1. Explain the mechanism of action of water reducing admixture in concrete?

Explain the purposes of using water-reducing admixtures in concrete through a typical plot between
water content of the mix and flow table spread. Concrete with a w/c ratio of 0.5 has water content of
205 kg/m3. A dose of WRA 0.2% by mass of cement reduces the water requirement by 12% for the
same slump. If the slump of the original concrete was 25 mm, what is the increase in slump when the
strength is to remain unchanged? Assume any other data if required. Give examples of a) set retarders
b) water reducing and high range water reducing admixtures and give two example cases where set
retarders are used. 6
2. Explain how the compressive strength of concrete obtained through test under uni-axial load is
influenced by a) size of the specimen, b) shape of the specimen, c) end condition, and d) rate of loading?
8
3. Explain how does shear strength and viscosity of plastic concrete influence its workability? 6

1) What are the component properties of concrete which together defines the term workability? Define
these properties in terms of rheological properties of fresh concrete? Explain how volume fraction of coarse
aggregate and water content of concrete affects its workability? 5
2) Calculate the percentage change required in water content of a mix if slump is to be changed from
25 mm to 50 mm assuming all other ingredients and their proportions remaining same? Assume slump test
constant i=10 in the relevant formula. Compare slump test with compaction factor test and Vebe test?
5
3) Considering the failure mechanism of concrete, explain why concrete strength is strongly
influenced upon water cement ratio? 5
4) Draw diagram showing the stress failure criteria under biaxial stress for concrete? How strain at
discontinuity varies with mean normal stress under above condition, hence state the practical criteria for
failure adopted in practice? How value of coarse aggregate fraction affects the strain at discontinuity?
5

4) Draw diagrams to show what are the correct ways of discharging from a chute. What are
requirements of a pumpable concrete mix?

7) For a concrete of 95% characteristic strength (cube strength for IS and BS; and cylinder strength
for ACI) of 30MPa, explain how will you calculate the water cement ratio using IS, BS and ACI method of
mix design?
1.a) Explain with figures, how w/c ratio and slump of concrete affect the flow resistance of concrete
while pumping? What is saturation? On what factors, maximum possible pumping distance of concrete in
its saturated and unsaturated state depends? State the effects of pumping on the concrete properties? 7

2a) What is the target mean strength for M25 Concrete as per Indian Standard. Assume the required
water/cement ratio as 0.45, estimated fine content computed from IS tables etc is 30.8% and water content
is 186kg/m3. Assume the air content for m.s.a 20 mm is 2% and any other missing data suitably to calculate
the mix proportions?

b) Give a diagram showing the general pattern of relationship between workability tests namely;
slump, C.F and Vebe tests, hence explain what workability test, would you choose for a relatively very dry,
moderately dry and relatively wet concrete?

1.
a) Given that the aggregate and the cement are same, which material factor affects the strength of
concrete most? Justify your answer. 6
b) Explain how specimen size, end condition, rate of loading and specimen shape affects the strength
of concrete in test. 4
2.
Everything else remaining same, approximately how much increase in water content will result in
a) 10 % improvement in slump? b) 10 % improvement in compaction factor.
5
3.
Explain the mechanism of segregation in concrete, how can test for segregation in concrete, state
the measures you can take to reduce the segregation. 5

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1. Design a concrete mix for M35 grade of concrete for a concrete exposed to severe condition and
medium degree of workability using British mix design method (DOE method). Relevant tables and chart
will be supplied on request. Assume any other data if required.

7) What do you understand by pump-able concrete? How will you ensure that a mix is pump-able?
For a saturated concrete find the maximum pump-able distance given the following data?
Pumping pressure at pump end=35 kg/cm2, Internal diameter of the pipe = 15cm and Flow resistance per
unit area of the pipe = 3.510-3 kg/cm2

1. What is pozzolanic reaction? What is meant by activation of granulated blast furnace slag (gbfs)? Three
cements (I) OPC 43 grade (ii) a cement prepared by inter-grinding OPC clinker with 20 % fly ash and a
Blain’s fineness of 400 m2/kg, and, (iii) a cement prepared by inter-grinding OPC clinker with 40 % gbfs
and a Blain’s fineness of 400 m2/kg are available to you. Compare their setting characteristics, 3,7, 28 days
and 3 years strength (relative comparison, absolute values are not required) and long term durability. What
would be the likely components in their microstructure after six years if all are adequately cured, give a
comparison? What would the implication of Justify your answer in all cases.

1. What property of concrete is effected most by aggregate grading. Explain why aggregate grading based
on minimum void content or minimum specific surface, do not always give the best results as far as their
use in concrete is concerned?
5
2. For a concrete mix the water content required for a concrete mix was estimated to be 205 kg/m3 for a
slump of 50mm and Compaction factor of 0.9. What would be the slump and Compaction factor if the water
content was changed to 225 kg/m3? Given that the cement content of the mix is 350 kg/m3. Draw a figure
showing the relationship between slump, Compaction factor and Vee-Bee time.
4
3. Explain the strength water/cement ratio relationship of cement based material from the concept of
Griffith’s theory
5
4. Explain why is it necessary to standardize the (I) End condition, (ii) Size and shape of specimen and (iii)
Rate of loading and moisture condition while testing for strength of concrete?

1. For a concrete mix, of grade M30 estimate the approximate w/c ratio exposed to a condition where
maximum w/c ratio specified is o.5. A trial mix of cast with 0.5 w/c and it was observed that the mix was
cohesive with slump of 25 mm and 28 days standard cube strength of 35 MPa. OPC is the cement used with
crushed coarse aggregate with m.s.a 20 mm and natural-river sand belonging to a grading zone 2 as per
relevant standard. It is expected that the quality control at the site will be good. The desired slump is 50
mm. Estimate the approximate water content of the mix. The relative density of the combined aggregate is
2.7, what is the approximate total aggregate content of the mix? What are the estimated coarse and fine
aggregate contents of the mix? Water absorption for SSD conditions are nil and 1% respectively for coarse
and fine aggregates. In actual site trial the moisture content of the coarse aggregate and fine aggregates are
1% and 2% respectively. What is the adjusted water content of the mix? If slump observed for above trial
was 45 mm what are the mix proportions would you suggest for the next trial? Relevant tables and chart
will be supplied on request. Assume any other data if required.

3) Explain the mechanism of action of water reducing admixture in concrete? Explain the purposes of using
water-reducing admixtures in concrete through a typical plot between water content of the mix and flow
table spread. Concrete with a w/c ratio of 0.5 and water content of 205 kg/m3 exhibited 28 days standard
cube strength of 40 MPa. A dose of WRA 0.2% by mass of cement reduces the water requirement by 12%
for the same slump or increases the equivalent water content by 10%. If the slump of the original concrete
was 25 mm, what is the maximum strength that can be obtained with 25 mm slump using the admixture?
What is the increase in slump when the strength is to remain unchanged? If the cost of cement is 150/50kg
bag what is the maximum cost of admixture/kg which will justify its use for same strength and same
workability. Relevant tables and chart will be supplied on request. Assume any other data if required. Give
examples of a) set retarders b) water reducing and high range water reducing admixtures and give two
example cases where set retarders are used,

4)a) Draw diagrams to show what are the correct ways of discharging from a chute. Explain what you
understand by ready mix concrete? Explain how uniformity of such concrete can be tested?

6b) Give a diagram showing the general pattern of relationship between workability tests namely;
slump, C.F and Vebe tests, hence explain what workability test, would you choose for a relatively very dry
moderately dry and relatively wet concrete? Explain why and how water content and grading of aggregate
affect the workability of concrete
6½
1.
a) Given that the aggregate and the cement are same, which material factor affects the strength of
concrete most? Justify your answer. 6
b) Explain how specimen size, end condition, rate of loading and specimen shape affects the strength
of concrete in test. 4
2. Explain how Sulphate attack on concrete differs from sea water attack? Explain the mechanism of
reinforcement corrosion. Explain with reasons, when i.e. in what states of concrete, corrosion of rebar can
occur? 10

4. Give a diagram showing the general pattern of relationship between workability tests namely;
slump, C.F and Vebe tests, hence explain what workability test, would you choose for a relatively very dry
moderately dry and relatively wet concrete? 5

1. What is the target mean strength for M30 Concrete as per Indian Standard (SD=5). Assume the required
water/cement ratio as 0.4 fine content computed from IS tables etc is 30.8% and water content is 186kg/m3
after adjustments. Assume the air content for m.s.a 20 mm is 2%, specific gravities of coarse aggregate,
fine aggregate and cement are 2.6, 2.7 and 3.15 respectively. Any other missing data can be assumed
suitably. Obtain the mix proportions? 8

3. What are parameters on which viscosity of paste is related? Define basic water content? Explain role of
paste on workability of concrete?