Cementing materials are raw materials that possess excellent setting and hardening properties when mixed to a paste with water.

There are two types of cementing materials, hydraulic and nonhydraulic. Hydraulic cementing materials set and harden in water. An example of a hydraulic cementing material is Portland cement. Nonhydraulic cementing materials set and harden in air but do not harden in water. As a result, these materials cannot be used in water. An example of a nonhydraulic cementing material is ordinary lime.

Cementing materials may be siliceous or calcareous. Calcium carbonate and silica are the major constituents of cementing materials. Other constituents are quartz, feldspar, calcite, clay, iron oxide, calcium oxide, copper sulphate, manganese, aluminum, and sulphur. Depending on the chemical composition and their availability in nature, cementing materials are categorized as lime, gypsum, plaster of Paris, cement, concrete, and Reinforced Concrete Construction (RCC).

Cementing materials are used as adhesive for bricks, stones, and tiles. These materials are also used to make big coherent structures and buildings.

This handbook introduces the various types of cementing materials and describes their chemical compositions and applications. The data sheet describes the physical, mechanical, electrical, optical, and thermal properties of cementing materials.