HOW TO CHOOSE BETWEEN OPC AND PPC CEMENT FOR YOUR HOME CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS?
The choice of Cement is the most important decision in a construction project after the design mix. The right design mix and the cement type are very important for the strength and durability of the structure being constructed. Today we are having severe water shortage in the cities and so the amount of water that can be used for curing and the number of days we can do curing has drastically reduced. We need to choose the cement based on the project type and location as well as the curing facilities available. The heat of hydration is the major need for the curing of concrete, this drives the choice of the cement. The housing sector is the largest consumer of cement in India, it consumes close to 67% of the cement and India is the second-largest producer of cement in the world.
There are primarily two types of cement- Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) and Pozzolana Portland Cement.
Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) is the most widely and commonly used cement in the world. This type of cement is manufactured as a powder by mixing limestone and other raw materials which consist of argillaceous, calcareous, and gypsum. It is preferred in places where there is a need for fast construction and setting time. This cement is available in the market in three grades namely OPC 33, OPC 43, and OPC 53. These grades imply the maximum strength of the particular cement after 28 days.
- OPC-33 Grade– It is not widely used can only be used for low-strength works like plastering.
- OPC-43 Grade– It is widely used in wall plastering, non-RCC works, pathways, and achieves 43 Megapascals of compression strength in 28 days.
- OPC 53-Grade– It is mostly used in RCC structures, buildings, pre-stressed concreting, 53 Grade attains 27 Mpa in 7days compared to 23 Mpa by 43-grade cement and achieves a final compression strength of 53 Megapascals in 28 days.
Where OPC is used– OPC is widely used for the construction of high-rise buildings, roads, dams, bridges, flyovers where high strength and the fast setting is required.
Portland Pozzolana Cement (PPC) is manufactured by a combination of pozzolanic materials. Pozzolana is an artificial or natural material that has silica in it in a reactive form. Along with pozzolanic materials in specific proportions, PPC also contains OPC clinker and gypsum. 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.
Where PPC is used- PPC is believed to be a future product considering its various applications in the construction industry and is more environment-friendly. They are suitable to use in hostile environmental conditions and are corrosion resistant. They can be reliably utilized in the construction of marine structures, masonry mortars, and plastering, hydraulic structures. Besides, they are popularly used in mass concreting works, such as dykes, sewage pipes, dams, etc. PPC is also employed in all applications where OPC is also used.
PPC is more widely being used in the housing sector as it is more environment-friendly due to the mix of 15%-30% fly ash and lower quantities of PPC bags are required to make concrete compared to OPC. Amplify Mart supplies both OPC and PPC cement from top brands like Ramco, Orient, India Cements, Parasakthi, etc in Hyderabad along with other building materials like aggregates, sand, and bricks. Free delivery of above 100 bags of cement in Hyderabad.