Cementitious Materials for Concrete:

Standards, selection and properties

1. Introduction Portland cement extenders

Cementitious materials for concrete are fine mineral • SANS 1491: Part 1 - Ground granulated blast-furnace slag
powders. When these materials are mixed with water, they • SANS 1491: Part 2 - Fly ash
react chemically to form a strong rigid mass that binds • SANS 1491: Part 3 - Silica fume
aggregate particles together to make concrete.
These standards are discussed below.

The cementitious materials dealt with in this leaflet are all

based on portland cement and many contain a “cement 2.1 SANS 50197-1
extender.” The standard specifies a number of properties and perform-
ance criteria. Composition and strength are required to be
This publication gives information on the standards that displayed by the manufacturer on the packaging of each
apply in South Africa to cementitious materials for concrete; cement produced.
provides guidance on the selection of cementitious materi-
2.1.1 Composition
als for various applications; includes graphs of strength
The standard specifies composition of cements according to
per­­for­­mance; and discusses, briefly, the manufacture and
the proportion of constituents, ie portland cement, extenders
properties of cementitious materials and fillers.
and fillers, as shown in Table 2 (overleaf).

The effect of cementitious materials on dimensional stability

As can be seen from Table 2, the standard permits many
of hardened concrete is outside the scope of this publication.
different combinations of composition. In practice, however,
the manufacturers are constrained by what is technically and
Note: Masonry cements that comply with SANS 50413 are
economically feasible. The number of combinations that are
not included in this leaflet because they are not intended
currently being produced in South Africa is fewer than the
for use in concrete. The national foreword of this standard
number permitted by the standard.
reads:
“This part of SANS 50413 gives the definition and composi-
For the performance of a particular cement users should
tion of masonry cements as commonly used in Europe for
consult the the revelant producer for these details. Helpline
bricklaying, blocklaying, for rendering and plastering only,
numbers are given in section 4.
and not for concrete. Users are therefore cautioned to use
the cements only for their intended purpose.”
2.1.2 Compressive strength requirements
The standard specifies strengths which are determined in
accordance with SANS 50196-1 Methods of testing cement.
2. Standards applicable to concrete Part 1: Determination of strength; using a water:cement ratio
Cementitious materials for concrete, available in South of 0,5. (The method is not the same as the cube test used for
Africa, include common cements and portland cement concrete.) Strengths are shown in Table 1. Note that strengths
extenders. Applicable standards are: must clear an early-age (2 or 7 days) “hurdle;” classes 32,5 and
Common cements 42,5 must fall within a “window” at 28 days.
• SANS 50197-1 - Cement - Part 1: Composition,
specifications and conformity criteria for common
2.1.3 Other requirements
cements
SANS 50197-1 lists other physical and chemical require-
Note that it is illegal to sell cement in South Africa if it does ments with which cements must comply. These are moni-
not have the SABS mark indicating its compliance with the tored by the manufacturer and compliance is confirmed by
requirements of the standard. external audit control sample testing. Details can be found in
SANS 50197-2.
Table 1: Compressive strength requirements of Table 3: Physical requirements of SANS 1491 for
SANS 50197-1 ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBS), fly ash
(FA) and silica fume (SF)
Compressive strength, MPa
Strength Requirement GGBS FA SF
class Early strength Standard strength
Specific
2 days 7 days 28 days ✔ ✔
surface/fineness
32,5N - ≥ 16,0
≥ 32,5 ≤ 52,5 Minimum compressive
32,5R ≥ 10,0 - ✔ ✔
strength
42,5N ≥ 10,0 -
≥ 42,5 ≤ 62,5 Minimum glass content ✔
42,5R ≥ 20,0 -
Soundness ✔ ✔ ✔
52,5N ≥ 20,0 -
≥ 52,5 - Maximum water
52,5R ≥ 30,0 - ✔
requirement

Minimum reactivity ✔
Table 2: Common cements: SANS 50197-1
Composition, percentage by mass(a)

Notation of products Clinker Blast­­- Silica Pozzolana Fly ash Burnt Limestone Minor
Main fur­nace fume shale
(types of common natural natural sili­ calca­ addition­
types slag
cement) cal- ceous reous al
cined constit­
uents
K S D(b) P Q V W T L LL
CEM I Portland cement CEM I 95 - 100 - - - - - - - - - 0-5
Portland-slag CEM II A-S 80 - 94 6 - 20 - - - - - - - - 0-5
cement CEM II B-S 65 - 79 21 - 35 - - - - - - - - 0-5
Portland-silica
CEM II A-D 90 - 94 - 6 - 10 - - - - - - - 0-5
fume cement
CEM II A-P 80 - 94 - - 6 - 20 - - - - - - 0-5
Portland- CEM II B-P 65 - 79 - - 21 - 35 - - - - - - 0-5
pozzolana
cement CEM II A-Q 80 - 94 - - - 6 - 20 - - - - - 0-5
CEM II B-Q 65 - 79 - - - 21 - 35 - - - - - 0-5
CEM II A-V 80 - 94 - - - - 6 - 20 - - - - 0-5
Portland-fly ash CEM II B-V 65 - 79 - - - - 21 - 35 - - - - 0-5
CEM II cement
CEM II A-W 80 - 94 - - - - - 6 - 20 - - - 0-5
CEM II B-W 65 - 79 - - - - - 21 - 35 - - - 0-5
Portland-burnt CEM II A-T 80 - 94 - - - - - - 6 - 20 - - 0-5
shale cement CEM II B-T 65 - 79 - - - - - - 21 - 35 - - 0-5
CEM II A-L 80 - 94 - - - - - - - 6 - 20 - 0-5
Portland- CEM II B-L 65 - 79 - - - - - - - 21 - 35 - 0-5
limestone
cement CEM II A-LL 80 - 94 - - - - - - - - 6 - 20 0-5
CEM II B-LL 65 - 79 - - - - - - - - 21 - 35 0-5
Portland- CEM II A-M 80 - 94 6 - 20 0-5
composite
cement(c) CEM II B-M 65 - 79 21 - 35 0-5
CEM III A 35 - 64 36 - 65 - - - - - - - - 0-5
Blastfurnace

CEM III cement CEM III B 20 - 34 66 - 80 - - - - - - - - 0-5
CEM III C 5 - 19 81 - 95 - - - - - - - - 0-5
Pozzolanic CEM IV A 65 - 89 - 11 - 35 - - - 0-5
CEM IV cement(c)
CEM IV B 45 - 64 - 36 - 55 - - - 0-5
Composite CEM V A 40 - 64 18 - 30 - 18 - 30 - - - - 0-5
CEM V
cement
(c)
CEM V B 20 - 39 31 - 50 - 31 - 50 - - - - 0-5

Notes
(a) The values in the table refer to the sum of the main and minor additional constituents.
(b) The proportion of silica fume is limited to 10%.
(c) In portland-composite cements CEM II A-M and CEM II B-M, in pozzolanic cements CEM IV A and CEM IV B, and in
composite cements CEM V A and CEM V B, the main constituents other than clinker shall be declared by designation of
the cement.
2.2 SANS 1491: Parts 1, 2 and 3 content of a cement increases, the rate of compressive
This standard defines the specific material, states the chemi- strength development at early ages is reduced. The extent
cal and physical requirements, and specifies packing and of this reduction can be assessed by comparing the different
marking, inspection and methods of test. Physical require- performance curves.
ments that apply are summarised in Table 3.
Table 4 gives guidelines for selecting cement type for various
applications. Unless stated otherwise, the strength class of
3. Selection the common cement may be 32,5N or higher.
Cementitious materials used for concrete may be:
• A common cement (see Table 2) on its own. 4. Strength performance
For accurate and current details of the performance of a
• A site blend of a common cement and a cement
particular branded product, consult the technical representa-
extender, combined in the concrete mixer while the
tives of the manufacturer.
concrete is being mixed. Extenders must comply with
Holcim South Africa........0860-141-141
SANS 1491 and must not be used without portland
Lafarge South Africa ......(011) 257-3100
cement.
NPC................................(031) 450-4413/11
Note: As discussed in section 2.1.1, not all the cements PPC.................................0800-023-470
shown in Table 2 are necessarily available in South Africa. Holcim Silica Fume.........0860-141-141
It should also be noted that generally as the extender Ash Resources................(011) 886-6200
Slagment.........................(011) 864-9900

Table 4: Guidelines for selecting cements for concrete

Application Comments
Conventional structural The cement is normally selected for economy.
concrete in a non-aggressive Any of the SANS 50197-1 common cements should be suitable.
environment Site blends of CEM I cement with 50% GGBS or 30% FA have been extensively and successfully used in South Africa.
A site blend of CEM I cement and about 8% SF is technically feasible but there is relatively little local
experience of its use.

Large placements where

temperature rise, due to heat Best results are likely to be achieved with cements with extender contents in excess of 50% GGBS or 30% FA.
of reaction, is to be kept as
low as possible.

Structural precast Choice of cement will depend mainly on strength requirements at early ages.
High early strengths, without steam curing, will be achieved most economically with cements of strength grade
42,5R and higher and with low extender content.
Cements with higher extender content are better suited to steam curing.
Where there is no requirement for rapid strength gain, the choice of cement should be based on economy.

Precast bricks, blocks and Provided the elements have sufficient strength to allow handling at an early age, typically the day after casting,
pavers the choice of cement should be based on economy.

High-performance concrete Strength class should be 42,5N or higher.

(High-strength concrete) The inclusion of about 8% SF is common practice in this application.
Other cement extenders may also be used for technical or economic benefits.
Superplasticizer is an essential ingredient in high-performance concrete: the compatibility of the specific
cementitious material and the superplasticizer is important.

Floors, roads and pavements Concrete for these applications must develop strength rapidly enough to permit joint sawing before the concrete
with sawn joints cracks due to restrained drying shrinkage. The mature concrete must have good abrasion resistance.
These properties are likely to be achieved most economically with cements with extender content not greater
than 30%, and of strength grade 42,5N or higher.

Reinforced concrete in marine Research done with South African materials has shown that best results are achieved with extender contents
environment of either 50% GGBS, 10% SF, 40% GGBS + 10% SF, or 30% FA.

Concrete made with The cement should contain not less than 40% GGBS, or 20% FA, or 15% SF.
alkali-reactive aggregate However, the use of SF at this high replacement level usually results in sticky concrete requiring the use
of a superplasticizer.

Concrete exposed to Fortunately, this type of attack is rare in South Africa.

sulphate attack A CEM I cement’s resistance to sulphate attack depends largely on its C3A content. CEM I cements with
C3A contents below about 9 to 10% give markedly higher sulphate resistance than those with C3A contents
above 9 to 10%. South African CEM I cements have C3A contents below 10% and therefore give
relatively high sulphate resistance.
International experience suggests that using high levels of GGBS in concrete will improve sulphate resistance.
There are no South African data on which to base guidance to local users. The sulphate-resisting properties of
concrete, made with specific materials, should therefore be investigated before a GGBS blend is specified.
The inclusion of a minimum of 30% FA should improve the sulphate resistance of concrete.
There are no South African data on which to base guidance on the use of SF for sulphate resistance.
5. Manufacture and properties Because extenders do not dissolve rapidly, extremely fine
In this section, only materials available in South Africa are extender particles act as nuclei for the formation of calcium
discussed. silicate hydrate which would otherwise form only on the
cement grains. This fine-filler effect brings about a denser
5.1 Portland cement and more homogeneous microstructure of the hardened
Portland cement is the basis of all common cements cement paste and the aggregate-paste interfacial zones,
covered by SANS 50197-1 (see Table 2) and of site blends resulting in improved strength and impermeability. The
that include a cement extender. extent of the fine-filler effect depends on the content of
extremely fine particles in the extender.
The main raw materials used in the manufacture of portland
cement are limestone and shale which are blended in specific Fine particles of filler materials, eg limestone, can also exhibit
proportions and fired at high temperatures to form cement the fine-filler effect.
clinker. A small quantity of gypsum is added to the cooled
clinker which is then ground to a fine powder – portland Concrete in which part of the portland cement is replaced
cement. by an extender produces heat at a rate slower than that of a
When portland cement is mixed with water to form a paste, similar concrete made with portland cement only.
a reaction called hydration takes place. As a result, the
paste gradually changes from a plastic state into a strong The slower the rate of heat development, the lower the
rigid solid. The hardened cement paste acts as a binder in temperature rise and therefore the smaller the likelihood of
concrete and mortar. thermal cracking. The manufacture and mechanism of action
of portland cement extenders and limestone filler in concrete
Hydration is an exothermic reaction, ie it provides heat. are discussed in sections 5.2.1 to 5.2.4.

The hydration of portland cement (PC) produces two main The effects of these materials on the properties of concrete
compounds: are summarised in Table 5. Effects tend to increase with
calcium silicate hydrate (CSH) and increased level of substitution.
calcium hydroxide (lime).
Improvements to the properties of hardened concrete,
CSH provides most of the strength and impermeability brought about by the use of extenders, can be realised only if
of the hardened cement paste. Lime does not contribute the concrete is properly cured.
to strength but its presence helps to maintain, in the pore
water, a pH of about 12,5, which helps to protect the 5.2.1 Ground granulated blast-furnace slag
reinforcing steel against corrosion. Ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBS) is a by-
product of the iron-making process. The hot slag is rapidly
5.2 Portland cement extenders and fillers chilled or quenched (causing it to become glassy) and
Portland cement extenders and fillers are materials used with ground to a fine powder.
portland cement, and must never be used on their own.
When mixed with water, GGBS hydrates to form cementing
The main reasons for the widespread use of portland compounds consisting of calcium silicate hydrate. The rate
cement exten­ders are: of this hydration process is however too slow for practical
construction work unless activated by an alkaline (high pH)
• Cost saving – extenders are generally cheaper than environment. When portland cement and water are mixed,
portland cement.
the pH of the water rapidly increases to about 12,5 which
• Technical benefits – extenders improve impermea­ is sufficient to activate the hydration of GGBS. Even when
bility and durability of the hardened concrete; some activated by PC, GGBS hydrates more slowly than PC.
extenders improve the properties of concrete in the
fresh state. The effect of GGBS on the properties of concrete depends
The portland cement extenders discussed below differ from on the properties of the portland cement, the GGBS content
each other but are all less reactive than portland cement. of the cementitious material and the fineness of the GGBS.
This property affects the rate of early-age strength gain,
causes the “fine-filler” effect, and affects the rate of heat 5.2.2 Fly ash
development due to cementing reactions. Fly ash (FA) is collected from the exhaust flow of furnaces
burning finely ground coal. The finer fractions are used as a
Substituting a portland cement extender for part of the portland cement extender.
portland cement in a concrete reduces the rate of strength
gain at early ages. The extent of the reduction increases Ultra-fine FA is sold as a separate product.
with increasing substitution level.
FA reacts with calcium hydroxide, in the presence of water, 5.2.4 Limestone filler
to form cementing compounds consisting of calcium silicate This is limestone, finely ground but not chemically
hydrate. This reaction is called pozzolanic and FA may be processed. When mixed with portland cement and water,
described as a synthetic pozzolan. finely ground limestone is chemically virtually inert (although
there may be some minor reactions). Depending on its
The hydration of portland cement produces significant fineness, limestone may however act as a “fine filler” in fresh
amounts of calcium hydroxide, which does not contribute to paste.
the strength of the hardened cement paste (see section 5.1).
The combination of FA and PC is a practical means of Limestone may be used as a filler in common cement or as
using FA and converting calcium hydroxide to a cementing a workability improver in masonry cement.
compound.
The effect of limestone on the properties of concrete
5.2.3 Silica fume or mortar depends on the specific limestone, whether a
Silica fume (SF) is the condensed vapour by-product of the grinding aid is used in production, and the fineness of the
ferro-silicon smelting process. limestone.

SF reacts with calcium hydroxide, in the presence of water, Note: The limestone (CaCO3) used in cements complying
to form cementing compounds consisting of calcium silicate with SANS 50197-1 is not to be confused with:
hydrate. This reaction is called pozzolanic and SF may be
• building lime (hydrated or slaked lime Ca(OH)2) which
described as a synthetic pozzolan. Because the hydration
is used in mortars and plasters.
of PC produces calcium hydroxide (see section 5.1), the
combination of SF and PC is a practical means of using SF • road lime (also hydrated or slaked lime Ca(OH)2) which
and improving the cementing efficiency of PC. is used in road material stabilisation or modification.
• quick lime (CaO) which is highly aggressive and is used
In addition to the chemical role of SF, it is also an effective in the metallurgical industry.
“fine filler.” The extremely small SF particles in the mixing • agricultural lime which, although chemically similar to
water act as nuclei for the formation of calcium silicate the limestone used for cement, has less stringent com
hydrate which would otherwise form only on the cement positional requirements.
grains. SF will also change the microstructure of the
interfacial zone. The result is a more homogeneous There is no Ca(OH)2 or CaO used in cements complying
microstructure that has greater strength and lower with SANS 50197-1.
permeability. (To ensure thorough dispersion and effective
use of the SF, the use of plasticising admixtures is
recommended.).

For Table 5: Effects of extenders and limestone filler on the properties of concrete, see overleaf.
Table 5: Effects of extenders and limestone filler on the properties of concrete

GGBS FA SF Limestone filler

Prolongs duration,
Bleeding – – Significant reduction reduces total amount
Fresh concrete

Setting
time Slight retardation –

Ultra-fine FA increases
Increases
Cohesiveness – cohesiveness –

Slight improvement Improves: lower water Reduces: higher water

Work­ability requirement for given requirement for a given –
with some aggregates
slump slump

Rate of Slight reduction,

Reduces, especially at Marginal reduction
early­-age especially at –
lower temperatures of 1-day strength
strength gain lower temperatures

Response to
Improves – –
steam curing

Strength gain
after 28 days Increases – Reduces

Rate of heat
generation Reduces – –
Hardened concrete

Pore
structure Improves –
of paste

Density of
aggregate- Improvement,
Significant Slight
Improvement especially with
paste interfacial improvement improvement
zones ultra-fine FA

Impe­r­meability
of concrete
Improves –

Sulphate
resistance – Improves – –

Rate of
Reduces: improves protection of
chloride
embedded steel against corrosion –
diffusion

Alkali-
aggregate Prevent or retards if content is sufficient (See Table 4) –
reaction

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Tel (011) 315-0300 • Fax (011) 315-0584 • e-mail info@cnci.org.za • website http://www.cnci.org.za

Published by the Cement & Concrete Institute, Midrand, 2000, reprinted 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006.
© Cement & Concrete Institute