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TECHNOLOGY
Cement
Cement is an essential construction material, extensively used in
the modern-age of construction. It is a prominent ingredient for
concrete, mortar, plaster etc. and is available in different grades.
The strength of the concrete mix is dependent on the grade of
cement. Generally, there are three grades of cement available in
the market. Cement is available in 33 grade, 43 grade and 53
grade.
The grade of cement is generally differentiated in terms strength of
cement. The strength of cement is generally measured as
compressive strength. Compressive strength is the strength of
cement molded in a standard cube, after 28 days of curing.
Compressive strength is usually measured in Mega-pascal (Mpa)
Grades of cement
33 Grade Cement :
33 grade cement means that the compressive strength of the cement after 28 days is 33N/mm2 when
tested as per Indian Standards under standard conditions.
This grade of cement is used for general construction work under normal environmental condition. It may
not be suitable for concrete grade above M20. Due to the availability of higher grades in the cement, use
of 33 grade cement has declined. Nowadays 33 grade cement is hardly manufactured.
43 Grade Cement :
43 grade cement means that the compressive strength of the cement after 28 days is 43N/mm2 when
tested as per Indian Standards under standard conditions.
This grade of cement is used for plain concrete work and plastering works. 43 grade cement is also used
to make precast items, such as tiles, blocks, pipes, etc.
53 Grade Cement :
53 grade cement means that the compressive strength of the cement after 28 days is 53 N/mm2 when
tested as per Indian Standards under standard conditions. 53 grade cement has a fast setting time as
compared to 43 grade cement. It is mostly used for the structural purposes as in reinforced cement
concrete. 53 grade cement is suitable in making concrete mix above M 25. It can also be used in
prestressed concrete.
Grades of steel
Depending upon the amount of presence of carbon in the alloy, Carbon steel which is
known as Mild Steel can be classified into 4 different categories-
Low Carbon Steel : Composition of 0.05%-0.25%carbon and up to 0.4% manganese.
Also known as mild steel, it is a low-cost material that is easy to shape. While not as
hard as higher-carbon steels, carburizing can increase its surface hardness.
Medium Carbon Steel : Composition of 0.29%-0.54%carbon, with 0.60%-1.65%
manganese. Medium carbon steel is ductile and strong, with long-wearing properties.
High Carbon Steel – Composition of 0.55%-0.95%carbon, with 0.30%-0.90%
manganese. It is very strong and holds shape memory well, making it ideal for springs
and wire.
Very High Carbon Steel – Composition of 0.96%-2.1% carbon. Its high carbon content
makes it an extremely strong material. Due to its brittleness, this grade requires special
handling.
Mild steel is the alloy of iron and cementite (not carbon) with latter being in the range of 0.05% to 0.3%
by weight.
Note: Other metallic and non-metallic constituents are also present in very less percentages.
As per Indian Standard 2062, there are nine mild
steel grades specified.
1. Fe250 or E250
2. Fe275 or E275
3. Fe300 or E300
4. Fe350 or E350
5. Fe410 or E410
6. Fe450 or E450
7. Fe550 or E550
8. Fe600 or E600
9. Fe650 or E650
Where number denotes the value of tensile strength in MPa.
Tests in brief
Test for Chemical Composition
Chemical composition for Portland cement, whether ordinary or rapid-
hardening, is given as below:
Ratio of percentage of lime to percentage of silica, alumina and iron
oxide, when calculated by the formula :
CaO- 07 S03 /28 SiO2 + 12Al2O3+065Fe2O3 Not greater than 1 , not less than 0
Ratio of percentage of alumina to that of iron Not less than 0.66
oxide