Bulk Cement

Asphalts designed to improve sustainability across our road networks

Bulk Cement

Asphalts designed to improve sustainability across our road networks

With a national network of cement manufacture supported by wider CRH capability, we support construction requirements across the UK.

Our bulk cement range includes factory produced cements, blended cements, fly ash and specialist cementitious solutions. 100 years of cement manufacture and supply means that today Blue Circle cement is recognised for its quality, reliability and trust.

Cement Quality

100% commitment to quality

We test our cement products throughout the production process, examining various parameters including chemical composition, mineralogical composition, strengths, initial setting time and colour etc.

Cement Assurance

A standard setting organisation

All our cement products are manufactured to the European Standard for cement, BS EN 197-1 which means you can be sure that they will perform to specification.

Engineered Cement

Technical expertise, bespoke cement solutions

Our bulk cement solutions are designed to be used across all construction applications. From architectural aesthetics and offshore turbines to major infrastructure and building product manufacture. Our cements can be supplied to factory produced specification or engineered to meet specific project requirements.

Architectural concrete

The architectural benefits of concrete are supported by using cement which have characteristics that lend themselves to aesthetic finishes. Our range of bulk cements includes white cement and other cements that deliver a high quality surface finish to concrete.

Suggested cement products:

Portland Limestone Cement

Ferrocrete

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Formulators

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Cement is often used as a constituent of other products including grouts, screeds and repair products.

Our technical experts are happy to discuss any product requirements that you have.

Suggested cement products:

Ferrocrete

Microcem Ultrafine Cements

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Geotechnical

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Geotechnical engineering is a vital consideration of ground construction. Our cement-based range of high-performance products are specifically formulated to support a wide variety of geotechnical applications.

Suggested cement products:

Ferrocrete

Portland Cement

Phoenix

Microcem 550,650 and 900

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Dry Silo Mortar

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We offer Portland cement and Portland-limestone cement (which is lighter in colour and has enhanced workability characteristics) for use in dry silo mortars.

Suggested cement products:

Portland Limestone Cement

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Blocks

Our range of block cement solutions can be used in dense, lightweight or aerated blocks.

Suggested cement products:

Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag

Ferrocrete

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Concrete Block Paving

Our quality assured products and national manufacturing network capability offers supply assurance for concrete block paving manufacture.

Suggested cement products:

Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag

Ferrocrete

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Cement applications

The architectural benefits of concrete are supported by using cement which have characteristics that lend themselves to aesthetic finishes (such as light colour or a fine texture). Our range of bulk cements includes white cement and other cements that deliver a high quality surface finish to concrete.

Suggested cement products: Snowcrete, Portland Cement, Portland Limestone Cement, Ferrocrete, GGBS

Our quality assured products and national manufacturing network capability offers supply assurance for concrete block paving manufacture.

Suggested cement products: Portland Cement, Portland Limestone Cement, GGBS, Ferrocrete

Tarmac offers a portfolio of products suitable for grouts and specialist pumpable grouting - including cement, additions, and the UK’s only range of ultrafine cements with narrow particle size distribution to produce fast-setting mixes that can be injected to seal and strengthen bedrock.

Tarmac provides both bulk cement and specialist solutions to help enhance the resistance of concrete to chloride penetration, ultimately helping to reduce the risk of reinforcement corrosion.

Suggested cement products: Phoenix, Fly Ash, GGBS

Whitelee

Green Energy Wind Farm

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Northern Line Extension

Major Infrastructure Development

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Aberdeen Harbour Expansion Project

Sea Defence Development

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Cement Technical Portal

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Bulk Cement FAQs

A Portland-fly ash cement such as Blue Circle Sulfacrete is a good choice for concrete in these circumstances (look for the designation CEM II/B-V +SR) as it get progressively more impermeable with time and has a greater chemical resistance to the chlorides present in sea water. Sea water does not significantly attack good quality concrete, but it can cause rusting of any embedded metal which may eventually crack the concrete. Concrete exposed to sea water should always have a low water/cement ratio (below 0.55), high strength (C30 or above) and must be properly cured in order to develop its full resistance to seawater penetration. For reinforced structural concrete seek specialist advice.

Obviously, it is better not to stain slabs in the first place, but if staining occurs then there are several solutions. Ideally the stain should be removed as soon as possible by extensive flushing and scrubbing of the affected area. If this is not possible to remove immediately, then physical abrasion or a mild brick cleaning acid may be required to remove. These can sometimes do more harm than good to the slab as they may have to be excessively strong to remove the stain and hence a small trial area is recommended. In general, the longer the stain is left before treatment, the harder it will be to remove.

The cement in concrete and mortar hardens by a chemical reaction with water so if there is no water present then essentially no further strength development will occur. It is thus vital that the mix is kept in a moist condition for the first few days after it has set. Common causes of moisture loss from exposed concrete or mortar surfaces are: high ambient temperatures, exposure to direct sunlight, drying winds and excessive suction of moisture by surrounding porous materials. Common prevention methods are to cover with damp hessian and/or plastic sheeting (being sure that this does not mark the concrete) to prevent evaporation, prewetting of surrounding porous materials, misting (for use especially with mortars and renders) with light water spray at regular intervals and pooling water on horizontal surfaces.

Once the mortar has begun to set, the addition of extra water will not make any difference as the mortar is now non-workable. Even with or without the addition of water, if the set mix is reworked, this will cause major damage to the structure of the mortar. This will in turn seriously affect both the strength and durability properties and so it is thus vital that the mortar is fully placed prior to the setting time.

Concrete can be overworked when smoothing a surface finish. If overworking occurs (especially in high water content mixes), water is likely to rise to the surface causing a weaker layer to develop which reduces strength and durability. It may also cause flaking of the uppermost surface layer. It is thus important to stop smoothing a surface at the earliest time consistent with a suitable finish and use relatively low water content in the original mix.

C30 refers to a characteristic 28 day compressive strength of 30 N/mm². It depends on a number of factors including, among others, water:cement ratio, workability requirements, aggregate properties, specified minimum cement content, use of admixtures and additives. Nominal mix proportions for various purposes and requirements can be sourced through the Tarmac Blue Circle Cement Technical Helpdesk. If a specific strength requirement is specified trial mixes are strongly recommended.

Admixtures are used generally by addition to the mixing water to alter the fresh and long term properties of cement based mixtures for a specific purpose. The most common admixtures are:

Plasticisers: Increase the workability of fresh mixes for a given amount of water allowing less water to be used and thus greater long term strength.
Waterproofers: Reduce the permeability of the mix. It is essential that the manufacturer’s instructions are followed precisely as overdosing can have serious effects.

A good way to think of this is cement is to concrete as flour is to a cake. Cement is only one of the constituents of concrete and mortar. The various basic mixes can be defined as:

Mortar – cement, fine aggregate (sand) and water.
Concrete – cement, course aggregate (generally 10-20mm rocks), fine aggregate (sand) and water. These can also contain various additives (such as lime) and admixtures (such as a waterproofer).

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