Cement

Cement is an inorganic, non-metallic building Material that is used in finely ground form as a binder in Concrete and mortar.

Cement is hydraulic, which means it can also set and harden underwater. It achieves its final Strength by means of the pozzolanic reaction in a process that takes several years.

Adding materials such as plaster, fly ash, limestone, blast-furnace ash, Iron oxides and quartz sand gives cements specific properties. In particular, it is possible to influence the rate and heat of hydration, Resistance to chemicals (sulphate resistance, alkali content), strength and suitability for certain processing methods (e.g. spray cement).

Based on composition, a distinction is made between:

• Portland cements made from calcium, silicon and aluminium, which are sintered at a high temperature and subsequently undergo fine Grinding
• Trass cements, to which trass (a natural, latently hydraulic pozzolan) is added to make them waterproof/impermeable
• Special cements such as white cement (pigmented with Dyckerhoff white) or fast-setting cement made from Portland and alumina cements