08-08-2014, 10:40 AM
Hydration of Cement
In the presence of water the cement compounds chemically combined with water (hydrate) to form new compounds that are the infrastructure of the hardened cement paste in concrete.
Both C3S and C2S hydrate to form calcium hydroxide and calcium silicate hydrate (CSH). Hydrated cement paste contains 15% to 25% Calcium hydroxide and about 50% calcium silicate hydrate by mass. The strength and other properties of hydrated cement are due primarily to calcium silicate hydrate.
C3A reacts with water and calcium hydroxide to form tetracalcium aluminate hydrate.
C4AF reacts with water and calcium hydroxide to form calcium aluminoferrite hydrate.
![[Image: hydration.jpg]](http://www.frontdesk.co.in/big/cm/hydration.jpg)
In the presence of water the cement compounds chemically combined with water (hydrate) to form new compounds that are the infrastructure of the hardened cement paste in concrete.
Both C3S and C2S hydrate to form calcium hydroxide and calcium silicate hydrate (CSH). Hydrated cement paste contains 15% to 25% Calcium hydroxide and about 50% calcium silicate hydrate by mass. The strength and other properties of hydrated cement are due primarily to calcium silicate hydrate.
C3A reacts with water and calcium hydroxide to form tetracalcium aluminate hydrate.
C4AF reacts with water and calcium hydroxide to form calcium aluminoferrite hydrate.