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Hakim S. Abdelgader and Ali S. El-Baden, The procedure of concrete mix design using the three
Civil Engineering Department University of Tripoli, Tripoli, Libya equations method
James M. Shilstone, Shilstone Companies, Plano, TX, USA
The procedure for using this method for concrete mix design is as
These methods depend on certain equations and graphs based on follows:
mathematical analysis of results obtained from previous field expe-
rience. Generally speaking, mix design methods give some indica- 1. Determination of the compressive strength of the concrete mix
tion to the designer to validate and adjust them via experimental to be designed (field strength) [fc` (req.)];
mixes in the local laboratories in order to check the variables related
to the characteristics and properties of the local materials and the 2. Calculation of the concrete compressive strength in the labora-
surrounding environment conditions. This paper illustrates the steps tory [fc` (lab.)] using Eq.(1), taking into consideration that it is
used for mix design using the three equations method, which is a so- more than the field strength by 30% on average
called Bolomeya method that is currently used in some research
centers in Poland and was recently applied in the laboratories of the fc (lab.) = 1,3 * fc (req.) (1)
civil engineering department in the University of Tripoli in Libya.
Results obtained by this method using the local materials subject to Notes: The ratio between the field strength and the laboratory
local environmental conditions are presented and discussed. strength depends on many factors, such as accuracy of the equip-
ment, experience, size of the samples, etc.
The wide spread of concrete usage in different engineering appli-
cations over the past four decades was accompanied by many 3. Testing the degree of workability. This factor is determined in
research studies. This has resulted in better understanding of the the field or in the laboratory using methods such as Slump
composition and behavior of concrete, leading to comprehensive Cone. The workability depends on many factors such as
developments in the field of concrete technology and quality con- density of reinforcement, maximum size of coarse aggregate,
trol. Because the behavior of concrete, whether fresh or hardened, casting and method of compaction, etc;
depends basically on the behavior of its components and the relati-
onship between them, obtaining a concrete with certain properties 4. Determination of cement- water ratio (C/W) using Eq.(2a) and
depends on the concrete mix design. Concrete mix design generally Eq.(2b). Both equations are known as the first equation of
includes two main steps: design, also known as the first Bolomeya Equation.
1. Selection of the main components suitable for the concrete C/W = [(fc/A1) + 0.5] if (C/W) < 2.5 (2 a)
(cement, aggregate, water, and additives); C/W = [(fc/A2) + 0.5] if (C/W) 2.5 (2 b)
2. Determination of more economical mix ratios to fulfill the
workability, strength and efficiency requirements. Where: C/W is the cement- water ratio, fc` is the laboratory com-
pressive strength of concrete, A1 and A2 are variables depend on
Currently, there are many international methods locally approved size and shape of coarse aggregate used and the compressive
for mix designs. They are all related to each other, they give relatively strength of cement.
the same quantities of the mix components and they are all capable
of providing a good concrete mix (Neville 1981). It is important to Notes:
consider that these methods give approximate quantities which The values of variables A1 and A2 as calculated by Jamrozy
should be checked by experimental mixes in order to obtain results (1999) are determined using Table 1.
suitable for the requirements of the local environment and local The value of A1 is substituted in Eq. (2a); if the result is less
materials. The ACI and BS methods are the most commonly used. than 2.5 then the value is obtained, and if the value is greater
Both of these methods depend on graphs and standard tables derived than 2.5, then the C/W ratio is calculated by using Eq. (2b).
from previous research experience and actual concrete production
as well as studies of the properties of the materials used (Neville 5. The required amount of water for the concrete mix (WTotal) is
1987). Along with the aforementioned methods, there are many calculated using Eq.(3), which is considered as the second
other methods used for concrete mix design, such as The Three equation of design.
Equations Method (Bolomeya Method), which will be illustrated in
detail in this paper, in addition to the assessment of the results of WTotal = C*(WC) + A*(WA) (3)
concrete mixes produced by this method (Jamrozy 1999).
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Hakim S. Abdelgader is Professor of Civil Engineering Department at Tripoli University, Tripoli, Libya. He recei-
ved his MSc and Ph.D. degrees in 1990 and 1996 respectively from Gdask University of Technology, Gdask,
Poland. The main focus of his professional activities is on research interests, concrete technology and technology
of concrete elements. Has devoted his international experience with concrete to improve construction in his native
Libya through the use of two-stage concrete technology (Preplaced aggregate concrete), concrete mix design,
self-compacting concrete, Concrete with recycled materials and concrete casing in fabric forms. He is a voting
member of American Concrete Institute (ACI) Committees 221, 304, 444 and 555 and a reviewer and contributor to ACI, Elsevier
and ASCE publications.
hakimsa@poczta.onet.pl
SEE US: HALL 5A J100
Ali S. El-Baden Assistance Professor and a senior concrete technology researcher at the Department of Civil + OUTSIDE AREA 6-A013
Engineering Faculty of Engineering Tripoli University, Tripoli, Libya. Interested field of researches in concrete area
includes; time dependent deformations; utilization of pozzolanic materials; industrial wastes and recycled materi-
als in concrete industry; using two-stage concrete (preplaced aggregate) technology.
elbadenpool@gmail.com
James M. (Jay) Shilstone, Jr., is a widely recognized authority on concrete mix design and quality control.
With over 30 years of experience, he has worked with customers in over 50 countries. His projects range from
Russia to Chile and from Canada to Zambia. He is a frequent speaker for a variety of groups, including
Engineers, Paving Contractors, Concrete Producers and ACI Chapters. He is a Fellow of the American Concrete
Institute and a member of multiple ACI, ASTM, NRMCA and TRB committees.
Where WTotal= quantity of water required be calculated using special tables linking
for the concrete mix (liter/m3); A= weight of between the grading of aggregate with the
fine and coarse aggregate required for the absorption ratios, known as Bolomeya
concrete mix (kg/m3); C= weight of cement tables as described in detail by
required for the concrete mix (kg/m3); Wc= Jamrozy(1999), as shown in Table 2.
Water demand for cement; WA= Water
demand for aggregate (fine and coarse). 6. Calculating the volume of the compo-
The required quantity of water depends on nent materials of the mix using the
the workability, type and size of coarse volume equation presented in Eq.(4),
aggregate, grading of fine and coarse which is known as the third equation of
aggregate, separated and mixed, and is to design, as follows:
*Water demand is the quantity of water, required for one kilogram of materials (cement (WC) and aggregate (WA))
for workability needed.
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[W/1000] + [A/(1000*a)] + [C/(1000*c)] = 1 (4) cal example for a mix design of concrete with a compressive
strength of 20 N/mm2 and low workability (slump = zero) is shown
Where: C = cement weight (kg/m3); W = water weight (kg/m3); A here.
= aggregate weight (kg/m3), c = specific gravity of cement; a =
specific gravity of aggregate. 1. [fc` (lab.)] = 1.3 * [fc` (req.)]
fc` (lab.) = 1.3 * 20 = 26 MPa
7. Solving Eq.(2), Eq.(3) and Eq.(4) for W, C, and A in order to
obtain the required quantities of the components for the mix 2. Calculate the cement-water ratio (C/W) using the low work-
design according to the specified conditions. ability and knowing that the compressive strength of cement
is (32.5 N/mm2) and the aggregate shape is angular, so the
The experimental work values of A1 and A2 from Table 1 are 20 and 13.5, respec-
tively. Substituting in equation (2a) we obtain:
This part represents the design and production of a number of con-
crete mixes following the Three Equations Method and using the C/W = [(26/20) + 0.5] = 1.8 (First equation of Design)
local raw materials. This paper illustrates the results obtained from
production of four concrete mixes with design compressive strengths As the obtained value is less than 2.5, there is no need to use equa-
of 15, 20, 25, and 30 N/mm2, where the water-cement ratio tion (2b).
(W/C) is 0.69, 0.56, 0.48, and 0.42, respectively, and the worka-
bility is tested for low, medium and high degrees. These mixes were 3. Calculate the water quantity required for the mix knowing the
prepared and produced in the concrete laboratory at the Faculty of degree of workability, shape of aggregate, grading of the fine
Engineering - Tripoli University - by researches carried on by stu- and coarse aggregate using Sterna table (See Table 1 and
dents at the last year as a part of the academic requirements for 2), as follows:
their B. Sc. in Civil Engineering (Abouda and Boshaheen 2007) Determine the amount of water absorbed by one kilogram of
and (Ashour and Yosefee 2004). cement (Wc) knowing the standard consistency of cement and
the workability, which is 0.271 in this example;
Materials used in the concrete mix and quality control Knowing the grading of sand and aggregate and the percen-
tage of their mixture, prepare a table format as shown in Table
Cement 3 to obtain the amount of water absorbed by one kilogram of
The cement used was the ordinary portland cement supplied by coarse aggregate (WA), which is 0.0488 in this example:
Zliten factory for cement (nearly 200 km east of Tripoli city), its pro-
perties were tested according to the British standard specifications W = 0.271 * C + 0.0488 * A (Second Equation of Design)
(BS 1991).
4. The Third Equation of Design is to be obtained by substituting
Coarse aggregate in the volume equation:
The coarse aggregate used in the experiments was angular aggre-
gate with maximum size of 19 mm, imported from a quarry near C/3.15 + A/2.65 + W = 1000 (Third Equation of Design)
Tarhuna (about 60 km south of Tripoli city). Tests were carried out
to check the coarse aggregate suitability according to the British Solving the three equations, we obtain the weights of the different
standard specifications (BS 1992). components of the concrete mix, as follows: Cement = 311.35 kg/m3,
Water = 177.91 kg/m3, Aggregate = 1916.67 kg/m3.
Fine aggregate Table 4: shows the weights of the concrete mix components
Fine aggregate that was used in the mixture was natural beach sand
from the Zliten quarry. The fine sand used has a size not exceeding Sample Curing
2 mm. Quality control tests were also conducted to check its pro- After casting, the samples are covered with a plastic film to avoid
perties according to the British standards (BS 882 1992). evaporation and plastic shrinkage, and are to be left 24 hours in the
laboratory environment. Samples are to be marked to distinguish bet-
Mixing water ween them and to be submerged in water at room temperature for
Fresh, dirt-free water is used, with a percentage of total dissolved 28 days then are to be tested for compressive and tensile strength.
salts not exceeding 2,000 particles per million as per Libyan stan-
dards (M.G.L. 294). Laboratory Tests
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The effect of different degrees of Fig. 4 shows a typical relation between de-
workability on the compressive sign and computed compressive strength.
strength of concrete is shown in Fig. 1. Linear relationships with reasonable corre-
A typical relationships between w/c lation coefficients were obtained.
ratio and Compressive strength (fc`)
for both cylindrical and cubical sam-
ples is demonstrated in Fig. 2.
As shown in Fig. 3, the cube strength is
Tensile strength test
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Table 5: Results of slump test, compressive strength and tensile strength of concrete mixes 3. This method efficiently meets the com-
pressive and tensile strength require-
ments.
Fig. 1: Relationships between compressive strength and W/C ratio Fig. 3: Relationships between cube/cylinder compressive strength
for different workability
Fig. 2: Relationships between compressive strength and W/C ratio Fig. 4: Relationships between computed compressive strength and
design compressive strength
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viskomat NT
Fast and simple
evaluating of additives?
Which cement is compatible
with the selected plastisizer?
Literature
Abouda E. and Boshaheen T. (2007). Design of normal concrete mixes using three equations British Standard Institution (1992). Specification for aggregate from natural sources for con-
method. B.Sc. Project, Civil engineering department, Tripoli University, Tripoli, Libya. crete. BS 882, London, UK.
American Society of testing materials (1990). Capping cylindrical concrete specimens. C 617, British Standard Institution (1992). Testing of hardened concrete. BS 1881, London, UK.
West Conshohocken, USA. Jamrozy, Z. (1999). Technologia Betonu., Krakow, Poland, 60-102. (auf Polnisch).
Ashour S. , and Yosefee M. (2004). How to design normal concrete mixes by using three Neville, A.M. (1981). Properties of concrete., Third edition, Pitman books limited, London,
equations method. B.Sc. Project, Civil engineering department, Tripoli University, Tripoli, UK, 779.
Libya. Neville, A.M. and Brooks, J.J. (1987). Concrete technology. , First edition, Longman scientific
British Standard Institution (1991). Ordinary and rapid-hardening Portland cements. BS 12, and technical , London, UK, 438.
London, UK.