Autumn 2020 Subject 48352 Construction Materials

Assignment Task 2: Concrete Mix Design Project

Name: Ankit Neupane

Student number: 13768890

Table of contents

1.0 Introduction……………………………………………………………………………………..3

2.0 Concrete mix Design…………………………………………………………………………..3-9

3.0 Mixing components to produce concrete…………………………………………….9

3.1 Fly Ash……………………………………………………………………………....9

3.3 Slag Cement………………………………………………………………………....10

4.0 Material Specification………………………………………………………………...10

4.1 Curing Method, Time and Temperature…………………………………………...10

4.2 Mixing the ConcreteTemperature…………………………………………………11

4.3 Delay Time…………………………………………………………………………....11

4.4 Additional Conditions………………………………………………………………...11

5.0 Methods of increasing Durability in Concrete ( Methods of

Improvement)..........11
5.1 Steam Curing……………………………………………………………………….11-13

6.0 Chemical attacks on the concrete and prevention………………………………….13

6.1 Sulphate attack……………………………………………………………………...13

6.1.1 External sulphate attack……………………………………………..13,14

6.1.2 Internal sulphateattack………………………………………………………...14

6.2 ASR (alkali silica reaction) ……………………………………………………….14

6.3 Chloride ion penetration in steels……………………………………………………14

7.0 Slump………………………………………………………………………………….14-15

8.0 References ……………………………………………………………………………….15-16

1.0 Introduction

Sydney Metro has selected concrete as the material for the construction of metro tunnels In North West
Sydney. This tunnel will facilitate the operation of driverless trains in the area. This report provides an
analysis of two types of Concrete mixes: Fly Ash and Slag Cement for the design process of the project.
The concrete needs to have a characteristic compressive strength of 55 MPa. The mix design is required
to have a minimum slump of 130 mm. The precast products are steam cured. The curing method and
achievement of required slump is provided. The proportion of all ingredients is per m^3 of the concrete.
The cross section of the tunnel is 2.975 m and 3.54 m, respectively, with both circular and horizontal
reinforcements. The external layer of the tunnel contains a 50mm thick shotcrete layer.

This report will also contain methods of reduction in deterioration of concrete over time as coastal
conditions can significantly reduce the life expectancy of concrete.

2.0 Concrete Mix Design

There are several types of methods for concrete Mixture. For this project the “British Method''
or also referred as the “DOE Method “ is chosen. British Method recognises the demands of
mix selection for durability. The concept refers to standard weight concrete built using only
Portland Cement or Blast furnace slag / fly ash (Shetty,

2019). The british method follows a 5 step process to determine the mix selection. The steps
include determination of free water/cement ratio in relation to compressive strength,
determination of water content, determination of Cement content, determination of Total
aggregate content and determination of fine and coarse aggregate content. Few criterias are to
be met for the successful completion of the project. Those are:

i) The minimum slump allowed is 130 mm.

ii) The concrete needs to have a characteristic compressive strength of 55 MPa.

iii) The design of the cement should consist of either Fly Ash or Slag cement.

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Figure 0.1 Cements and compressive strength comparisons ( Neville & Brooks, 2010).

It was specified that a similar structure constructed 50 years ago showed signs of deterioration
maybe due to sulfate attacks, chloride ion penetration or alkali silica reaction (ASR) due to its
location in a coastal area. Therefore, Sulphate resisting Portland Cement (SRPC) is chosen.
SRPC was chosen because it maintains the structural integrity and efficiency of the concrete,
when exposed to sulphate or acidic environments. It also increases the workability of the
concrete as well as improves the strength of the concrete ( Talero et al, 2017).

The sulphate resisting portland cement is set for 91 days to achieve the required compressive strength
of 55 MPa.
Figure 0.2 ratio of compressive strength and w/c ratio ( Neville & Brooks, 2010).

The 91 days compressive strength for SRPC with water/cement ratio is 0.5 at 56 MPa. The 0.5
standard value is used to determine the w/c ratio required to achieve 55 MPa of required
compressive strength. Following the graph( Fig 0.2), an approximation of 0.475 of the
water/cement ratio was calculated to achieve 55 MPa of compressive strength.

Figure 0.3 Values for types of Aggregate ( Neville & Brooks, 2010).
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The maximum aggregate size of 20 mm is chosen. The use of 20 mm aggregate has the potential
to increase workability. Also, uncrushed aggregate was chosen. This was chosen because
uncrushed aggregate has the capability to to achieve higher compressive strength and
workability in comparison to crushed aggregate ( Muneeb et al, 2018). These features can
increase the lifespan of the concrete while increasing its resistance to deterioration. The water
requirement is also much less with uncrushed aggregate compared to crushed aggregate. Since
the required minimum slump is 130 mm, water content was chosen at 195 kg/m^3.

Two mixes are used: Fly ash cement (Mix 1 ) and Slag cement(Mix 2). Mix 1 is Fly Ash
substitutes 30% of Portland Cement compared to Mix 2 where it uses slag to substitute cement
by 60%. Because of the Fly Ash properties, the rise in water absorption is 8 percent compared
to the slag's 5 per cent. Using this data the water content for Mix 1 and 179.4 kg / m^3 for Mix
2 is then changed to 185.25 kg / m^3. Then you need to measure the Cement value for the
mixes which is done below.

Where,

C= Cement content

W= Water content

P= Percentage of aggregate that is replaces

● Cement weight for Mix 1 (Fly ASH) C=

(1-0.3)* 195/(1-0.7*0.3)* 0.475 Therefore,

Cement content for Fly ash is C= 363.75 kg/m^3

● Cement weight for Mix 2 ( Slag Cement) C=

(1-0.6)* 195/(1-0.7*0.6)* 0.475

Therefore,
Cement content for Slag cement is C= 283.12 kg/m^3

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The next process involves calculating Wet density for both of the mixes. Since, we are using
uncrushed aggregates a relative density of combined aggregate is 2.6. The graph below shows
the met density for both of the mixes.

Fig 0. 4 Graph showing wet density and free water content ( Neville & Brooks, 2010).

Wet density (Mix 1)= 2375 kg/m^3

Wet density (Mix 2)= 2369 kg/m^3

Since, we have calculated the wet density of both mixes, we can calculate the total
aggregate content for each mix.

The formula for to calculate Total aggregate is

Aggregate total= D-C-W

Where,

D= Wet density of concrete

C= Cement Content

W= Free water Content

Total Aggregate (Fly Ash)=2375-363.75-195= 1816.25 kg/m^3

Total Aggregate (Slag)= 2369-283.12-195= 1890.88 kg/m^3

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 Fly iAsh Value i(kg/m^3) Slag Value i(kg/m^3)

Wet idensity 2375 Wet idensity 2369

Cement icontent 363.75 Cement icontent 283.12
Total iaggregate 1816.25 Total iaggregate 1890.88
Table 0.1 Values for Mixes 1 and 2

Lastly, we can calculate the amount of fine aggregate and coarse aggregate in both of the
mixes.

Figure:0.5 Relation between fine aggregate and w/c ratio ( Shetty, 2019).

From the graph above we have calculated the fine aggregate percentage which is 33%. Now,
we can find the volume of fine aggregate and coarse aggregate in both of the mixes

Mix 1( Fly Ash) Fine Aggregate = 1816.25*0.33 = 599.36 kg/m^3 Coarse

Aggregate (Mix 1)= 1816.25-599.36= 1216.9 kg/m^3

Mix 2 ( Slag) Fine Aggregate = 1890.88* 0.33 = 623.99 kg/m^3 Coarse

Aggregate= 1890.88- 623.99= 1266.88 kg/m^3

Fly iAsh Values i(kg/m^3) Slag Values i(kg/m^3)

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 Fine iAggregate 599. Fine iAggregate 623.99
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Coarse iAggregate 1216 Coarse iAggregate 1266.88

.9

Cement iweight 263. Cement iweight 283.12

75

Free iwater icontent 179. Free iwater icontent 185

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Final idensity 2375 Final idensity 2369

Table 0. 2 valu for Mixes 1 and 2

Additional es

3.0 Mixing components to produce concrete

3.1 Fly Ash

Fly ash is used in the mixing of the concrete for this project. There are many advantages to
using Fly ash. Fly ash can reduce the water content which may improve workability of the
concrete. The decreased water content in combination with several cementitious compounds
can reduce the permeability which increases the durability of the concrete and may also be able
to decrease the effect of sulphate or acid attacks (FHWA, 2020). The addition of Fly ash can
create a pozzolanic reaction to generate calcium silicate hydrate binder(C-S-H). This addition
can prevent the discharge of calcium hydroxide which is essential for the strength of the
concrete (FHWA, 2020).

To produce Fly ash induced concrete which meets the slump requirement of 130 mm,
ingredients should be mixed appropriately. The table below shows the proportion of the
ingredients to produce this type of concrete. This mixture of Fly ash is at 30%

Ingredients Proportion i%

Aggregates 67.6
Fly iAsh icement 24.4
Water i 8
Table 0. 3 Ratio of in concrete induced with Fly Ash
ingredients
3.2 Slag Cement

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The use of slag cement has demonstrated long-term efficiency improvements that enable
designers to reduce the concrete's environmental footprint while maintaining enhanced
performance and increased durability ( SCA, 2020). Slag cement produces similar properties to
that mentioned in Fly ash cement. It improves the workability due to the reduced water content.
Just like Fly ash cement, decreased water content in combination with several cementitious
compounds can reduce the permeability which increases the durability of the concrete and may
also be able to decrease the effect of sulphate or acid attacks. Since Slag cement is a by-product
of iron production, no further process needs to be performed to produce it, reducing its
environmental impact ( SCA, 2020).

To produce Slag Cement induced concrete which meets the slump requirement of 130 mm,
ingredients should be mixed appropriately. The table below shows the proportion of the
ingredients to produce this type of concrete. The mixture of Slag cement is at 60%.

Ingredients Proportion i%

Aggregates 65.9
slag icement 25.6
Water i 8.5
Table 0.4 Ratio of in concrete induced by slag cement
ingredients

4.0 Material Specification

The following Specifications are provided in relation to the information provided on the project.
These specifications contain components to make sure the concrete tunnel is stable and durable.

4.1 Curing Method, Time and Temperature

Steam curing is chosen because of its increased compressive properties. Studies has shown
upto 15-30 MPa gain in compressive strength through 24 hours of curing (Jankovic, 2019) .
This process incorporates exposing the concrete to water vapour at high atmospheric pressures.
Steam curing should be performed approximately 2-4 hours after the final spin layout of the
concrete. The temperature should be between 57 and 74 degrees Celsius for at least 18 hours
( Bahadori, 2015). This method can be beneficial in preventing the concrete against
atmospheric conditions.

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4.2 Mixing the Concrete

The concrete must be mixed appropriately as specified. The water must not be poured all at once
but poured constantly throughout the mixing process to maintain workability.

4.3 Delay time

The recommended time for the delay process is between 2 to 6 hours. This is because a shorter
delay time can increase the early strength of the concrete. In a combination with steam curing,
the strength gain will continue to increase even after the elapsed 6 hours.

4.4 Additional conditions

The concrete should not be exposed to high temperatures or direct sunlight. This is because
high temperatures may cause the water content to evaporate too quickly which may ruin the
water/cement ratio. The drying concrete should also be protected from winds because winds
may contaminate the concrete by exposing it to impurities.

5.0 Methods of increasing Durability in Concrete ( Methods of Improvement)

5.1 Steam Curing

Steam curing is chosen because of its increased compressive properties. Studies has shown
upto 15-30 MPa gain in compressive strength through 24 hours of curing (Jankovic, 2019) .
This process incorporates exposing the concrete to water vapour at high atmospheric pressures.
Steam curing should be performed approximately 2-4 hours after the final spin layout of the
concrete. The temperature should be between 57 and 74 degrees Celsius for at least 18 hours
( Bahadori, 2015). This method can be beneficial in preventing the concrete against
atmospheric conditions.

The process of steam curing is done in 4 stages. The stages include initial delay time,
temperature exposure, sustenance of high temperatures and cooling.

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Fig 0.6 Aging of concrete over time and its relation to compressive strength ( Cement Concrete
& Aggregates Australia, 2006).

Fig 0. 6 Shows the relation between the strength of concrete over time. The graph shows that
compressive strength increases linearly and peaks at 180 days. This significant increase in
strength can bolster the life expectancy of the material ( Cement Concrete & Aggregates
Australia, 2006). Steam curing reduces porosity in the concrete which can protect the concrete
against sulphate attacks and other impurities. Figure 0.7 Shows the effects of steam curing on
the porosity of the cement.

Figure 0.7 Graph showing amount of permeability over time through steam curing ( Cement
Concrete & Aggregates Australia, 2006).
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However, steam curing needs to be performed according to the guidelines and compressive
strength required. If concrete dries too quickly it goes through considerable aging and dry
shrinkage. It is important to maintain moisture loss during the whole curing process. Failure
to do so, may result in early aging and may result in strength gained as required ( Cement
Concrete & Aggregates Australia, 2006).

6.0 Chemical attacks on the concrete and prevention

It has been specified that our structure is located in a coastal area. The coastal condition
increases the chances of sulphate attacks, ASR and chloride ion penetration, which can
damage the concrete over time.

6.1 Sulphate attacks

Sulphate attacks are classified into two categories: External and Internal

6.1.1 External Sulfate attack

This type of attack is common and generally occurs when water that contains sulfate comes in
contact with the concrete. Even though the concrete may look normal, the microstructure of the
concrete can change significantly. The changes may cause the concrete to extensively crack,
expand or the bond between the concrete ingredients may loosen causing loss in overall strength
(Understanding Cement, 2020) .

Fig 0.8 Microstructure of concrete during an sulfate attack (Understanding Cement, 2020)

To avoid sulfate attacks , we have incorporated several tactics. We have used sulfate resistant
cement which reduces the chance of an attack. We have also steam cured the concrete which
reduces the permeability of the concrete. Further protection such as Concrete Paint can be used
to reduce external sulfate attacks.

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6.1.2 Internal Sulfate attack

Internal sulfate attacks occur when sulfate is mixed with the ingredients during the mixture
process. Testing procedures must be added to the concrete to circumvent internal sulfate
attacks (Understanding Cement, 2020).

6.2 ASR (alkali silica reaction)

More troubling is the alkali-silica reaction (ASR), since aggregates that contain
reactive silica materials are more common. In ASR, aggregates containing other
types of silica can react in concrete with alkali hydroxide to create a gel that swells
as it absorbs water from or from the surrounding cement paste. These gels can
induce sufficient expansionary pressure to damage concrete (Cement, 2020) . Our
methods of using Sulfate resistant cement and steam curing the cement reduces the
impact of ASR. However, Concrete paint can be added to reduce further damage.

6.3 Chloride ion penetration in steel

Chloride ion penetration in steels is a serious issue in steels. This can particularly harm
our structure because some concrete parts need to be reinforced with steel. This can
accelerate the corrosion process in the steel, causing loss in strength or failure to the
structure. This phenomenon occurs when chlorite leaks into the concrete structure.
This needs to be strictly avoided. A protective film should be placed outside of the steel
inorder to prevent the steel from this issue. Protective films come in several forms.
They could range from epoxy coating to cathodic protection (Andrade et al, 2014). Our
use of steam curing and our choice of low permeable cement also reduces the chances
of chloride ion penetration in steels.

7.0 Slump

The slump test is performed to measure the workability and the consistency of the
concrete. The minimum slump required for this project was 130mm. We achieved that
by selecting the appropriate type of aggregate, its size and the volume of water
required ( Refer to figure 0.3). More information on the selection

of appropriate ingredients is provided in the section 2.0. .

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8.0 References

Andrade.c, Andrea. R, Rebolledo.N, 2014, Cement and concrete composites, Chloride ion
penetration in concrete: The reaction factor in the electrical resistivity model, 47, 41-46,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cemconcomp.2013.09.022

Alireza Bahadori Ph.D., in Essentials of Coating, Painting, and Lining for the Oil, Gas and
Petrochemical Industries, 2015

Cement Australia 2020, Fly ASH, <online>, Available at

https://www.cementaustralia.com.au/products/fly-ash.

Cement Concrete & Aggregates Australia 2020, Curing of Concrete, <online>, Available at
https://www.ccaa.com.au/imis_prod/documents/Library%20Documents/CCAA%20Datasheets/
DS2006Curing.pdf.

Cement 2020, Alkali Aggregate Reaction, <online>, Available at

https://www.cement.org/learn/concrete-technology/durability/alkali-aggregate-reaction

FHWA( US department of Transportation) 2020, Fly ash facts for Highway Engineers,
<online>, Available at https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/pavement/recycling/fach03.cfm.

Fly Ash in Concrete : Properties and Performance, edited by K. Wesche, Taylor &
Francis Group, 1990. ProQuest Ebook Central,
https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/uts/detail.action?docID=183041.

Ksenija Jankovi 2019, In Nanotechnology in Eco-efficient Construction (Second Edition),

Muneeb, Ayoub. Memon, Muneeb. Bhutto, Muhammad. Lakho, Ali. Halepoto, Imtiaz.
Memon,Ammaar 2018, 2882, 2886, Effects of Uncrushed Aggregate on the Mechanical
Properties of No-Fines Concrete, 8, Engineering, Technology and Applied Science
Research

Murali, iBala. i(2019). iConcrete iTechnology iby iM iS iShetty.

Neville, A., & Brooks, J. (2010). Concrete technology (2nd ed.). Harlow, England ;:

Prentice Hall.

SCA( iSlag iCement) i2020, iSlag iCement iBenifits,<online>. iAvailable iat

ihttps://www.slagcement.org/home/aboutslagcement/strengthdurability.aspx.

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Shetty .M.S 2019, CONCRETE TECHNOLOGY, Volume 2, 2nd edition.

Talero, Rafael, Carlos Arámburo, Mariano González, M. I Sánchez de Rojas, Antonio

Blázquez, Moisés Frías, and César Pedrajas. “Sulfate Resistance in OPC and SRPC
Containing Calcined Paper Sludge Waste: Ettringite or Thaumasite Formation.” Journal of
Materials in Civil Engineering 29, no. 2 (February 1, 2017).

Understanding Cement 2020, Sulfate attack in concrete and mortar, <online>, Available at
https://www.understanding-cement.com/sulfate.htmlhttps://www.understanding-
cement.com/sulfate.html.
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