December 2, 2024

One typical substance used in the building sector is cement. Because it is so prevalent, occasionally individuals choose not to study it. Most people will simply respond, “Cement is a grey powder to bind materials together,” when you ask them what it is.

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According to the Malaysian Standard MSEN 197-1, cement is a hydraulic binder, which is an inorganic material that has been finely ground and combined with water to create a paste that sets and hardens through hydration reactions and processes. Once the paste has hardened, it maintains its strength and stability even when submerged in water. It is a multipurpose material that is mostly utilized in mortar and concrete to bind aggregates together. It creates mortar when combined with water and fine particles. Concrete is created by combining it with water, admixtures, and both fine and coarse aggregates.

In 1824, mason Joseph Aspdin created Portland cement in England. Its likeness to the well-known Portland limestone, which is extracted from quarries on the Isle of Portland, gives it its name. In terms of production volume, Portland cement is the most significant type of cement. Portland cement clinker is the primary “raw material” used to make Portland cement. In a rotary kiln, a combination of lime, iron, silica, and alumina is heated to a temperature of up to 1450 degrees Celsius to create Portland cement clinker. The ingredients partially fuse into clinker balls during the sintering process. The final product is Portland cement, which is made by cooling and finely grinding the clinker balls with a tiny bit of gypsum.

Types and Standards of Cement

Since each nation has its own requirements, there is no single worldwide standard for cement. For instance, MSEN 197-1 (Malaysian Standard for Cement – Composition, specifications and conformance requirements for common cements), which was adapted from the European Standard, is the cement standard utilized in Malaysia. MS EN 197-1 specifies 27 common cement kinds, which are divided into 5 primary cement types as follows:

Portland cement CEM I

Portland-composite cement CEM II

CEM III Cement for blast furnaces

Pozzolanic cement (CEM IV)

CEM versus composite cement

The American Standard ASTM C150 (Standard Specification for Portland Cement) is occasionally requested in certain projects, despite MSEN197-1 being the primary cement standard utilized in Malaysia. Cements were divided into five primary categories, Type I through Type V, by both ASTM C150 and MSEN 197-1. These two standards, however, describe cement types in somewhat different ways. Whereas ASTM classification is based on probable phase composition and application, MSEN classification is based on composition. For convenience, a list of the cement kinds categorized under both criteria is provided below.

You should be aware of the strength class of the cement you are using in addition to its kind. MSEN 197-1 specifies three standard strength classes: 32.5, 42.5, and 52.5. Additionally, for every class of standard strength, there are three classes of early strength (2 days or 7 days): a class with ordinary early strength (designated by N), a class with high early strength (designated by R), and a class with low early strength (designated by L). Only CEM III cements are eligible for Class L. These are the particular blast furnace cements with poor early strength. The strength requirements for each strength class listed in MSEN 197-1 are displayed in the table below.

Cement is offered in bags as well as in bulk. Ordinary Portland cement, Portland composite cement, and masonry cement are the three main categories into which the bagged cements offered in Malaysian markets are often divided. Portland cements are all-purpose cements that meet MSEN 197-1 requirements and can be utilized for structural projects. MSEN 413-1 (Malaysian Standard for Masonry Cement – Composition, specifications and conformance criteria) is a particular standard for Masonry Cement that must be followed when using it for plastering. Masonry cement works well for plastering, but because of its poor strength, it cannot be used for structural construction. Masonry cement is frequently associated with a red bag in its packaging to distinguish it from Portland cements.

Things to Think About

The properties of various cement varieties vary. The pace of hardening, the pattern of strength increase, the heat of hydration, the hardened cement’s resistance to sulfate chloride attack, and other durability factors are the most crucial factors. A cement type is frequently specified in construction papers depending on the concrete’s performance requirements or the placement conditions. When choosing the appropriate cement, the following factors should be taken into account:

a) Construction type

b) Construction speed

d) The necessary compressive strength

d) Strengthening

g) Particular specifications such the environment for chlorine and sulfate, permeability tests, ASR control, etc.

The standards required for cement manufacture might differ, despite the fact that the process is mostly the same worldwide. Selecting the right cement for your project can occasionally be challenging due to the variety of cement varieties. Avoid extrapolating performance statistics from one cement to all cements when ordering cement for building projects. To ensure that the cement is appropriate and satisfies the project and application criteria, collaborate with your cement supplier.