Comparative Analysis Of Portland Cements In Nigeria

Portland cement remains the most common type generally in use throughout the world as a basic ingredient of concrete. Five brands of Portland cement commonly available in Nigeria were investigated through series of tests conducted to determine their strength characteristics, setting time, soundness, workability and fineness among others and examined if they meet the minimum standard as stipulated by the British Standard Institute. Five brands of cement considered were Dangote, Elephant, Burham, Diamond and Purechem. The results show that all the brands examined meet the British Standard requirements on all the tests subjected to. Burham cement was fastest with initial setting time of 100 minutes ahead of other, while Dangote cement was the least with initial setting time of 180 minutes. The strengths characteristics of the five brands are similar with slight difference recorded. Dangote cement had the highest strength at 28th day curing period of 474 KN as the crushing load while the least strength was of Purechem at 370.6 KN as the rushing load.