BBD University, Lucknow on the topic “Manufacturing Process of Cement & Concrete, Properties of Concrete in Plastic and Hardened State and its Effects on Durability of Structures” on 17th March 2023 and successfully completed. Er. Nitish Gupta, Customer Services, Heidelberg Cement India Limited, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India was the eminent speaker. At first, Er. Gupta introduced about his company Heidelberg Cement Ltd., which is one of the largest producer of building materials like aggregate, cement and ready mixed concrete in the world. Then he explained the topic in two parts one as manufacturing of cement and concrete and another as properties of concrete and its effects on durability of structures. The manufacturing process of ordinary Portland cement (OPC), pozzolanic Portland cement, sulphate resistant cement and Portland slag cement were covered in his lecture. Details about influence of properties of aggregates on concrete, rotary screen crusher, methods for proper sampling of aggregate, sieve analysis process for fine aggregates, fineness test, silt content by rapid test, silt test by volume, sand washing process, sand screening & washing plant, hot and cold weather placing of concrete, ice flaking machine, dispersion mechanism in water before and after, etc were explained by Er. Gupta. He also described chemical admixtures used as accelerator and retarder. All the superplasticizers are not compatible for all types of cements, pictorial views of dilapidated buildings and monuments and reasons of its deterioration, batching of aggregate, workability, reasons of segregation, requirement of curing for hydration, etc were discussed in details. How the chloride, carbon dioxide, sulphates and water or moisture content influence the concrete and their remedial measures were also described in the workshop. Different water cement ratio blocks capillary pores in concrete at different period. Students and faculty members of the Civil Engineering Department participated in the woekshop. This workshop will be highly beneficial to the students while carrying out project and dissertation works and also from the placement point of views.
