Special Cement

Certain purposes call for the use of special cements in the construction of masonry and concrete. These include changing how concrete sets or hardens, creating various architectural effects, improving workability, adding water retention and flexibility to masonry, preventing water from penetrating walls or containment containers, and lowering the cost of the cementing agent.

These unique cement varieties are therefore employed for particular purposes. There are currently a number of specialty cements available for the concrete building sector. Each type of special cement serves a particular purpose in terms of performance, application, and longevity.

Both very high and very low temperatures can be employed with these forms of cement. One type of cement that can be used in acids is the special kind. The setting rate of special cement, such silicate cement, is extremely high. Radioactive radiation can’t harm barium and strontium cement.

Special Types of Cement

Here are some descriptions of the special cements:

1. Masonry Cement

Sand-gauged lime was the mortar of choice for laying masonry for a very long time. It became customary to use lime and portland cement to boost the strength and speed of strength gain.

For large loads, the typical ratio of cement, lime, and sand is 1:1:6, while for small loads, it is 1:3:12. Lime is added to cement sand mortars because they are excessively abrasive, which facilitates work. Masonry cement was invented to eliminate the need to mix cement and lime.

The air-entraining agent and limestone give masonry cement its fluidity and workability. Masonry cement adheres better to bricks or other building components because it is easier to work with and has a water-retentive quality.

Fig- Masonry Cement

2. Cement for Oil Wells

When drilling an oil well, oil well cement is used to grout up porous strata, fill in the area between the steel liner tube and the well wall, and keep gas and water out of oil-bearing strata.
This cement may reach 400 degrees Fahrenheit and is subjected to extremely high pressure. As a result, the cement that is utilized needs to be able to be pumped for at least three years. After setup, it immediately becomes harder.

Fig-Oil Well Cement

3. Expanding Cement

Expanding cement swells as it solidifies. Concrete typically contracts as it hardens, causing shrinkage fractures. Therefore, by combining conventional cement with expanding cement in the concrete, which will not shrink or expand, this impact can be avoided.

This cement can also be used to repair work in which an opening joint is filled with it to create a tight junction following expansion.

Fig-Expanding cement

4. Cement of Sorel

To make sorel cement, finely grind calcined magnesia and add strong magnesium chloride. It hardens into a bulk in three to four hours. Addition of 1.5% calcium

chloride accelerates the cement’s hardening rate.
One benefit of sorel cement is that it sets more quickly, which is helpful in cold climates.

Fig- Cement of Sorel

5. Cement of Trief

With the exception of the blast furnace slag being ground wet and separated from the cement, trief cement is essentially the same as blast furnace cement. Compared to OPC, this cement shrinks less and evolves at a lower temperature during setting.

Fig- Cement of Trief

6. Cement with High Alumina

This cement is made by heating limestone, bauxite, and trace amounts of silicon and titanium oxide in a rotatory kiln to 1500–1600 degrees Celsius. The resultant materials are then ground to a fine consistency using a technique similar to that used to make portland cement.

Tetra calcium aluminoferrite, tricalcium pentaluminate, dicalcium silicate, and monocalcium aluminates are the main ingredients of high alumina cement

FIg- High Alumina Cement