CONCRETE

TECHNOLOGY

LECTURE FOUR
Concrete mix proportion and
mix design
By: Rediet Gashaw
Amlaklesew Azene
Mix design
 Mix design is the process of determining
required and specified characteristics of
a concrete mixture.
 Mixture proportioning is to determine the
most economical and practical
combination of readily available
materials to produce a concrete that will
satisfy the performance requirements
under particular conditions of use.
Factors to be Considered Mix
Proportioning:
 Required workability (Cohesiveness,
slump) based on placement conditions
 Strength and durability
 Appearance
 Economy
 Minimize the amount of cement,
Minimize w/c ratio
 Minimum amount of water, to reduce
cement content
 do not sacrifice the quality
Basic data required for mix
proportioning.
 Grade designation
 Type of cement
 Maximum nominal size of aggregate
 Maximum water-cement ratio
 Minimum cement content
 Workability
 Exposure conditions
 Type and properties of aggregate
 Method of transporting and placing
 Use of admixtures
ACI method
 The ACI Standard 211.1 is a “Recommended
Practice for Selecting Proportions for Concrete”.
The procedure is as follows:
Step 1. Choice of slump
Step 2. Choice of maximum size of aggregate
Step 3. Estimation of mixing water and air
content
Step 4. Selection of water/cement ratio
Step 5. Calculation of cement content
Step 6. Estimation of coarse aggregate content
Step 7. Estimation of Fine Aggregate Content
Step 8. Adjustments for Aggregate Moisture
Step 9. Trial Batch Adjustments
Step 1. Choice of slump
 Step 2. Choice of maximum size of
aggregate.
 The ACI method is based on the principle that the maximum
size of aggregate should be the largest available so long it is
consistent with the dimensions of the structure.
 ACI 211.1 states that the maximum CA size should not
exceed:
 one-fifth of the narrowest dimension between sides of forms,
 one-third the depth of slabs,
 3/4-ths of the minimum clear spacing between individual reinforcing bars,
bundles of bars, or pre-tensioning strands.

Note: When high strength concrete is desired, best results may

be obtained with reduced maximum sizes of aggregate since
Step 3. Estimation of mixing water and
air content.
Step 4. Selection of water/cement
ratio.
Step 5. Calculation of cement content

 The calculated cement amount is based

on the selected mixing water content
and water-cement ratio.
W/C= Wt. of Water
Wt. of Cement
Step 6. Estimation of coarse
aggregate content
 The ACI Method uses the principle that “The same
maximum size and grading will produce concrete of
satisfactory workability when a given volume of coarse
aggregate, on a dry-rodded basis, is used per unit volume
of concrete.”
Step 7. Estimation of Fine Aggregate
Content.
 Its quantity can be determined by difference if
the “absolute volume” displaced by the known
ingredients-, (i.e., water, air, cement, and coarse
aggregate), is subtracted from the unit volume of
concrete to obtain the required volume of fine
aggregate
 Then once the volumes are know the weights of
each ingredient can be calculated from the
specific gravities
 Step 8. Adjustments for Aggregate
Moisture.

 Aggregate quantities actually to be weighed out

for the concrete must allow for moisture in the
aggregates. Usually the air-dry condition for the
CA is close enough for use in laboratory, but the FA
is often 2% or 3% above or below SSD.
 This means that a correction must be made before
a laboratory batch of concrete is made.
Step 9. Trial Batch Adjustments

 The ACI method is written on the basis

that a trial batch of concrete will be
prepared in the laboratory, and adjusted
to give the desired slump, freedom from
segregation, finishability, unit weight, air
content and strength.
Example
 25cm Thick Unreinforced Pavement Slab
Information About Materials:
 Slump = 2.5cm
 28-day strength of 34.5MPa
 Air content: 4.5 - 6.5 percent
 Coarse aggregate :
 nominal maximum size = 37.5mm

 dry-rodded weight = 1600 kg/m3

 specific gravity = 2.68

 moisture content = 1.0 percent

 absorption = 0.5 percent

 Fine aggregate:
 fineness modulus = 2.80

 specific gravity = 2.64

 moisture content = 5 percent

 absorption = 0.7 percent

Step1. select slump
Step 2. Choice of maximum size of
aggregate

 ACI Limits:
 1/3 of the slab depth
 250mm/3 =83.33mm > 37.5mm OK
Step 3. Estimation of mixing water and air
content

Weight of Water = 148 kg/m3

Volume of Water = 148 kg/m3 = 0.148m3

1000 kg/m3
Volume of Water = 148liters per cubic meter of
concrete
Step 4. Selection of water/cement ratio
Step 5. Calculation of cement content

 W/C= Wt. of Water

Wt. of Cement
 Wt. of Cement = 148 kg
0.40
=370kg

Volume of Cement = 370 kg (Concrete)

3.15 x 1000 kg/m3

Volume of Cement = 0.117m3

Step 6. Estimation of coarse aggregate
content

Weight (Dry)
=0.71 x 1600 kg/m3 = 1,136 kg

Volume = 1,136 kg = 0.42 m3

2.68 x 1000kg/m3
Step 7. Estimation of Fine Aggregate
Content

1m3 Cubic meter of

Concrete
0.148m3 Water
0.055m3 Air
0.117m3 Cement
0.42m3 Stone
0.26m3 Sand

Wt of Sand(Dry) = 0.26m3 x 2.64 x

1000kg/m3
= 686.4 kg
 Step 8. Adjustments for Aggregate Moisture

 Since there is moisture in both coarse & fine

aggregate, their batch weights must be adjusted.
 Wt of Stone(Wet) = 1,136 kg x 1.01= 1,147.4kg
 Wt of Sand(Wet) =686.4 kgx 1.05= 720.7kg
Cont …

 Mixing water needs to be adjusted. Both the

coarse and fine aggregate are wet of SSD and will
contribute water to the cement paste.
 Water from Stone = 1,136 kg x (.01-.005) = 5.68kg
 Water from Sand= 686.4 kg x (.05-.007) = 29.52kg
 Water = 148kg – 5.68kg– 29.52kg= 112.8kg
Cont …

 Final Batch Wts. (1 Cubic meter)

Thank you!