Designing and Proportioning

Normal Concrete Mixtures

CEng 6102 Concrete Construction

MSc program in Construction Technology and

Management

First semester, 2017/18

Abebe Dinku, Prof. Dr.-Ing.

06/08/25
 Kuwait at night!
Concrete makes life
comfortable!
Amazing bridges of
China!
- Concrete is basically the most
widely used material in tough
atmospheric condition.

- How did they prepare mix

design?
 Why do we proportion
when mixing concrete?
To satisfy the client?
To satisfy consultant’s prescription?
To make good product? What is
good?
To satisfy legal requirements?
To make profit?
Then what are the important
(universal?) requirements?
 Mix design methods!

ACI
DOE
DIN
EBCS
others
Differences and similarities
Factors in the Proportioning of
Quality Concrete Mixtures

• Workability
• Durability
• Strength
• Appearance
• Economy
 Materials
• Cement
• Supplementary
Cementing Materials
• Water
• Aggregate
• Admixtures
• Fibers
Mix Characteristics
• Strength
• Water-cementing materials ratio
• Aggregate size and volume
• Air content
• Slump and workability
• Water content
• Cementing materials content
and type
• Admixtures
 Requirements for Exposure
Conditions
Maximum w/c-ratio Min. strength,
Exposure condition by mass f'c, MPa (psi)

Select for strength,

No freeze-thaw, deicers, Select for structural
workability, and
aggressive substances requirements
finishing needs

Concrete with low

permeability; exposed to 0.50 28 (4000)
water

Concrete exposed to freezing

and thawing in a moist 0.45 31 (4500)
condition or deicers

For corrosion protection for

reinforced concrete exposed 0.40 35 (5000)
to chlorides
 Requirement for Concrete Exposed
to Sulfates

Sulfate Sulfate Minimum

(SO4) in (SO4) in Maximum strength,
Sulfate soil, % water, Cement w/c-ratio, f'c,
exposure by mass ppm type by mass MPa (psi)
Less than Less than No special
Negligible — —
0.10 150 type required

II, MS, IP(MS),

IS(MS),
0.10 to 150 to
Moderate P(MS), I(PM) 0.50 28 (4000)
0.20 1500
(MS), I(SM)
(MS)

0.20 to 1500 to
Severe V, HS 0.45 31 (4500)
2.00 10,000
Very Over
Over 2.00 V, HS 0.40 35 (5000)
severe 10,000
 Relationship between W/C-Ratio and Strength

Water-cementitious materials ratio by

mass
Compressive
strength at Non-air-entrained Air-entrained
28 days, MPa concrete concrete
45 0.38 0.30
40 0.42 0.34
35 0.47 0.39
30 0.54 0.45
25 0.61 0.52
20 0.69 0.60
15 0.79 0.70
Compressive Strength Vs.
W/C-Ratio
 Bulk Volume of Coarse
Aggregate
Fineness modulus of sand
Maximum size
of
2.40 2.60 2.80 3.00
aggregate,mm
(in.)
9.5 (3/8) 0.50 0.48 0.46 0.44
12.5 (1/2) 0.59 0.57 0.55 0.53
19 (3/4) 0.66 0.64 0.62 0.60
25 (1) 0.71 0.69 0.67 0.65
37.5 (1 1/2) 0.75 0.73 0.71 0.69
50 (2) 0.78 0.76 0.74 0.72
75 (3) 0.82 0.80 0.78 0.76
150 (6) 0.87 0.85 0.83 0.81
Bulk Volume of Coarse
Aggregate
 Absolute Volume of Coarse
Aggregate per m3 of Concrete
Given: 0.46 m3 of coarse aggregate
Bulk density = 1567 kg/m3,
1 m3 rodded
Relative density = 2.65
Water = 1000 kg/m3

0.46 m3 • 1567 kg/m3 = 715.5

kg
0.46 m3

Absolute volume =
715.5/(2.65 • 1000) = 0.27 m3
So the coarse aggregate is 27% of the
absolute volume of the concrete
Air Content and Aggregate
Size
 Water and Air Requirements for
Different Slumps and Sizes of Aggregate
Water, kilograms per cubic meter of
concrete, for indicated sizes of
aggregate
9.5 12. 19 25 37.5 50 75 15
mm 5 m m mm m mm 0
mm m m m m
Slump, mm m
25 to 50 19 17 15 11
207 199 166 130
0 9 4 3
75 to 100 20 19 16 12
228 216 181 145
5 3 9 4
150 to 175 21 20 17
243 228 190 160 —
6 2 8
Approximate amount
of entrapped air in non-
3 2.5 2 1.5 1 0.5 0.3 0.2
 Water and Air Requirements for
Different Slumps and Sizes of Aggregate
Water, kilograms per cubic meter of
concrete, for indicated sizes of
aggregate
9.5 12. 19 25 37. 50 75 15
m 5 m m 5 m mm 0
m mm m m mm m m
Slump, mm m
25 to 50 18 16 16 14 10
175 150 122
1 8 0 2 7
75 to 100 20 18 17 15 11
193 165 133
2 4 5 7 9
150 to 175 21 19 18 16
205 174 154 -
6 7 4 6
Recommended average total air
content, percent, for level of exposure
Mild exposure 4.5 4.0 3.5 3.0 2.5 2.0 1.5 1.0
Slump Test
 Recommended Slump
Ranges
Slump, mm (in.)
Concrete construction
Maximum Minimum
Reinforced foundation walls and
footings 75 (3) 25 (1)

Plain footings, caissons, and

substructure walls 75 (3) 25 (1)

Beams and reinforced walls 100 (4) 25 (1)

Building columns 100 (4) 25 (1)
Pavements and slabs 75 (3) 25 (1)
Mass concrete 75 (3) 25 (1)
Approx. Water Requirements for
Various Agg. Sizes and Slumps
Approx. Water Requirements for
Various Agg. Sizes and Slumps
Minimum Cementing Materials
Content for Flatwork
Nominal Cementing
maximum size of materials,
aggregate, mm kg/m3
(in.) (lb/yd3)
37.5 (1½) 280 (470)
25 (1) 310 (520)
19 (¾) 320 (540)
12.5 (½) 350 (590)
9.5 (3/8) 360 (610)
Determination of Cement
Content
Required Water Content
Cement Content = Water-Cement Ratio

Example:
air-entrained concrete 25-mm max. size
aggregate 75-mm slump

175 kg/m3 Water = 330 kg cement per

0.53 W/C-ratio m3 of concrete
 Cementitious Materials
Requirements for Concrete Exposed
to Deicing Chemicals
Maximum of
cementitious materials,
Cementitious materials %
Fly ash and natural pozzolans 25
Slag 50
Silica fume 10
Total of fly ash, slag, silica fume
50
and natural pozzolans
Total of natural pozzolans and
35
silica fume
 Maximum Chloride-Ion Content
for Corrosion Protection
Maximum chloride ion
content in concrete,
Type of member % by mass of cement
Prestressed concrete 0.06
Reinforced concrete
exposed to chloride in 0.15
service
Reinforced concrete that
will be dry or protected 1.00
from moisture in service
Other reinforced concrete
0.30
construction
Methods for Proportioning
Concrete Mixtures
• Water-cement ratio method

• Weight method

• Absolute volume method

• Field experience (statistical

data)
• Trial mixtures
Modification Factor for Standard
Deviation ( 30 Tests)

Modification
factor for
Number of standard
tests deviation
Less than 15 see next slide
15 1.16
20 1.08
25 1.03
30 or more 1.00
 Required Strength When Data Are
Available to Establish a Standard
Deviation

Required average
Specified compressive compressive strength, f'cr,
strength, f'c, MPa MPa
f'cr = f'c+ 1.34s
 35 f'cr = f'c + 2.33s – 3.45
Use larger value
f'cr = f'c+ 1.34s
Over 35 f'cr = 0.90f'c + 2.33s
Use larger value
Required Strength When Data Are Not
Available to Establish a Standard
Deviation
Specified Required average
compressive compressive
strength, strength,
f'c, MPa f'cr, MPa
Less than 21 f'c + 7.0
21 to 35 f'c + 8.5
Over 35 1.10f'c + 5.0
Proportioning by Trial Mixtures

Trial batching
verifies that a
concrete
mixture
meets design
requirements
prior to use in
construction.
Density of Water Vs. Temperature
Temperature Density,
, °C kg/m3
16 998.93
18 998.58
20 998.19
22 997.75
24 997.27
26 996.75
28 996.20
30 995.61
Absolute Volume Computation for
Fine Aggregate Content
Water = 135
= 0.135 m3
1 • 1000
Cement = 435 = 0.145 m3
3.0 • 1000
8.0 = 0.080 m3
Air =
100
Coarse 1072
aggregate = = 0.400 m 3
2.68 • 1000
Subtotal = 0.760 m3
Fine aggregate volume = 1 - 0.76 = 0.24 m3
Fine aggregate mass = 0.24 • 2.64 • 1000
= 634 kg
 Result of Laboratory Trial
Mixtures
Fine
aggregate,
Air Densit Cement percent of
Batc Slump conten y content, total Worka-
h no. , mm t [%] kg/m3 kg/m3 aggregate bility

1 50 5.7 2341 346 28.6 Harsh

2 40 6.2 2332 337 33.3 Fair

3 45 7.5 2313 341 38.0 Good

4 36 6.8 2324 348 40.2 Good

 Example Trial Mixtures for Air-
Entrained Concrete of
75-mm to 100-mm slump
With fine sand, FM = 2.50
Fine
Fine
W/C- Nominal aggregat
aggregat Coarse
ratio, maximum Water, e in % of e kg/m3 aggregat
kg size of kg/m3 of Cement, total of e
per aggregat Air, concret kg/m3 of aggregat concret kg/m3 of
kg e,mm % e concrete e e concrete
0.40 9.5 7.5 202 505 50 744 750
19.0 6 178 446 35 577 1071
37.5 5 158 395 29 518 1255
0.50 9.5 7.5 202 406 53 833 750
19.0 6 178 357 38 654 1071
37.5 5 158 315 32 583 1225
Relationship
between:

 Slump
 Aggregate
size
 W/C
 Cement
content
 Proportions to Make 1/10 m3 of
Concrete for Small Jobs
Air-entrained concrete
Nominal
maximum
size coarse Wet fine Wet coarse
aggregate, Cement, aggregate, aggregate, Water,
mm kg kg kg kg
9.5 46 85 74 16
12.5 43 74 88 16
19.0 40 67 104 16
25.0 38 62 112 15
37.5 37 61 120 14
 Proportions to Make 1/10 m3 of
Concrete for Small Jobs

Non-air-entrained concrete
Nominal
maximum
size coarse Wet fine Wet coarse
aggregate, Cement, aggregate, aggregate, Water,
mm kg kg kg kg
9.5 46 94 74 18
12.5 43 85 88 18
19.0 40 75 104 16
25.0 38 72 112 15
37.5 37 69 120 14
 Proportions by Bulk Volume of
Concrete for Small Jobs
Air-entrained concrete
Nominal
maximum
size coarse
aggregate, Wet fine Wet coarse
mm (in.) Cement aggregate aggregate Water
9.5 (3/8) 1 2¼ 1½ ½
12.5 (1/2) 1 2¼ 2 ½

19.0 (3/4) 1 2¼ 2½ ½

25 (1) 1 2¼ 2¾ ½
37.5 (1½) 1 2¼ 3 ½
 Proportions by Bulk Volume of
Concrete for Small Jobs
Non-air-entrained concrete
Nominal
maximum
size coarse
aggregate, Wet fine Wet coarse
in. Cement aggregate aggregate Water
9.5 (3/8) 1 2½ 1½ ½
12.5 (1/2) 1 2½ 2 ½

19.0 (3/4) 1 2½ 2½ ½

25 (1) 1 2½ 2¾ ½
37.5 (1½) 1 2½ 3 ½


Common Mix Design Mistakes
• Not varying water-cement
ratio (3 point curve)
• Not monitoring slump loss
during mix design to
identify false setting
tendency in cement
• Not monitoring early age
concrete temperatures to
identify retardation effects
of water reducers
 Exercise 1
Read and study more the details of
mix design preparation using ACI
method.

Compare the ACI method of mix

design with European (eg. DOE,
DIN) and Ethiopian practices.
Thank you !!!