperature at
around 850°C. Aluminate and ferrite form.

900-1,150°C
Reactive silica combines with CaO to begin stages of C2S formation.

1,150-1,200°C
When calcination is complete, temperature increases rapidly. Small belite crystals form
from combination of silicates and CaO.

1,200-1,350°C
Above 1,250°C, liquid phase is formed. Belite and free CaO form alite in the liquid.

1,350-1,400°C
Belite crystals decrease in number, increase in size. Alite crystals increase in size and
number.

Cooling
Upon cooling, the C3A and C4AF crystallize from the liquid phase. Lamellar structure
appears in belite crystals. (Hills 2000; Hills, Johansen, and Miller 2002)

CaO301400 = [0.343(LSF-93) + 2.74(SR-2.3)] + [0.83Q45 + 0.10C125 +0.39R45]

Where:

CaO301400 = is the free lime after burning for 30 minutes at 1,400°C

LSF = %CaO/(2.8%SiO2 + 1.18%Al2O3 + 0.65%Fe2O3)

SR = %SiO2/(% Al2O3 + % Fe2O3)

Q45 = % quartz grains coarser than 45µm C125 = % calcite grains coarser than 125µm

R45 = % other acid-insoluble minerals, (e.g. feldspar) coarser than 45µm.

Percentage by Mass Percentage by Mass Shorthand
in Cement* in Clinker Notation Oxide Formula
65.0 65 C CaO
22.0 22 S SiO2
6.0 6 A Al2O3
3.0 3 F Fe2O3
2.0 2 M MgO
0.6 0.6 K+N K2O + Na2O
3.6 1.4 …(…S ) Other (including SO3 -)
1.0 “nil” H H2O
* Based on clinker shown plus 5% addition of gypsum (CaSO4·2H2O).

Source: van Oss, 2005

Typical Shorthand Chemical

Mineral Function Percentage Description Notation Oxide Formula Formula
Hydrates quickly and
Tricalcium
imparts early strength 50-70 C3S (CaO)3SiO2 Ca3SiO5
silicate (‘alite’)
and set
Hydrates slowly and
Dicalcium
imparts long term
10-30 silicate C2S (CaO)2SiO2 Ca2SiO4
(ages beyond 1 week)
(‘belite’)
strength.
Hydrates almost
instantaneously and
Tricalcium
very exothermically. 3-13 C3A (CaO)3Al2O3 Ca3Al2O6
aluminate
Contributes to early
strength and set.
Hydrates quickly. Acts
as a flux in clinker Tetracalcium
manufacture. 5-15 aluminoferrite C4AF (CaO)4Al2O3Fe2O3 Ca4Al2Fe2O10
Imparts gray color.
Interground with
clinker to make
portland cement. Can (CaO)(SO3) ·
3-7 Calcium sulfate C S H2 CaSO4·2H2O
substitute anhydrite (C (H2O)2
S ). Controls early set. dihydrate
(gypsum)

Anhydrous
0.2-2 CS (CaO)(SO3) CaSO4
calcium sulfate

Source: van Oss, 2005.

 Properties of Cement Clinker Mineral Percent* ASTM C-150
C4AF C3A C2S C3S Cement Type
General purpose 7-10 6-14 10-30 50-65 I
Moderate heat of hydration, moderate
10-12 2-8 7-30 45-65 II
sulfate resistance
High early strength** 5-12 5-12 5-25 55-65 III
Low heat of hydration 11-18 3-4 28-35 35-45 IV
High sulfate resistance 10-17 1-5 15-30 40-65 V
* Range of minerals is empirical and approximate rather than definitional.
** High early strength is typically achieved by finer grinding of Type I cement.
Source: van Oss, 2005.

Table A-4: Fineness of Portland Cement

ASTM C - 150
Fineness (cm2/g, Blaine) Cement Type
Mean Range
3,690 3,000-4,210 I
3,770 3,180-4,800 II
5,480 3,900-6,440 III
3,400 3,190-3,620 IV
3,730 2,750-4,300 V

ASTM Types of Portland Cement

Type Name Purpose

I Normal General-purpose cement suitable for most purposes.

Moderate Sulfate Used as a precaution against moderate sulfate attack. It will

II
Resistance usually generate less heat at a slower rate than Type I cement.

Used when high early strength is needed. It is has more C3S than
Type I cement and has been ground finer to provide a higher
III High Early Strength
surface-to-volume ratio, both of which speed hydration. Strength
gain is double that of Type I cement in the first 24 hours.

Used when hydration heat must be minimized in large volume

IV Low Heat of Hydration applications such as gravity dams. Contains about half the C3S and
C3A and double the C2S of Type I cement.

Used as a precaution against severe sulfate action - principally

High Sulfate where soils or ground waters have a high sulfate content. It gains
V
Resistance strength at a slower rate than Type I cement. High sulfate
resistance is attributable to low C3A content.
 
Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBFS)