Special Cements

There is a substantial number of special cement systems in existence and it is quite beyond the scope of this book to be able to
consider them all in detail. This chapter has been written on the basis of understanding the main types of special cements that
are either in regular use or present some noteworthy features.
Four main cement types are considered, namely, oil-well, decorative, chemical and non-standard Portland-based and
other cements.
Oil-well cements are discussed in detail, because of the paucity of information available in many texts on oil-well
cements. Since they are largely used in conjunction with additives, a knowledge of these additives is necessary in order
to appreciate more fully how these cements behave in the field. Consequently, there is some discussion of oil-well cement
additives.
Decorative cements have also been described at some length in view of their aesthetic importance in construction.
The main types of chemical cement reported in the technical literature are outlined. Many of them are proprietary
products. In consequence, methods of manufacture are not always readily available, nor in a number of instances have
the respective hydration chemistries been fully elucidated.
Non-standard Portland and some other cements are also described. Several of these have useful properties for certain
specialised applications, which are outlined in the text, as well as potential applications for the future. Commonly used
cements such as masonry filler, sulfate-resisting and blended types are excluded from consideration here, since they are
discussed elsewhere in the book.