Cement being the most important material when it comes to construction works, selecting which is the best quality must be given attention. But how to determine which is which? By standards, we must look for the cement’s conditions when exposed, age-wise strength, and lastly, its durability requirement.
But why do we have to look for the right quality? While this shouldn’t be the question, obviously, we must keep ourselves safe from the buildings we are in, referring to our own homes. Since most homes are built with cement and other materials, they should be of high quality so they can last long. However, know that there are different types of cement depending on the landscape gardeners use in construction works. Here are as follows.
Cement Types
- Air Entraining Cement
This type of cement is produced by air entraining agents such as glues, resins, sodium salts of sulfate with ordinary portland cement of about 0.05 percent. They cause the entrainment of very fine air bubbles in a concrete, increasing the resistance of the concrete to freeze-thaw damage in cold climates.
- Colored Cement
Made by grinding 5 to 10 percent of mineral pigments with white or ordinary gray portland cement, this type of cement is mainly used for decorative works, may it be interior or exterior.
- Expansive Cement
Mainly used for prestressed concrete ducts and grouting anchor bolts, expansive cement does not shrink during and after the time of hardening but rather expands slightly with time.
- High Alumina Cement
Considered a special cement, HAC or High alumina cement, also known as CAC or calcium aluminum cement, is produced by mixing bauxite (aluminum ore) and lime at a certain temperature. When compared to ordinary portland cement, this type of cement is more workable with its very high compressive strength.
- Hydrophobic Cement
Claimed to remain unaffected when being transported during rains, this type of cement is manufactured by grinding portland cement clinker with film-forming substance (can be oleic acid) to reduce the rate of deterioration especially when the cement is stored under unfavourable conditions. Hydrophobic cement is mainly used in constructing dams, spillways, water tanks, and others.
- Low-alkali Cements
Used in concrete made with certain types of aggregates with a form of silica that reacts with alkalis causing expansion that disrupts a concrete, low-alkali cements are portland cements having a total content of alkalis not above 0.6 percent.
- Low Heat Cement
Less reactive with an initial setting time greater than that of ordinary portland cement, low heat cement is produced by increasing the proportion of C2S and decreasing the C3S and C3A content, and is mostly used in mass concrete construction.
- Masonry Cements
Consist of a mixture of ground limestone, portland cement and other filter with an air entraining agent or water repellent additive, masonry cements are primarily used for mortar.
- Oil-well Cements
Usually consist of portland or pozzolanic cement mixed with special organic retarders to prevent the cement to settle too quickly, oil-well cements are used in construction works such as in drilling oil wells where they are subject to exposure to high temperatures and pressures.
- Portland Blast Furnace Cement
With this type of cement, normal cement clinkers are mixed with blast furnace slag (65%) for the final grinding, and is mainly used in mass concrete works such as foundations, abutments of bridges, and dams.
- Portland Pozzolana Cement
Has greater resistance and produces lower heat of hydration to attack of chemical agencies than ordinary portland cement, PPC or Portland Pozzolana Cement are considered in constructing hydraulic and mass concrete works, and in sea water. This type of cement is consisted of portland cement clinkers and pozzolana grind together with gypsum or calcium sulfate, or uniformly blending fine pozzolana with portland cement.
- Rapid Hardening Cement
Very similar to ordinary portland cement (OPC) but contains higher C3S content and with finer grinding. Rapid hardening cement is used in prefabricated concrete construction, road works, etc with its greater strength development at an early stage compared to OPC. Know that even with the same water-cement ratio, this type of cement at the age of 3 days is almost the same as the 7 days strength of OPC.
- Sulfate Resisting Cement
With excellent resistance to sulfate attack, this type of cement is used in constructing foundation in soil where subsoil contains very high amount of sulfate. Sulfate resisting cement is produced by reduction of C3A and C4AF content.
- Waterproof Portland Cement
Used widely in constructing water-retaining structures such as reservoirs, swimming pools, dams, etc, waterproof portland cement is manufactured by mixing ordinary portland cement or rapid hardening cement added with a small portion of some metal stearates such as Calcium, Aluminum, etc.
- White Cement
Pure white in color, this type of ordinary portland cement has the same composition and strength as OPC but with reduced iron oxide content, thus its color. Limestone and china clay are the raw materials being used for the production of this cement. Such type is used in interior and exterior decorative works such as floorings, swimming pools, garden paths and others.
Before deciding which to buy, you must know first the purpose of the purchase and where it will be used. Will it be for home building, garden edging, or landscaping? For more inquiries regarding cement Australia, contact us today at Labrador Landscape Supplies Gold Coast!