Concrete and cement: technical specifications, markings,

In the people very often there is a substitution of concepts, when it comes to the widespread binder and the construction composition obtained on its basis. In this regard, it is necessary to consider the difference between cement and concrete, so that there is no further confusion. For this it is necessary to analyze each material separately.

Binding base for mortar

Cement is an artificial binder that, in the process of interaction with water and other liquids, allows to obtain a plastic mass that hardens for a certain time. Dry mix is ​​most often supplied to the markets in paper packaging. The weight of one bag is usually 50 kg.

Manufacturing process

The material for the production of building mixtures for various purposes is made by heating lime and clay or similar components to a temperature of 1450 degrees. Homogeneous mass melts to form clinker granules, which are subsequently combined with gypsum. The result is the composition of fine grinding.

Lime mineral can be replaced by some types of calcium sulphate. Sometimes technical conditions allow the use of other materials.

The following are the main phases of the resulting clinker, on which product quality depends.

• Alit is the most important component of the cement intermediate. Its content ranges from 50 to 70 percent. The structure and composition of the compound are modified due to the placement of foreign ions.
• Belit is a dicalcium silicate, which increases the strength characteristics of building mixtures over a long period of time.. It is contained in the amount of 15-30 percent of the total mass.
• Aluminate phase - tricalcium aluminate, which quickly reacts with water. If no retaining agent, such as plaster, is added, undesirable setting may occur.
• Ferritic phase It is necessary for the mortar to be actively hardened during the initial casting period. The rate of hardening may vary slightly depending on the composition and other characteristics.

Note! In cement clinker, other phases are most often present, which include: calcium oxide and alkaline sulfates. Their content inside the substance is quite small.

Specifications

There are several varieties of cement products, but Portland cement is particularly popular, and therefore should be stopped there. Its properties may vary slightly depending on the brand, but in any case it must meet the established requirements of GOST 10178-85, which are reflected in the table below.

Addition! The weight of 1 m3 of cement is about 1300 kg, however the final weight will depend on the moisture content of the material and grade. In addition, it may increase its density during long-term storage.

Strength marking

Special designations are usually applied to the packaging of the binder, taking into account the ability of the material to withstand a certain load. In this case, put the letter M and the number corresponding to the number of kilograms.

Вес куба цемента высоких марок может быть несколько больше. Наиболее популярной является продукция M400 и M500.

Building mixture for structures

The most important difference between concrete and cement is in the appointment. Binder is necessary to obtain a building compound, and the compound itself is needed to create various structures. After solidification, an artificial stone is formed, which can be given any shape.

Main components

Building mixture can be prepared with your own hands for a short period of time, which cannot be said about cement. In the process of cooking, you need to choose the right proportions to get the composition of a certain brand or class.

The following are the basic components for concrete solution.

• A binder in a physicochemical process can harden for a certain time. He goes into stone-like state, bonding the remaining components.
• Sand acts as a fine aggregate. Its granulometric composition affects the technological parameters. With a decrease in the modulus of particle size, the consumption of the binder increases.
• Gravel is a large aggregate, which occupies most of the volume of the mixture. Strength characteristics depend on its quality. The main requirements are governed by paragraphs of GOST 10268-80.
• Water performs two functions at once. First of all, it is necessary for the occurrence of a chemical reaction. Also with its help it is possible to carry out the lubrication of components, so that the mixture is easy to fit.

Attention! In order to calculate cement for concrete and find out the amount of other components, it is necessary to determine the class of the mixture to be prepared for any structure.

Proportions for solution

The ratio of all substances depends on what brand of composition is required to prepare, as well as the used binder. As for the amount of water, it is selected depending on the weight of the main component. The fluid should be half the weight of the cement.

Note! After studying the proportions, you can easily calculate the volume of concrete from 50 kg of cement. In this case, it will be clear how much the mix will turn out from one bag.

Binder consumption

When creating various structures, it is necessary to calculate cement per cube of concrete, because the usual unit of volume is m3. Preliminary calculations are needed to purchase the right amount of material. Approximate consumption of binder is presented in the table below.

Note! The table shows the rate of cement per concrete cube in kilograms. Thus, knowing the amount of fill, you can easily calculate the number of packages with a binder.

Product Classification

• Depending on the destination emit ordinary and special formulations. The first of them are used in civil and industrial construction, and the second - in the design of objects with high requirements for quality and safety.
• The classifier may be a type of binder, therefore, cement, gypsum, silicate and other compositions are distinguished. The list is not limited to these components.
• Solutions are also subdivided according to the type of aggregate, since it can be dense, cellular, porous, or large-pore. The quality characteristics, which will have concrete from cement and sand, in this case will be different.
• The classification is made according to the conditions of hardening, because the mixture can harden both under natural conditions, and during heat treatment under high or atmospheric pressure.
• Depending on the ease of installation, there are motile, rigid and super-rigid solutions.

Compaction process

The raw mixture immediately after installation must be compacted so that there are no air pockets inside. Along with this, it will be possible to redistribute the cement mass for better contact with the aggregate. During this operation, the strength characteristics of the material increase.

The compaction is made using vibration equipment, the price of which is high. During shaking, the particles of the mixture are in limbo, so the connection with other components is broken. With subsequent movement, the force of the push causes the molecules to take a more favorable position.

Finally

Настоящая инструкция представлена, чтобы была видна разница между цементом и бетоном. После ознакомления с текстом становится ясно, что она на самом деле очень существенна (см.также статью «Состав и формула бетона»).

Other details on the topic are reflected in the video in this article.