Storing of Cement:

In the previous units, the role of cement and its quality has been discussed. As cement is chemically very active with water, it is necessary to protect it from moisture during its storage till it is used for manufacturing the concrete. In case of imperfect/long storage conditions, the strength of cement may reduce. For example, the 28 days strength of cement stored for 3, 6 and 12 months may reduce to 80, 70 and 60 percent, correspondingly.

The storing arrangement of cement should be such in which cement delivered first could be used first and vice-versa. Commonly, the cement is available in 50-kg bags, which are stored in stacks. At the large construction sites, the cement can also be stored in silos. These methods of storing cement and essential precautions/requirements are explained in the subsequent sections.