MEASUREMENT OF AIR CONTENT

Table 15.3: Recommended air content of concretes containing aggregates of

different maximum size, according to ACI 201.2R-01
Maximum size
of aggregate,
mm (in.)
Recommenred total air content of concrete
(per cent) for level of exposure:
Moderate* Severe**
10 d-)
12.5 (+)
20 (i)
25 (I)
40 (I+)
70 (3)
150 (6)
6.0
5.5
5.0
4.5
4.5
3.5
3.0
7.5
7.0
6.0
6.0
5.5
4.5
4.0
* Cold climate where concrete will be occasionally exposed to moisture prior to freezing, and
where no de-icing salts are used, e.g. exterior walls, beams, slabs not in contact with soil.
** Outdoor exposure in cold climate where concrete will be in almost continuous contact
with moisture prior to freezing or where de-icing salts are used, e.g. bridge decks,
pavements, sidewalks and water tanks.
leads to an increase in the amount of entrained air even if the water
reducing admixture has no air-entraining properties per se. (The
infuence of superplasticizers is less clear so that tests should always
be made);
(e) an excess of very fne sand particles reduces the amount of entrained
air, but the material in the 300 to 600 .r range (No. 50 to 30 ASTM
sieves) increases it;
(f ) hard mixing water reduces the entrained-air content;
(g) mixing time should be an optimum because too short a time causes
a non-uniform dispersion of the bubbles, while over-mixing gradually
expels some air;
(h) very fast rotation of the mixer increases the amount of entrained air;
(i) higher temperature leads to a greater loss of air, and steam-curing of
concrete may lead to incipient cracking because of the expansion of
the air bubbles;
(j) transportation and prolonged vibration reduce the amount of
entrained air (hence, the air content should be determined on concrete
as placed).
Measurement of air content
There are three methods of measuring the total air content of fresh con
crete: gravimetric (ASTM C 138-01a); volumetric (ASTM C 173-01); and
pressure (ASTM C 231-04 and BS EN 12350-7: 2000). Since the entrained
air cannot be distinguished in these tests from the large bubbles of acci
dental air, it is important that the concrete be fully compacted.
289