Question One

What is soundness of cement?

When referring to Portland cement, soundness refers to the ability of a hardened cement paste
to retain its volume after setting without delayed destructive expansion (PCA, 1988). This
destructive expansion is caused by excessive amounts of free lime (CaO) or magnesia (MgO)
In the soundness test a specimen of hardened cement paste is boiled for a fixed time so that any
tendency to expand is speeded up and can be detected. Soundness means the ability to resist
volume expansion
Procedure
1. Before commencing setting time test, do the consistency test to obtain the water required
to give the paste normal consistency (P).
2. Prepare a paste by adding 0.78 times the water required to give a paste of standard
consistency (i.e. 0.78P).
3. Lightly oil the Le-chatelier mould and place it on a lightly oiled glass sheet.
4. Fill the mould with the prepared cement paste. In the process of filling the mould keep
the edge of the mould gently together.
5. Cover the mould with another piece of lightly oiled glass sheet; place a small weight on
this covering glass sheet.
6. Submerge the whole assembly in water at a temperature of 27 2 0 C and keep there for
24 hours.
7. Remove the whole assembly from water bath and measure the distance separating the
indicator points to the nearest 0.5 mm (L1).
8. Again submerge the whole assembly in water bath and bring the temperature of water
bath to boiling temperature in 25 to 30 minutes. Keep it at boiling temperature for a
period of 3 hours.
9. After completion of 3 hours, allow the temperature of the water bath to cool down to
room temperature and remove the whole assembly from the water bath.
10. Measure the distance between the two indicator points to the nearest 0.5 mm (L2).
Calculations
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Soundness/expansion of cement = L1-L2

L1=Measurement taken after 24 hours of immersion in water at a temperature of 27 20 C
L2=Measurement taken after 3 hours of immersion in water at boiling temperature.
Calculate the mean of two values to the nearest 0.5 mm.

Note::In the event of cement failing to comply with the specified requirements, a further
test should be made from another portion of the same sample in manner described above,
but after aeration (done by spreading out to a depth of 75 mm at a relative humidity of 50
to 80% for a total period of 7 days).

Precautions

All the measurements should be done accurately.

Do not apply extra pressure while filling the moulds.

During boiling water level should not fall below the height of the mould.

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Question Two:
Write short descriptive notes on the following types of cement.
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.

Portland blast furnace slag cement

Portland pulverized fuel ash cement
Portland low heat cement
High alumina cement
Super sulphate cement
White cement:

SOLUTION:
1) Portland blast furnace slag cement
Portland Blast Furnace Slag Cement (P.B.F.S.C.)
By intergrinding B.F.S.+P.C. Clinker+Gypsum
This cement is less reactive (rate of gain of strength & early strength is less but ultimate
strength is same)
High sulfate resistance
Suitable to use in mass concrete construction
Unsuitable for cold weather concreting
Both P.P.C.&P.B.F.S.C. Are called blended cements. Their heat of hydration & strength
development are low in early days. Because upon adding water C3S compounds start to produce
C-S-Hgels & CH. The Ch & the pozzolanic material react together to produce new C-S-H gels.
Thats why the early strength is low but the ultimate strength is the same when compared to
O.P.C.
2) Portland pulverized fuel ash cement
Definition:
Fly ash, also known as pulverized fuel ash (pfa) is the ash resulting from the burning of
pulverised coal in coal-fired electricity power stations. The ash is very fine and it is removed
from the flue gases by electrostatic precipitators.

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The chemical composition of pfa is somewhat different from Portland cements. It will not
hydrate with water directly but needs lime and water to hydrate. In concrete the lime required
arises from the hydration of the cement. Fly ash is always used in combination with Portland
cement, typically in the range 80% Pc and 20% fly ash to 60% Pc and 40% fly ash, depending on
the application.
The blended cement can be supplied as a pre-blended factory produced product or be prepared in
the mixer by adding each material separately from its own silo. Fly ash/pc blend mixes tend to be
slower to hydrate than similar Pc only mixes, but may have improved durability
3) Low Heat Cement:
Definition
It is a special cement that minimizes the amount and rate of heat generation during hydration
(setting). Strength is also achieved at a slower rate. Use is limited to structures involving large
masses of concrete, such as dams, where the heat generated would be excessive if normal cement
were used.
Low-heat Portland Cement, is one of hydraulic binding materials, also named Low Heat
Cement, High Performance Low Heat Cement, or High Belite Cement. Code Number PLH.
Low Heat Cement has excellent performances such as high final strength, sulfate corrosion
resistancing, good lasting properties, good resistance to rupture, etc.
Because of its excellent performances for example lower hydration heat, high late strength,
sulfate resistancing, anti-seepage and resistance to rupture etc., Low Heat Cement is widely
applied in building dam, bank of river, wall of sea, and other hydraulic engineering concrete and
marine concrete.
Grade: 42.5
Characteristics
Low heat of hydration: comparing with grade 42.5 portland cement, its value of hydration heat
is low about 20%, ultimate value of temperature up is low about not less than 15%, so PLH. is
very fit to apply in making mass concrete;
Lower water requirement
High lasting properties
High fluidity
Good volume stabilization
High growth rate of final strength
High technical strength of concrete
Excellent impact erosion
Excellent wear resistance
Lower temperature upward value of heat insulation
Super-high performance of chemical corrosion resistance: when Low-heat Portland Cement is
cured in 3% solution of Na2SO4 for 6 months, its erosion resistance factor is more than 0.97,
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higher near 1 multiple than Ordinary Portland Cement(OPC), so it has good corrosion resistance
performance especial to sulfate. To other erosion medium for example sea water and chloride, its
corrosion resistance performance is obviously superior to OPC.
Excellent resistance to drying shrinkage
Good resistance to rupture
4) High alumina cement:
High Alumina Cement (HAC) differs from Portland cement, being composed calcium aluminates
rather than calcium silicates. Its rapid strength development made HAC popular from 1950 to
1970. However, mineralogical conversion sometimes caused reductions in concrete strength
and increased vulnerability to chemical attack. HAC is also known as Calcium Aluminate
Cement (CAC).
5) Sulfate Resistant P.C.
Used in construction where concrete will be subjected to external sulfate attack
chemical plants, marine & harbor structures.
i)

During hydration C3A reacts with gypsum & water to form ettringite. In hardened cement
paste calcium-alumino-hydrate can react with calcium&alumino sulfates, from external
sources, to form ettringite which causes expansion & cracking.

ii)

C-H and sulfates can react & form gypsum which again causes expansion & crackin
6) White Portland Cement
W.P.C. s made from materials containing a little iron oxide & manganese oxide.
Fe2O3 + MnO 0.8%
To avoid contamination by coal ash, oil is used as fuel.
To avoid contamination by iron during grinding, instead of steel balls nickel-molybdenum alloys
are used.

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