Portland cement
Portland cement (PC (CEM I)) is used to make almost all concrete. It is also the principal cement used in most masonry mortars and renders. The most commonly used type of Portland cement is Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC), but there are other varieties available, such as white Portland cement.
Cement is a substance used for binding and hardening other materials. Water and cement set and harden through a chemical reaction known as 'hydration'. The process of hardening is described as 'curing', and it requires particular conditions of temperature and humidity.
Mixed with water, sand and rock, portland cement forms concrete.
The Leeds-based bricklayer Joseph Aspdin was the first person to make Portland cement in the early-19th century, by burning powdered limestone and clay in a kitchen stove.
The 'dry' method is the most common way of manufacturing Portland cement. The process begins with the quarrying of the principal raw materials – limestone, clay, chalk or marl, which may be combined with shale, blast furnace slag, silica sand, iron ore, and so on.
The quarried material is then crushed, first to reduce it to a maximum size of approximately 6 inches, and then to about 3 inches or less using secondary crushers or hammer mills. The crushed rock is then ground, mixed and fed into large rotary kilns, which heat it to approximately 2,700ºF (1,500 Celsius). Coolers are used to bring down the temperature of the clinker, before cement plants grind and mix it together with small amounts of gypsum and limestone. Once this is done, it can be packaged and sold for use in construction.
An alternative, though less common manufacturing technique is the wet method. It is similar to the dry method except that before being fed into the kiln the raw materials are ground with water.
As the production of Portland cement involves quarrying and the use of large amounts of energy to power the kilns, it is not considered to be a 'sustainable' material.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
- Aggregate.
- Alkali-activated binders for precast and ready-mixed concrete products: New supply chains, business models and environmental benefits.
- Alkali-silica reaction (ASR).
- Binding agent.
- Cement.
- Cement-free precast product.
- Cement in Saudi Arabia.
- Cement mortar.
- Concrete.
- Concrete masonry unit CMU.
- Ferro-cement.
- Fibre cement.
- High alumina cement.
- Lime mortar.
- Limestone calcined clay cement LC3.
- Mortar.
- Mortar analysis for specifiers.
- Mundic.
- Plaster.
- Portland stone.
- Screed.
- Shotcrete technology.
- Stucco.
- Thomas Edison's concrete cottages.
- Types of cement.
- Types of concrete.
Featured articles and news
Ebenezer Howard: inventor of the garden city. Book review.
Grenfell Tower fire – eight years on
A time to pause and reflect as Dubai tower block fire reported just before anniversary.
Airtightness Topic Guide BSRIA TG 27/2025
Explaining the basics of airtightness, what it is, why it's important, when it's required and how it's carried out.
Construction contract awards hit lowest point of 2025
Plummeting for second consecutive month, intensifying concerns for housing and infrastructure goals.
Understanding Mental Health in the Built Environment 2025
Examining the state of mental health in construction, shedding light on levels of stress, anxiety and depression.
The benefits of engaging with insulation manufacturers
When considering ground floor constructions.
Lighting Industry endorses Blueprint for Electrification
The Lighting Industry Association fully supports the ECA Blueprint as a timely, urgent call to action.
BSRIA Sentinel Clerk of Works Training Case Study
Strengthening expertise to enhance service delivery with integrated cutting-edge industry knowledge.
Impact report from the Supply Chain Sustainability School
Free sustainability skills, training and support delivered to thousands of UK companies to help cut carbon.
The Building Safety Forum at the Installershow 2025
With speakers confirmed for 24 June as part of Building Safety Week.
The UK’s largest air pollution campaign.
Future Homes Standard, now includes solar, but what else?
Will the new standard, due to in the Autumn, go far enough in terms of performance ?
BSRIA Briefing: Cleaner Air, Better tomorrow
A look back at issues relating to inside and outside air quality, discussed during the BSRIA briefing in 2023.
Restoring Abbotsford's hothouse
Bringing the writer Walter Scott's garden to life.
Reflections on the spending review with CIAT.
Retired firefighter cycles world to raise Grenfell funds
Leaving on 14 June 2025 Stephen will raise money for youth and schools through the Grenfell Foundation.
Key points for construction at a glance with industry reactions.