PCC commonly refers to “Portland Cement Concrete” rather than a specific type of cement. Portland cement is the most common type of cement used in the production of concrete.
Portland Cement Concrete (PCC) is a versatile construction material made by combining Portland cement, aggregates (such as sand and gravel), and water. The mixture forms a paste that binds the aggregates together, creating a hard and durable material. PCC is widely used in various construction applications, including building foundations, roads, sidewalks, and more.
What Is PPC Cement?
PPC Cement is manufactured by grinding the OPC clinker with 10 to 25 percent of the pozzolanic material. As per the recent standards of manufacturing, it is about 35%. Pozzolana materials may be natural or artificial that have silica in them in a reactive form. PPC Cement also contains OPC clinker and gypsum along with pozzolanic materials.
These pozzolanic materials include volcanic ash, calcined clay or silica fumes, and fly ash which makes around 15% to 35% of cement weight. Flyash is primarily used in PPC cement. Portland Pozzolana Cement is becoming a popular type of cement used in building construction. PPC is made from pozzolanic material. Pozzolanic material history extended up to roman time.
PPC Cement Full Form
The PPC Cement full form is Portland Pozzolana Cement
PPC Cement Grade
It has 33 Grade Cement
PPC Cement strength is considered to be equivalent to that of OPC 33 grade cement. Therefore, it has a grade strength of is 330 kg per sq cm.
In many areas of the world, the PPC is graded similarly to OPC depending upon their compressive strength, at 28 days. As per India Standard, the PPC is considered equivalent to 33 grade OPC, strength-wise, although some brand of PPC is as good as even 53 grade OPC.
Many cement brands recommended using BIS for grading PPC just like grading OPC. They also suggested using a higher amount of fly ash content from 25% to 35%. Recently, the United Kingdom has increased the fly ash content in PPC in BIS from 10-25% to 15-35%.
PPC Cement Properties
- Initial setting time = 30 min (minimum)
- Final setting time = 600 min (maximum).
- At 3 days 13MPa (minimum)
- At 7 days 22 MPa (minimum)
- At 28 days 33 MPa (minimum)
- Drying shrinkage should not be more than 0.15%
- Fineness should not be less than 300 m2/kg
- The early strength of PPC is less but the final strength is equal to the 28 days strength of OPC
- PPC has a lower strength development rate than OPC.
PPC Cement Advantages
Using PPC with OPC has greater advantages if proper types of reactive materials are used in the manufacturing of PPC.
- PPC is made by replacing costly clinker with cheap waster pozzolanic material.
- In PPC manufacturing a soluble calcium hydroxide is converted into insoluble cementitious products which results in improvement of permeability. Hence it offers, abounds durability characteristics, particularly in hydraulic structures and marine construction.
- Generally, a Portland pozzolana cement consumes calcium hydroxide and does not produce calcium hydroxide as much as that of OPC.
- It produces heat of hydration and that too at a low rate.
- PPC being finer than OPC and also due to pozzolanic action, it improves the pore size distribution and also reduces the micro-cracks at the transition zone.
- Reduction in permeability of Portland pozzolana cement offers many other & bound advantages.
- Fly ash used in PPC is lightweight and has less density, the bulk volume of 50 kg bag is slightly more than OPC. That’s why Portland pozzolana cement offers a larger volume of mortar than OPC.
- PPC strength development over a long period is comparatively more than OPC if enough moisture is available for continued pozzolanic action.
PPC Cement Disadvantages
PPC has few disadvantages as given below,
- PPC has a low rate of development of strength initially compared to OPC.
- PPC has lower the alkalinity contain which reduces the resistance to corrosion of steel reinforcement.
- But on the other hand, PPC significantly improves the permeability of concrete, increases the resistance to corrosion of reinforcement.
- The setting time is nominally longer.
PPC Cement Uses
PPC Cement can be utilized where OPC is used except where high early strength is of special requirement. As PPC use demands moisture for sustained pozzolanic activity, a little longer curing is desirable.
Use of PPC would be particularly suitable for the following situations:
- For hydraulic structures
- For mass concrete structures like a dam, bridge pier, and thick foundation
- For Marine structures
- For sewers and sewage disposal works etc
Difference Between OPC and PPC Cement
| Parameters | OPC | PPC |
| Full-Form | Ordinary Portland Cement | Portland Pozzolana Cement |
| Manufacturing | OPC Cement is a mixture of raw argillaceous, calcareous materials, limestone, and gypsum | PPC Cement is manufactured by mixing 30% of pozzolana with OPC cement clinkers. |
| Composition | OPC mixer has a large amount of Limestone powder in it. | PPC has about 80% of siliceous material in clay form. |
| Durability | The durability of OPC Cement concrete is low as compared to PPC. | Pozzolana Materials added to PPC cement increase its durability. |
| Initial Strength | Higher than PPC | Less than OPC |
| Grades | OPC cement has different grades such as OPC 33, OPC 43, OPC 53 which are available in the market. | There is no grade in PPC cement, but its strength is considered equivalent to OPC 33 grade cement. |
| Environmental Impact | OPC has a bad effect on the environment as its manufacturing produces a large amount of CO2. | PPC Cement manufacturing used waste materials of the thermal power plant such as fly ash which makes it more environmentally friendly. |
| Heat of Hydration | Produce more heat of hydration when water is added to it. | Produce less heat of hydration compared to OPC |
| Permeability and Fineness | The OPC Cement has a lower fineness which is about 225m2/kg. But higher the permeability. | PPC Cement fineness of 300m2/Kg. Therefore, It offers lower permeability with higher durability |
| Workability of Concrete | The workability of concrete made up with OPC cement is less compare to PPC | Offers higher workability than OPC |
| Curing period | As per IS 456:2000 guideline, the minimum curing required by OPC cement is 7 days. | As per the IS456:2000 guideline minimum curing period for OPC cement should not be less than 10 days. |
| Resistance to chemical attacks | The resistance chlorides, sulfates chemical attack is less compare to PPC | PPC has a higher resistance to resistance chlorides, sulfates chemical attack |
| Setting time | The initial setting time of OPC is 30mins The final setting time of OPC is 600mins | The initial setting time of PPC is 30mins. The final setting time of PPC is 600mins |
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