CHAPTER 7

Masonry And Concrete

7-5. PROPORTIONING OF CONRETE

7-6. TESTS

7-7. MIXING OF CONCRETE

7-8. DEPOSITING OF CONCRETE

MIXING OF
CONCRETE
• ON SITE JOB MIXING
• READY MIXED
CONCRETE
 The ACI Building Code
states:

“For job-mixed concrete, mixing

shall be done in a batch mixer of
approved type. The mixer shall be
rotated at a speed recommended by
the manufacturer and mixing shall be
continued for at least 1 ½ minutes
after all materials are in the drum,
unless a shorter time is shown to be
satisfactory by the criteria of
“Specification for Ready-Mixed
Concrete for central mixers.”
CENTRALIZE READY-
MIX PLANTS
In a modern ready-mix
concrete plant the production
of various concrete mixes is
programmed by an electronic
computer, and batches of
concrete of any desired size are
proportioned automatically by
the electrical control.
All ingredients are
measured by weight. Mixing at
the plant provides more
accurate control of the
consistency and other
properties of the fresh
concrete.
 A ready-mix
plant concrete is
mixed either:

• In mobile mixers
• In stationary mixers
• Mobile mixing – A batch of concrete is placed in a mobile mixer at the
plant, the mixing takes place from the time the mixers leaves the plant
until it reaches the job site.

• Stationary mixing – The concrete is mixed before it is placed in the

truck mixer, where the concrete is only agitated.
Hand mixing – A good concrete can be produced by hand mixing. If the
sand, and gravel are clean and sound (good quality), if about one half as
much water as cement by weight is used and if mixing is done properly
the result will be high quality.
A good mix proportion
is:
½ kilogram of water
1 kilogram of cement
2 kilogram of sand
2 ½ kilograms of gravel
From this proportion by weight which have been proven by
laboratory tests it is shown that the weight of gravel is not necessarily
double that of fine aggregate or sand. On the other hand, the volume of
gravel is more or less double that of the sand if measured by volume
using a measuring box.
DEPOSITING OF CONCRETE
Concrete mixing requires prior and adequate preparation of
equipment and materials for the activities. Sec. 5.1 of the ACI code states:
“Before concrete is placed, all equipment for mixing and transporting of
concrete shall be cleaned. All debris and ice shall be removed from the spaces
to be occupied by the concrete. Forms shall be properly coated, masonry filler
units that will be in contact with concrete shall be well drenched and the
reinforcement shall be thoroughly cleaned of ice or other deleterious coating.
Water shall be removed from the place of deposit before concrete is
placed unless a tremie is to be used or unless otherwise permitted by the
Building Official.
DEPOSITING OF CONCRETE
The Building Code on depositing of concrete provides that:
“Concrete shall be conveyed from the mixer to the place of final
deposit by methods which will prevent the separation or loss of
materials. Conveying equipment shall be capable of providing a supply of
concrete at the site of placement without separation of ingredients and
without interruptions sufficient to permit loss of plasticity between
successive increments”
DEPOSITING OF CONCRETE
Concrete should be discharged from the truck within 1 ½ hours
after the water is poured to the batch. Conveying of concrete mixture is
done by either of the following:

1. Bottom dump 4. Pumping through steel pipelines

2. Buckets 5. Buggies
3. Wheelbarrows 6. G.I. pail
DEPOSITING OF CONCRETE
Things to avoid in placing concrete to its final form:
1. Segregation of particles
2. Displacement of forms
3. Displacement of reinforcement in the form
4. Poor bond between successive layers of concrete
SEGREGATION OF PARTICLES
Segregation is the separation of sand and stone from the matrix
or paste that causes inferior quality of concrete. The causes of
separation or segregation of aggregates are:
1. Transferring of the concrete from the mixer to the forms
2. Dropping of the concrete mixture from a high elevation
3. Improper tamping and spading
4. The use of long chutes
5. Excess amount of tamping, vibrating, or puddling in the forms
SEGREGATION OF PARTICLES
Segregation is the separation of sand and stone from the matrix
or paste that causes inferior quality of concrete. The causes of
separation or segregation of aggregates are:
6. Concrete particles tend to segregate because of their dissimilarity
7. Gravel tends to settle and the lighter materials and water tend to
rise inside a container when delayed in the delivery to the forms.
8. Lateral movement such as the flow within the form tends to
separate the particles
SEGREGATION OF PARTICLES
Factors that regulate the strength of concrete:
1. Correct proportion
2. Suitability or quality of materials
3. Proper method in mixing
4. Proper placement or depositing of concrete inside the forms
5. Adequate protection of concrete during the period of curing
CURING OF CONCRETE
The hardening of concrete depends upon the chemical reaction
between the cement and water. Hardening of concrete will continue as
long as the moisture is present under a favorable temperature
condition. The initial setting of concrete will start at about two or three
hours after the concrete has been mixed. At this rate, concrete shall be
properly protected to prevent craze due to rapid evaporation of
moisture. 70% of concrete strength is reached at the end of the first
week and 30% could be lost by premature drying out of the concrete.
 The protection of concrete from loss of surface moisture is 7 days
when ordinary Portland cement is used and 3 days for an early high strength
Portland cement.
The methods applied in curing surface concrete are:
1. Covering of the surface with burlap continuously wet for the required
period.
2. Covering of the slab with a layer of wet sand or saw dust 1 inch or 25 mm
thick.
3. Wet straw or hay on top of the slab continuously wet.
4. Continuous sprinkling of water on the slab surface.
5. Avoid early removal of forms: this will permit undue evaporation of
moisture in the concrete.
CURING OF CONCRETE
The Building Code on Curing provides that:
“Concrete shall be maintained above 10°C temperature and in a
moist condition for at least the first 7 days after placing, except that high
early strength concrete shall be do maintained after at least the first 3
days……xxx Curing by high pressure steam at atmospheric pressure,
heat, and moisture or other accepted processes, maybe employed to
accelerate strength gain and reduce the time of curing.”