# Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) Grades 33, 43 and 53

> Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) is graded 33, 43 and 53 by 28-day strength. See why OPC 53 suits a raft foundation and how SuperWise records cement deliveries.

Canonical: https://superwise.site/glossary/ordinary-portland-cement/
Last updated: 2026-11-01

The general-purpose binding cement of Indian construction, ground from limestone and clay and sold in three strength grades.

## What is Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC)?

Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) is the main binding agent in global and Indian civil engineering. It is made by grinding limestone and argillaceous (clay-bearing) raw materials, and it gains compressive strength quickly as it reacts with water. In India it is graded by 28-day compressive strength in megapascals (MPa) into OPC 33 (largely obsolete), OPC 43 and the high-strength OPC 53.

## Practical example

For the raft foundation of a high-rise tower, the structural engineer specifies OPC 53 grade cement. OPC 53 costs more than Portland Pozzolana Cement (PPC), but it gains early strength faster, so the contractor can de-shutter the foundation and start vertical column work sooner.

## In SuperWise

In SuperWise, cement is a material resource with a unit such as bags or MT and a minimum stock level. Each delivery is recorded as a [material delivery challan](https://superwise.site/glossary/material-delivery-challan/) (MDC) against a purchase order line, with the supplier's challan number, photos of the material and a quality status of satisfactory, rejected or unsatisfactory but accepted.

[Material management](https://superwise.site/features/material-management/)

## Related terms

- [Quick Setting Cement](https://superwise.site/glossary/quick-setting-cement/)
- [Material Indent (Purchase Requisition)](https://superwise.site/glossary/material-indent/)
- [Initial Setting Time](https://superwise.site/glossary/initial-setting-time/)
- [Material Delivery Challan (MDC / GRN)](https://superwise.site/glossary/material-delivery-challan/)

## Related
- [Quick Setting Cement](https://superwise.site/glossary/quick-setting-cement/)
- [Material Indent (Purchase Requisition)](https://superwise.site/glossary/material-indent/)
- [Initial Setting Time](https://superwise.site/glossary/initial-setting-time/)
- [Material Delivery Challan (MDC / GRN)](https://superwise.site/glossary/material-delivery-challan/)
- [Material management](https://superwise.site/features/material-management/)