NAMASTE

Suvarna Singh Raut

Civil Department
HCOE
 Ch 4: Lime
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Type, Properties and uses of Lime
4.3 Properties and uses of Pozzolanic material

Fig: Limestone
 4.1Introduction
• Until the invention of Portland cement, lime was used as the chief cementing
material in the building construction both for mortar and plaster.
• Still used for economical purpose if locally available
• Usually, Lime in Free state is not found in nature.
• Lime is produced by heating limestone which is more or less pure calcium carbonate.
• During heating, carbon dioxide is drove off.

calcination

• Lime or quicklime is sometimes called as an essentially calcium oxide.

• Pure CaO is white solid.
• Higher temperature gives denser product
 Sources of Lime
Lime is not generally found in nature in pre-state but it is
obtained by burning one of the following materials:
• Limestone found in limestone hills.
• Limestone found in beds of old rivers
• Shells of sea animals
• Kankar found below ground

White chalk is pure limestone and kankar is impure limestone

Calcination is the conversion of metals into their oxides as a
result of heating to a high temperature.
4.2 Classification, Properties and uses of lime

• Classification:
Lime obtained by calcining limestones are broadly classified
as:

I. Fat Lime (Quick lime)

II. Hydraulic Lime (Water lime)
III. Poor lime Note: Just for Information:
IV. Hydrated lime Cornice: Modern cornices are typically made from
timber and MDF (Medium Density Fibreboard), but can
also be constructed from plaster, paper-covered plaster,
lime, gypsum, polyurethane, or expanded polystyrene.
I. Fat Lime (Quick Lime)(Air Lime) (CaO)
• Known as rich, fat, common, high calcium, air or pure lime
• It is called so as it slakes vigorously and its volume is increased
to about 2 to 2.5 times the volume of quick lime.
• It possess high degree of plasticity, hardens very slowly, possess
General
perfectly white color, sets slowly in the presence of air, soluble Meaning;
in water Slake: quench
or satisfy
• Used in white washing and plastering walls (one's thirst).
• Lime mortar made of lime and sand is used for the joints of
brickwork and stonework
• Lime mortar made of lime and surkhi maybe used for thick
masonry, foundation etc.
Slake: combine (quicklime) with water to produce
calcium hydroxide.
Slaking:

• The process of adding water to calcium oxide to

produce calcium hydroxide is referred to as
hydration process or lime slaking.
• The word slaking means the addition of water to
calcium oxide powder (lime). The resulting product is
calcium hydroxide (milk of lime).
• Slaking is a key step in the most widely used procedure
for formation of precipitated calcium carbonate.
• Slaking, the process, by adding water, of turning the
traditional building material lime from calcium oxide
(burnt lime or quicklime) into calcium hydroxide
(slaked lime, slack lime, limewater, pickling lime or
hydrated lime).
 • Can set under
II. Hydraulic Lime (Water Lime) (Natural Cement) water
• Forms a thin
On hydraulicity basis, Hydraulic lime can be further classified:
paste with water

a. Feebly Hydraulic Lime:

• contains 5 to 10% clay by weight Note:
• resembles fat lime in properties Hydraulicity is the
• may take month or more to set under water property of a
• used for ordinary construction in dry condition binder to harden in
• takes few minutes to slake contact with water.
b. Moderately Hydraulic Lime
• contains 11 to 20% clay by weight.
• takes one week to set under water
• Mortars made from this lime are quite satisfactory for strong masonry work
• Takes one to two hours to slake
c. Eminently Hydraulic Lime
• contains 21 to 30% clay by weight
• takes 24 hrs to set under water
• used for damp places, mortar made with this lime is quite sound for use in major structural jobs
in place of cement mortar.
• slakes with difficulty
[Link] lime:
• Also known as lean or meager lime and it contains more
than 30% of the clay.
• Slakes very slowly and forms a thin paste with water
• Sets very slowly and has poor binding properties
• As mortar of this type of lime is of poor quality, such
mortars is employed for inferior type of work.
IV. Hydrated Lime: Ca(OH)2
Note: Hydrate (Slake)
It is the lime in which sufficient quantity of water has already been
added at the manufacturing stage to hydrate(slake) it completely.
In composition, hydrated lime is Ca(OH)2.
In structure, it maybe in fine powder.
 4.2.2 Properties of Lime
• Lime posses good plasticity and is easy to work with
• Stiffens easily and is resistant to moisture
• Easily workable
• Provides strength to the masonry
• The excellent cementitious properties make it most
suitable for masonry unit
• Lime masonry provides durability due to low
shrinkage in drying
Uses of Lime
• Used as Binding material (cementing material) for mortar in different construction
• Used as raw material for manufacturing cement
• It is used as matrix for concrete
• Plastering
• Used as flux(chemical agent) in the manufacture of steel (Metallurgical Industry)
(Flux: treat ( a metal object) with a flux to promote melting)
• White washing and a base coat of distemper(Decorative paint)
• Used as lining in furnace
• Production of artificial stone, lime-sand bricks, foam-silicate products etc.
• When mixed with Portland cement, the lime cement mortar attains such valuable properties
that it replaces the costly cement plaster
• Hydraulic lime can be used as masonry work below ground level
• Manufacture of paints
• Stabilizing the soils
• Create good sanitary conditions in foul, damp and filthy places
(Used in water treatment and sewerage treatment plant)
 Important Technical Terms
• Calcination
• Fat Lime
• Hydraulic lime
• Slaked lime/ Hydrate of lime
• Slaking
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Setting:
Hardening of Lime which has been mixed to a paste with water.
VV Imp. : It is quite different from mere drying, the water evaporates only and no setting
action takes place.
##Strength
Hydraulicity:
Property due to which lime (or cement) will set in damp places or under water or in thick
masonry walls where there is no access of air.

Note: Check comparision between Fat Lime and Hydraulic lime

 Calcination:
• It is the process of heating limestones to redness in contact with air.
• Conversion of metals into their oxides as a result of heating to a high
temp.
• Due to calcinations, moisture and CO2 are removed from the limestone
and the remaining product is known as lime(CaO).

• The lime obtained by calcining pure limestone is called quick lime.

• It has greater affinity for water (See affinity general meaning)
• It is amorphous and highly caustic having no affinity for the carbonic acid.
• It is also called caustic lime.
Amorphous: without a clearly defined shape or form
 Slaking
• It is the process of chemical composition of quick lime with required
quantity of water for killing the heat and getting into powder form for use.

CaO + H2O Slaking Ca(OH)2 + 15.6 kCal

Quick Lime Slaked Lime

• Quicklime, obtained by burning limestone, when sprinkled with water

slakes within 10 mins and becomes powder. It is used for various
engineering purposes such as white washing, plastering, making mortars
and lime putty. The process is known as hydration of lime.
• In the above reaction, high heat of hydration is generated at a temperature
of about 350’C. The energy liberated during this reaction causes the lumps
of quick lime to split and fall to powder.
 Slaked lime/hydrate of lime
• It is formed by the absorption of water by quick lime and is hydrated
oxide of calcium, Ca(OH)2.
CaO + H2O Slaking Ca(OH)2 + Heat
Quick Lime Hydrated Lime

A dry powder obtained by treating quick lime with water just sufficient to
convert the lime into calcium hydroxide is called hydrated lime.
Objectives of Slaking of Lime:
– Lime in the form of quick lime cannot be used directly. Quick lime reacts with
water causing effervescence and increase in volume resulting in volumetric
instability in mortar and concrete. Hence, Process of stabilizing quick lime is
called slaking of lime.
– Ensure soundness
– Ensure plasticity
 Read yourself;
Methods of Lime Slaking:
• Air Slaking: Lime absorbs water from the air
• Basket Slaking: Basket immersed in clean water for few seconds
• Platform Slaking: Water is sprinkled over lime on platform
• Tank Slaking: Two tanks of suitable dimensions are used
See details from Book.

Determination of Slaking nature of lime

• Quick Slaking
• Medium Slaking
• Slow Slaking
 Pozzolona
• The volcanic dust containing 80% clay with lime, magnesia and iron oxide
in varying proportions is called pozzolona. When pozzolona is added in
powdered form with lime, it impart haydraulic properties to the lime.
• Properties:
– Improves the workability of concrete and mortar
– Economical to use
– Does not contain cementious properties themselves
– Lowers the heat of hydration
– Assists in early setting and hardening of mortar
– Resists shrinkage of the mortar of concrete
– Resistance of mortar or concrete to chemical attack
– Enhances hydraulic properties of lime, mortar and concrete
Fig: Pozzolonas

‘Hydraulicity' is the property of

limes and cements to set and
harden under water.
 Uses:
• Useful in mortars and concretes to be used for
hydraulic structures and for structures exposed to sea
water and alkali soil
• Useful for producing lean mixes of concrete to
improve their workability
Types of Pozzolanic Material:
Natural: Volcanic Ash, clays and shales
Artificial: Fly Ash, Rice husk ash, surkhi
 Constituents of Limestone:
• Clay: Responsible for producing hydraulicity in lime.
• Soluble silica: In order to develop Hydraulicity.
• Magnesium carbonate: Increases setting properties.
• Alkalis and Metallic oxides: Causes Hydraulicity.
• Sulphates: Increases Setting action.
• Iron compounds: Lower the temperature of
Calcination.
• Carbonaceous Material: Harmful.
 Some old Questions from this Chapter
4. Explain different types of lime with its properties and suitable
uses. [3] (2076)
4. Classify the lime on the basis of purity and functions with their
suitability in Engineering Field. [4] (2075)