PORTLAND CEMENT - Materials for Civil and Construction Engineers - page 214

T ABLE 6.3 Types and Applications of Standard Portland Cement

Type Name Application

I Normal General concrete work when the special properties

of other types are not needed. Suitable for floors,
reinforced concrete structures, pavements, etc.

II Moderate Sulfate Protection against moderate sulfate exposure,

Resistance 0.1-0.2% weight water soluble sulfate in soil or

150-1500 ppm sulfate in water (sea water). Can be
specified with a moderate heat of hydration,
making it suitable for large piers, heavy abutments,
and retaining walls. The moderate heat of
hydration is also beneficial when placing concrete
in warm weather.

III High Early Strength Used for fast-track construction when forms need

to be removed as soon as possible or structure
needs to be put in service as soon as possible. In
cold weather, reduces time required for controlled
curing.

IV Low Heat of Hydration Used when mass of structure, such as large dams,

requires careful control of the heat of hydration.

V High Sulfate Resistance Protection from severe sulfate exposure, 0.2-2.0%

weight water soluble sulfate in soils or
1500-10,800 ppm sulfate in water.

producing Types IA, IIA, and IIIA, which provide better resistance to freeze
and thaw than do non-air-entrained cements. The use of air-entrained ce-
ments (Types IA, IIA, and IIIA) has diminished, due to improved availability
and reliability of the air entrainer admixtures that can be added during con-
crete mixing. The uses and effects of air entrainers will be described in the
section on admixtures. The ASTM specifications of the standard cement
types are shown in Table 6.4.
The allowable maximum compound compositions are given in Table 6.5,
along with the required Blaine fineness (controls particle size). Note that the
chemical compositions of Type I and III cements are almost identical; the pri-
mary difference is the much greater surface area of the Type III cement. The
contents of Type II and V cements are lower than that of Type I to im-
prove sulfate resistance.

C 3 A

C 3 S and C 3 A are limited in Type IV cement to limit

the rate of hydration.
The existence of an ASTM specification for a type of cement does not
guarantee that cement's availability. Type I cement is widely available and
represents most of the United States' cement production. Type II is the sec-
ond most available type. Cements can be manufactured that meet all the re-
quirements of both Types I and II; these are labeled Type I/II. Type III
cement represents about 4% of U.S. production. Due to the stricter grinding
requirements for Type III, it is more expensive than Type I. The strength