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The three equations method
Bolomeya model for normal concrete mix design
A good mix design for concrete mixtures is considered as a milestone for the construction of any concrete member or structure meets eco-
nomical, service and durability requirements, as well as safety and efficiency throughout its life cycle. The objective of a mix design proce-
dure is to determine the quantities of the main components of concrete, namely; cement, aggregate, sand and water. Currently, there are
many international methods locally approved for mix designs, such as: the ACI method and the BS method, which are widely used in Libya
at research centers, universities, and concrete batch plants as well as precast concrete manufacturing plants (e.g.: prestressed concrete
beams, concrete columns and slabs, etc).
Hakim S. Abdelgader and Ali S. El-Baden,
Civil Engineering Department University of Tripoli, Tripoli, Libya
James M. Shilstone, Shilstone Companies, Plano, TX, USA
These methods depend on certain equations and graphs based on
mathematical analysis of results obtained from previous field expe-
rience. Generally speaking, mix design methods give some indica-
tion to the designer to validate and adjust them via experimental
mixes in the local laboratories in order to check the variables related
to the characteristics and properties of the local materials and the
surrounding environment conditions. This paper illustrates the steps
used for mix design using the three equations method, which is a so-
called Bolomeya method that is currently used in some research
centers in Poland and was recently applied in the laboratories of the
civil engineering department in the University of Tripoli in Libya.
Results obtained by this method using the local materials subject to
local environmental conditions are presented and discussed.
The wide spread of concrete usage in different engineering appli-
cations over the past four decades was accompanied by many
research studies. This has resulted in better understanding of the
composition and behavior of concrete, leading to comprehensive
developments in the field of concrete technology and quality con-
trol. Because the behavior of concrete, whether fresh or hardened,
depends basically on the behavior of its components and the relati-
onship between them, obtaining a concrete with certain properties
depends on the concrete mix design. Concrete mix design generally
includes two main steps:
1. Selection of the main components suitable for the concrete
(cement, aggregate, water, and additives);
2. Determination of more economical mix ratios to fulfill the
workability, strength and efficiency requirements.
Currently, there are many international methods locally approved
for mix designs. They are all related to each other, they give relatively
the same quantities of the mix components and they are all capable
of providing a good concrete mix (Neville 1981). It is important to
consider that these methods give approximate quantities which
should be checked by experimental mixes in order to obtain results
suitable for the requirements of the local environment and local
materials. The ACI and BS methods are the most commonly used.
Both of these methods depend on graphs and standard tables derived
from previous research experience and actual concrete production
as well as studies of the properties of the materials used (Neville
1987). Along with the aforementioned methods, there are many
other methods used for concrete mix design, such as The Three
Equations Method (Bolomeya Method), which will be illustrated in
detail in this paper, in addition to the assessment of the results of
concrete mixes produced by this method (Jamrozy 1999).
68 CPI Concrete Plant International 2 | 2012
CONCRETE TECHNOLOGY
The procedure of concrete mix design using the three
equations method
The procedure for using this method for concrete mix design is as
follows:
1. Determination of the compressive strength of the concrete mix
to be designed (field strength) [fc` (req.)];
2. Calculation of the concrete compressive strength in the labora-
tory [fc` (lab.)] using Eq.(1), taking into consideration that it is
more than the field strength by 30% on average
fc (lab.) = 1,3 * fc (req.) (1)
Notes: The ratio between the field strength and the laboratory
strength depends on many factors, such as accuracy of the equip-
ment, experience, size of the samples, etc.
3. Testing the degree of workability. This factor is determined in
the field or in the laboratory using methods such as Slump
Cone. The workability depends on many factors such as
density of reinforcement, maximum size of coarse aggregate,
casting and method of compaction, etc;
4. Determination of cement- water ratio (C/W) using Eq.(2a) and
Eq.(2b). Both equations are known as the first equation of
design, also known as the first Bolomeya Equation.
C/W = [(fc/A1) + 0.5] if (C/W) < 2.5 (2 a)
C/W = [(fc/A2) + 0.5] if (C/W) 2.5 (2 b)
Where: C/W is the cement- water ratio, fc` is the laboratory com-
pressive strength of concrete, A1 and A2 are variables depend on
size and shape of coarse aggregate used and the compressive
strength of cement.
Notes:
The values of variables A1 and A2 as calculated by Jamrozy
(1999) are determined using Table 1.
The value of A1 is substituted in Eq. (2a); if the result is less
than 2.5 then the value is obtained, and if the value is greater
than 2.5, then the C/W ratio is calculated by using Eq. (2b).
5. The required amount of water for the concrete mix (WTotal) is
calculated using Eq.(3), which is considered as the second
equation of design.
WTotal = C*(WC) + A*(WA) (3)
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CONCRETE TECHNOLOGY

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.

Table 1: The values of coefficient of A1 and A2

Compressive strength of cement (N/mm2)

Aggregate shape Variable A
32,5 42,5 52,5

Round A1 18,0 20,0 21,0

A2 12,0 13,0 14,5
Angular A1 20,0 22,0 24,0
A2 13,5 14,5 16,0

Where WTotal= quantity of water required
for the concrete mix (liter/m3); A= weight of
fine and coarse aggregate required for the
concrete mix (kg/m3); C= weight of cement
required for the concrete mix (kg/m3); Wc=
Water demand for cement; WA= Water
demand for aggregate (fine and coarse).
The required quantity of water depends on
the workability, type and size of coarse
aggregate, grading of fine and coarse
aggregate, separated and mixed, and is to
be calculated using special tables linking
between the grading of aggregate with the
absorption ratios, known as Bolomeya
tables as described in detail by
Jamrozy(1999), as shown in Table 2.
6. Calculating the volume of the compo-
nent materials of the mix using the
volume equation presented in Eq.(4),
which is known as the third equation of
design, as follows:

Table 2: Water index for aggregate and cement

Sieve size Workability

(mm) Very low Medium Very high
37/19 0,011* 0,013 0,016
19/14 0,014 0,016 0,022
14/10 0,017 0,020 0,027
10/5 0,022 0,026 0,034
5/2,36 0,028 0,032 0,044
2,36/1,18 0,037 0,043 0,058
1,18/0,6 0,050 0,058 0,077
0,6/0,3 0,072 0,084 0,112
0,3/0,15 0,104 0,122 0,131
0,15/0 0,205 0,239 0,296
W(Cement) 0,271 0,273 0,275

*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
Where: C = cement weight (kg/m3); W = water weight (kg/m3); A
= aggregate weight (kg/m3), c = specific gravity of cement; a =
specific gravity of aggregate.
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
design according to the specified conditions.
The experimental work
This part represents the design and production of a number of con-
crete mixes following the Three Equations Method and using the
local raw materials. This paper illustrates the results obtained from
production of four concrete mixes with design compressive strengths
of 15, 20, 25, and 30 N/mm2, where the water-cement ratio
(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
prepared and produced in the concrete laboratory at the Faculty of
Engineering - Tripoli University - by researches carried on by stu-
dents at the last year as a part of the academic requirements for
their B. Sc. in Civil Engineering (Abouda and Boshaheen 2007)
and (Ashour and Yosefee 2004).
Materials used in the concrete mix and quality control
Cement
The cement used was the ordinary portland cement supplied by
Zliten factory for cement (nearly 200 km east of Tripoli city), its pro-
perties were tested according to the British standard specifications
(BS 1991).
Coarse aggregate
The coarse aggregate used in the experiments was angular aggre-
gate with maximum size of 19 mm, imported from a quarry near
Tarhuna (about 60 km south of Tripoli city). Tests were carried out
to check the coarse aggregate suitability according to the British
standard specifications (BS 1992).
Fine aggregate
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
2 mm. Quality control tests were also conducted to check its pro-
perties according to the British standards (BS 882 1992).
Mixing water
Fresh, dirt-free water is used, with a percentage of total dissolved
salts not exceeding 2,000 particles per million as per Libyan stan-
dards (M.G.L. 294).
Samples
Standard cylinders of 150 mm diameter and 300 mm height are
used as samples to test the compressive strength and tensile strength
of concrete. A total of 72 samples were cast in average of 6 samples
per mix (15, 20, 25, and 30 N/mm2) and a total of 24 samples per
each degree of workability (very low, medium, and high).
Calculation of concrete mix components
The objective of a concrete mix design is to determine the weights
of the main components of a concrete mix according to certain
requirements, such as strength, workability, etc. In this paper, the
Three Equations Method (Bolomeya method) (Jamrozy, 1999) is
used for the mix design, which was previously illustrated. A numeri-
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CONCRETE TECHNOLOGY
(4) cal example for a mix design of concrete with a compressive
strength of 20 N/mm2 and low workability (slump = zero) is shown
here.
1. [fc` (lab.)] = 1.3 * [fc` (req.)]
fc` (lab.) = 1.3 * 20 = 26 MPa
2. Calculate the cement-water ratio (C/W) using the low work-
ability and knowing that the compressive strength of cement
is (32.5 N/mm2) and the aggregate shape is angular, so the
values of A1 and A2 from Table 1 are 20 and 13.5, respec-
tively. Substituting in equation (2a) we obtain:
C/W = [(26/20) + 0.5] = 1.8 (First equation of Design)
As the obtained value is less than 2.5, there is no need to use equa-
tion (2b).
3. Calculate the water quantity required for the mix knowing the
degree of workability, shape of aggregate, grading of the fine
and coarse aggregate using Sterna table (See Table 1 and
2), as follows:
Determine the amount of water absorbed by one kilogram of
cement (Wc) knowing the standard consistency of cement and
the workability, which is 0.271 in this example;
Knowing the grading of sand and aggregate and the percen-
tage of their mixture, prepare a table format as shown in Table
3 to obtain the amount of water absorbed by one kilogram of
coarse aggregate (WA), which is 0.0488 in this example:
W = 0.271 * C + 0.0488 * A (Second Equation of Design)
4. The Third Equation of Design is to be obtained by substituting
in the volume equation:
C/3.15 + A/2.65 + W = 1000 (Third Equation of Design)
Solving the three equations, we obtain the weights of the different
components of the concrete mix, as follows: Cement = 311.35 kg/m3,
Water = 177.91 kg/m3, Aggregate = 1916.67 kg/m3.
Table 4: shows the weights of the concrete mix components
Sample Curing
After casting, the samples are covered with a plastic film to avoid
evaporation and plastic shrinkage, and are to be left 24 hours in the
laboratory environment. Samples are to be marked to distinguish bet-
ween them and to be submerged in water at room temperature for
28 days then are to be tested for compressive and tensile strength.
Laboratory Tests
Slump Test
This test is used to determine the degree of workability of the con-
crete mix in order to watch the consistency of the concrete and
check the design workability according to the British Standards (BS
1881-Part 102 1992). Table 5 shows sample of results obtained
through this research.
Compressive Strength Test
In order to assure equilibrium distribution of loads on the cylindrical
sample surface, the surfaces were treated using sulphate according
to the American Standards ASTM C617-87 (ASTM 1990). The com-
pressive strength is calculated as the mean of three samples per
each mix (Neville 1987). For the range of the concrete grades,
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03a-Technik_42-79_en.qxp:Layout 1 14.03.2012
Table 3: Design of combined aggregate
Table 4: Weights of the concrete mix components
degree of workabilities, and sample types
used different correlation were investigated
as the following:
The effect of different degrees of
workability on the compressive
strength of concrete is shown in Fig. 1.
A typical relationships between w/c
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
found to be approximately 1.2 times
the cylinder strength. In reality the
effect of height to diameter ratio is
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very difficult to eliminate in a routine
test, and is not feasible for the range
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Fig. 4 shows a typical relation between de-
sign and computed compressive strength.
Linear relationships with reasonable corre-
lation coefficients were obtained.
Tensile strength test
The tensile strength is calculated by the
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mean of three samples per each mix, using
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03a-Technik_42-79_en.qxp:Layout 1
Table 5: Results of slump test, compressive strength and tensile strength of concrete mixes
versus w/c ratio is shown in Fig. 5 and nume-
rical values are summarized in Table 5.
Discussion
The results obtained from calculations car-
ried out for the concrete mix components
and quality control tests show that:
Fig. 1: Relationships between compressive strength and W/C ratio
for different workability
Fig. 2: Relationships between compressive strength and W/C ratio
72 CPI Concrete Plant International 2 | 2012
14.03.2012 10:49 Uhr Seite 72
CONCRETE TECHNOLOGY
3. This method efficiently meets the com-
pressive and tensile strength require-
ments.
Conclusions and recommendations
1. This method is considered as one of
the important introductions to the con-
crete mix design methods due to the
following advantages:
Introducing of the effect of water
demand by cement in the design
process;
Introducing of the effect of water
demand by fine and coarse aggregate
as well as the grading in the design.
2. In order to make this method more effi-
cient, it is recommended to carry out
1. The concrete mix component ratio more researches on tables to give the
obtained using this method is in com- quantities of water demand by the
pliance with those obtained by the cement and aggregate for the local
common design methods such as ACI raw materials similar to those used in
and BS methods; this method (Bolomeya).
2. The results of the slump test are rela-
tively less than by 5 to 10 in average
from the common limits of workability
at each degree of workability;
Fig. 3: Relationships between cube/cylinder compressive strength
Fig. 4: Relationships between computed compressive strength and
design compressive strength
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Fig. 5: Relationships between tensile strength and W/C ratio

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Literature

Abouda E. and Boshaheen T. (2007). Design of normal concrete mixes using three equations
method. B.Sc. Project, Civil engineering department, Tripoli University, Tripoli, Libya.
American Society of testing materials (1990). Capping cylindrical concrete specimens. C 617,
West Conshohocken, USA.
Ashour S. , and Yosefee M. (2004). How to design normal concrete mixes by using three
equations method. B.Sc. Project, Civil engineering department, Tripoli University, Tripoli,
Libya.
British Standard Institution (1991). Ordinary and rapid-hardening Portland cements. BS 12,
London, UK.
British Standard Institution (1992). Specification for aggregate from natural sources for con-
crete. BS 882, London, UK.
British Standard Institution (1992). Testing of hardened concrete. BS 1881, London, UK.
Jamrozy, Z. (1999). Technologia Betonu., Krakow, Poland, 60-102. (auf Polnisch).
Neville, A.M. (1981). Properties of concrete., Third edition, Pitman books limited, London,
UK, 779.
Neville, A.M. and Brooks, J.J. (1987). Concrete technology. , First edition, Longman scientific
and technical , London, UK, 438.

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