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Of course. Here is a comprehensive set of interview questions and answers
regarding IS 10262:2019 - Concrete Mix Proportioning — Guidelines,
covering various levels of expertise from a fresher to an experienced
engineer.
## 1. Fundamental & Conceptual Questions (For Freshers)
Q1: What is the primary purpose of IS 10262:2019?
Answer:
The primary purpose of IS 10262:2019 is to provide a guideline, not a rigid
rule, for designing a concrete mix. Its goal is to determine the proportions of
cement, aggregates, water, and admixtures to achieve a specified set of
properties for concrete in its fresh and hardened states.
The key objectives are to achieve:
Target Strength: Ensuring the concrete is strong enough for structural
requirements.
Workability: Making sure the fresh concrete can be easily placed,
compacted, and finished.
Durability: Ensuring the hardened concrete can withstand
environmental conditions and last for its intended service life.
Economy: Achieving the above properties using the most economical
combination of available materials.
Q2: Explain the difference between 'Characteristic Strength'
′
(fck ) and 'Target Mean Strength' (fck
). Why is the target
strength higher?
Answer:
Characteristic Compressive Strength (fck ): This is the strength
value below which not more than 5% of the test results are expected to
fall. It's the strength specified by the structural designer (e.g., M25
means fck = 25 MPa).
′
Target Mean Compressive Strength (fck ): This is the average
compressive strength we aim for during the mix design process in the
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lab.
The target strength is kept higher than the characteristic strength to
account for the inevitable variability in materials and production processes
on-site. By aiming higher, we create a safety margin, ensuring that even
with normal variations, at least 95% of our concrete will meet the required
characteristic strength.
The relationship is given by the formula:
′
fck
= fck + 1.65 × S
Where 'S' is the Standard Deviation of the concrete production facility.
## 2. Procedural & Calculation-Based Questions (For Site Engineers)
Q3: You have no past data for concrete production at a new
site. How do you determine the Standard Deviation (S) for
your first mix design?
Answer:
When historical data (a record of at least 30 consecutive test samples) is
not available, IS 10262:2019 provides a solution in Table 2. This table gives
assumed standard deviation values based on the grade of concrete.
For example, for M25 concrete, Table 2 suggests a standard deviation of
4.0 MPa. For M30 to M50, it suggests 5.0 MPa. I would use these values to
calculate the initial target mean strength and proceed with the mix design.
It's crucial to start collecting test data immediately to establish the actual
site-specific standard deviation for future designs.
Q4: How do you select the maximum water-cement ratio and
the minimum cement content for a mix design?
Answer:
This is a critical durability consideration. The selection is not based on IS
10262, but on IS 456:2000 (Table 5).
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The process is:
1. Identify the Exposure Condition: Determine the environmental
conditions the structure will face (e.g., Mild, Moderate, Severe, Very
Severe, or Extreme).
2. Refer to Table 5 of IS 456: This table directly specifies the maximum
permissible water-cement ratio and the minimum cement content
for different grades of concrete under those exposure conditions.
3. Select the Stricter Value: The w/c ratio used in the design must be
the lower of the two values: the one required for strength and the one
required for durability (from IS 456).
Q5: How do you estimate the volume of Coarse Aggregate
and Fine Aggregate in the mix?
Answer:
This is determined using Table 5 of IS 10262:2019. This table gives the
volume of coarse aggregate per unit volume of total aggregate as a
ratio.
The steps are:
1. Inputs Needed: You need the Maximum Size of Aggregate (MSA)
and the Zoning of Fine Aggregate (Zone I, II, III, or IV).
2. Find the Ratio: Look up the corresponding value in Table 5. For
example, for 20 mm MSA and Zone II sand, the value is 0.62. This
means coarse aggregate should constitute 62% of the total aggregate
volume, and fine aggregate will be the remaining 38%.
3. Adjust for w/c Ratio: The table provides values for a w/c ratio of 0.5.
The code specifies that for every decrease of 0.05 in the w/c ratio, this
volume should be increased by 0.01 (and vice-versa) to maintain
workability.
4. Calculate Final Mass: Once you have the total volume of aggregates
(which is 1m³ minus the absolute volume of water, cement, and
admixture), you use this ratio to find the individual volumes of coarse
and fine aggregates. Then, you multiply these volumes by their
specific gravities to get their mass.
## 3. Practical & Scenario-Based Questions (For Experienced
Engineers)
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Q6: What are the major improvements in the 2019 version of
IS 10262 compared to the 2009 version?
Answer:
The 2019 revision introduced several significant improvements:
Wider Scope: It now officially covers high-strength concrete from
M65 up to M100, which was previously outside the scope.
Updated Data: The tables for estimating water content (Table 4) and
aggregate volume (Table 5) have been revised based on more current
research and data. The slump base is now 50 mm.
Mineral Admixtures: It provides a more detailed, step-by-step
methodology for designing mixes with mineral admixtures like Fly Ash,
GGBS, and Silica Fume.
Illustrative Examples: The code includes more comprehensive
examples, including designs for high-strength concrete, self-
compacting concrete (SCC), and mixes using chemical admixtures.
Q7: On-site, the slump of your designed mix is consistently
low. What are the possible causes, and what is the correct
course of action?
Answer:
This is a common practical problem.
Possible Causes:
High Temperature: Higher ambient or material temperatures increase
the rate of hydration and evaporation, reducing slump.
Aggregate Moisture: The aggregates might be drier than assumed in
the design, causing them to absorb mix water.
Batching Error: Incorrect batching at the plant (less water or less
superplasticizer).
Change in Materials: A new batch of cement or aggregates might
have different properties (e.g., finer sand requires more water).
Time Delay: Excessive delay between batching and placing.
Correct Course of Action:
1. ❌ DO NOT add more water arbitrarily at the site. This is the most
common mistake and it will compromise the strength and durability by
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increasing the w/c ratio.
2. ✅ Investigate: Immediately check the batching plant records. Verify
that the correct quantities of all ingredients were added.
3. ✅ Check Material Properties: Quickly test the moisture content of
the current aggregate stock.
4. ✅ Permissible On-Site Correction: If permitted by the project
specifications, a pre-approved amount of a high-range water-reducer
(superplasticizer) can be added to the truck mixer to restore
workability without altering the w/c ratio.
5. ✅ Re-evaluate the Mix: For subsequent batches, adjust the mix
design. This may involve increasing the initial water and admixture
content slightly to account for site conditions, ensuring the w/c ratio
remains unchanged. Always conduct a trial to confirm the adjustment
works.
Q8: You've designed a mix with 40% GGBS replacement.
Your 7-day strength results are lower than for a similar OPC-
only mix. Should you be concerned?
Answer:
Not necessarily. This is an expected behavior of concrete with high volumes
of Ground Granulated Blast-furnace Slag (GGBS).
Explanation:
Rate of Strength Gain: GGBS has a slower pozzolanic reaction
compared to the hydration of ordinary Portland cement (OPC). As a
result, concrete with GGBS shows a slower rate of early-strength
gain (at 3 and 7 days).
Long-Term Strength: However, the pozzolanic reaction continues for
a much longer period. This means the long-term strength (at 28 days
and especially at 56 or 90 days) will be significantly higher than an
OPC-only mix. It also leads to improved durability properties like lower
permeability and better resistance to chloride and sulfate attacks.
My Action: I would inform the stakeholders about this expected behavior. I
would not be concerned unless the 7-day strength is drastically below the
anticipated value for a GGBS mix. The primary compliance check will be
the 28-day strength, which should meet or exceed the target mean
strength.
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