3 Famous Types of Cements for Ready Mix Concrete in Saudi Arabia
Cement is a specific type of substance which is made with heating limestone and clay at 1450 degrees in a kiln in cement factories in Saudi Arabia. Consequently “clinker” is formed to which other admixtures are added which help to produce different types of cements. Cement gets very hard on heating surface. As a result, cement is used ready mix concrete for construction purpose in Saudi Arabia.
There are three famous kinds of cements available in Saudi Arabia.
- Portland cements
- Non Portland cements
- Rapid hardening cements
(1) Portland Cements
Portland cement is widely recognized as hydraulic cement that can be used for concrete production in Saudi Arabia. This type of cement plays a pivotal role in setting and hardening the concrete. The Portland cement performs two key functions. One, it increases the workability of concrete products in wet conditions and Two, it increases the durability of ready-mix concrete in dry weather. Portland cement goes through the reaction process which is called hydration and it contains both the cement and water to create a durable concrete. There are many different types of Portland cements available in Saudi Arabia at cost-effective rates.
(a) General Use Hydraulic Cement (GU)
This type of Portland cement is often used in ready mix concrete for various purposes such as roadways, reinforced concrete structures, bridges, tanks, surfaces, pipes, masonry units and pools. The general use hydraulic cement is more suitable for concrete products in Saudi Arabia.
(b) Sulphate Resistant Hydraulic Cement (MS)
The moderate sulphate resistant hydraulic cements are used in normal buildings that are exposed to ground waters and soil in which sulphate immersion is higher than normal but not inquisitively intense. Once sulphates in saturated soil and water enter concrete, they can result in amplification, scrambling and cracking due to chemical reactions. Moistening and parching in sulphate environment intensifies the foundation of sulphate salts or other ingredients that have enough manifestation pressure to disrupt cement mixture. As seawater preserves sufficient chlorides and sulphates, ready mix concrete is made with Moderate Sulphate Resistant cement. Chlorides minimizes chemical reaction of sulphate attack.
(c) Moderate Heat of Hydration Hydraulic Cement (MH)
This type of cement is carefully made to generate less heat at a lower level than general use hydraulic cement. The moderate heat of hydration hydraulic cement is often used for large ports, foundations and thick retaining wall structures in Saudi Arabia. However when you place the concrete in warm weather, it may create temperature-related cracking problem.
(d) High Early Strength Hydraulic Cement (HE)
One of the greatest advantages of using this type of cement is that it provides high early strength to concrete. It performs the same like that of general use hydraulic cement. However its ingredients are more efficiently crushed. High early strength hydraulic cement is used in ready mix concrete to create various structures in Saudi Arabia.
(e) Low Heat of Hydration Hydraulic Cement (LH)
This can be also used in ready mix concrete to increase its strength. It is more convenient and durable than other cements in Saudi Arabia. Generally low heat of hydration hydraulic cement is used for larger concrete structures in the Kingdom for example large gravity dams. This type of cement is suitable only when you need to built-up large structures.
(f) High Sulphate Resistant Hydraulic Cement (HS)
When it comes to high sulphate resistant hydraulic cement, it is used in ready mix concrete to expose severe sulphate action in which soils and ground waters have high sulphate volume. It generates strength slower than general use hydraulic cement. But this type of cement is not resistant to acids and other types of corrosive materials.
(g) White Portland Cement
It is different cement type from gray cement in color. The white Portland cement is made of the selected raw materials in ready mix concrete factory, including iron , magnesium oxides and color substances. This type of cement is specifically used for architectural purposes in Saudi Arabia like precast curtain wall structures, facing panels, terrazzo & stucco structures, tile grout works, cement paint and decorative concrete structures.
(h) Masonry Cement
As the name suggests, Masonry Cement is a specific type of cement which is made for use in masonry grouts for various purposes such as bricklaying, blocklaying, rendering and plastering works across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The masonry cements are normally a mixture of Portland cement CEM I and the other selected mineral substances like limestone and hydrated lime as well as chemical admixtures like air-entraining plasticisers that shape small bubbles of air in the cement. Masonry cement is commonly used in Saudi Arabia companies and industrial plants with sands and water to create feasible and consistent mortars that are freeze and thaw resistant in the fresh wet and hardened shapes.
(2) Non Portland Cements
When it comes to the Non-Portland Cement, it is a very high resistant cement in Saudi Arabia which becomes stable with the usage of Braw materials, including Calcium sulfoaluminate, Alkali aluminosilicates and certain Hydro carbons.
There are different types of non-Portland cement:
(a) Geopolymer Cement
The Geopolymer cement is used in ready mix concrete for various types of constructions in Saudi Arabia. This type of cement is produced by using a wide variety of materials such as water soluble metal silicate and aluminosilicate mineral powders (i.e. fly ash & metakaolin).
(b) Calcium Sulfoaluminate Cement
When it comes to the calcium sulfoaluminate cement, it is made in form of clinker used in producing the expansive cement. This type of cement has very high resistance and super strength. The calcium sulfoaluminate cements are low energy cements.
(c) Calcium Aluminate Cement
The calcium aluminate cement is produced by using limestone and bauxite. The active materials are used to make this cement, including ismonocalcium aluminate CaAl2O4 and Mayenite Ca12Al14O33. This is a high strength cement which goes through the process of hydration of calcium aluminate hydrates. This cement type is well suited for producing durable concretes for furnace linings.
(d) Slag Lime Cement
The slag lime cement consists of blast furnace slag and it is stimulated by the usage of alkalis. Lime is often used while making this type of cement.
(3) Rapid Hardening Cements
Last, but not the least, there is rapid hardening cement type which is frequently available in Saudi Arabia these days. The rapid hardening cement has a resemblance to Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC). As the name suggests, the rapid hardening cement has a great strength and resistance as compared to Ordinary Portland Cements. These types of cements generate an immense level of strength in your ready mix concretes.
Rapid hardening cement generate an enormous heat of hydration, thus it should not be used in mass concrete construction. This type of cement can be used in various situations like pre-fabricated concrete construction, road constructions and in cold weather. The rapid hardening cements are made out of calcium aluminate and calcium sulfoaluminate substances. They are a unique blend of both Portland and Non-Portland cements in Saudi Arabia.
Hence, these are the best types of cements in Saudi Arabia which you can use them in ready mix concrete for quality construction in the Kingdom. You can now buy best quality cements in Saudi Arabia cheaply from any reputable cement or ready-mix concrete company in bulk quantity to lead rapid construction. These ready-mix concrete and cement companies are operating in Jeddah, Riyadh, Dammam, Mecca, Medina, Al-Qassim, Tabuk, Al-Khobar, Abha, Jezzan, Najran, Hofuf and many other cities across Saudi Arabia.
