Fineness of Cement

Significance of Fineness

Finer cement = Faster reaction

Finer cement = Higher heat of hydration

Large particles do not react with water completely

Higher fineness

Higher shrinkage

Reduced bleeding

Reduced durability

More gypsum needed
 Aggregates

The materials held together by the paste formed of cement

and water.
A broad category of
inert materials used
in construction,
including sand,
gravel, crushed
stone, slag, recycled
concrete and
geosynthetic
aggregates

A gravel and sand extraction facility in

Meimurje County, Croatia
 Aggregates

Materials smaller
than 3/8" in
diameter is called
FINE AGGREGATE.

It is desirable to
have a mixture of
fine and coarse
grains to produce a
more compact,
hence stronger,
concrete
Notes:

A common
specification for
grading fine
aggregates requires:

that not less than

95% to 100% shall
pass the no. sieve and

not more than 30%

nor less than 10%
shall pass the no. 50
sieve
 Aggregates

All material larger

than 3/8" in
diameter is called
COARSE
AGGREGATE.

This includes
crushed stone,
gravel, slag or other
inert materials
Notes:

In general sizes vary from 1/4" to 3", the maximum

for reinforced concrete being 1" to 1-1/2".

Some building codes limit the size to 3/4 of the

minimum clear spacing between reinforcement and
not larger than 1/5 the narrowest dimension
between the sides of the form where the concrete is
to be used.

When concrete members are small requiring the

reinforcement to be closely spaced, the coarse
aggregate is graded at 1/4" to 3/4".
Notes:

In proportioning, it is common practice to have

coarse aggregates at twice the volume of the fine
aggregate (sand).

In general, good
concrete should
have the greatest
possible density.
This results partly
from a careful
grading of
aggregate
and rodding or
vibrating the concrete when it is placed in the forms.
 Cinders

A cinder is a
pyroclastic material.

Cinders are extrusive

igneous rocks.

Cinders are similar to

pumice, which has so
many cavities and is
such low-density that it
can float on water.

Cinder is typically
brown, black, or red
depending on its
chemical content. A
more modern name for
cinder is Scoria.
Notes:

Cinder concrete is sometimes used for reinforced

floor and roof slabs of short span and for fireproofing.

Because it is a porous materials, it should never be

used as a protection for steel in exposed positions
nor below grade where moisture is present.

Cinders should be hard, well-burned and reasonably

free from sulfides, unburned coal and foreign
material.
 Slag

Slag is obtained by
quenching molten iron
slag (a by-product of
iron and steel-making)
from a blast furnace in
water or steam, to
produce a glassy,
granular product that
is then dried and
ground into a fine
powder.
Notes:

Concrete made of bast-furnace slag makes a

asuitable lightweight concerte.

Only material weighing 65 to 75 lb per cu ft is used.

Sulfur content should be investigated when

considered.

In general, lightweight aggregate should not exceed

70 lb per cu ft for fine aggregate and 55 lb per cu ft
for coarse aggregates.
 Concrete

Concrete is a
composite material
composed of water,
coarse granular
material (the fine
and coarse
aggregate or filler)
embedded in a hard
matrix of material
(the cement or
binder) that fills the
space among the
aggregate particles
and glues them
together.
Outer view of the Roman Pantheon, still the largest unreinforced solid concrete
dome.
Composition of Concrete

CEMENT
Portland cement is the most common type of cement
in general usage.

WATER
Combining water with a cementitious material forms a
cement paste by the process of hydration. The cement
paste glues the aggregate together, fills voids within it,
and makes it flow more freely.

A lower water-to-cement ratio yields a stronger, more

durable concrete, whereas more water gives a freer-
flowing concrete with a higher slump

Impure water used to make concrete can cause

problems when setting or in causing premature failure
of the structure.
Composition of Concrete (cont'd)

AGGREGATES
Fine and coarse aggregates make up the bulk of a
concrete mixture. Sand, natural gravel, and crushed
stone are used mainly for this purpose.
The presence of aggregate greatly increases the
durability of concrete above that of cement, which is a
brittle material in its pure state.
Redistribution of aggregates after compaction often c
reates inhomogeneity due to the influence of vibration.
This can lead to strength gradients
Recycled aggregates (from construction, demolition,
and excavation waste) are increasingly used as partial
replacements of natural aggregates, while a number of
manufactured aggregates, including air-cooled blast
furnace slag and bottom ash are also permitted.
Concrete Proportioning

The proportioning of concrete is the determination

of the quantities of water, cement and aggregates
which, when mixed together and properly cured,
will produce concrete having the desired strength,
workability and durability
CONCRETE PROPORTIONING
QUANTITY FOR 1 CU. M. CONCRETE
CONCRETE PROPORTIONING
QUANTITY FOR 1 CU. M. CONCRETE
USING 94 LBS PORTLAND CEMENT
G

USING 94 LBS PORTLAND CEMENT Class Proportion Cement Sand

ra
v
el

Class Proportion Cement AA 1:2:3 Sand

10.5 0.42
0.
8
4
Gravel
AA 1:2:3 10.5 0.42 0.84
0.
A 1:2:4 7.84 0.44 8
8
0.

A 1:2:4 7.84 B 1 : 2.5 : 5

0.44
6.48 0.44 8
8
0.
0.88
B 1 : 2.5 : 5 6.48 C 1:3:6
0.44
5.48 0.44 8
8
0.
0.88
D 1 : 3.5 : 7 5 0.45

C 1:3:6 5.48 0.44 9

0.88
D 1 : 3.5 : 7 5.00
USING 88 LBS PORTLAND CEMENT
0.45 0.
0.90
A 1:2:4 8.2 0.44 8
8
0.

USING 88 LBS PORTLAND CEMENT B 1 : 2.5 : 5 6.8 0.46 8

8
0.
C 1:3:6 5.8 0.47 8

Class Proportion Cement D 1 : 3.5 : 7 Sand

5.32 0.48
9
0.
9
Gravel
A 1:2:4
Class Aall
8.2 0.44 0.88
B 1 : 2.5 : 5 6.8
member which shall be subjected to bending stress.
Class Bbending
stresses
0.46 0.88
C 1:3:6 5.8
Class Cunderwater
0.47 0.89
D 1 : 3.5 : 7 5.32 0.48 0.90
Class A = shall be used for beams, slabs and
columns and for all member which shall be subjected
to bending stress.

Class B = shall be used for all members not

reinforced for bending
stresses

Class C = used for footing not underwater

CONCRETE MIXTURES

Type of Construction Proportion

Sidewalk 4" thick 1 : 2:4

Floor slab 4" thick 1 : 2:4
Wall 1 : 2.5 : 5
Footing 1 : 2.5 : 5
Post 1 : 2.5 : 5
Machinery foundation 1 : 3:6
Reinforced concrete 1 : 2:4
Foundations 1 : 2.5 : 5
Water Cement Ratio

The watercement ratio is the ratio of the weight of water to

the weight of cement used in a concrete mix and has an
important influence on the quality of concrete produced.

A lower water-cement ratio leads to higher strength and

durability, but may make the mix more difficult to place.

Calculation

The water to cement ratio is calculated by dividing the water

in one cubic yard of the mix ( in pounds) by the cement in
the mix (in pounds). So if one cubic yard of the mix has 235
pounds of water and 470 pounds of cement- the mix is a .50
water to cement ratio.

If the mix lists the water in gallons, multiply the gallons by

8.33 to find how many pounds there are in the mix
1 gallon of water = 8 pounds
1 gallon of water = 3.7854118 kilogram
1 cubic meter = 1000 kilograms = 264.172051242
gallon
Thumb Rules for Deciding the Quantity of
Water in Concrete

(i) Weight of water = 28% of the weight of cement

+ 4% of the weight of total aggregate

(ii) Weight of water = 30% of the weight of cement

+ 5% of the weight of total aggregate
 Water Cement Ratio

US Gal./94 lbs bag cement Assumed comp.

stress @ 28 days

7.5 2000 psi

6.75 2500 psi
6.0 3000 psi
5 3750 psi
Approximate Quantity of Surface Water
Carried by Average Aggregates

Aggregate classification Gal./Cu. Ft.

Very wet sand 3/4 to 1.0

Moderately wet sand 1/2
Moist sand 1/4
Moist gravel & crushed rock 1/4
Amount of Water per Bag of Cement

Mix Type of Gallons of water / bag

Const.

Dry Moist Wet Aggr.

1:3:5 Footing, 7.5 5 5 2"
Reinf. Wall

1:2:3 Sidewalk, 5.5 3.75 3.75 1"

Steps

1:2:2 Fernce, 4.5 3.5 3.5 3/4"

Posts
Unit Weight of Concrete

Unreinforced Concrete = 145 pounds per cubic foot

Reinforced Concrete = 150 pounds per cubic foot

1 kilogram = 2.20462 pounds

The unit weight of concrete is 23.60 KN/m3

1 KN = 1,000 Newton
1 Newton = 0.1019 Kg
1,000 N = 101.9 Kgs = 1 KN

Unit Wt. of Concrete = (23.60 x 101.9) Kgs/m3

Unit. Wt. = 2,404.84 Kgs/m3 (Note that usually, a value of
2,400 Kgs/m3 is being used)
 CHEMICAL
ADMIXTURES
Chemical admixtures are materials in the form of powder or
fluids that are added to the concrete to give it certain
characteristics not obtainable with plain concrete mixes

In normal use, admixture dosages are less than 5% by mass of

cement and are added to the concrete at the time of
batching/mixing
Common Types of Chemical Admixtures

ACCELERATORS - speed up the hydration (hardening) of the

concrete. Typical materials used are CaCl2, Ca(NO3)2 and
NaNO3. However, use of chlorides may cause corrosion in
steel reinforcing and is prohibited in some countries, so that
nitrates may be favored.

RETARDERS - slow the hydration of concrete and are used in

large or difficult pours where partial setting before the pour is
complete is undesirable. Typical polyol retarders are sugar,
sucrose, sodium gluconate, glucose, citric acid, and tartaric
acid.

AIR ENTRAINMENTS - add and entrain tiny air bubbles in the

concrete, which reduces damage during freeze-thaw cycles,
increasing durability. However, entrained air entails a trade
off with strength, as each 1% of air may decrease
compressive strength 5%.
Common Types of Chemical Admixtures
(cont'd)

PLASTICIZERS - increase the workability of plastic or "fresh"

concrete, allowing it be placed more easily, with less
consolidating effort. eg. lignosulfate

WATER REDUCERS - reduce the water content of a

concrete while maintaining workability
SUPERPLASTICIZER - (also called high-range water-
reducers) are a class of plasticizers that have fewer
deleterious effects and can be used to increase
workability more than is practical with traditional
plasticizers.
PIGMENTS - can be used to change the color of
concrete, for aesthetics.
CORROSION INHIBITORS - are used to minimize the
corrosion of steel and steel bars in concrete
Common Types of Chemical Admixtures
(cont'd)

BONDING AGENTS - are used to create a bond

between old and new concrete (typically a type of
polymer) with wide temperature tolerance and
corrosion resistance.

PUMPING AIDS - improve pumpability, thicken the

paste and reduce separation and bleeding.
Mineral Admixtures and Blending Cements
very fine-grained materials are added to the concrete mix to
improve the properties of concrete (mineral admixtures), or
as a replacement for Portland cement (blended cements)

FLY ASH - a by-product of coal-fired electric generating plants,

it is used to partially replace Portland cement (by up to 60%
by mass). The properties of fly ash depend on the type of
coal burnt. In general, siliceous fly ash is pozzolanic, while
calcareous fly ash has latent hydraulic properties

GROUND GRANULATED BLAST FURNACE SLAG(GGBFS or

GGBS) - A by-product of steel production is used to partially
replace Portland cement (by up to 80% by mass). It has
latent hydraulic properties

Silica fume: A byproduct of the production of silicon and

ferrosilicon alloys. Silica fume is similar to fly ash, but has a
particle size 100 times smaller. This results in a higher
surface-to-volume ratio and a much faster pozzolanic reaction.
Silica fume is used to increase strength and durability of
concrete, but generally requires the use of superplasticizers
Mineral Admixtures and Blending Cements
(cont'd)

SILICA FUME - A byproduct of the production of silicon and

ferrosilicon alloys. Silica fume is similar to fly ash, but has a
particle size 100 times smaller resulting in a higher surface-
to-volume ratio and a much faster pozzolanic reaction. Silica
fume is used to increase strength and durability of concrete,
but generally requires the use of superplasticizers for
workability.

HIGH REACTIVITY METAKAOLIN (HRM): Metakaolin produces

concrete with strength and durability similar to concrete
made with silica fume. While silica fume is usually dark gray
or black in color, high-reactivity metakaolin is usually bright
white in color, making it the preferred choice for architectural
concrete where appearance is important.