In any construction or renovation, the use of an essential material like concrete is inevitable. Understanding the nuances of preparing a strong cement mix is key. The properties of concrete are determined by its components and their proportions. Properly prepared cement mix saves both time and effort. Professional construction organizations only choose high-quality types of cement for making concrete mix.
Cement is composed of limestone, clay, and additional additives such as gypsum or clinker, which ensure the mixture sets upon contact with water. Different cement brands vary due to these additives.
Analysis of Cement Labeling
On cement packages, you can see various alphanumeric symbols, such as 500m or m500d0, which carry important information.
The quality and strength of the cement are determined in laboratory conditions. Strength testing involves compressing and bending standard rectangular cement samples.
The letter "m" in the designation indicates the cement's strength: the higher the number following it, the stronger the material. To test this indicator, cement samples are subjected to pressure tests. The result of testing six samples is the average of the four best values. For example, the m500 marking means that the cement can withstand a pressure of 500 kg/cm³.
The letter "d" indicates the presence and percentage of additional additives in relation to the main binding substance.
These additional additives allow the cement to withstand severe frosts, temperature fluctuations, and excessive moisture exposure, contribute to its rapid setting, and reduce the risk of disintegration. If the packaging indicates m400d10, it means there are 10% additional additives in the cement. If it says "0" after the "d," it means there are no additives at all.
Sometimes you may find labels like m500d20ss, where "ss" refers to the special properties and quality characteristics of that cement.