Concrete Mix Design

CONCRETE mix design is very important stage in building a structure as in Civil engineering.
Strength of a structure prettily depends on it. This is the method to find out the ratio between
concrete contents. There are many Formulas to calculate this cause of different environmental
factors. Here we discuss about concrete mix design according to ACI 211.1-98. By the rules of
ACI 211.1-98 there are seven steps to compute the ratio. These steps are narrated briefly in
below.

Step#1- Choice of slump : If slump is not specified, then according to ACI 211.1-98 the slump
given in the following table could be use on the basis of various types of constructions.
Types of Constructions

Slump(inch)
Maximum
Minimum
4
1

Beams and Reinforced

walls
Building columns

Slump(mm)
Maximum
Minimum
100
25

100

25

Pavement and slabs

75

25

Reinforce foundations,
Walls and footings
Plain footings, Caissons,
and sub-structure walls
Mass Concrete

75

25

75

25

75

25

Table : 1

Step#2-choice of maximum size of Coarse aggregate : In a construction work coarse aggregate

should be largest nominal size of well-graded aggregate which has the less extent of voids and
thats why needs less mortar per volume. And must be it is economically stable. The size of
1
aggregate should be maximum nominal size exceed of the narrowest dimension between side
1

of forms, the depth of neither slabs, nor of minimum clear spacing between individual
3
4
reinforcing bars. In general the maximum size aggregate has kept to a minimum at half inch or
3
12.7 milli-meter(mm) and inch(19mm) or 1 inch(25.4mm) as a maximum has been used.
4

Step#3- Estimation of mixing water and air content : The amount of water in a concrete
mixture depends on specification of aggregate used to make a required slump. It also affected
by amount of entrained air content. Actually water amount is not so involve with the
cementitious materials. It is greatly affected by texture, shape, nominal size and grade of
aggregate. A table has been given below which shows approximate mixing water & air content
requirements for various slumps and nominal size.

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Water in lb/yd3 (kg/m3) for the following aggregate size

Slump in inch(mm)

38 in (9.5mm)

12 in (12.5 mm)

34 in (19.5 mm)

1 in (25.4 mm)

1 to 2 (25 to 50)

350(207 )

335(199 )

315(190 )

300(179 )

3 to 4 (75 to 100)

385(228 )

365(216 )

340(205 )

325(193 )

5 to 6 (125 to 150)

400(235 )

375(220 )

350(207 )

335(199 )

2.5

1.5

Approximate amount
of entrapped air in
non-air entrained
concrete, percent

Table : 2

Step#4- Selection of water-cement(W-C) or water-cementitious materials ratio : In general

only the strength is the considerable factors to determine W-C ratio, but actually there are
more factors are have to calculate the W-C ratio. Such as durability and finishing properties of
concrete, characteristics of aggregates, cement types etc. In an average composition 25% water
by mass is needed to make a chemical reaction with cementitious materials. And in addition
more a amount of water is necessary to fill the gel pores. In a general belief W-C ratio should
not be less than 0.40 for the process of the hydration. It is highly desirable to have relationship
between strength and W-C ratio. The table given below shows an approximate relationship
between W-C and compressive strength at 28 days for Type-1 cement.
Compressive strength at 28 days, Psi (Mpa)

W-C ratio by weight

(Non-air-entrained concrete)
0.41
0.48
0.57
0.68
0.82

6000 (41)
5000 (35)
4000 (28)
3000 (21)
2000 (14)

Table : 3
*Usually a bigger strength is consider then the required

strength.

If the structure placed in severe exposure condition, then the maximum water-cement ration
would be choose from the table below :
Structure Type
Thin section [Railing, curbs, sills,
ledges] and sections having cover
less then 25mm thickness.
All other Structure

Continuously wet structure expose

to frequent freezing and thawing.
0.45

0.50

Structure expose to sea water or

sulphates.
0.40

0.45

Table : 4

Step#5- Calculation of cement content : The amount of the cement content can be found from
the step#3 & step#4. First its need to pick the exact amount of water from the table in step#3
according to given slump and aggregate size and then the amount of cement will found by this
formula,
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= W-C ratio

Step#6- Estimation of course aggregate content : Aggregate of essentially the same nominal
maximum size and grading will produce concrete of satisfactory workability when a given
volume of course aggregate, on a dry, loose basis, is used per unit volume of concrete. The
volume of aggregate in unit volume of concrete depends only on its nominal maximum size and
fineness modulus. This can be found from this formula,
Weight of C.A. = Bulk volume * Unit weight
= (

2.68
[.]

) * Unit weight

Here 2.68 is the specific gravity of a known reference oven-dry-rodded course aggregate and its
volume per m3 can be found from the following table:
Nominal aggregate size,
mm (inch)

9 (38)
14 (12)
20 (34)
25.4 (1)
1

40 (1 2)
1

56 (24)
80 (3)
150 (6)

Volume of oven-dry-rodded C.A. per m3 of concrete for different fineness moduli of

F.A.
2.40
2.60
2.80
3.00
0.50
0.59
0.66
0.71
0.75

0.48
0.57
0.64
0.69
0.73

0.46
0.55
0.62
0.67
0.71

0.44
0.53
0.60
0.65
0.69

0.78

0.76

0.74

0.72

0.82
0.87

0.80
0.85

0.78
0.83

0.76
0.81

Table : 5

Step#7- Estimation of Fine aggregate Content : When Water, Cement, Course aggregate are
found particularly it is easy to get the volume of Fine aggregate. If it is considered that the total
construction work is 1 m3 than subtracting the amount of water, cement, C.A. in 1 m3 from 1 will
gives the volume of F.A. But before that all volumes are recommended to convert into m3

Step#8- Adjustment for aggregate moisture : Aggregate in environment are in different

condition, such as, so dried or fully saturated. Dried aggregates absorb water and Saturated
aggregate supply water into mixture. So the amount of water in mixture is slightly depends on
it. And it is important to adjustment the Moisture & absorption capacity of aggregates to get
the perfect consistence in concrete mixture. In general percent of Moisture added and percent
of Absorption capacity subtracted from the obtained volume of water and C.A & F.A .
After obtaining each materials volume these are expressed in ratio, As like below :
Water : Cement : C.A. : F.A.
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** All amount in ratio are volume.

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Problem : Concrete is required for an exterior column located above ground where moderate
freezing and thawing may occurred. Design a concrete mix with ordinary Portland cement to
compressive strength of 5000 psi after 28 days by the ACI method from the following data :
Maximum size of aggregate = 1 inch, Slump of the concrete : 1~2 inch.
Cement : Specific gravity 3.15.
Coarse aggregate : Dry-rodded unit weight = 105 lb/ft3 , Bulk specific gravity(SSD) = 2.65,
Absorption Capacity = 4.3%, Surface moisture = 1%.
Fine aggregate : Bulk specific gravity = 2.60, Fineness Modulus = 2.80, Absorption Capacity =
1.42 %, Surface moisture = 1.57%.

Solution : This problem will be solved by those steps discussed before.

Step#1- Choice of slump : This step will find out slump of concrete. As the slump is given on
problem, so we dont need to look over on table-1. Here we directly put this value.
Slump = 1~2 in.
Step#2-choice of maximum size of Coarse aggregate : This value also given,
Maximum size C.A. = 1 in.
Step#3- Estimation of mixing water and air content : In this step we have find out the amount
of water and air content with the help of table-2. By the value from step#1 & 2, we get that :
Water = 179 kg/m3
Air = 1.5%.
** taking MKS values for further convenience.
Step#4- Selection of water-cement(W/C) ratio: The value of W/C can be found from table-3.
By table-3 for the concrete with compressive strength of 5000 required water-cement ratio is
0.48. And here a noticeable thing is, in the its been said that freezing and thawing may occurred
in structure. Now we look over to the table 4 for maximum W/C ratio for this condition. By the
table-4 we get that for freezing and thawing condition the maximum W/C ratio is 0.50. So ,
Water-cement ratio = 0.48 < 0.50 :: Accepted.
But a little problem here. If we target to gain 5000 psi, and calculate with all values related to
5000 psi then we may be never able to reach target. Because, if there is a little deviation in civil
work we lose target. So to be safe and to get intended result, work with bigger value than
target. To gain 5000 psi concrete it is safe to work with value relating to 6000 psi. Hence ,
Water-cement ratio = 0.41 < 0.50 :: Accepted.
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Step#5- Calculation of cement content : We Have W/C ratio, amount of water and a formula
from step#5. Hence,
Cement = 436.58 kg/m3

Step#6- Estimation of course aggregate content : With the help of table-5, According to given
data,
Weight of C.A. = ( 0.67

2.68
2.65

) * 105 *

0.45359
(0.3048)3

[Converted to MKS]

= 1141.5 kg/m3
Step#7- Estimation of Fine aggregate Content : We found the amount of all constituents of
concrete except Fine aggregate. Let total work of 1 m3 .
Here, Air content = 1 *
C.A.

Cement

Water

1.50
100

1 1141.5
2.651000
1436.58
3.151000
1179
1000

= 0.015 m3
= 0.4307 m3
= 0.1386 m3
= 0.179 m3
Total = 0.7633 m3

So, Amount of F.A. = (1 0.7633) = 0.2367 m3

Weight of F.A. = 0.2367 * 2.60 * 1000 = 615.5 kg/ m3.
Step#8- Adjustment for aggregate moisture : Moisture adjustment will be performed according
to given data,
Water = 179 + 1141.5 * 0.01 + 615.5 * .0157 1141.5 * 0.043 615.5 * 0.0142 = 142.3 kg.
[surface moisture +ve and Absorption ve ]
C.A. = 1141.5 + 11141.5 * 0.01 = 1151 kg.
F.A. = 615.5 + 615.5 * 0.0157 = 625.5 kg.
Mix ratio = Water : Cement : F.A. : C.A. = 179 : 436.58 : 615.5 : 1141.5
** This ratio could be more simplified by dividing all by the smallest value.

This note is written with help of Concrete Technology by ML gambhir .

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