CLE 513 –Advanced Concrete

Technology
Cement Production
1824 –Joseph Aspdin, while obtaining a patent for his
hydraulic cement, termed it as Portland cement, upon
Portland stone (limestone from Dorset, UK), which had
a high quality and durability and a similar appearance –
‘Proto’Portland cement

•Later, William Aspdin (son) – ‘Meso’Port land cement

 Aspdin’s creation

A –Alite, or C3S
Kiln for burning B –Belite, or C2S

Hewlett, 2001
 Portland Cement
•An unusual industrial product produced in huge quantities in
special plants that can produce nothing else

•The product is produced by a combination of unusual unit

operations involving mining, very fine scale blending of raw
materials, very high temperature clinkering reactions,
controlled cooling, grinding, blending, and finally shipping
under controlled conditions

•Chemical composition is maintained within narrow limits

despite huge tonnages
 Raw Materials for Cement

Calcareous material –Containing CaCO3(primary

source –limestone); impurities such as iron and
alumina are sometimes present

•Argillaceous material –Containing clayey matter,

source of SiO2, Al2O3

•Gypsum –Added in the final stages of manufacture as

a set regulator

•Sometime, ground limestone is also added to cement

Mamloukand Zaniewski, 2000
Schematic depiction of process

www.ieagreen.org.uk/jan46.htm
 Pulverization

• Raw material feedstock should be

pulverized to the right size

• Reduces overall power consumption

• Better blending and burning possible

with reduced size of material
 Blending of raw materials

• Choice of blending process-Wet or dry

• Wet process –more uniform mixing

• Dry process –higher output, lower power

consumption

• Dry process with pre calciners are the order of

the day
 Blending –Wet Vs. Dry

Blending –Wet Vs. Dry

• When moisture content of raw materials is > 15%, wet

blending (in slurry form) is preferred

• When MC < 8%, dry blending is done

• For 8% < MC < 15%, dry blending with precalciners

used

• Wet blending –better blend

 Reactions in the kiln

The clinkering reactions involve conversion of

mixtures of calcium carbonate and silica and
alumina-bearing components to a mixture of special
crystalline components capable of reacting with
water to produce controlled setting and strength gain

•The major components in clinker are impure but well

crystallized fine crystals of tri calcium silicate and di
calcium silicate
 Kiln reactions (continued)

Minor but important crystalline components are

extremely fine crystals of tricalcium aluminate and
calcium aluminate ferrite solid solution (ferrite)

•Of great importance despite minor amount

present are deposits of soluble crystalline
components (alkali sulfates and calcium alkali
sulfates) on the surfaces of clinkers
 Kiln reactions -schematic

Mindess and Young, 1981

 Up to 700 deg.C: activation of
silicates through removal of water
and changes in crystal structure
700 –900 deg.C: decarbonation of
CaCO3, initial combination of A, F,
and activated silica with lime
900 –1200 deg.C: Belite(C2S)
formation
> 1250 deg.C (more particularly, >
1300 deg.C): liquid phase appears
and promotes the reaction between
beliteand free lime to form alite
(C3S)
Cooling stage: molten phase
(containing C3A and C4AF) gets
transformed to a glass; if cooling is
Hewlett, 2001 slow, C3A crystallizes out (causes
setting problems), or alite converts
to beliteand free lime
 Inter grinding with gypsum

Final step in cement manufacture

•Gypsum added as a set regulator (absence 􀃆 flash

set)
•Strict control on temperature required
•Done in ball mills
•Cement of required fineness produced
 Quality control

Sampling and evaluation should be performed

after excavation from the quarry, before and
after blending the feedstock, after formation of
clinker, after inter grinding clinker with
gypsum, and finally before packaging in the
bags and drums
 Quality control parameters

Parameters:

Lime saturation factor (LSF) = C/(2.8S + 1.2A +

0.65F), where C, S, A, and F are the % amounts
of CaO, SiO2, Al2O3, and Fe2O3, respectively.

Silica ratio (or modulus) = S/(A + F)Alumina ratio

(or modulus) = A/F

Potential C3S from Bogue formulation

The LSF is particularly important because it

dictates the amount of free lime that will be
present in the product. Too much free lime can
cause unsoundness of the cement.