Why is it called Portland Cement? [2024]

Known as “gray cement”, Portland cement is a fine powder created when clay and limestone materials are heated in a kiln to create a clinker. Now, it’s basically the most commonly used cement in the world.

You may not recognize it by its original name, but it’s present in many construction projects. Today, we’ll discuss its origin, uses, and everything you need to know about Portland cement.

Why is it called Portland Cement?

Patented in 1824 by Joseph Aspdin, Portland Cement is called Portland Cement because it develops a color similar to the Portland stone after setting,

But to set the record straight, it’s not originally manufactured in the city. In fact, its production started near London (at a factory in Rotherhithe in 1843) by Aspdin’s son William.

William Aspdin improved the cement through aggressive heating and the use of superior grinding machinery. With that, he was then regarded as the pioneering modern manufacturer of Portland Cement.

A little trivia – Portland cement production started around 1850 in both Germany and France while the very first Spanish Portland cement was made in Asturias. Up until this day, it’s still the most widely used cement in the world.

What are the types of Portland Cement?

Evidently, Portland cement is produced in a wide range of forms to fulfill a variety of physical and chemical needs used for different construction requirements.

Here we have the distinct types of Portland cement provided by The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), which distinguishes them by purpose.

Type	Features and Uses
Type I	– Known as general-purpose cement. – Used in situations where cement or concrete aren’t exposed to particular conditions (unless building specifications advise otherwise) – Its uses include industrial and civil constructions such as floors, structures, houses, etc,
Type II	– For moderate sulfate resistance – Its resistance to corrosion and deterioration is one of its primary qualities. – Extremely beneficial in projects that call for a lot of concrete (dam, bridges, concrete pipes)
Type III	– For high early strength – Sets out with very high resistance and gets stronger with time, usually 7 to 28 days. – Utilized for prefabricated or emergency buildings. – Extremely similar to Type I Portland Cement, but with significantly smaller particles.
Type IA, IIA, IIIA	– Conform to ASTM Types I, II, and III in terms of composition, except that during manufacturing, minute amounts of air-entraining ingredients are underground with the clinker to produce entirely isolated air bubbles. – Create concrete with increased cold resistance.
Type IV	– For low heat of hydration, therefore it is employed in tasks that do not call for a lot of initial resistance. – Used in massive concrete structures like dams or tunnels.
Type V	– For high sulfate resistance – Used in the construction of pipes, slabs, sewers, port infrastructures, etc.

What are the uses of Portland Cement?

Since Portland cement is a versatile and high-quality product, it’s given that it can be used in a variety of constructions as it’s compatible with almost all conventional building materials.

Portland cement is often used in the following:

Various structures like dams, bridges, buildings, large-scale civil works, as well as roads, paths, and floors
While this cement is typically used for repairs and filling cracks in floors and walls, it can also be a filler/plastering material.
Since this cement offers strong crack resistance, it normally lowers the risk of cracking. Likewise, it’s used to reduce air pollution and cost (this cement is cheaper than others).
Typically used to create cement concrete or cement mortar
Used to acquire a smooth surface of the building’s floor

Seeing that Portland Cement is very much required in the majority of concrete structures to this day, it’s expected that people are curious to know of its roots and everything related to where it came from. Don’t hesitate to go through our articles to help you stay informed!