Fresh Concrete

Properties of fresh concrete

1. Workability
 Is the property of concrete which determines the ease with
which the concrete can be mixed, transported, placed,
compacted and finished without segregation.
Workability redefines in terms of 3 properties:
Compactability: the ease with which concrete can be
compacted.
Mobility: the ease with which concrete can be flow into
formwork around steel.
Stability: the ability for concrete to remain stable,
homogeneous coherent mass (without segregation).
To obtain such a definition it is necessary to consider what
happens when concrete is being compacted. Whether compaction
is achieved by ramming or by vibration, the process which
consists essentially of the elimination of the entrapped air from
concrete until it achieved the properties designed for a given
mix. Thus, the work done is used to: 
- Overcome the internal friction between the individual
particles in the concrete.
- Overcome the surface friction between the concrete and the
surface of the mould and the reinforcement.
 
The work consists of two parts:
- The wasted part which is the work used in vibration the
already consolidated concrete.
- The useful part which is the work used to overcome internal
and surface friction.
The need for proper compaction can be appreciated from a
study of the relationship between the degree of compaction
and the resulting strength as shown in the Fig:
1
0.8
strength ratio

0.6
0.4
0.2
0
0.75 0.8 0.85 0.9 0.95 1
Density ratio
 The presence of voids greatly reduces its strength
5% voids can lower strength as much as 30%
2% can result in a drop of strength of more than 10%.

Workability may be measured and defined by standard tests;

four tests widely used for measuring workability [slump,
compacting factor, Vebe time and flow tests].
The workability is a relative term thus the desired
workability depend on the type of construction, available
means of mixing, transportation and compaction. For
example, light reinforced concrete, dams requires less
workable concrete, heavy reinforced concrete requires
workable mix and efficient means of compaction.
Degree of
slump Compacting factor Type of use
Workability
This class of concrete is suitable for
roads vibrated with power operated
Very low 0-25 0.78-0.80 machines.
Concrete at more workable end can be
compacted by hand operated machines.
This class of concrete is suitable for
roads vibrated with by hand operated
machines.
Low 25-50 0.85-0.87 This concrete can also be used for mass
concrete work in foundations without
vibration and lightly reinforced sections
with vibration.
This class of concrete is suitable for
50-100 normal reinforced concrete work
Medium 0.92-0.935
  manually compacted and heavily
reinforced sections with vibration.
This class of concrete is used for
high 100-125 0.95-0.96 sections with congested reinforcement.
Normally it is not suitable for vibration.
Required workability of a mix depends not only on the
characteristics and relative properties of constituent materials
but also on:
 
- The methods employed for conveyance and compaction.
- The size, shape and surface roughness of formwork or moulds.
- The quantity and spacing of reinforcement.
 
Another term used to describe the state of fresh concrete is
CONSISTENCY, which is sometimes taken to mean the degree of
wetness.
The ACI definition of consistency is "the relative mobility or
ability of freshly mixed concrete or mortar to flow", this is
measured by slump.
Factors affecting workability
*water content: by increasing water interparticle lubrication is
increased. Finer particles require more water to wet their larger
specific surface. Irregular shape and rough texture of an angular
aggregate demand more water than a rounded aggregate.
*Porosity and absorption of aggregate.
*Aggregate type and grading.
* Aggregate/cement ratio: for a constant water/cement ratio the
workability increases as the aggregate/cement ratio is reduced.
A high ratio of volumes of coarse aggregate to fine aggregate
(CA/FA) can result in segregation and in lower workability. The
mix will be harsh and not easily finished.
*Presence of admixture: For a given w/c ratio using plasticizers
in concrete will increase workability and for the same workability
there is a chance to reduce w/c ratio.
Air entrainment reduces the water requirement for a given
workability.
*Fineness of cement: is of minor influence on workability.
*Time: freshly mixed concrete stiffens with time (slump loss),
which varies with:
-richness of the mix
-type of cement.
-temperature of concrete, and
-initial workability.
Because of this change in workability it is preferable to delay the
appropriate test until about 15 minutes after mixing.
*Temperature: a higher temperature reduces the workability and
increase the slump loss. For the case of unusual condition it is
best to make actual site tests for workability.
Measurements of Workability
 
No test is known that will measure directly the workability.
However, numerous attempts have been made to correlate
workability to some easily determinable physical measurement.
Theses measurements don't measure any basic property of
concrete but only response to specific conditions.
Slump test
decrease in height, 4 layers 25 strokes, ASTM C143
Compacting factor tests

This test indicates amount of work necessary to achieve full

compaction. Degree of compaction is measured by the density
ratio (ratio of density actually achieved in the test to the
density of the same concrete fully compacted). This test is
described in BS 1881-103 and appropriate for up to 40 mm
maximum size. The apparatus consists of two hoppers each in
the shape of a frustum of a cone and one cylinder, the three
being above one another. The hoppers have hinged doors at
the bottom. All inside surfaces are polished to reduce friction.
The upper hopper is filled with concrete this being placed gently
so that at this stage no work is done on the concrete to produce
compaction. The bottom door of this hopper is then released and
the concrete falls into the lower hopper. This one is smaller than
the upper one and is filled to overflowing and thus always
contains approximately the same amount of concrete in a
standard state. The bottom door of the lower hopper is released
and the concrete falls in to the cylinder. Excess concrete is cut
from the top of the mould. The net mass of concrete in the
known volume of the cylinder is determined. The density of
concrete is now calculated and divided by the density of fully
compacted concrete (by filling the cylinder with concrete in four
layers each tamped or vibrated) to obtain the compacting factor.
Unlike the slump test the variation in the workability of dry
concrete are reflected in a large change in the compacting factor
(the test is more sensitive at the low workability end of scale than
at high workability).
Vebe test
The test is covered by BS 1881-104, BS EN 12530 and ACI 211.3R.
For the apparatus the standard cone is place in a cylinder 240 mm in
diameter and 200 mm height. The slump cone is filled in the
standard manner, removed and a disc-shaped rider (weighing 2.75
kg) is placed on top of the concrete. Compaction is achieved using a
vibrating table with an eccentric weight rotating at 50 Hz.
Compaction is assumed to be complete when the transparent rider is
totally covered with concrete and all cavities in the surface of the
concrete have disappeared. The input of energy required to full
compaction is a measure of workability of the mix and this is
expressed in Vebe seconds, time required for the operation. Vebe is
a good laboratory test particularly for very dry mix.
Relationship between tests
A general indication of the
pattern of the relation
Between the compacting factor,
Veve time and slump is
given in the figure below.
Flow table test
This test is described by BS 1881: Part 105, and BS EN 12350-5: 2000
usually used for flowing concrete made with superplasticizers. The
apparatus consists of a wooden board covered by a steel plate with a total
mass of 16 kg. This board is hinged along one side to a base board, each
board being a 700 mm square. The upper board can be lifted up to a stop
so that the free edge rises 40 mm. Appropriate markings indicate the
location of the concrete to be deposited on the table.
The table top is moistened and a frustum of a cone of concrete (200 mm
high, 200 mm bottom diameter and 130 mm top diameter) is placed.
Before lifting the mould excess concrete is removed, the surrounding table
top is cleaned and after an interval of 30 seconds the mould is slowly
removed. The table top is lifted and allowed to drop gently 15 times each
cycle taking 4 seconds. The concrete will spreads and the maximum spread
parallel to the two edges of the table is measured. The average of these two
values represents the flow. A value of 400 indicates a medium workability
and 500 a high workability. Concrete should at this stage appear uniform
and cohesive or else the test is considered inappropriate for the given mix.
The table top is moistened and a frustum of a cone of concrete,
lightly tamped by a wooden tamper in a prescribed manner is
placed using a mould 200 mm high with a bottom diameter of 200
mm and a top diameter of 130 mm. After 39 seconds the mould is
slowly removed. The table top is lifted and allowed to drop
avoiding a significant force against the top 15 times each cycle
taking approximately 4 seconds. The concrete spreads and the
maximum spread parallel to the two edges of the table is
measured. The average of these two values represents the flow. A
value of 400 indicates a medium workability and 500 a high
workability.
ASTM C 1611-05 describes a slump-flow test which is similar to
the flow table test but without the lifting and dropping procedure.
Ball penetration test
a simple field test consists of determining the depth to
which 6 in diameter metal hemisphere (wt. 13.6 kg) will
sink under its own weight into fresh concrete. Used to
measure variation in the mix.
A CONCRETE MIX is designed to produce concrete that can
be easily placed at the lowest cost.
 
The concrete must be workable and cohesive when plastic,
then set and harden to give strong and durable concrete.
 
The mix design must consider the environment that the
concrete will be in; i.e. exposure to sea water, trucks, cars,
forklifts, foot traffic or extremes of hot and cold.

The proportions of each material in the mixture affect

the properties of the final hardened concrete. These
proportions are best measured by weight. Measurement
by volume is not as accurate, but is suitable for minor
projects.
CEMENT CONTENT As the cement content
increases, so does strength and durability.
Therefore to increase the strength, increase
the cement content of a mix.

WATER CONTENT Adding MORE WATER to

a mix gives a WEAKER hardened concrete.
Always use as little water as possible, only
enough to make the mix workable.

WATER TO CEMENT RATIO As the Water to

Cement ratio INCREASES, the strength and
durability of hardened concrete DECREASES.
To increase the strength and durability of
concrete, decrease the Water-Cement ratio.
Mixing of Concrete 
The aim of mixing of concrete is to produce a homogeneous mix
of the different components, so as to produce uniformity of
consistency, w/c ratio and aggregate grading. This means that the
surface of all aggregate particles is coated with cement paste.
Concrete is normally mixed by MACHINE. Machine mixing can
be done on-site or be a Pre-Mixed concrete company. Pre-Mixed
concrete is batched (proportioned) at the plant to the job
requirements.
 
Truck Mixing The materials are normally added to the trucks at
batching plants and mixed for required time and speed at the
plant. The trucks drum continues to rotate to agitate the concrete
as it is delivered to the site.
Site Mixing When site mixing begin by loading a
MEASURED AMOUNT of coarse aggregate into the mixer
drum. Add the sand before the cement, both in measured
amounts. NEVER USE A SHOVEL AS A MEASURE AS
VOLUMES CAN VARY WIDELY.
Mixing time
 
The time of mixing is the minimum mixing time necessary
to produce a concrete uniform in composition and, as a
result, of satisfactory strength. This time, which is given by
the mixer manufacturer, it is not the mixing time but the No.
of revolutions of the mixer, varies with the type of mixer
and depends also on its size. For a given mixer, there exists
a relation between mixing time and uniformity of the mix as
shown in the following Fig.
It is apparent that mixing for less than 1 min to 1.25 min produces
an appreciably more variable concrete, but prolonging the mixing
time beyond these values results in no significant improvement in
uniformity.
Transporting and Placing Concrete 
When transporting and placing concrete, avoid:
Delay, segregation and wastage 

TRANSPORTATION The method used to transport concrete

depends on which one is the lowest cost and easiest for the job size.
Some ways to transport concrete include: a concrete truck, a
concrete pump, a crane and bucket, a chute, a conveyor or a hoist.
On small jobs a wheelbarrow is the easiest way to transport
concrete. Always transport concrete as little as possible to reduce
problems of segregation and wastage. 

PLACING When placing concrete be careful not to damage or

move the formwork and reinforcement. Place concrete as near to its
final position as possible. Start placing from the corners of the
formwork or, in the case of a sloping site, from the lowest level.
DELAY Delay can cause the concrete to dry-out and stiffen. Delay
is more of a problem on a hot, and/or windy, day when the
concrete will dry-out and stiffen more quickly.
To avoid delay plan ahead. Check that all labour, tools and
containers are ready and that all preparations for placing have
been done before the concrete is delivered.
Never just add water to the concrete to make it more workable,
always use a mix of cement paste (i.e. water AND cement).

2. Segregation 
When there is a significant tendency for the large and fine
particles in a mix to become separated, segregation is said to
have occurred. In general, the less cohesive the mix the greater
the tendency for segregation to occur. Two forms of segregation: 
Coarse particles tend to separate out as they travel or settle more
than finer particles (dry lean mix.
Separate of grout from the mix for wet mixes.
The following are factor encourage the segregation:
- dropping from excessive heights during placing
- passing along a chute with changing in direction
- discharging against an obstacle.
- jolting concrete during transportation
- Over vibration during compaction.  
To avoid segregation:
- Check the concrete is not 'too wet' or 'too dry'.
- Make sure the concrete is properly mixed.
- the concrete is mixed at the correct speed in a transit mixer for at
least two minutes immediately prior to discharge.
- The concrete should be placed as soon as possible.
- When transporting the mix, load carefully.
- If placing concrete straight from a truck, pour vertically and
never let the concrete fall more than one-and-a-half meters.
Compaction of concrete
 
Compaction is done by shaking, or vibrating, the concrete which
liquefies it, allowing the trapped air to rise out (When concrete is
freshly places in the form, air bubbles can occupy between 5 % in
a mix of high workability and 20% in low slump concrete of the
total volume). The concrete settles, filling all the space in the
forms.

WHEN TO COMPACT Compaction must be done as concrete is

placed, while it is still plastic. Never let concrete dry-out and
stiffen because it will be too hard to compact.
 
WHY COMPACT Properly compacted concrete is more dense,
strong and durable. Off-form finishes will also be better.
Methods of compacting concrete: 
The choice of a particular technique of compaction of concrete
depends upon the following factors: 
- the kind of structural element to be produced;
- the properties of the mix especially its w/c ratio;
- the required quality and kind of concrete (strength, durability,…).
The compaction of the concrete can be achieved by:
- hand tamping
- vibration (the usual method of compaction)
+ internal vibrators
+ external vibrators
+ vibrating table
Different vibrator requires different consistency of concrete for most
efficient compaction so that the consistency of the concrete and
characteristics of the available vibrator have to match. 
+ For concrete of average workability (i.e. slump of 80 mm) with a poker
size between 25–75 mm, concrete should usually be vibrated for between 5
and 15 seconds. It is worse to UNDER-VIBRATE than to OVER-
VIBRATE concrete.
3- Bleeding
Is a form of segregation in which some of the water in the mix tends
to rise to the surface of freshly placed concrete, this is caused by the
inability of the solid constituents of the mix to hold all the mixing
water when they settle downwards.
No final finishing can begin until the bleed water has dried up.
Mixing bleed water with the surface paste will weaken it, possibly
resulting in a dusty surface.
Never try to dry up the bleed water using stone dust or cement as this
will weaken the concrete surface in the long run.
If rate of evaporation > rate of bleeding Plastic shrinkage
cracking.
Rising water may become trapped underside the coarse aggregate or
reinforcement creating zone of poor bond.
Top of concrete is porous and permanently dusty surface.
Once the bleed water dries up and concrete can support a person’s
weight, with only a slight marking to the surface, the final finishing
can begin.
Prevent of bleeding: 
Increase cement fineness
High alkalis in cement
High C3A
When CaCl2 added
Richness
By using entrained air
By increasing percentage of fine materials
(sand or pozzalainc material) 
Bleeding not always harmful, it reduces the effective w/c ratio.
Once any surface has been finished it must be cured.

Curing Concrete 
WHAT IS CURING: Curing means to cover the concrete so it stays
MOIST.
By keeping concrete moist the bond between the paste and the
aggregates gets stronger.
Concrete doesn’t harden properly if it is left to dry out.
 
WHEN TO CURE: Curing is done just after finishing the concrete
surface, as soon as it will not be damaged.
 
Precautions When curing leave the formwork in place to help
reduce water loss. In hot weather (above 30°C), or during high
winds and low humidity, concrete can dry out easily. In these
conditions take extra care while curing.
WHY CURE: Concrete that is cured is:
Less likely to crack
More durable: Cured concrete has a surface that wears better and
better protects the steel reinforcement.
Stronger the concrete can carry more weight without breaking
 
HOW TO CURE: Concrete is cured by:
APPLYING EXTRA WATER to the surface of the concrete, or
STOPPING water loss from the concrete

Methods The most common methods of curing are:

APPLYING WATER
The most important thing in curing is to keep the concrete moist
at all times. Hosing in the morning and again at night and
letting the concrete dry out in between is no good.

- Plastic sheets to slow down water loss.

- Use of impermeable or water proof paper.
- Steam curing.

HOW LONG TO CURE Concrete keeps getting HARDER AND

STRONGER over TIME. Household concrete jobs MUST be cured
for at least 3 DAYS. For better strength and durability, cure
concrete for 7 DAYS. The LONGER concrete is cured, the closer it
will be to its best possible strength and durability.