CHAPTER FOUR

4.0 RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

Concrete mix design can be defined as the process of selecting suitable ingredients of

concrete and determining with the objective of producing concrete of certain properties,

e.g. minimum strength; workability, durability; as economically as possible.

4.0.1 Reference Document

All material, testing and design were in accordance with project specifications and with

the material testing methods and specifications of British Standard and the European

guidelines for self compacting concrete.

4.0.2 DESIGN STIPULATIONS

Characteristic compressive strength required at 28 days: 37N/mm2

Maximum size of aggregate: 20mm

Degree of workability: > 0.9 (compaction factor)

Type of exposure: Not Applicable

Permitted cement types: CEM I, II, IIB, IIIA, IIIB, IVB

Method of placing concrete: Pump

Use of recycled aggregate permitted: No

Minimum air content: 1%

Special requirements for resistance to abrasion: None

Additional technical requirements: None

Highly reinforced 100% concrete structure

4.1 AGGREGATES

The crushed aggregates were supplied from C & C Crusher, Venus Mining and Arab

Contractors Quarry and maximum aggregate size is 20mm.

4.1.1 Sieve Analysis

Type of Aggregate %Passing

0.06 0.25 0.5 1.00 2.00 4.00 6.30 8.00 12.5 16.0 22.4 25.0
Crushed Aggregates 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7 1.1 3.1 22.6 91.5 100
15 - 23 mm
Crushed Aggregates 0.8 1.5 2.0 2.6 3.3 6.2 14.4 24.5 66.1 95.4 100 100
5 - 15 mm
Crushed Stones 8.8 25.4 48.9 56.1 67.4 88.7 100 100 100 100 100 100
0 - 4 mm
River Sand 5.3 14.3 33.2 69.7 92.9 96.4 99.3 100 100 100 100 100
0 - 5 mm

(Detailed test analysis can be found in Appendix)

Aggregates Mix Composition

Aggregate Identification Mix Composition

Coarse Aggregates 750 – 1000 kg/m3
Fine Aggregates 48 – 55 % of total aggregates weight

The fine and coarse aggregate content are obtained from the European guidelines for self

compacting concrete where fine aggregates volume is in the range of 48 – 55% of the total

aggregate weight and coarse aggregates is in the range of 750 – 1000kg/m3. It is important

to note that these proportions recommended in the European guidelines for self

compacting concrete are in no way restrictive and many self compacting concrete mixes

will fall outside this range for one or more constituents.

4.1.2 Specific Gravity and Water Absorption EN 1097- 6

AGGREGATE SPECIFIC WEIGHT WATER ABSORPTION

IDENTIFICATION (SSD) kg/m3 %
Crushed Aggregates 15 – 23 mm
2,690 0.19
Crushed Aggregates 5 – 15 mm 2,690 0.80
Crushed Stones 0 – 4 mm
2,680 0.51
River Sand 0 – 5 mm 2,650 0.92

(Detailed test analysis can be found in Appendix)

4.1.3 Los Angeles Abrasion Test – BS EN 1097-2:2010

MATERIAL
10mm 20mm

PERCENTAGE WEAR 28% 23%

(Required maximum limit is 50 % and detailed test analysis can be found in Appendix).

4.2 Steps taken in the mix proportioning: Trail mix 1

Since the minimum characteristic compressive strength required at 28 days is 37Mpa; as

per variability of concrete production results, it is necessary to design the MIX so as to

have a mean strength greater than the specified characteristic strength.

For a fix amount of the margin; where:

fm = fc + ks

fm = target mean strength

fc = specified characteristic strength

s = standard deviation

k = constant

According to the road research laboratory "Design of Concrete Mix" Road Note N.4

constant (k) is derived from mathematics of the normal distribution and increases as the

proportion of defectives is decreased, thus:

k for 10% defectives = 1.28

k for 5% defectives = 1.64

k for 2.5% defectives = 1.96

k for 1% defectives = 2.33

 For 5% defective, defectives level permitted in CP 110, k +1.64, thus

fm = fc + 1.64s

Approximately, I estimated of the standard deviation (s), under good degree of control

(proportioning by weight, well- graded aggregates, humidity control of aggregate, use of

additives and constant supervision): take s = 5

fm = 37 + 1.64 x 5

= 45.25N/mm2

Assume free water cement ratio = 0.45

Minimum cement content from customer specification is 390kg/m3

Assume cement content = 430 kg/m3 for first trial mix ……..…… OK > 390kg/m3

Therefore; Free water content = cement content x water cement ratio

= 430 * 0.45

= 193.5 liters

Assume concrete volume of 989 litres; where additives and air contents accounts for 11

litres, hence total fresh concrete volumetric weight is 1000litres.

Um = 10 x Ga (100 - Ad) + Cm (1 – (Ga / Gc)) - Wm (Ga - 1)

Where: Um = weight of fresh concrete, kg

Ga = weighted average specific gravity of combined fine and

coarse aggregate SSD = 2.690

Gc = specific gravity of cement, 3.01

Ad = air content and admixture content, 1%

Wm = mixing water requirement, 193.5 liters

Cm = cement requirement, 430 kg/m3

Um = 10 x 2.678 (100 – 1) + 430 x (1 - 0.890) – 193.5 x (2.678 - 1)

= 26.78 (99) + 430 x (0.110) – 193.5 x (1.678)

= 2373.56kg

= 2374kg

Admixture is dosed according to manufacturer’s specification and not exceeding the

clients design specification.

For Super Plasticizer (Glenium Sky 504) = 0.44%

For Viscous Modifying Agent (Master Matrix 110) = 0.110%

For Micro Silica = 1.25%

Dry Weight of Aggregate

Estimated DWA = Um – Cm –Wm

Where Um = weight of fresh concrete

Wm = mixing water requirement

Cm = cement requirement

DWA = 2374 - 430 – 193.5

= 1750.5 kg

Aggregates content

The fine and coarse aggregate content were obtained from the European guidelines for self

compacting concrete where fine aggregates volume is in the range of 48 – 55% of the total

aggregate weight and coarse aggregates is in the range of 750 – 1000kg/m3. (Table 2)

Hence we have:
 % Mix % Volume of Aggregate
Aggregate Identification
Composition Aggregates Content kg/m3
20
Crushed Aggregates 15 – 23 mm 358
46
Crushed Aggregates 5 – 15 mm 26 448

Crushed Stones 0 – 5 mm 21 573

54
River Sand 0 – 5 mm 33 371

100 100
Total 1750

The mix proportions then becomes

Cement = 430kg/m3

Micro silica = 5.38kg/m3

Fine aggregate = 1037kg/m3

Coarse aggregate = 806kg/m3

Water = 193.5lit/m3

Super Plasticizer = 1.92 lit/m3

VMA = 1.04 lit/m3

4.3 Trial 1 Mix Results

4.3.1 Fresh Concrete Properties

mm 675
Slump Flow
T50(sec) 3.5

T0(sec) 9
V-Funnel
T5(sec) 15
L-Box
H2/H1 0.84
4.3.2 Hardened Concrete Properties

Test Days Compressive Strength (N/mm2) Average Strength Density (kg/m3)

3 Days 33.88 34.23 33.39 33.83 2368

7 Days 41.53 40.77 40.09 40.80 2365

28 Days 52.66 51.38 51.29 51.78 2370

4.4 Steps taken in the mix proportioning: Trail mix 2

fm = fc + 1.64s

= 37 + 1.64 x 5

= 45.25N/mm2

Assume free water cement ratio = 0.50

Minimum cement content from customer specification is 390kg/m3

Assume cement content = 395 kg/m3 for second trial mix ……..…… OK > 390kg/m3

Therefore; Free water content = cement content x water cement ratio

= 395 * 0.50

= 197.5 liters

Assume concrete volume of 989 litres; where additives and air contents accounts for 11

litres, hence total fresh concrete volumetric weight is 1000litres.

Um = 10 x Ga (100 - A) + Cm (1 – (Ga / Gc)) - Wm (Ga - 1)

Where: Um = weight of fresh concrete, kg/m3

Ga = weighted average specific gravity of combined fine and coarse

aggregate SSD = 2.678

 Gc = specific gravity of cement, 3.01

A = air content, 1 %

Wm = mixing water requirement, 198 liters

Cm = cement requirement, 395 kg/m3

Um = 10 x 2.678 (100 - 1) + 395 x (1 - 0.890) – 187 x (2.678 - 1)

= 26.78 (99) + 390 x (0.110) – 198 x (1.690)

= 2362kg

Admixture is dosed according to manufacturer’s specification and not

exceeding the clients design specification.

For Super Plasticizer (Glenium Sky 504) = 0.45%

For Viscous Modifying Agent (Master Matrix 110) = 0.3%

For Micro Silica = 1.5%

Dry Weight of Aggregate

Estimated DWA = Um – Cm –Wm

Where, Um = weight of fresh concrete

Wm = mixing water requirement

Cm = cement requirement

DWA = 2362 - 395 – 198

= 1746.15 kg

= 1769 kg

Aggregates content
 The fine and coarse aggregate content were obtained from the European guidelines for self

compacting concrete where fine aggregates volume is in the range of 48 – 55% of the total

aggregate weight and coarse aggregates is in the range of 750 – 1000kg/m3.

Hence we have:

% Mix % Volume of Aggregate

Aggregate Identification
Composition Aggregates Content kg/m3

Crushed Aggregates 15 – 23 mm
19 331
48
Crushed Aggregates 5 – 15 mm
29 518

Crushed Stones 0 – 5 mm
17 305
52
River Sand 0 – 5 mm
35 615

Total
100 100 1769

The mix proportions then becomes

Cement = 395kg/m3

Micro silica = 5.93kg/m3

Fine aggregate = 919kg/m3

Coarse aggregate = 849kg/m3

Water = 198lit/m3
 Super Plasticizer = 1.80lit/m3

VMA = 2.76lit/m3

4.4.1 Trial 2 Mix Results

4.4.2 Fresh Concrete Properties

mm 690

Slump Flow T50(sec) 4

T0(sec) 11

V-Funnel T5(sec) 13

H2/H1 0.82
L-Box

4.4.3 Hardened Concrete Properties

Test Days Compressive Strength (N/mm2) Average Strength Density (kg/m3)

3 Days 31.69 31.58 31.66 31.64 2357

7 Days 37.98 38.89 38.07 38.31 2353

28 Days 48.44 49.04 48.28 48.59 2365