ENGINEERING MATERIALS

SETTING/HARDENING OF CEMENT & RCC/PCC

THEORY

Setting and Hardening

The setting and hardening of cement are mainly due to
heat of hydration and hydrolysis reactions taking place
when the different constitutional compounds in the
cement, interact with water. It is agreed that, setting and
hardening of cement are essentially due to the formation
of interlocking crystals reinforced by the hydration and
hydrolysis of the constitutional compounds. When cement
is mixed with adequate quantity of water, plastic mass is
formed, known as cement paste. Hydration reaction takes
place with the formation of gel and crystalline products.
The interlocking of crystals finally bind the inert particles of
the aggregates. The process of solidification consist of :

1. Setting of cement
2. Hardening of cement

1. Setting:
Setting is defined as stiffening of the original plastic
mass, due to initial gel formation and hardening is
development of strength of crystallization. The strength
developed by cement paste at any time depends upon
1

ENGINEERING MATERIALS

the

SETTING/HARDENING OF CEMENT & RCC/PCC

amount

of

gel

formed

and

the

THEORY

extent

of

crystallization. Initial setting of cement paste is mainly

due to tricalcium aluminate (3 ), since its reaction is
completed within a week. The following reaction takes
place.
3. 2 3 + 62
3. 2 3 . 62 + 860/.
3 + 62 3 . 62 + 880/
Tricalcium aluminate

Hydrated tricalcium aluminate

The gel of a aluminates begins to crystallize and at the

same time dicalcium silicate (2 ) begins to hydrate in 7
to 28 days. Thus, the initial set of cement is due to the
formation by aluminate. The reaction is:
2[2. 2 ] + 42
3. 62 + ()2 + 250/.
22 + 42 3 2 . 62 + ()2 + 250/
Dicalcium silicate

Tobermonite gel Crystalled

calcium hydroxide

2. Final setting and hardening

Hardening

is

development

of

strength

due

to

crystallization. After setting, hardening starts, due to the

gradual process of crystallization in the interior of the
2

ENGINEERING MATERIALS

SETTING/HARDENING OF CEMENT & RCC/PCC

THEORY

mass. The gel formed in this reactions, shrink with

passage of time and leave some capillaries for the
water to come in contact with (2 ) to undergo further
hydration

and

hydrolysis

reactions

enabling

the

development of greater strength over a length of time.

RCC and PCC

Cement cannot be used for construction activities directly
because it is sensitive to moisture. The internal stresses
developed in cement lead to cracking and reduction in its
strength. Cement is generally mixed with sand and
crushed stones, which are bound together by cement such
mixture is called as Concrete.

Concrete is a mixture of cement, sand and coarse

materials, with water. (Commonly used are crushed rock,
natural gravel, crushed brick, cinders or blast furnace
slag).

Reinforced cement concrete (RCC) is the ordinary

concrete reinforced with steel rods or heavy wire mesh. It
is said that the average life of RCC structure is upto 100
years theoretically. The concrete on setting bonds very
strongly with the reinforcements giving high compressive
and tensile strengths.Even if cracks develop in the
3

ENGINEERING MATERIALS

SETTING/HARDENING OF CEMENT & RCC/PCC

THEORY

concrete, considerable reinforcement i.e. strength is

maintained.
Steel is used as reinforcement because its coefficient of
thermal expansion is nearly the same as that of concrete.
Further, steel has corrosion resistance in the cement
environment. Steel is also good in tension.

Hence The RCC as a whole is good in tension as well as

compression.
Advantages of RCC:
1. It is durable
2. It has negligible maintenance cost
3. RCC structures are practically impervious to
moisture.
4. RCC structures can be easily moulded into any
shape

such

as

underground

water

tanks,

staircases, beams and pillars

5. RCC work is relatively fire resistant
6. RCC structures do not decay or rot and are not
attacked by termites
7. RCC structures are weather resistant.

ENGINEERING MATERIALS

SETTING/HARDENING OF CEMENT & RCC/PCC

THEORY

P.C.C. is Plain Cement Concrete - this is used for

providing a firm and level base to any foundation, flooring
or under any other load bearing component of a structure.
it is done to provide a hard and level surface against the
soft and undulation soil below RCC foundation