by Civil-Guy on May 12, 2010 in Materials Testing

Concrete mix designs is best defined as a process in selecting suitable ingredients, which is
cement, aggregate, sand and water, and determining their relative proportions to give the
required strength, workability and durability. The mix designs, which is a performance
specification stating required strength and minimum cement content but leaving the
grading and details of the concrete mix design to be work out.
Objective of Concrete Mix Design

Concrete Mixer - Drum type 140L
Two main objectives for concrete mix design:
To determine the proportions of concrete mix constituents of; Cement, Fine aggregate (or
normally Sand), Coarse aggregate, and Water.
To produce concrete of the specified properties.
To produce a satisfactory of end product, such as beam, column or slab as economically as
possible.
Theory of Mix Designs
The Process of Concrete Mix Design
The method of concrete mix design applied here is in accordance to the method published
by the Department of Environment, United Kingdom (in year 1988).
There are two categories of initial information required:
Specified variables; the values that are usually found in specifications.
Additional information, the values normally available from the material supplier.
Reference data consists of published figures and tables is required to determine the design
values including;
Mix parameters such as target mean strength, water-cement ratio and concrete density.
Unit proportions such as the weight of materials.
The design process can be divided into 5 primary stages. Each stage deals with a particular
aspect of the concrete mix design:
Stage 1: Determining the Free Water/ Cement Ratio
i) Specify the required characteristic strength at a specified age, f
c

ii) Calculate the margin, M.
M k x s ... F1 ]
where;
k A value appropriate to the defect percentage permitted below the characteristic
strength. k 1.64 for 5 defect ]
s The standard deviation (obtained from CCS 1).

CCS 1: Approximate compressive strength (N/mm2) of concrete mixes made with a free-
water/cement ratio of 0.5
iii) Calculate the target mean strength, f
m

f
m
f
c
+ M ... F2 ]
where;
f
m
Target mean strength
f
c
The specified characteristic strength
iv) Given the type of cement and aggregate, use the table of CCS 1 to obtain the
compressive strength, at the specified age that corresponds to a free water/cement ratio of
0.5.

CCS 4: Relationship between compressive strength and free-water/ cement ratio.
v) In figure CCS 4, follow the starting line` to locate the curve which passes through the
point (the compressive strength for water/cement ratio of 0.5). To obtain the required
curve representing the strength, it is necessary to interpolate between the two curves in the
figure. At the target mean strength draw horizontal line crossing the curve. From this point
the required free water/cement ratio can be determined.
Stage 2: Determining the Free-Water Content

CCS 2: Approximate free-water contents (kg/m3) required to give various levels of
workability.
Given the Concrete Slump or Vebe time, determine the free water content from table CCS
2.
Stage 3: Determining the Cement Content
Cement Content Free Water Content / Free-water or Cement Ratio ... F3 ]
The resulting value should be checked against any maximum or minimum value that may
be specified. If the calculated cement content from F3 is below a specified minimum, this
minimum value must be adopted resulting in a reduced water/cement ratio and hence a
higher strength than the target mean strength. If the calculated cement content is higher
than a specified maximum, then the specified strength and workability simultaneously be
met with the selected materials; try to change the type of cement, the type and maximum
size of the aggregate.
Stage 4: Determining the Total Aggregate Content
This stage required the estimate of the density of fully compacted concrete which is
obtained from figure CCS 5. This value depends upon the free-water content and the
relative density of the combined aggregate in the saturated surface-dry condition. If no
information is available regarding the relative density of the aggregate, an approximation
can be made by assuming a value of 2.6 for un-crushed aggregate and 2.7 for crushed
aggregate.

CCS 5: Estimated wet density of fully compacted concrete.
With the estimate of the density of the concrete the total aggregate content is calculated
using equation F4:
Total Aggregate Content D - C - W ... F4 ]
where;
D The wet density of concrete ( in kg/m
3
)
C The cement content (in kg/m
3
)
W The free-water content (in kg/m
3
)
Stage 5: Determining of The Fine and Coarse Aggregate Contents
This stage involves deciding how much of the total aggregate should consist of materials
smaller than 5 mm, i.e. the sand or fine aggregate content. The figure CCS 6 shows
recommended values for the proportion of fine aggregate depending on the maximum size
of aggregate, the workability level, the grading of the fine aggregate (defined by the
percentage passing a 600 m sieve) and the free-water/ cement ratio. The best proportion
of fines to use in a given concrete mix design will depend on the shape of the particular
aggregate, the grading and the usage of the concrete.
CCS 6: Recommended proportions of fine aggregate according to percentage passing a 600
m sieve.
The final calculation, equation F5, to determine the fine and coarse aggregate is made using
the proportion of fine aggregate obtained from figure CCS 6 and the total aggregate
content derived from Stage 4.
Fine Aggregate Content Total Aggregate Content x Proportion of Fines ... F5 ]
Coarse Aggregate Content Total Aggregate Content - Fine Aggregate
Procedures of Design Mixing
Production of Trial Mix Design
The volume of mix, which needs to make three cubes of size 100 mm is calculated. The
volume of mix is sufficient to produce 3 numbers of cube and to carry out the concrete
slump test.
The volume of mix is multiplied with the constituent contents obtained from the concrete
mix design process to get the batch weights for the trial mix.
The mixing of concrete is according to the procedures given in laboratory guidelines.
Firstly, cement, fine and course aggregate are mixed in a mixer for 1 minute.
Then, water added and the cement, fine and course aggregate and water mixed
approximately for another 1 minute.
When the mix is ready, the tests on mix are proceeding.

Slump Test apparatus for Concrete Workability
Tests on Trial Mix Design
The slump tests are conducted to determine the workability of fresh concrete.
Concrete is placed and compacted in three layers by a tamping rod with 25 times, in a
firmly held slump cone. On the removal of the cone, the difference in height between the
uppermost part of the slumped concrete and the upturned cone is recorded in mm as the
slump.
Three cubes are prepared in 100 mm x 100 mm each. The cubes are cured before testing.
The procedures for making and curing are as given in laboratory guidelines. Thinly coat
the interior surfaces of the assembled mould with mould oil to prevent adhesion of
concrete. Each mould filled with two layers of concrete, each layer tamped 25 times with a
25 mm square steel rod. The top surface finished with a trowel and the date of
manufacturing is recorded in the surface of the concrete. The cubes are stored undisturbed
for 24 hours at a temperature of 18 to 22
0
C and a relative humidity of not less than 90 .
The concrete all are covered with wet gunny sacks. After 24 hours, the mould is striped and
the cubes are cured further by immersing them in water at temperature 19 to 21
o
C until
the testing date.
Compressive strength tests are conducted on the cubes at the age of 7 days. Then, the mean
compressive strengths are calculated.
The Calculations
ere is one example of calculation from one of the concrete mix design obtained from the
laboratory. We have to fill in all particulars in the concrete mix design form with some
calculations.

CCS 3: Relationship between standard deviation and characteristic strength.
Firstly, we specified 30 N/mm
2
at 7 days for the characteristic strength. Then, we obtained
the standard deviation, s from the figure CCS 3. So, s 8 N/mm
2
.
From the formula F1, k 1.64 for 5 defect. The margin, M is calculated as below:
M k x s 1.64 x 8 13.12 N/mm
2

With the formula F2, target mean strength, f
m
is calculated as below:
Target mean strength, f
m
f
c
+ M
30 + 13.12 43.12 N/mm
2

The type of cement is Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC). For the fine and course
aggregate, the laboratory`s fine aggregate is un-crushed and for coarse aggregate is
crushed before producing concrete.
Then, we obtain the free-water/ cement ratio from table CCS 1. For OPC ( 7 days ) using
crushed aggregate, water/cement ratio 36 N/mm
2
.
After that, from the figure CCS 4, the curve for 42 N/mm
2
at 0.5 free-water ratio is plotted
and obtained the free-water ratio is 0.45 at the target mean strength 43.12 N/mm
2
.
Next, we specified the slump test for slump about 20 mm and the maximum aggregate size
we used in laboratory is 10 mm. For the specified above, we can obtained the free-water
content from table CCS 2 at slump 10 - 30 mm and maximum size aggregate 10 mm, the
approximate free-water content for the un-crushed aggregates is 180 kg/m
3
and for the
crushed aggregates is 205 kg/m
3
. Because of the coarse and fine aggregates of different
types are used, the free-water content is estimated by the expression:
Free-water Content, W

2
/
3
W
f
+
1
/
3
W
c

(
2
/
3
x 180) + (
1
/
3
x 205)
188.33 kg/m
3

where,
W
f
Free-water content appropriate to type of fine aggregate
W
c
Free-water content appropriate to type of coarse aggregate
Cement content also can obtained from the calculation with the expression at F3:
Cement Content, C Free Water Content / Free-water or Cement Ratio
188.33 / 0.45 418.52 kg/m
3

We assumed that the relative density of aggregate (SDD) is 2.7. Then, from the figure CCS
5 with the free-water content 188.33 kg/m
3
, obtained that concrete density is 2450 kg/m
3
.
The total aggregate content can be calculated by:
Total Aggregate Content D - C - W
2450 - 418.52 - 188.33 1843.15 kg/m
3

The percentage passing 600 m sieve for the grading of fine aggregate is about 60 . The
proportion of the fine aggregate can be obtained from the figure CCS 6, which is 38 .
Then, the fine and course aggregate content can be obtained by calculation:
Fine Aggregate Content
Total Aggregate Content x Proportion of Fines
1868.74 x 0.38 700.40 kg/m
3

Coarse Aggregate Content Total Aggregate Content - Fine Aggregate
1843.15 - 700.40 1142.75 kg/m
3

The quantity per m
3
can be obtained, which is;
Cement 418.52 kg
Water 188.33 kg
Fine aggregate 700.40 kg
Coarse aggregate (10 mm) 1142.75 kg
The volume of trial mix for 3 cubes
(0.1 x 0.1 x 0.1) x 3] + 25 contingencies of trial mix volume]
0.006 + 0.00075
0.00375 m
3

The quantities of trial mix 0.00375 m
3
, in which is;
Cement 1.57 kg
Water 0.71 kg
Fine aggregate 2.61 kg
Coarse aggregate (10 mm) 4.29 kg
The Results of Mix Design
Slump Test True Slump of 55 mm.
All the 3 concrete cubes produced were then cured for 7 days. After that, the compressive
cube test is carried out. The results are as follows:
Sample 1 2 3
Compressive Strength 32.37 33.54 35.70
Average (32.37 + 33.54 + 35.70) / 3 33.87
For cubes after 7 days of curing, compressive strength should not be less than 2/3 target
mean strength.
2/3 43.12 28.75 N/mm
2
< 33.9 N/mm
2

After 7 days of curing, the compressive strength of concrete cubes produced by the mix
design method pass the specific strength requirements.
Discussions Upon Concrete Mix Designs
Although our compressive strength passes the specific requirements, we still identified
several factors which contribute to the lacking of compressive strength of concrete mixes
produced in the experiment. owever, the main factor is the condition of aggregates
whether it is exposed to sunlight or rainfall.
When the free water/cement ration is high, workability of concrete is improved. owever,
excessive water causes ~430.42- effect in the concrete produced. The concrete cubes
become porous, and hence its compressive strength is well below the design value. Other
possible reasons include over compaction, improper mixing methods and some calculation
errors.
Few suggestion upon several steps to avoid the problems previously faced:
All the raw materials, which is cement, aggregates, and sand should be protected from
precipitation or other elements which may affect its physical properties.
The quantity of ingredients may be adjusted if necessary, theoretical values are not always
suitable. For example, if the aggregates are wet or saturated, less amount of water should
be added, vice versa.
Compaction should be done carefully, as either under or over-compaction will bring
significant negative effect on the concrete produced.
The Conclusion
By using the concrete mix design method, we have calculated the quantities of all
ingredients, that is water, cement, fine and coarse aggregate according to specified
proportion.
The concrete produced did not fulfill the compressive strength requirements due to several
reasons. Furthermore, some steps mentioned above should be taken into consideration to
overcome this problem.
Standard reference for the concrete mix design is as accordance to British Standard;
BS 5328: 1981 : Methods of Specifying Concrete including Ready-Mixed Concrete
v