Cement is a powder that hardens when mixed with water and aggregates. There are various types of cement including ordinary Portland cement (OPC), Portland pozzolana cement (PPC), and others. OPC is widely used but produces more heat during curing, while PPC contains fly ash which makes it more environmentally friendly and reduces costs. The appropriate cement type depends on factors like required strength, heat generation, setting time, and permeability.

1. Shri. Gajul Balaprasad Vitthal
Mtech (Construction Management)

2.  Cement is a powder type material, when
mixed with water gets hard and same mixture
when mixed with aggregate coarse (sand and
aggregate) it becomes a concrete product after
curing.

3.  Depending on the hardening and setting mechanism. That is
Hydraulic cement and non hydraulic cement
1. Ordinary Portland cement (OPC)
2. Portland Pozzolana cement (PPC)
3. Low Heating cement
4. Quick Setting cement
5. White cement
6. Colored cement
7. Rapid Hardening cement
8. Air Entraining cement
9. Sulphate Resisting cement
10. Blast Furnace cement
11. High Alumina cement
12. Hydrophobic cement
13. Expansive cement

4. Calcium sulphate (0.1 to 0.5%)
Alkaline (0 to 1%)
Sulphur trioxide (1 to 3%)
Magnesia (1 to 3%)
Iron oxide (0.5 to 6%)
Alumina (3 to 8%)
Silica (17 to 25%)
Lime (60 to 65%)

5.  The grades of cement means the strength of
cement attained after 28days
 Cement grade 33 means cement tested after
28days it attains strength of 33MPa
 Cement grade 43 means cement tested after
28days it attains strength of 43MPa
 Cement grade 53 means cement tested after
28days it attains strength of 53MPa

7.  IS code for cement grade – IS 269 : 1989
 This grade of cement is used for general
construction under normal environmental
condition.
 As it has low compressive strength and
availability of higher grades of cement hence
very less demand of OPC 33.

8.  IS code for cement grade – IS 8112: 1989
 OPC 43 is used for general RCC construction
where the grade of concrete is up to M30. It is
also used for the construction of precast items
such as blocks, tiles, asbestos products like
sheets and pipes, and for non-structural works
such as plastering, flooring, etc.

9.  IS code for cement grade – IS 12269 : 1987
 OPC 53 is used when we need higher strength
concrete and very economical cement content.
This cement grade is used for specialized
works such as prestressed concrete
components, precast items such as paving
blocks, building blocks, runways, concrete
roads, bridges, and other RCC works where the
grade of concrete is M25 and above.

10.  OPC (Ordinary Portland Cement)
 PPC (Portland Pozzolana Cement)

11.  Ordinary Portland cement is one of the most
widely used type of Cement.
 In 1824 Joseph Aspdin gave it the name of
Portland cement as it is similar in colour and
quality found in Portland stone, which is a
white grey limestone in island of Portland, Dorset.
 Portland cement was developed from natural
cements made in Britain beginning from the
middle of the 18th century. Its name is derived
from its similarity to Portland stone.

12.  It has great resistance to cracking and
shrinkage but has less resistance to chemical
attacks.
 Initial setting time of OPC is faster than PPC
hence it is mainly used in projects where early
de-shuttering is recommended .
 Curing period of OPC is less than PPC hence it
reduces cost of curing.
 Its initial strength is higher than PPC

13.  OPC is costlier than PPC.
 It cannot be used for mass concreting as it has
high heat of hydration as compared to PPC.
 The durability of concrete made using OPC is
less than that of the concrete made using PPC.
 It produces comparatively less cohesive
concrete than PPC, hence concrete pumping
becomes a little difficult.
 OPC has lower fineness, hence has higher
permeability and as a result it has lower
durability.

14.  Fly ash is a fine powder that is a byproduct of
burning pulverized coal in electricity
generating power plants.
 Fly ash is a pozzolana, a substance containing
aluminous and siliceous material that forms
cement in the presence of water. When mixed
with lime and water, fly ash forms a compound
similar to Portland cement.

15.  Portland Pozzolana Cement is a variation of
Ordinary Portland Cement. Pozzolana
materials namely fly ash, volcanic ash, are
added to the OPC so that it becomes PPC.
Pozzolana materials are added to the cement
in the ratio of 15% to 35% by weight.

16.  It is cost effective. That is cost less than Portland cement.
 Fly ash is a by-product or a waste product hence use of fly
ash concrete reduces CO2 and is thus is environmental
friendly.
 It has good cold weather resistance.
 It is a non-shrinking material.
 Fly ash concrete has great workability as well and allows
a lower water-cement ratio for similar slumps compared to
the ordinary concrete.
 It reduces the problems of cracks, permeability, bleeding etc.
 It also reduces the heat of hydration.

17.  Use of fly ash leads to slower strength gain.
 Setting time is longer
 It reduces the resistance to corrosion of steel
reinforcement due to alkalinity reduction but
it improves the permeability of concrete

18.  The mix design is of very prime importance before the
starting of any concrete work.
 In mix design of concrete in which cement replacement is
shown by fly ash in some percentage. In this case if PPC
cement is used which doesn't allow this (fly ash replacement
in some percentage of cement.) replacement.
 In mass concrete where heat of hydration is more, in that
case PPC is generally used like construction of dykes, sewage
pipes, dams, etc.
 PPC is used in various applications of construction industry.
 PPC is suitable to use in adverse environmental conditions.
and is used world wide.

19.  They can be promisingly used in the construction of marine
structures, masonry mortars and plastering, hydraulic
structures.
 OPC is frequently used for the construction of high-rise
buildings, Roads, bridges, flyovers.
 OPC is commonly used for the construction of residential
and industrial buildings.
 Presently PPC is used widely in replacement of OPC Cement
because PPC contains pozzolanic materials which helps to
enhance the strength of concrete.
 PPC is a green material which contributes towards
sustainable development.
 It is cost effective. That is cost less than Portland cement.