Product terminology
Expansive cement – two meanings, one word
Expansive cement is the most misunderstood name in this glossary. The same words describe a concrete additive and a demolition agent – with opposite purposes.
What does the term mean?
In concrete technology, expansive cement is a binder that expands slightly during curing to compensate for shrinkage. It is used to build structures, not to remove them.
In demolition, the same words are used for the powder that generates high expansion pressure in boreholes – what this glossary calls an expansive demolition agent.
Where does the name come from?
Both products are cement-based and both expand, so the trade name travelled from one field to the other.
The decisive difference is magnitude: a shrinkage-compensating cement expands by fractions of a percent, a demolition agent generates pressures of tens of megapascals.
Where is the term used?
In concrete technology it appears in standards, mix designs and admixture literature.
In demolition it appears mainly in product listings and translations, and is best avoided there.
- Concrete technology and mix design
- Admixture and binder literature
- Translated demolition product listings
- Search queries mixing both fields
Is the term technically unambiguous?
No. Without context the term is genuinely ambiguous, and the two products do opposite jobs.
For demolition work, always write expansive demolition agent, NEDA or the brand name.
How does the product work?
The demolition variant hydrates in a confined borehole so that crystal growth is converted into pressure instead of into free expansion.
The construction variant expands in a formwork that allows controlled movement, so the concrete simply compensates its own shrinkage.
Typical applications
- Distinguishing binder from demolition product in specifications
- Reviewing translated product documentation
- Comparing datasheets from different suppliers
- Clarifying enquiries from clients and planners
Compared with related names
Expansive mortar
Equally consistency-based, but clearly a demolition product.
Read moreExpansive demolition agent
The unambiguous term for the demolition product.
Read moreDemolition powder
Trade wording that cannot be confused with a binder.
Read moreChemical demolition agent
Classifies the product by principle.
Read moreBETONAMIT® and this term
BETONAMIT® is a demolition product, not a concrete binder. It must never be used to make or repair concrete.
Composition, hazards and correct use are documented on the BETONAMIT® product page.
Frequently asked questions
+Is expansive cement the same as an expansive demolition agent?
Only when the term is used in a demolition context. In concrete technology it means a shrinkage-compensating binder, which is a completely different product.
+Can a demolition agent be used as a binder?
No. Its expansion is far too strong and would destroy any structure it was cast into.
+How can the two be told apart?
By the data sheet: a demolition product states an expansion pressure and a borehole diameter, a binder states strength classes.
More product names
Expansive mortar
Describes the product in its mixed state: a pourable mortar that expands inside the borehole.
Read moreExpansive demolition agent
The umbrella term preferred by KUBATEC in English for products that split rock, stone and concrete by controlled expansion pressure.
Read moreDemolition powder
Plain trade wording for the product as delivered: a dry powder in sacks or cartons.
Read moreChemical demolition agent
Generic wording that separates chemically acting products from mechanical demolition.
Read moreExpansive grout
Emphasises the fluid mix that can be poured into deep or closely spaced boreholes.
Read moreQuestions about the right term or the product?
We have advised planners, contractors and distributors on non-explosive demolition for over 50 years – from drill pattern to pack size.