The process of measuring ingredients or materials to prepare concrete mix is known as batching of

concrete. Batching can be done by two methods, volume batching and weight batching. Batching
should be done properly to get quality concrete mix

Methods of Batching Concrete

1. Volume Batching
 In volume batching, materials are measured on the basis of volume. It is less precise method
of batching
 Measurement boxes or gauge boxes of known volume are used to measure materials.
 Cement is taken in the form of bags, where volume of one bag of cement (50 kg) is taken as
35 liters.
 Volume of Gauge box used is made equal to the volume of one bag of cement which is 35
liters or multiple thereof.
 Gauge boxes are generally deeper and contains narrow top surface and they are made of
timber or steel or iron.
 Volumes of different sized fine aggregate and coarse aggregate are measured individually by
these gauge boxes.
 Water is measured using water meter or water cans of known volume are used.
 To make 1:1:2 ratio concrete mix according to volume batching, one should take one bag of
cement (35 liters) , 1 gauge box of fine aggregate (35 liters) and 2 gauge boxes of fine
aggregate (70 liters). If the water-cement ratio is 0.5, then half of the volume of cement
which is 25 liters of water should be taken.
2. Weight Batching
 In this method, Materials are measured on the basis of weight. It is accurate method of
batching.
 Weigh batchers or other types of weighing equipment are used to measure weight of
materials.
 Cement, fine aggregate, coarse aggregate and water are taken by weighing.
 Weigh batchers used are available in two types namely mechanical weigh batcher and
electronic weigh batchers.
 In mechanical weigh batchers, weights are measured using spring and dial gauge
arrangement and it is widely used equipment in weigh batching.
 In electronic weigh batchers, electronic scales and load cells supported by hoppers are used
to measure the weight of ingredients of concrete.
 Weigh batchers available are may be Manual or semi-automatic or fully automatic . Manual
type is used for small concrete production job while other two types are used for large
concrete production.

Weight Batching vs. Volume Batching

  Weigh batching is most precise method of batching than volume batching since it is difficult
to find the exact volume of granular materials because of their voids.
 Moisture content presence in the aggregate should also be considered while batching. In case
of fully automatic weigh batching it can be considered but volume batching is not suitable in
such cases.
 Compressive strength of same concrete mix at 7 days and 28 days is higher for weigh
batching concrete mix than volume batching concrete mix.
 Weigh batching concrete mix gives medium to very high slump while for the same mix
proportion in volume batching, slump differs from low to high.
 Volume batching does not require skilled workers but weigh batching.
 Selection of batching method depends upon size of project, concrete production rate.

Methods of batching:
i) Volume

Volume batching: In volume batching, the mass of each component is not

calculated before batching, rather than there are some fabricated
boxes(generally wooden) which are calculated in volume to retain the concrete
components.

• This method is normally suitable for small jobs.

• Gauge boxes are applied for estimating the fine and coarse aggregate.
• The volume of gauge box has the similarity with the volume of one bag of
cement.
• Gauge bow are also titled as FARMAS.
• They are formed with timbers or steel.
• Normally, they are created as deep and narrow.
• Normally, bottomless gauge boxes are not recommended for application.
• At the time of filling the gauge boxes the material should be filled loosely, no
compaction is permissible.

ii) Weight

Weigh batching: Weigh batching is the proper and most recognized method of
estimating concrete ingredients. Weigh batching is performed in very vital
modern concrete batching and mixing plants.

• Batching by weight is better than volume batching in terms of perfectness.

Besides, it offers more consistent proportioning. It is always recommended
professionally.
 • It does not contain uncertainties related to bulking.
• Its equipment’s are divided into 3 general categories.

Manual
Semi-automatic
Fully automatic.

• If batching is done by hand all weighing and batching of concrete are

performed by hand. It is suitably for small jobs.

• For semi-automatic batching the aggregate bin gates are opened by

operating switches with hand and gates are closed automatically when the
material is delivered. This system also comprises of interlock that resists
charging and discharging.

Common ratios:
i) 1:3:6
ii) 1:2:4
iii) 1:1.5:3

Methods of mixing
i) Manual mixing
ii) Machine mixing
Quality control
Yield of concrete mixes
Mix design
Allowance for:
i) Wastage
ii) Bulking
Estimation of amount of concrete
i) Volume
Questions
a) Explain batching by volume and by weight
b) Outline the procedure of proportioning materials in correct ratios
c) Explain the procedure for mixing concrete using the two mixing methods
d) How to maintain consistency in the quality of concrete mixes?
e) Analyse the yield of the concrete mixes
f) Design concrete mixes
g) Determine allowance for wastage and bulking
h) Estimate the right quantity of concrete for a given job