Comparative Study of the Chemical Analysis of Different Brands of Cements used in Ghana

Abstract

In Ghana, however, ordinary Portland-limestone cement in recent times continues to remain the alternative construction material compared to other brands. With the rising trend of infrastructural development in the country undertaken by individuals and real estate companies, there have been categories of different brands of cement alongside the existing brands being produced in Ghana. The usage of lowquality cement resulting in poor bonding of construction materials has led to the investigation of some selected brands. In this study six different brands of Portland - limestone cement generally used in the construction industry in Ghana, namely; CIMAF cement, Dangote cement, Diamond cement, Ghacem cement, Sol cement and Supacem cement were investigated. The chemical compositions were analyzed using X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) spectrometer equipment because of its accuracy and simplicity it has over other technologies. The amount of chemical constituents like A2O3, SiO2, Fe2O3, CaO, MgO, SO3, Na2O and K2O were determined in accordance with ASTM C114-18. The results indicated that the properties of the six brands of cement are comparable and are all of good quality.