Evaluation of portland cement from X-ray diffraction associated with cluster analysis

Authors

  • Luciano de Andrade Gobbo Universidade de São Paulo; Instituto de Geociências; Departamento de Geologia Sedimentar e Ambiental
  • Tarcisio José Montanheiro Instituto Geológico; Secretaria de Estado do Meio Ambiente/SP
  • Filipe Montanheiro Universidade Estadual Paulista; Instituto de Geociências e Ciências Exatas; Departamento de Geologia Aplicada; Laboratório de Estudos de Bacias
  • Lília Mascarenhas Sant'agostino Universidade de São Paulo; Instituto de Geociências; Departamento de Geologia Sedimentar e Ambiental

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5935/0100-929X.20130008

Keywords:

Cluster analysis, X-ray Diffraction, Rietveld method, Cement industry, Blended cement, Pozzolan.

Abstract

The Brazilian cement industry produced 64 million tons of cement in 2012, with noteworthy contribution of CP-II (slag), CP-III (blast furnace) and CP-IV (pozzolanic) cements. The industrial pole comprises about 80 factories that utilize raw materials of different origins and chemical compositions that require enhanced analytical technologies to optimize production in order to gain space in the growing consumer market in Brazil. This paper assesses the sensitivity of mineralogical analysis by X-ray diffraction associated with cluster analysis to distinguish different kinds of cements with different additions. This technique can be applied, for example, in the prospection of different types of limestone (calcitic, dolomitic and siliceous) as well as in the qualification of different clinkers. The cluster analysis does not require any specific knowledge of the mineralogical composition of the diffractograms to be clustered; rather, it is based on their similarity. The materials tested for addition have different origins: fly ashes from different power stations from South Brazil and slag from different steel plants in the Southeast. Cement with different additions of limestone and white Portland cement were also used. The Rietveld method of qualitative and quantitative analysis was used for measuring the results generated by the cluster analysis technique.

Published

2013-12-01

Issue

Section

RIG050