9.

Concrete class C25/30 of S3 consistency will be produced for a hospital construction on the coast of
Karadeniz.
The properties of materials at the construction site are as follows:
Cement: All types have a specific gravity of 3.08.
Coarse aggregate: Crushed stone with a maximum aggregate size of 25 mm; bulk specific gravity
(SSD) = 2.72; absorption capacity = 1.2%; dry-rodded unit weight = 1600 kg/m3.
Fine aggregate: Natural sand with fineness modulus of 2.80; absorption capacity = 2.8%; bulk specific
gravity (SSD) = 2.58.
a)

Determine the amounts of ingredients (in SSD state) required for 1 m3 of concrete and state the
theoretical unit weight of the concrete.

b) Assume that the moisture content of aggregates at construction site is 2.2%. Hence, adjust the mix
proportions and calculate the estimated unit weight of concrete.
c)

Calculate the amounts of materials needed for 25 liters of batch.

d) How much cement would it be possible to save for per m3 of concrete in case the standard deviation
of the plant is 2 MPa?
Solution:
a)

Determination of the mix proportions for 1 m3 of concrete:

Step 1.

Determination of exposure class

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From Table 1, exposure class is XS1 (Building exposed to airborne salts from Karadeniz).
Step 2.

Determination of concrete class

From Table 2, concrete class corresponding to exposure class XS1 is C30/37.

Step 3.

Mean strength requirement

Concrete class C25/30 is specified. Hence, concrete class C30/37 has to be chosen.
( = 6 MPa for C30/37)
fcr = fc + = 30 + 6 = 36 MPa
Step 4.

Water-cement ratio requirement

From Table 2, the maximum water-cement ratio is 0.50.

From Table 3, a water-cement ratio of 0.47 (by extrapolation) to give an average compressive strength
of 36 MPa at 28 day may be estimated.
Hence, the smaller water-cement ratio of 0.47 applies.
Step 5.

Determination of maximum aggregate size

No any restriction on the maximum aggregate size to be used under construction conditions given.
Hence, the aggregate with a maximum of 25 mm will be used.
Step 6.

Workability requirement

A slump of 125 mm is specified appropriate for placement conditions, which is corresponding S3

consistency (see Table 4).
Step 7.

Air content and mixing water requirements

From Table 5, depending on the maximum aggregate size, the air content for non-air entrained concrete
is 1.5%. Similarly, from the same table, the mixing water content for concrete with a maximum

aggregate size of 25 mm and a slump between 100 and 150 mm is 200 kg/m3. No reduction in mixing
water is needed since the coarse aggregate is crushed stone.
Step 8.

Cementitious materials content requirements

The required cement content, based on steps 4 and 7, is

C=

W
W/C

Step 9.

200
0.47

= 426 kg/m3 (from table 3, greater than 300 kg/m3).

Admixture requirements

No need for any admixture to be considered.

Step 10.

Coarse aggregate requirements

From Table 6, the volume of dry-rodded coarse aggregate per unit volume of concrete for 25 mm
aggregate size and the fineness modulus of the fine aggregate of 2.80 is 0.67. Therefore, the OD weight
of the coarse aggregate is 0.67 x 1600 = 1085 kg/m3.
Step 11.

Fine aggregate requirements

The weight of the fine aggregate per cubic meter of concrete can be calculated as
Af = 2.58 1000 200 +

426
1085
+
+
3.08
2.72

10 1.5 = 639 kg/m3

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Dry weight of the fine aggregate is 639/1.028 = 622 kg/m3

The proportions of materials per m3 of concrete at the SSD condition are

Water
Cement
Coarse aggregate
Fine aggregate
Total (in SSD)
b)

W
C
Ac
Af

=
=
=
=
=

200 kg/m3
426 kg/m3
1085 kg/m3
639 kg/m3
2350 kg/m3

Adjustment for the moisture content of the aggregates:

The fine aggregate is dry since its moisture content is smaller than its absorption capacity. The amount
of fine aggregate that needed to be weigh for the mix at construction site is
A = A

1+MC
1+AC

= 639

1+0.022
1+0.028

= 635 kg/m3

The coarse aggregate is wet condition since its moisture content is greater that its absorption capacity.
The amount of coarse aggregate that needed to be weigh for the mix at jobsite is
A = 1085

1+0.022
1+0.012

= 1096 kg/m3

The additional mixing water required is then

The water needed for the SSD state of the fine aggregate per m3 is 635 639 = -4 kg.
The amount of free water in the coarse aggregate per m3 is 1096 1085 = 11 kg.
The water to be added to the mixture is 11 + (-4) = 7 kg. This the water-cement ratio increases. Hence,
the amount of mixing water has to be rearranged by considering the moisture condition of the
aggregates.

The adjusted amount of mixing water per m3 is

Wa = 200 7 = 193 kg.
So, the final proportions of materials are as follows:
Water (to be added)
Cement
Coarse aggregate
Fine aggregate
Total
c)

Wa = 193 kg/m3
C = 426 kg/m3
Ac = 1096 kg/m3
Af = 635 kg/m3
= 2350 kg/m3

(the estimated unit weight of concrete)

Determining the amounts of materials needed for 25 liters of trial batch:

Based on the mix proportions given above, a trial mix of 25 liters (0.025 m3) should contain the following
quantities:
Cement
Water (adjusted)
Fine aggregate
Coarse aggregate

C = 0.025 x 426 = 10.650 kg

Wa = 0.025 x 193 = 4.825 kg
Af = 0.025 x 635 = 20.700 kg
Ac = 0.025 x 1096 = 27.400 kg

d)
Determining the amount of cement saved for per m3 of concrete in case the standard deviation of
the plant is 2 MPa?
Mean strength requirement:

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fcr = fc + 1.28 x s = 30 + 1.28 x 2 = 32.56 MPa

(fc = 30 MPa for C30/37)

Water-cement ratio requirement:

From Table 2, the maximum water-cement ratio is 0.50.

From Table 3, a water-cement ratio of 0.50 (by extrapolation) to give an average compressive strength
of 32.56 MPa at 28 day may be estimated.
Hence, the smaller water-cement ratio of 0.50 applies.
Cement content requirement:

The required cement content is

C=

W
W/C

200
0.50

= 400 kg/m3

(from Table 3, greater than 300 kg/m3)

Cement would be saved is

C = 426 400 = 26 kg/m3
As can be seen from the above calculations, as long as the strength requirements possible to save half a
sack of cement per m3 of concrete.