PRC-II

LAB MANUAL

JOB NO. 1
CONCRETE MIX DESIGN AND CASTING OF SAMPLES FOR
DIFFERENT TESTS
Standard
ASTM C-31

Objective of concrete mix design

To determine the most economical and practical combination of available materials (i.e.
aggregates, cements, water, admixtures, etc.) to produce a concrete that will satisfy the
performance requirements which include but not limited to:
1. Strength
2. Durability
3. Workability

Apparatus
1. Concrete mixer
2. Weighing balance
3. Materials
Cement
Sand/Fine Aggregate
Crush/Coarse Aggregate
Water
4. Moulds to be prepared:
a. Cylinders 150mm (dia) x 300mm (length)
b. Cubes 150mm x 150mm x 150

BSCE-01133120

PRC-II

LAB MANUAL

Concrete Mixer

Weighing Balance

Related theory

Cement
A cement is a binder, a substance used in construction that sets and hardens and can
bind other materials together. The most important types of cement are used as a
component in the production of mortar in masonry, and of concrete, which is a
combination of cement and an aggregate to form a strong building material.

Types of Cement
CH
ye
dm
re
an
ut
l
c
c
e
m
e
mn
t

N
n

o
-

h
y

d
u

a
l
e

i
i

c
c

e
t

Hydraulic Cement
Hydraulic cements (e.g., Portland cement) set and become adhesive due to a
chemical reaction between the dry ingredients and water. The chemical

BSCE-01133120

PRC-II

LAB MANUAL

reaction results in mineral hydrates that are not very water-soluble and so are
quite durable in water and safe from chemical attack.
Non-hydraulic Cement
Non-hydraulic cement will not set in wet conditions or underwater; rather, it
sets as it dries and reacts with carbon dioxide in the air. It is resistant to attack
by chemicals after setting.

Cementing materials
Any material that can be made plastic and that gradually hardens to form an artificial
stone like substance is called a cementitious material. Hydraulic cements, namely
portland and natural, along with limes, fly ash, and silica fume, are currently the
principal cementing materials used in structures.
The most frequently used cements are as follows:
Type I: normal or general purpose
Type II: moderately sulfate resistant
Type III: high early strength
Type IV: low heat of hydration
Type V: sulfate resistant

Aggregates
Aggregates are the inert particles that are bound together by the cementing agent
(such as Portland cement)to form a mortar or a concrete

Mortar
Mortar is a mixture of fine aggregate, a cementing material, and water.

Neat cement
A mixture of only cement and water is referred to as neat cement.

Design objectives for trial mix method

1. Required 28-day compressive strength, fc

BSCE-01133120

PRC-II

LAB MANUAL

2. Maximum/minimum allowable w/c ratio

3. Maximum size of the coarse aggregates
4. Mix ratio

Parameters required for trial mix design

1. Compressive strength given by designer (fc)
2. Required slump
3. Maximum aggregate size
4. Fineness modulus
5. Specific gravity of fine and coarse aggregate
6. Rodded bulk density of coarse aggregate
7. Absorption capacity of coarse aggregate
8. Absorption capacity of fine aggregate
9. Exposure conditions
10. Moisture of aggregates

Procedure
Step # 1:
Determine required/design compressive strength, fcr
fcr = fc+7.0 Mpa for fc<21 Mpa
fcr = fc+8.5 Mpa for fc= 21 to 35 Mpa
fcr = 1.10fc+5.0 Mpa for fc>35 Mpa
If statistical data is available then fcr is lesser off
Fcr = fc+1.34S or fcr= fc+2.33S-3.45
S=standard deviation of 30 consecutive tests.

BSCE-01133120

PRC-II

LAB MANUAL

Step # 2:
Select type of cement based on:
1.
2.
3.
4.

Rate of gain of strength

Likelihood of chemical attack
Thermal behavior (fire resisting period)
Exposure condition

Step # 3:
Select w/c ratio corresponding to fcr

Step # 4:
Select amount of water per unit volume corresponding to slump value and coarse
aggregate size.

BSCE-01133120

PRC-II

LAB MANUAL

Step # 5:
Water content
Amount of cement C (kg/ m of concrete) =
w/c
3

Step # 6:
Select dry bulk volume of coarse aggregate per unit volume of concrete corresponding to
aggregate size and fineness modulus of fine aggregate.

Step # 7:
Calculate mass of coarse aggregate:
Mass of coarse aggregate (kg/m3)= Dry rodded volume * rodded density of coarse
aggregate

BSCE-01133120

PRC-II

LAB MANUAL

Step # 8:
Estimation of Fine Aggregate Content
Step # 9:
Adjust water content for absorption of coarse and fine aggregate and free surface water
present on the aggregates.
Extra water required= % age absorption * mass of aggregate
Step # 10:
Determine simplified ratio of ingredients of concrete
Cement: Sand : Crush
Prepare trial mixes and check for required properties i.e. workability and strength.
Note:
1. Dry to wet volume ratio is 1.5 approximately.
2. For 25mm slump add 6 kg of water per unit volume
3. Observation and calculation:

Example of mix design

Specified strength = fc = 20 MPa
Required slump = 50 mm
Maximum size of aggregates = 20 mm
Type of cement = Ordinary Portland Cement
Fineness modulus of Fine Aggregates = 2.20
Grade of Aggregates = Satisfies ASTM C-33
Bulk density of Coarse Aggregates = 1600 kg/m3

BSCE-01133120

PRC-II

LAB MANUAL

Assumed Specific Gravity of Cement = 3.15

Specific Gravity of Coarse Aggregate (SSD) = 2.65
Specific Gravity of Fine Aggregates (SSD) = 2.65
Water Absorption of Coarse Aggregates = 0.5 %
Water Absorption of Fine Aggregates = 0.7 %
Moisture Content of Coarse and Fine Aggregates = 0
Explosure Condition = Normal
Step # 1: Target Strength
fcr=fc +7
fcr=20+ 7=27 MPa

Step # 2: Type Of Cement

Ordinary portland cement for normal exposure condition
Step # 3: W/C ratio corresponding to fcr
W
=0.582
C

Step # 4: Select amount of water per unit volume corresponding to slump value and
coarse aggregate size
Approximate water=190 kg /m3

BSCE-01133120

PRC-II

LAB MANUAL

Step # 5: Amount of cement

W
=0.58
C

C=

190
0.58

C=327.59 kg/m3
Step # 6: Select dry bulk volume of coarse aggregate per unit volume of concrete
corresponding to aggregate size and fineness modulus of fine aggregate.
Bulk Volume of Coarse Aggregate = 0.68
Step # 7: Calculate mass of coarse aggregate
Bulk vol. of Coarse agg. = 0.69
3
Density of Coarse agg. = 1600 kg /m

M( O.D) = V
= 0.68 1600
= 1088 kg
M(SSD) = M( O.D) (1 + 0.005)
= 1088 1.005
= 1093.44 kg

Step # 8: Estimation of Fine Aggregate Content

BSCE-01133120

PRC-II

LAB MANUAL

Fine Aggregates=737.73 kg /m3

Step # 9: Adjust water content for absorption of coarse and fine aggregate and free
surface water present on the aggregates.
Extra Water required = %age absorption mass of aggregate
= 0.005 1093.44+ 0.007 737.73
3
= 10.631 kg /m

3
Total Water Content = 196 kg /m

Step # 10: Determine simplified ratio of ingredients of concrete

Mix ratio = 327.59 : 738 : 1093.44
= 1: 2.25: 3.34

Comments
In this job, we determined the mix ratio i.e. 1: 2.25:3.34. Our A/C ratio is 5.59 and W/C
ratio is 0.58 which is obtained by interpolation. Our ratio is near 1:2:4. Amount of cement
is 327.29 kg/m3, sand is 738 kg/m3 and of coarse aggreagate is 1093.44 kg/m3

BSCE-01133120