UNIT 2

CONCRETE MIX DESIGN

Mix design:
It is defined as the process of selecting a suitable ingredients of concrete and
determining their relative proportions with the objective of producing concrete of
certain minimum strength and durability as economical as possible.
Purpose / objective:
1. To achieve stipulated minimum strength
2. To make concrete in most economical manner.
Methods of calculating mix design:
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2.
3.
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6.
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10.

IS method
ACL committee method
Grading C curve method (road note No.4 method )
IRC 44 method
Arbitrary proportion
Maximum density method
Fineness modulus method
Surface area method
Design based on flexural strength
High strength concrete mix design

Variables in proportioning mix design:

1. w/c ratio
2. cement content /cement aggregate ratio
3. gradation of aggregate
1. IS method:

High strength & medium strength concrete.

Target strength for mix design:

Target average mean compressive strength @ 28 days is given by,
F ck =FCK + ts
F ck target avg. compressive strength@ 28 days
FCK characteristic compressive strength @ 28 days
S standard deviation for each grade of concrete (table 1) of IS 456 : 1978
T statistical value depending on the expected proportion of low result ( risk factor)
table : 2
F ck =FCK +1.65 S

2.Selection of w/c ratio:

w/c ratio selected is checked with limiting value .(fig 1& 2)
w/c ratio for durability requirement (table)
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Lower value is adapted

3.Estimation of entrapped air :

From table 3 for normal max size of aggregate used .
4.Selection of water content & fine aggregate to total aggregate ratio :
Water content & %of sand of total aggregate by absolute volume are determined
from table :4 for medium ( below M35) & high ( above M35 )
Adjustment of values in water content & sand % for other conditions :
Calculation of cement content :
Calculated from w/c ratio & quantity of water per unit volume of concrete values
can be checked with minimum cement content for requirement of durability
-

Grater of two values to be adopted calculations of Aggregate Content :

V = [w+Ca/Sc+1/f* Fa/sFa]* 1/1000

Ca 1-p/p *Fa * sCa/sFa

V= absolute volume of fresh concrete (equal to gross volume .cm3 ) minus volume
of entrapped air
W = mass of water (kg/cm3 ) of concrete
Ca = mass of cement (kg/m3 )
Sc = sp. Gravity of cement
P = ratio of Fa to total agg. By absolute volume
Fa, Ca = total mass of FA to CA (kg/m3 )of concrete
sFa , sCa = sp. Gravity of FA & CA
Design m20 grade concrete :
a) Design stipulation
1. Characteristics compressive strength required is field @ 28 days =200 kg/
cm2
2. Maximum size of aggregate =20mm ( angular) =20 N/mm2
3. Degree of workability = 0.9 compacting factor

4.
5.
b)
1.
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3.
4.
5.
6.

Degree of quantity control = good

Type of exposure
Test data
Spe . gravity of cement =3.15
Compressive strength of cement @ T days to be satisfied by IS 269 1976
requirement
Specific gravity of course agg. =2.6
Specific gravity of fine agg =2.6
Water absorption :
Course agg = 0.5%
Fine agg =1.0%
Free surface moisture
CA = nil
,
fine agg = 2.0%
Solution :
Step 1: target strength for mix design :
Fck =FCK +1.65 S
= 20+1.654.6
= 27.59 N/mm2
Step 2: selection of w/c ratio:
Form fig (1).
w/c ratio is 0.50
std value w/c ratio : 0.65
w/c ratio :0.50
Step 3:estimation of air content table 3
exten :2%
Step 4: selection of water and sand content :
from table (4)
for 20mm size :
water content
:
sand content
186 kg
35%
Step 5: adjustment of values ;
Required sand content as % of total agg by absolute volume (from table 4)
=35 - 4.5 = 30.5%
Required water content :186+ [1863/100]
=191.6 l/m3
Step 6: determination of cement content:
Water cement ratio = 0.50
Water =191.6 l
Cement =[196.6/0.5] = 383.2 kg/m3
Step 7: determination of coarse & fine aggregate :
V = [w+c/sc+1/pFa /sFa]1/100
V = 1-[2/100] = 0.98
W = 191.6 l/m3
C = 383.2 kg/m3
Sc = 3.15
P = 30.5% = 0.305
Fa = ?
sFa = 2.60
0.98= [191.6+(383.2/3.15)+(1/0.305)fa/2.60]1/1000
0.98 = [316.425fa/2.60]1/1000
Fa = 548 kg/m3
To find c:

V = [w+(c/Sc)+(1/1-p)Ca/SCa]1/1000
0.98 = [191.6+(383.2/3.15)+(1/1-0.305)Ca/2.6]1/1000
Ca = 1204.9 kg/m3

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Mix proportion :
Design M25 grade concrete:
Max size = 40mm
Degree of workability = 0.95 compacting factor
Degree of quality control good mild
Type of exposure
Sp. Of F.A 2.65
Sp.of C.A = 2.7
Zone iv

Step 1:
Target strength for mix design :
Fck = FCK + 1.65 S
Fck = 25 +1.65 5.3
Fck = 33.745 N/mm2
Step2:
Selection of w/c ratio:
From fig :
w/c ratio 0.45
std value of w/c ratio = 0.65
w/c ratio 0.45
Step 3:
Estimation of air content :
From the table 3:
For 40 mm size , the air content = 1%
Step 4:
Selection of water and sand content :
From table(4)
Step 5:

Adjustment of values :
Absolute volume = 30- 7 =23
Required water content= 165+(1654.5/100) = 172.425 l/m3
Step 6:
Determination of cement content :
w/c ratio = 0.45
water = 172.425
cement = 172.425/0.45 = 383.16 kg/m3
Step 7:
Determination of course & fine aggregate
V = [w+(c/Sc)+(1/p)+(Fa/sFa)]1/1000
0.99 = [172.425+(383.16/3.15)+(1/23)(Fa/2.05)]1/1000
990 = [172.425+121.63+(1/0.23)Fa/2.65]
695.945 = 1/0.6095 Fa
695.945 = 1.640 Fa
Fa = 424.356
V= [w+(c/Sc)+(1/1-po)Ca/sCa]1/1000
0.99 = [172.425+(383.16/3.15)+(1/0.77Ca/2.7)]1/1000
990 = [294.06+(0.481 Ca)]
695.94 = 0.481 Ca
1446.86 = Ca