Checklist
How is Cement Manufactured?
Cement manufacturing is a sophisticated process that incorporates thousands of variables. It is vital to maintain integrity in the manufacturing process to ensure cement quality is maintained. It is important for you to how cement is manufactured to get a good grasp of the sophisticated steps that go into it. Different categories of cement are manufactured with varying ratios of raw materials. These variations bring forward a diverse set of properties for each category of cement.- Extracting Raw Materials: The first step involves removing the raw materials from the earth using heavy machinery. Generally, raw materials like limestone and clay are extracted from quarries by blasting and ripping.
- Crushing and Transportation: Wheel loaders and dumper trucks carry the extracted raw materials to crushing zones where the rocks are crushed to necessary segments for further processing.
- Preparation of Raw Materials: The crushed raw materials are transported to storage facilities, where it remains until further processing. Conveyor belts, cableways, etc., are used in this case. The desired raw mix of crushed materials and additional components required for different categories of cement is prepared using metering devices. Roller grinding mills and ball mills grind the whole mixture to a fine powder.
- Burning: The raw materials are burned at approximately 1450 degrees Celsius in preheated kilns. This process, also known as sintering, creates a new clinker material.
- Clinker Grinding: The clinker is cooled down and stored in clinker silos after burning. Ball mills or roller presses ground this clinker into an excellent powder-like substance. Some additives like gypsum and anhydrite are used depending on the cement category.
- Shipping: The finished product is then transferred to other storage facilities. Different strengths and categories of cement are grouped in separate silos. From there, cement is packaged and distributed all over.
- Quality Assurance: The whole manufacturing process is strictly monitored by hi-tech computers and sensors. Experts analyze cement samples in different phases to identify impurity or bad quality products. Good quality control measures are essential in any cement manufacturing plant.
What is the Importance of Choosing the Right Cement in Bangladesh?
Choosing the right cement in Bangladesh is of utmost importance as it can guarantee the endurance of a construction project. Good quality cement will resist environmental degradation and save costs on future maintenance. The quality of cement determines the lifespan and integrity of your building. So, choosing the appropriate cement for your specific construction requirement is a very crucial step in ensuring the quality of your dream house.
Another essential thing to note is that various kinds of cement are available. These types of cement differ in properties and should only be used in the construction they are designed for. Otherwise, the condition of the structure will be compromised.
The importance of choosing the right cement can be adequately understood if an individual analyzes different properties of cement. Other categories are specifically designed for specific situations, apart from the standard OPC and PCC.
Rapid Hardening Cement: This cement is only usable in cases where fast-paced construction is required. This cement performs very well in quick repairing cases. So, you should be purchasing this cement only when quick repair work is your priority.
Hydrophobic Portland Cement: This type of cement can repel water. Hence, this cement is useful in regions that witness higher rainfall than usual. It is also valuable for constructing tanks, reservoirs, dams, piers, bridges, and swimming pools. This type of cement is advantageous in Bangladesh. Nowadays, many modern buildings have swimming pools on rooftops. For constructing swimming pools, Hydrophobic Portland Cement is an excellent choice.
Super Sulphate Cement: This cement expands underwater and shrinks while being cured in the air. It is helpful in situations where structures are exposed to chemical attacks. It does not get easily damaged due to such chemicals.
White Cement: White cement is decorative cement. It cannot be used in construction work as its strength is minimal and cannot support its weight. So, it is only used to fill gaps in floor and wall tiles, ceramic bathroom fixtures, and wall decorations. Another benefit is that the cement can be painted with other colors very easily. However, it would not help if you were using this cement to support any structure because it will crumble easily.
It is apparent that different types of cement come with unique properties. Hence, it is of paramount importance to choose the right cement. Furthermore, the Ordinary Portland Cement has various grades that provide different strengths after setting. Only the 53 grade is suitable for RCC works and construction requiring high-density cement. So, using a 33 grade or 43 grade in foundation works can lead to a severe reduction in the structural integrity of the building. Furthermore, it is also important to decide whether to use OPC or PCC/PPC in construction.
OPC offers various advantages over other cement. Some critical factors in deciding whether to select OPC as your primary construction cement are:
- OPC offers higher resistance to shrinkage and is less prone to cracking in the future.
- It offers a faster setting time. Hence, it is more productive.
- Curing duration is very short in OPC, and it can save a lot of money.
- OPC has less durability than PPC/PCC, as it is less fine and has higher permeability.
- OPC is more difficult to pump due to its less cohesive strength.
- OPC is costlier than PCC/PPC.
Which Cement Types to Use in Building Construction?
The area of application determines what type of cement to use. A list of the common application area and cement categories will help you to make your decision:|
Application Area |
Cement Type |
| All RCC Structures | OPC Grade 43 OPC Grade 53 |
| Masonry, Plastering, and Tiling | PCC/PPC |
| Decorative Portions | White Cement |
| Foundation for Poor Soil Quality | Sulfate Resistant Cement |