Proportioning of Concrete

(Mix Design)
 The major objective of air entrainment in concrete is to
increase the hardened concrete’s endurance in
environments where there is a risk of freezing and
thawing.

• Air entrained concrete is a type

of concrete that contains billions of
tiny air pockets, and these air
pockets allow water to expand
when it freezes and relieve internal
pressure on the concrete.
• In order to create air-entrained
concrete, either air entraining
Portland cement or an air entraining
agent in the concrete mix are used.
Sulfate attack can
lead to expansion,
cracking, strength
loss, and
disintegration of
the concrete.
 m.C = W water/
dry weight of
aggregates

If mc >
absorption; there
is free water
In this method the aggregate are so proportioned as to have minimum voids when mixed.
This can be achieved when the quantity of fine aggregate is just sufficient to fill the voids
of coarse aggregates and the quantity of cement is just sufficient to fill voids in the
fine aggregates.

As a result of experiments and experience it has been possible to fix certain arbitrary
ratios in which cement, fine aggregate and coarse aggregate should be mixed to produce
concrete suitable for a particular type of work. In general buildings work (Beams, slabs,
columns etc) subjected to ordinary stresses, cement, sand and coarse aggregate are taken
in the ratio of 1:2:4. For heavily stressed members or for water tight construction the
ratios may be 1:1:2, 1:1 ½:3 or 1:2:3 etc.

The concrete produced by these proportions is termed as ordinary concrete. In

proportionating concrete by this method, quantity of cement is measured by weight. The
quantity of fine and coarse aggregates may either be measured by volume or by weight.