8 Types Of Cement in Construction: Common Uses, Grades

Did you know India is the second-largest producer of cement worldwide? Yes! It is over 7% of the global installed capacity. Cement is used in diverse construction trade items like reinforced cement concrete, plain cement concrete, plaster, mortar, paints grouts, and precast elements. It is a binding substance used during building construction that sets, solidifies, and attaches to other materials. Cement quality plays a crucial role in the structural strength of the buildings - be it commercial or residential. Construction requires various types of cement that depend on

• Soil 

• Climatic conditions

• Type of concrete structure

Concrete, a durable building material, uses cement as one of its primary components. The less water is added to a concrete mixture, the stronger the mixture gets - hence ensuring more strength and durable material to be used in the house’s construction.The water used in any type of concrete activates the cement, which acts as the ultimate binding agent. 

Before we understand the different types of cement and their uses, let us understand a bit about the uses of cement and its benefits first. 

Uses of Cement

Some uses of cement are: 

• Cement is used in construction 

• Cement is used in plastering and as mortar in masonry work

• Cement is used in dam construction

• Cement is used in brick work

• Cement is used for canal lining

• Cement is used in railway sleepers

Besides these main uses of cement, it is also utilised in:

• Construction of water tanks, wells, roads, tennis courts, lamp posts

• Construction of footpaths, watertight floors, culverts, bridges, tunnels, dams, lighthouses

• Manufacturing precast pipes, piles, and fencing posts

• An important component of concrete for floors and roofs

Benefits of Using Cement

• It is versatile as it can be used in residential or commercial projects

• It is readily available in local markets

• It makes a great binding material 

• It has water-resisting properties and is fire resistant

• It is budget-friendly

Keep Reading: Constructing Vs Buying A House - Which Is Better?

Cement: Types, Grades & Classification

Cement can be classified into six types. They are:

Scroll further to read about the different types of cement!

Types of Cement In India

There are predominantly eight types of cement used in India. Read further to know about them. 

1. Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC)

It is one of the most used types of cement in India. The raw materials used to manufacture OPC are silicates of alumina and calcium carbonate. It is used for masonry work and construction purposes. It is one of the most widely produced and used types of cement worldwide with global production of approximately 3.8 million cubic meters per year. 

The three types of cement grades available are:

2. Portland Pozzolana Cement (PPC)

It is one of the blended types of cement consisting of Gypsum, OPC clinker, and Pozzolanic Materials. It is prepared by crushing pozzolanic clinker with portland cement. It is highly resistant to chemical attacks. It is most suitable for constructing marine structures and underwater concrete structures like bridges, oilers, dams, and sewage works. PPC is more impermeable and denser. 

The Indian Standard for PPC is IS:1489 P-2. It is eco-friendly as it is manufactured using a by-product from thermal power plants, fly ash. Portland Pozzolana Cement has a high resistance to chemical attacks. It is compatible with different kinds of mixtures and is used in mass construction due to its low heat of hydration. 

Also Read: ACP Sheets Design Types & Their Uses

3. Rapid Hardening Cement

It is a type of Portland cement that is used in concrete construction and attains high strength in the early days. It is similar to OPC and contains higher c3s content. 

As far as the properties of rapid hardening cement, the strength of this cement at three days is similar to the strength of OPC at seven days. Hence, this is one of the types of cement that can be removed earlier. It increases the speed of construction and reduces the cost of construction. Hence, it is used to make any repairs during the construction process. 

The Indian Standard for rapid hardening cement is IS:8041. It is also used to manufacture posts, precast slabs, and electric poles. 

4. Quick Setting Cement

This type of cement sets sooner than rapid-hardening cement. Its rate of gain of strength is similar to OPC. It is used where the work needs to be completed on time. It is used for concreting in running or static water. It is one of the different types of cement that can be used for underwater construction as well.  

5. Low Heat Portland Cement

It is produced by maintaining tricalcium aluminate below 6% by increasing the C2S’s proportion. Small quantity tricalcium aluminate leads to produce less heat of hydration. It is one of the types of cement substance that is used for the construction of structures like gravity dams and prevents concrete from cracking due to heat. This type of cement is less reactive and has a greater initial setting time than OPC. 

Low heat portland cement is suitable for the construction of structures that retain water like retaining walls, bridge abutments, slabs, and piers. The cement does not shrink or crack. The Indian Standard for low-heat Portland cement is IS:12600.

White Cement

It is a type of OPC that is free from iron oxide and white. It is costlier than the rest of the different types of cement. 

White cement is used to construct paths of gardens, floorings, facing slabs, swimming pools, ornamental concrete products, and external renderings of buildings. It can also be used for architectural purposes facing panels, precast curtain walls, and terrazzo surfaces. 

This type of cement is also used with inorganic pigments to produce bright coloured concrete and mortars. The Indian Standard for white cement is IS:8042.

Keep Reading: AAC Blocks As An Alternate To Traditional Clay Bricks For Home

7. Sulphate Resisting Cement

It reduces the sulphate attack on the concrete. Hence, it is essentially used in foundations where the soil has a high sulphate content. It has less C3A and C4AF content. The sulphate resisting cement is one among the types of cement used in construction areas like retaining walls, canals, linings, syphons, culverts, and exposed sulphate’s action by soil and water. 

Among more uses of sulphate resisting cement, is that its construction remains in contact with soil, seacoast, groundwater, and seawater. 

The Indian Standard for sulphate-resisting cement is IS:12330.

8. Portland Slag Cement (PSC)

It is a blended cement that is produced by mixing gypsum, Portland cement clinker, and granulated Blast Furnace slag. It provides flexural strength to concrete. It increases the structural stiffness of concrete and reduces load deflections. 

Portland slag cement is suitable for mass construction as it has low hydration heat. Portland slag cement is compatible with chemical admixtures similar to OPC. 

The Indian Standard for Portland Slag Cement is IS:455.

Conclusion

We hope this blog helps you understand more about types of cement and their uses. It will ensure you are aware as your builder and whether the cement quality used in your property's construction aligns with your requirements.