UNIVERSITY OF SIERRA LEONE USL

FOURAH BAY COLLEGE

CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT

MODULE: PAVEMENT DESIGN

STUDENT NAME: ABDUL RAHMAN JALLOH

REG NUMBER: 42399

CIVIL YEAR 5
HONS II
QUESTION 1
Your company was hired to produce and deliver on site a special mix using Portland cement
for the construction of a road pavement. The contractor of the site had anticipated a fast
placement and had ordered that all the trucks be on the job site at the commencement of
the project. However , just prior to start pouring the concrete mix, the general contractor’s
safety officer shut the site down due to lightning concerns.
Your team had already produce mixes and had six trucks waiting at the site to commence
the pouring of concrete mix. The storm lasted for 90 minutes and since the mix design was a
special order, we could not redeploy the trucks to another site. Other than the
thunderstorm, it was a perfect day for a pour. The ambient temperature was about 70°F
and cloudy.

The loads (concrete mixes) dried up a little, but the slump test result on the first load was
within project specifications without retempering. Your team was all set to start when the
testing lab’s field technician stopped the works (pouring concrete mix). He said the concrete
was too old and he had no option but to reject all of the loads.

Was the testing lab’s field representative correct in rejecting the loads?
Was their an alternative other than just rejecting the mix?
What would you do to convince the lab’s representative to accept the loads?

ANSWER
In this situation, the testing lab’s field technician’s decision to reject all of the loads based on
the concrete being ‘’too old’’ seems hasty and potentially incorrect. Concrete does undergo
changes over time, but its suitability for the use depends on various factors, including the
specific mix design, ambient conditions, and initial quality.

To address the issue and convince then lab representative to accept the load, these are the
following procedures that I will take:

 Access the actual condition of the concrete: since the ambient temperature was around
70°F and cloudy, it is unlikely that the concrete would have significantly deteriorated
within the 90 minute storm duration. Conduct additional tests, such as compressive
strength and slump test, on representative samples from the loads to determine the
quality accurately.
 Consult the project specifications: review the project specifications to understand the
allowable limits for slump, compressive strength, and other relevant parameters. If the
slumps test results on the first load where within the project specifications, it suggests
that the concrete may still suitable for use.
 Consider additional measures: if the slump test results are slightly lower than the
desired, it might be possible to adjust the mix with additives or water to bring it back
within acceptable limits. I’ll then discuss this option with the lab representative and
highlight that the slight drying of the loads was due to hr unavoidable weather delay
caused by the thunderstorm.
 Provide supporting evidence: present any available data or research demonstrating
that concrete with minor changes in slump or age can still perform adequately for
 road and pavement construction. Show examples of successful projects that face
similar weather-related delays but had satisfactory results.
 Negotiate a comprise: if the lab representative remains hesitant to accept the loads,
propose a compromise such as conducting additional tests on the samples, performing
on-site slump adjustments, or considering a smaller trial placement to validate the
concrete performance. Emphasize the importance of minimizing delays and cost
association with rejecting the entire load.

The goal is to engage in a constructive dialogue with the lab representative dialogue,
providing evidence and expert opinions to support the argument that the concrete loads can
still meet the project specification.

QUESTION 2
Your company obtained a request, for the production of a mix design of 4000-psi, but the
specs call for a 0.45 maximum water/cementitious material (w/cm) ratio. You have a mix
that averages 4600 psi with 495 pounds of cement and 270 pounds of water, but the ratio is
0.55.
Would you advise your company to just reduce the water cement 222 pounds to meet the
specifications?
If Yes, why and how would you do it?
If No, why and what will be the alternative

ANSWER
Base on the given information, the current mix has an average strength of 4600 psi with a
water/cementitious material (w/cm) ratio of 0.55 however , the specifications requires a
maximum w/cm ratio of 0.45 for a target strength of 4000 psi.

To determine whether reducing the water content to 222 pounds is a viable solution, we need
to assess the impact on the mix properties.

First, let’s calculate the current w/cm ratio using the provided data
water content
w/cm ratio =
cementitious material

270 pounds
w/cm ratio = = 0.545
495 pounds
as the current w/cm ratio is o.55, reducing the water content to 222 pounds will decrease the
w/cm ratio.

222 pounds
New w/cm ratio = = 0.488
495 pounds

The reducing water content would indeed meet the specification’s maximum w/cm ratio
requirement of 0.45.
However, before making a final decision, it’s essential to consider the potential consequences
of reducing the water content. Modifying the mix design may affect its workability,
durability, and other properties. It’s crucial to ensure that that the revised mix will still
perform as intended.
Therefore, I would recommend conducting further test or consulting with a concrete expert to
verify reducing the water content to 222 pounds will not have any adverse effect on the
concrete’s quality and performance.

If reducing the water content proves to be a problem, an alternative approach would be to

adjust the proportions of other materials, such as the cementitious materials, aggregates, or
admixtures, while maintaining the desired w/cm ratio of 0.45. this alternative may help
achieve the target strength of 4000psi without compromising the mix integrity.