CHEMISTRY

PROJECT
SETTING OF CEMENT
 Introduction

• A 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 (aggregate) together. Cement mixed with fine aggregate produces mortar for
masonry, or with sand and gravel, produces concrete. Cement is the most widely used material
in existence and is only behind water as the planet's most-consumed resource.
• A cement is any substance which binds together other materials by a combination of chemical
processes known collectively as setting.1 Cements are dry powders and should not be confused
with concretes or mortars, but they are an important constituent of both of these materials, in
which they act as the 'glue' that gives strength to structures. Mortar is a mixture of cement and
sand whereas concrete also includes rough aggregates Because it is a major component of both
of these building materials, cement is an extremely important construction material. It is used
in the production of the many structures that make up the modern world including buildings,
bridges, harbours, runways and roads. It is also used for facades and other decorative features
on buildings. The constant demand for all of these structures, increasingly from the developing
world, means that cement is the second most consumed commodity in the world after water.
 EFFECT OF QUALITY OF SAND ON
SETTING OF CEMENT MORTAR
Sand is obtained from different sources had different qualities .For
example, sea sand obtained from sea contains unwanted salts and
Retards setting of cement and is not suitable for making mortar.
On the other hand , pit sand is obtained from pits in the soil and the
River sand obtained from riverbed is considered excellent for Preparing
mortar and concrete.
 CONSTRUCTION OF BUILDING
USING CEMENT
• Cement is very important building material among other in construction
industry. Cement has replaced all other building materials, like clay and
lime, which ruled high for hundreds of years, in construction from last
century. It has an ability to hold the structure together.
• Cement is now used in many construction trade items like plain cement
concrete, reinforced cement concrete, mortar, plaster, grouts, paints
and in pre-cast elements.
• Also the Cement used in construction is characterized as hydraulic or
non-hydraulic cement because of the hydration chemical reactions that
occur independently of the mixtures water content.
 PORTLAND CEMENT
• 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. It was developed
from other types of hydraulic lime in England in the late 19th century by Joseph Aspdin,
and usually originates from limestone. It is a fine powder, produced by heating limestone
and clay minerals in a kiln to form clinker, grinding the clinker, and adding 2 to 3 percent
of gypsum. Several types of Portland cement are available. The most common, called
ordinary Portland cement (OPC), is grey, but white Portland cement is also available. Its
name is derived from its similarity to Portland stone which was quarried on the Isle of
Portland in Dorset, England. It was named by Joseph Aspdin who obtained a patent for it
in 1824. However, his son William Aspdin is regarded as the inventor of "modern"
Portland cement due to his developments in the 1840s.
 EFFECT OF TIME ON SETTING OF
CEMENT MORTAR
Time has an important role on strength of developed cement mortar.
When a cement mixture in the ratio of 1:3 with water is allowed to dry,
the strength of solid mass keeps on increasing with time given for
setting. It acquires a nearly strength in 28days.
 FACTORS OF AFFECTING THE
SETTING TIME OF CEMENT
• Composition of cement.
• Amount of gypsum in cement
• Fineness of cement
• Curing
• Water cement ratio
• Type of admixture used
• Storage of cement
APPARATUS REQUIRED

BEAKER

BEAKER

MATCH BOX
WEIGHT BOX
 ROCKS LIMESTONE

CEMENT FLY ASH

 PROCEDURE

• Take 400g of cement and place it in a bowl or tray.

• Now add water of Start the stopwatch at the moment water is added to the
cement. Water of quantity 0.85P.times (Where P is the Standard consistency of
cement) is considered.
• Now fill the mix in Vicat mould. If any excessive paste remained on Vicat mould is
taken off by using a trowel.
• Then, place the VICAT mould on non porous plate (Glass plate) and see that the
plunger should touch the surface of VICAT mould gently.
• Release the Plunger and allow it to sink into the test mould.
• Note down the penetration of the plunger from the bottom of mould indicated on
the scale.
• Repeat the same experiment at different positions on the mould until the plunger
should stop penetrating 5 from the bottom of the mould.
 OBSERVATION

Sr.No Composition of mixture and ratio Minimum weight to break the slab
after
3days 7days 10days
01. Cement:River sand (1:3) 18g 20g 30g

02. Cement:river sand:fly ash (2:9:1) 16g 18g 26g

03. CEMENT:RIVER SAND:LIME (1:3:1) 10g 15g 20g

 CONCLUSION

The strength of the

slab increases with
increase in setting time
allowed.
 PRECAUTIONS

Handle the glass wares carefully.

Allow the time required to set.
Spray only required amount of water.
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