The influence of cement fineness on the structural characteristics of normal concrete

Abstract This research presents the influence of cement fineness on the structural characteristics of normal concrete. The cement was divided into different fineness zones (150 µm – 7 5µm, 75 µm – 45 µm and 45 µm – 0 µm). Thirty (30 Nos.) cement mortar cubes, 54 Nos. of 150 x 150 x 150 mm concrete cubes and 36 Nos. of 150 x 300 mm cylinder specimens were cast, cured by immersion and tested at 3, 7, 14, 21, 28 and 45 days. A concrete mix ratio of 1:2:4 (Cement: Fine aggregate: Coarse aggregate) with water/cement ratio of 0.5 was used. The results reveal that an increase in the fineness of cement particle led to an increase in workability. The setting times (initial and final setting time) reduces progressively as the cement fineness is increased from 175mins (initial setting time) for sizes 150 µm – 75 µm to an initial setting time of 140mins for sizes 45µm - 0µm. The final setting time also reduces from 300 mins to 240 mins as the cement fineness is increased. The tensile and compressive strengths recorded an increase due to the increase in cement within the concrete matrix. It was concluded that the finer the cement particle the greater the concrete strength.