KEY POINTS FOR A CEMENT PROJECT
S.Narayana Moorthy

This is a compilation of useful key activities in a cement project. Each project differs and has its own peculiarities and with the present increasing requirements for eco balance, environment pollution controls and energy efficiency, it is necessary to incorporate such details wherever applicable. This key point list is provided here with the hope that it could be a starting point for a budding project engineer.

Enormous advances have been made and are being made and the time schedules shrink, ratios are obsolete, remote controls and instrumentation has given an edge once never though possible. Environmental awareness to mining, plant pollutions have brought in 
remarkable changes and advancements. Statutes are being constantly reviewed, surface transports become bulkier and where barges are feasible they are opted for.

Even while the plant is under construction, it is not out of place to install the packing plant on priority and make cement with purchased clinker and go on stream. Split locations of clinker production and grinding have altered the concept of plant location near markets.

But overall basically the requirements of concept, study, review, scheduling and implementation has not changed much though the methods and priorities may have. This check list is compiled for those in the industry but not having access to the various activities in the project. Each department is becoming more and more localized with revision of targets on a continuous basis. Maybe those handling project could find it useful too! Mining is not detailed here since it is given adequate coverage elsewhere and is not considered within the 
scope of these key points.

Proposals
Reconnaissance surveys


Planning
Detailed Project Report:
prospecting/exploration/raw materials and additives
topographical/engineering/hydrogeology
soil investigations
General design (plant layout and mines)
Submission of design briefs by contractors

Basic design and detailed engineering:
supply of machinery
civil engineering consultancy and constructions
erection and commissioning
consultancy (design and drawing. review machinery 
erection/commissioning supervision/project work coordination)
Testing

Facilities and infra-structure:
Estate area (housing/explosives 
magazine/recreation/schools/parks/public utilities/parking/ 
etc
Mining area
Water system
Power supply
Railway sidings and surface movement

Machinery forwarding and clearing

construction materials
workshop
communication (dish installation/towers/network)



Financing pattern
Land and Land development
Infra structure
civil works
rail sidings and surface movement
plant roads
Buildings
plant civil works
housing
Plant and machinery
Free on board value
Freight, insurance, clearing and transportation
Erection
Power installation
Water installation
Technical know-how
Pre-operative expenses
Start up expenses
Miscellaneous fixed assets
Training expenses
Preliminary and capital issue expenses
Financial expenses
Expenses for environmental improvement and neighborhood 
improvements



And a little more in detail:
Soil investigations
to determine soil condition to the significant depth for heavy 
foundations
borings and test pits
seismic conditions
strata conditions (geo technical)
ground water table
permeability
bulk density
dry density
void ratio
degree of saturation
unconfined compression strength
effective cohesion
effective angle of friction
modulus of compressibility
modulus of linear deformation
Plant area

Estate area:
Mining area
Lease details
safety distances/structural locations
mode of transport
location of waste dump
plans for afforestation
water treatment plants and pumping
handling waste water and recycling

Plant machinery:
single heaviest machinery (for transport)
quarry equipment
limestone crushing and transport
additives crushing and transport
raw mill
raw meal storage and reclamation
kiln feed
kiln
coal and related mills
oil firing
clinker transport
coal and gypsum crushing (where coal is the main fuel)
cement mill
cement transport
packing plant
water treatment 
electrical equipment
laboratory equipment
instrumentation and networking
workshop
fire fighting and rescue system
erection tools
handling spares and reorders
clearing and forwarding
transportation
short landing/damage while in transit
critical items
insurance and claims
damage, theft or loss during erection

Plant requirements:
limestone (bulk storage/blending)
additives (locations/quantity/distances/storage)
fuel oil (storage/piping/conversion)
coal
gypsum
packing material
power
diesel
explosives
water

Work personnel:
administration/personnel/support services)
financing and accounts (data processing and documentation)
marketing
production and mining
materials
engineering/system administration/instrumentation
security

Is there any ratio fixed between administrative and technical 
employees? What is the relation in terms of employee hour per 
annual ton of cement?

Plant process
Plant water system
source and location
intake and pumping
delivery and storage
cooling water
process water
fire fighting
recycling
treatment and settling tanks 
drinking water to plant and estates

What is used? It is necessary to keep to the advances taking 
place on a continuous basis.

sulphuric acid and soda ash to lower Ph value?
aluminum sulphate for flocculation?
chlorine for bacterial infections?
sodium hypochlorite for raising Ph
sodium thiosulphate for dechlorination?

Electrical and power system
incoming and distribution
protective measures
emergency back up generation



Schedules
Construction schedule
Agencies involved and consultants
Project management
Housing and facilities for permanent and temporary employees

Factory civil works:
design and supervisors
contractors
time schedule
cost
personnel and construction equipment
construction materials

Schedule
mobilization, site establishment and demobilization
site leveling
roads and squares
drainage and sewerage
water and power
gates and fences
limestone crusher
limestone transport
limestone storage
additive crusher, transport and storage
raw mill feeding
raw mill department
raw mill silos
kiln feed
compressor house
pre-heater towers
kiln foundations
electro static precipitators and cooling tower facilities
coal mill department
clinker transport
clinker storage
coal and gypsum crusher
coal and gypsum transport
oil handling
cement mill department
packing plant
laboratory
workshop and stores
weigh bridges and guard houses
car repair and fire fighting
garage
main power distribution station
bricks and lubrication store
water treatment section
canteen and locker rooms
administrative building

But the important ones and that need to be temporary before the above is scheduled and installed:
temporary water supply
pumps for issue of diesel and petrol
aggregate unit for construction material
workshop
trucks, mixers, vibrators, compressors, breakers and 
dewatering pumps
Gantry cranes/ bar bending yard
auxiliary transport
covered and open storage
carpentry yard



And the first actions?
site leveling
building work
roads and squares
drainage and sewerage
concrete trenches
service water piping
fencing

And onto:
Machinery erection

plant design and review
machinery supply
machinery erection
erection schedule
erection equipment (mobile cranes/low bed trailers/working 
tools and diesel generators)
work personnel
cost of erection



Plant commissioning
detailed plant commissioning schedule broken down to weekly 
activities
weekly reviews
re order status
activity review chart
monthly(?) percentage progress on erection/electrical 
checks/mechanical checks/post run rectifications/trouble 
shooting)
performance tests and guarantees
Design of raw mix
Discussions on clinker and cement
Discussion on final status of plant commissioning and performance 
tests
NOW everybody could move in!

related:
Projects concepts and considerations