Cement is something so all-pervasive and fundamental to urban existence that it often becomes easy to take for granted. However, very few objects have been as instrumental to societal growth as cement.

Let us go over the basics. What is cement?

Cement is effectively a binder, a substance used for construction which hardens and adheres to other materials to bind them together. When cement is mixed with fine aggregate, mortar is produced for masonry; and when mixed with sand & gravel, concrete is produced. Cements can be characterized as either hydraulic or non-hydraulic, depending on its ability to set in the presence of water.

The various uses of cement in construction work are –

  • To prepare mortar
  • To prepare concrete
  • To build chemical-proof, fire-proof and thermal-proof structures.
  • As grout material
  • For aesthetic concrete construction.

There are varieties of cement available in the present day market, with individual uses and characteristics. The varieties of cement are as follows –

  1. Ordinary Portland Cement – This is the most commonly used cement in the world. Made by heating limestone/chalk in a kiln and mixing with shale/clay to form a clinker, which is then finely crushed to form grey cement. Portland Cement is universally agreed on being the best and most suitable cement for general concrete constructions. William Aspdin is widely acknowledged to be its inventor, with the official name Portland Cement being recorded in a directory published in 1823. There are various blends of Portland Cement, namely Portland blast-furnace slag cement, Portland fly-ash cement and Portland Silica Fume Cement.
  2. Portland Pozzolana Cement – A notable blend of the aforementioned Portland Cement, clinker and pozzolanic material (volcanic ash, fly ash, etc) are mixed in a definite proportion with Portland cement. By themselves, pozzolanic materials do not have any cementing qualities but upon being mixed with Portland cement, they react with cement components and form compounds with cementing properties. PPC produces less heat and offers greater resistance to sulfates and corrosive actions of sea water. Because of these properties, PPC is used for constructions near or along any coastline and also in sulfate soil. It is also used in sewage work and for underwater construction.
  3. Portland Slag Cement – With its significant chemo-resistance and suppression of alkali-aggregate reactions, Portland Slag Cement is the pick for long-term strength. It is manufactured one of two ways – either with inter-grinding gypsum and granulated slag and Portland cement clinker or by blending the Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag with Ordinary Portland Cement with mechanical blenders. The composition of PSC is 45-50% slag, 45-50% clinker and 3-5% gypsum. PSC is the best choice of cement for infrastructure projects, mass construction, concrete pavements, and pre-cast concrete. PSC offers a low risk of cracking, high resistance to chemical attacks and higher workability. Maha Cement’s PSC has achieved high fineness and steep particle size distribution, making it strong & durable.
  4. Rapid Hardening Cement – With a significantly higher tri-calcium silicate content and finer grinding, Rapid Hardening Cement gains strength quicker than OPC. It is also known as High-Early Strength Portland Cement. Its one-day strength is equal to the three-day strength of OPC, with the same water:cement ratio. RHC is used in situations with easily removable formwork, for construction of road pavements, and for concreting in cold weather because the rapid evolution of heat during hydration protects the concrete from freezing.
  5. Quick Setting Cement – Quick Setting Cement sets into a stony mass in less than 30 minutes from laying it. Quick Setting Cement is made by adding a small amount of aluminium sulphate to accelerate setting time, by reducing the quantity of retarding agents like gypsum to a bare minimum, by reducing the quantity of alumina-rich compounds, and with the clinker being ground to extreme fineness. The rate of this cement’s gain of strength is similar to OPC. It is used for quick projects, for concreting in static or running water, and in cold & wet weather conditions.
  6. Low Heat Cement – As the name suggests, a low amount of heat or hydration is liberated during setting and hardening of this cement. This is made by maintaining the percentage of tricalcium aluminate below 6% by increasing the proportion of di-calcium silicate. The proportion of tetra calcium alumino-ferrite is increased, and the proportions of tricalcium silicate and tri-calcium aluminate are reduced by 50%. Mega construction projects like water-dams are made with Low Heat Cement.
  7. Sulphates Resisting Cement – Portland Composite Cement – One of the most commonly used cements all over the world, Portland Composite Cement is made of flyash, slag and limestone. As PCC contains a reduced percentage of alkali, magnesia and free lime, it provides long-term strength and durability. Due to its pozzolanic reaction, the cement continues to gain strength steadily over a period of time. Other advantages of PCC are its needing less water, easy workability, high resistance to deterioration and chemicals. Maha Cement’s PCC is a fresh variety and offers many application advantages over other varieties of PCC.
  8. High Alumina Cement – As the name would suggest, this cement contains 40% (on average) more alumina than regular cement. It is made by melting a mixture of bauxite (aluminum ore) and lime at a certain temperature , and grinding with the clinker. Also known as Calcium Aluminum Cement, its compressive strength is high, and is far more workable than OPC. Because it counter high temperatures, it is used in the construction of refineries, factories and similar workshop structures, and in work near and along seashores.
  9. White Cement – An offshoot product of OPC, White Cement is made with raw materials free from iron oxide. It is manufactured from pure limestone (chalk) and clay, in an oil-fired kiln. White Cement is the most favoured material for making highway curbs and a variety of ornamental work. Used more selectively due to its cost, it’s used for architectural purposes and interior/exterior decorative work like renderings of buildings, facing slabs, floorings, garden paths and swimming pools. It is also used as a base coat before painting, and used to cover hairline cracks on concrete surfaces for a smooth finish.
  10. Coloured Cement – Coloured Cement is produced by mixing 5-10% mineral pigments with OPC in a definite proportion during the time of grinding. The pigments are mixed in the most finest powdered state, and the cement is mostly used for decorative works like the top coat in flooring and artificial marble.
  11. Hydrophobic Cement – Hydrophobic Cement is a special type of cement, and is made by mixing water-repelling chemicals like petrolatum and naphthalene soap with OPC in the process of grinding. This cement is not spoilt even in the monsoons, and remains unaffected even while being transported in the rain. Hydrophobic Cement is mainly used in the construction of water structures like tanks, dams, spillways; and proves itself to be useful when stored for longer durations in wet conditions.

Building a new house or doing up an ancestral property? Invest in Maha Cement to get the bang for your buck, and build a structure meant to last. Our variety of cements ensures that no matter weather conditions or circumstances, your project will be built.