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Home > Tools > Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How do the characteristics of the cement affect the compressive strength? A. The compressive strength of cement is principally affected by the relative content of lime (CaO) and the fineness. More lime in the composition of portland cement means more of the C3S phase, which provides higher early strength at a given fineness compared to the C2S phase. Also, greater fineness for the same lime content indicates higher early strength. All portland cements behave more or less similarly, although the gain in strength with age is not always the same. Some cements gain their strength more rapidly at first, whereas others show a greater increase at later periods. This applies not only to the types of portland cements covered by ASTM C150 but, to some extent, to cements of the same type produced at different plants. References: SP-1(02); ACI 225R-19; E3-13; ASTM C150 Topics in Concrete: Cementitious Material; Concrete Fundamentals
Q. How do the characteristics of the cement affect the compressive strength?
A. The compressive strength of cement is principally affected by the relative content of lime (CaO) and the fineness. More lime in the composition of portland cement means more of the C3S phase, which provides higher early strength at a given fineness compared to the C2S phase. Also, greater fineness for the same lime content indicates higher early strength. All portland cements behave more or less similarly, although the gain in strength with age is not always the same. Some cements gain their strength more rapidly at first, whereas others show a greater increase at later periods. This applies not only to the types of portland cements covered by ASTM C150 but, to some extent, to cements of the same type produced at different plants.
References: SP-1(02); ACI 225R-19; E3-13; ASTM C150
Topics in Concrete: Cementitious Material; Concrete Fundamentals
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