CIVIL ENGINEERING MATERIALS
CEX-203
17-04-2019 01:10:50
Materials for making Concrete- LIME
• Lime was used as cementing material before Portland cement
was invented
• Raw material for lime manufacturing is CaO (Calcium
Carbonate) obtained from calcination of limestone
• Common limestones are Tufa, limestone boulders and kankars
• Lime can be obtained from Shells, Corals, chalk and other
calcareous materials
• Shells and corals are sea animals
17-04-2019 01:10:50
Materials for making Concrete- LIME
• White Chalk is pure limestone and kankar is impure limestone
• Coral lime is purest source of lime
• Lime is obtained by burning limestone at 800°C
17-04-2019 01:10:50
• Varieties of Lime
– Pure Limestone: is called calcite and
that containing magnesite is called
dolomitic limestone.
– Stone Lime: Is pure lime obtained by
calcination of limestone and is used for making lime-sand mortar for
superstructures, lime-surkhi mortar for substructures and lime terracing
and flooring
– Kankar lime: is an impure lime obtained by calcination of kankar. Suitable
for lime sand mortar for substructures
– Shell lime: pure lime obtained by calcination of shells of sea animals and
corals. Used for Lime punning, white wash and colour wash, soil
stabilization and glass production
– Magnesian lime: manufactured from dolomite and contain 5% magnesia.
Used for making mortar and plaster
17-04-2019 01:10:50
• Definition:
– Quick Lime: Pure lime, generally called quick lime, is a white oxide of
calcium. Gets a brownish tinge because of the presence of
magnesium oxide. Obtained by calcination of limestone. Also called
Caustic soda.
– Fat Lime: High calcium oxide component. Sets and hardens by the
absorption of CO2 from atmosphere. Manufactured from Marble,
white chalk, calcareous tufa, pure limestone
– Hydraulic Lime: Small quantities of silica, alumina, iron oxide, in
chemical combination with calcium oxide component. Produced from
Carboniferous limestone and magnesium limestone. Used to set and
harden under water
– Hydrated Lime: Quick lime is crushed and mixed with minimum amt.
Of water and ground to form fine homogeneous powder it is called
hydrated lime
– Lump Lime: quick lime coming out of Kilns
– Milk Lime: thin pourable solution of slaked lime
17-04-2019 01:10:50
• Definition:
– Quick Lime: Pure lime, generally called quick lime, is a white oxide of
calcium. Gets a brownish tinge because of the presence of
magnesium oxide. Obtained by calcination of limestone. Also called
Caustic soda.
– Fat Lime: High calcium oxide component. Sets and hardens by the
absorption of CO2 from atmosphere. Manufactured from Marble,
white chalk, calcareous tufa, pure limestone
– Hydraulic Lime: Small quantities of silica, alumina, iron oxide, in
chemical combination with calcium oxide component. Produced from
Carboniferous limestone and magnesium limestone. Used to set and
harden under water
– Hydrated Lime: Quick lime is crushed and mixed with minimum amt.
Of water and ground to form fine homogeneous powder it is called
hydrated lime
– Lump Lime: quick lime coming out of Kilns
– Milk Lime: thin pourable solution of slaked lime
17-04-2019 01:10:50
• Characteristics
– Lime possesses good plasticity and is easy to work
with.
– It stiffens easily and is resistant to moisture.
– The excellent cementitious properties make it
most suitable for masonry work.
– The shrinkage on drying is small because of its
high water retentivity
17-04-2019 01:10:50
• Uses:
– Mortar
– Hydrated lime is added to Portland cement varying from 5-85 % of the
weight of cement to increase plasticity and workability.
– Lime Punning about 3mm thick shell lime layer to improve plastered
surfaces and give shine
– Soil Stabilisation
17-04-2019 01:10:50
• Impurities
– Magnesium Carbonate: Presence of this makes lime set slowly but
imparts high strength. Production of heat and expansion are low.
Magnesium limestones are hard, heavy and compact.
– Clay: Responsible for hydraulic properties. Makes lime insoluble in
water. 20-30% clay should be present in lime for it to exhibit excellent
hydraulic properties
– Silica: high percentage of silica exhibit poor cementing and hydraulic
properties
– Iron Compounds: Pyrites or iron sulphides are undesirable. Presence
of 2-3% of iron is desirable for exhibiting hydraulic properties
– Carbonaceous Matters: Rarely present. If present, lime quality is poor
– Sulphates: If present retard setting time and increase setting rate of
limes
– Alkalis: For pure lime, alkalis are undesirable otherwise 5% presence
improves hydraulicity.
17-04-2019 01:10:50
• Classification
– Lean or Poor Lime: It consists of CaO + MgO 80 to 85% with MgO less
than 5% and clayey impurities of about more than 7 per cent in the
form of silica, alumina and iron oxide. It sets on absorbing CO2 from
atmosphere.
• Characteristics
– Slaking requires more time and so it hydrates slowly. Its expansion is less than that of fat
lime.
– It makes thin paste with water.
– Setting and hardening is very slow.
– The colour varies from yellow to grey.
• Uses: It gives poor and inferior mortar and is recommended for less
important structure.
17-04-2019 01:10:50
• Classification
• Hydraulic Lime: It is a product obtained by moderate burning (900°-
1100°C) of raw limestone which contains small proportions of clay
(silica and alumina) 5-30 per cent and iron oxide in chemical
combination with the calcium oxide content (CaO + MgO 70-80% with
MgO less than 5%).
In slaking considerable care is required to provide just sufficient water
and no excess, since an excess would cause the lime to harden.
Depending on the percentage of clay present these are classified
further as, feebly, moderately and eminently hydraulic limes. It sets
under water.
17-04-2019 01:10:50
• Classification
• Feebly Hydraulic lime: has less than 5-10 per cent of silica and
alumina and slakes slowly, after few minutes (5 to 15). The
setting time is twenty one days. It is used in damp places and
for less important structures.
• Moderately hydraulic lime: has 10-20 per cent of impurities,
slakes sluggishly after 1-2 hours. The setting time is seven
days. It is used in damp places.
• Eminently hydraulic lime: has clayey impurities 20-30 per
cent and slakes with difficulty. Its initial setting time is 2 hours
and final setting time is 48 hours. It is used in damp places
and for all structural purposes.
17-04-2019 01:10:50
• Classification
• Pure, Rich or Fat lime: It is soft lime (CaO + MgO more than
85% with MgO less than 4%) obtained by the calcination of
nearly pure limestone, marble, white chalk, oolitic limestone
and calcareous tufa.
• Also known as white washing lime should not have impurities
of clay and stones, more than 5 per cent.
• Fat lime is nearly pure calcium oxide and when it is hydrated
with the required amount of water the solid lumps fall to a
soft fine powder of Ca(OH)2 and the high heat of hydration
produces a cloud of steam.
• It sets on absorbing CO2, from atmosphere.
17-04-2019 01:10:50
• Pure, Rich or Fat lime:
• Characteritics
– Slaking is vigorous and the volume becomes 2-3 times.
– It sets slowly in contact with air, and hence is not suitable for thick
walls or in wet climate
– If kept under water a fat lime paste does not lose its high plasticity and
consequently does not set and hard.
– sp. gr. of pure lime is about 3.4.
• Uses:
– Fat lime finds extensive use in making mortar, matrix for concrete,
base for distemper and in white wash, manufacturing of cement, and
metallurgical industry.
17-04-2019 01:10:50
• Classification (IS:712)
– Class A- Eminently hydraulic lime: is used for making mortar
and concrete for construction and foundation works, i.e. for
structural purposes.
– Class B- Semi Hydraulic lime: is used for masonry mortars,
flooring and for concrete in ordinary constructions and
plaster undercoat.
– Class C- Fat lime: is used for finishing coat in plastering, white
washing and with puzzolana in mortars.
– Class D- Magnesium/Dolomitic lime: is used for finishing
coat in plastering and white washing
– Class E-Kankar lime: is used for making masonry mortars,
plastering and white washing.
– Class F- Siliceous Dolomitic lime: used for undercoat and
finishing coat of plaster.
17-04-2019 01:10:50
• Hardening: Depending on lime three different hardening
patterns exist
– Carbonate hardening
– Hydrate hardening
– Hydrosilicate hardening
17-04-2019 01:10:50
• Carbonate Hardening
• Two simultaneous process takes place in lime mortar
– The mixed water evaporates and calcium oxide
hydrate crystallizes out of its saturated water
solution.
• Crystallisation process of Calcium hydroxide is very slow
• Evaporation of water causes fine particles of calcium hydroxide
to stick together and form large calcium hydroxide crystals which
grow together enclosing sand particles
• Rate of formation of calcium carbonate mixture is significant
only in presence of moisture
• The quicker the evaporation of water faster is the formation of
calcium carbonate
• Hardening of lime requires above zero temperature and a low
humidity of surrounding medium
17-04-2019 01:10:50
• Carbonate Hardening
• To avoid cracks caused by drying, adding 3 .5 parts by volume
of sand to lime helps in reducing shrinkage and improves
hardening
• Strength of mortar after one month of hardening is 0.5-1
N/mm2 and increases to 5-7 N/mm2 after several decades
• This is due to greater carbonisation of mortar/concrete and
also due to interaction of silicate and carbonate aggregates
17-04-2019 01:10:50
• Hydrate Hardening
• It is a gradual conversion of lime mortar and concrete mixes from ground
unslaked lime into a rock-like hard body, resulting from the interaction of lime
with water and the formation of calcium oxide hydrate
• First, lime dissolves in water to give a saturated solution, which oversaturates
rapidly because water is absorbed by the remaining unslaked grains.
• Rapid and strong over-saturation of a mortar, prepared from unslaked lime,
results in formation of colloidal masses, which appear because calcium oxide
hydrate formed by mixing lime with water consists of particles very close in
size to those of the colloids
• Colloidal calcium hydrate coagulates quickly into a hydrogel which glues the
grains together. As water is partly sucked in by the deeper layers of grains and
partly evaporates, the hydrogel thickens and thus increases strength
• As slaking lime hardens, crystallisation of calcium oxide hydrate increases its
strength. Subsequent carbonisation of calcium oxide hydrate improves the
strength of the hardened mortar.
17-04-2019 01:10:50
• Hydrate Hardening
• The conditions which favour hydration hardening are
• rapid and uniform extraction of heat released in the process of hardening
• the use of forms to prevent the increase in volume of the hardening mass
and the introduction of admixtures to retard hydration
• The coagulation structure which appears in the process of hydration
hardening is retained and serves as a medium for the crystallisation of
new hydrate formation
• Hydration hardening may be improved by uniform burning and grinding of
lime.
17-04-2019 01:10:50
• Hydrosilicate Hardening
• When lime-sand mixtures are treated by high-pressure steam
corresponding to temperatures between 175 and 200°C lime
and silica interact in the autoclave and form calcium
hydrosilicate which ensures high strength and durability of
manufactured items
• In autoclave method, lime and silica interact and form calcium
hydrosilicate which is the chief cementing substance
• Hardening of autoclave steam-cured lime-silica materials is due
to complex physical and chemical processes in three stages:
– Formation of crystalline nuclei of hydrosilicates, growth of crystals and increase in
their number, without any coalescence taking place
– Formation of a crystalline concretion
– Failure (weakening) of concretion due to recrystallisation contacts among
crystals
17-04-2019 01:10:50
• Storage of lime
– Should be stored in closed insulated rooms to
avoid air slaking
– When delivered as hydrated lime the material
must be kept dry, should be stored under cover
and off the ground. When delivered as quick lime
for site slaking, it should be used within a week
– Lime putty is stored without any deterioration for
many weeks and actually improves on keeping. If
it is semi hydraulic then lime putty mustnot be
stored for more than 3 days
17-04-2019 01:10:50
• Lime putty
– Obtained by adding hydrated lime to water,
stirring to the consistency of a thick cream and
allowing it to stand and mature for 16 hours.
17-04-2019 01:10:50
• Tests on Limestone
• Field tests
– Tests for physical properties: Hydraulic limes are
grey, brown or dark coloured. They give out earthy
smell. White coloured lime are pure lime
– Workability test: A handful of mortar is thrown on
the surface on which it is to be used. The area
covered by the mortar and quantity of mortar is
recorded. Crude test performed on mortar
– Heat Test: limestone is heated for four hours on
open fire. CO2 escapes and loses its weight. From
this carbonate percentage can be worked out.
17-04-2019 01:10:50
• Field tests
– Hydraulic acid test: carried out to know the
classification and the exact carbonate content
– Teaspoon of lime is added to a testtube containing
50ml HCl, effervescence takes place
– Too much effervescence: high percentage of
calcium carbonate in limestone
– Residue at bottom of tube indicates percentage of
inert materials in lime
– Abundant liberation of CO2 indicates high
percentage of unburnt lime
17-04-2019 01:10:50
• Field tests
– In case of Class – A lime, a good gel is formed
above layer of inert material
– Class – B: Thick gel indicates class B lime
– Class – C: Absence of gel
– If gel flows it indicates feebly hydraulic lime
– Ball Tests: Balls of stiff lime paste are made and
left for six hours. They are placed in a basin of
water. If expansion and disintegration of balls is
observed, lime is of C type. Little expansion and
cracks indicate Class B.
17-04-2019 01:10:50
• Fineness Test:
– Sieves are arranged from coarser to finer
– 100 g hydrated lime is sieved and washed through
with moderate jet of water
– The residue that remains is dried and weighed
17-04-2019 01:10:50
• Workability test:
• IS 6932 Part VII
– Lime putty is prepared (500g) with water and kept
for 24 hours
– The soaked material is made plastic by passing it
through the mixer
– The consistency of putty is adjusted for standered
plastering
– The putty is filled in the moulds. This is transferred
to the centre of the table and mould is withdrawn.
– At a rate of one turn per second, the handle of the
table is turned. The spread of material is the
average of three diameters that are measured.
17-04-2019 01:10:50
• Soundness test:
• IS 6932 Part IX
– Test is performed using Le Chatelier’s apparatus. It is
performed to know whether the lime is slaked properly.
– Cement, Hydrated lime and sand are mixed dry in proportion
1:3:12 and later 12% by weight water is added
– Mortar is filled in three moulds and then covered with small
weights and left undisturbed for 1 hour
– Distance between indicator pointer is recorded
– This mixture is kept in damp air for 48 hours and thereafter
subjected to steam for 3 hours. This is then cooled and
distance between pointers is recorded.
– The difference between the two measurements should not
be more than10mm.
17-04-2019 01:10:50
• Transverse Test:
• Six test specimens of size 25 × 25 × 100 mm are prepared from
standard lime-sand mortar (1 : 3)
• The filled mould is covered and cured for 28 days at 90%
humidity
• They are then immersed in water for 30 mins
• After taking out, they are placed on two parallel rollers and load
is applied uniformly from third roller midway between the other
two till the specimen breaks
• Modulus of rupture m is given as
• m is modulus N/mm2
• W is breaking load N
• S is spacing between rollers in mm
• b,d is width and depth of the specimen in mm
• Minimum value of m should be 1.07 N/mm2 Class A, 0.7 N/mm2
Class B
17-04-2019 01:10:50
17-04-2019 01:10:50
• Compressive strength Test:
– Twelve cubes with sides 50mm are prepared from standard lime-sand
mortar (1:3)
– These are kept undisturbed for 72 hours in an atmosphere having 90%
humidity
– Then specimens are kept in air for 4 days
– Six out of twelve are cured in water for seven days and tested in
compression testing machine giving 14 days strength
– The remaining 6 cubes are cured in water for 21 days and tested giving
28 days strength
17-04-2019 01:10:50
