CHAPTER-4

CONCRETE MIX DESIGN

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 CONCRETE MIX DESIGN

4.1 GENERAL

The process of selecting suitable ingredients of concrete and determining their relative
amounts with the objective of producing a concrete of the required workability, strength,
durability as economically as possible, is termed as the concrete mix design. The proportioning
of ingredient of concrete is governed by the required performance of concrete in two states,
namely the plastic and the hardened states. If the plastic concrete is not workable, it cannot be
properly placed and compacted. The property of workability, therefore, becomes of vital
importance.

The Compressive Strength of hardened concrete which is generally considered to be an

index of its other properties, depends upon many factors, e.g. quality and quantity of cement,
water and aggregates; batching and mixing; placing, compaction and curing. The cost of concrete
is derived from the cost of materials, plant and labour. The variations in the cost of materials
arise from the fact that the cement is several times costly than the aggregate.

The actual cost of concrete is related to the cost of materials required for producing a
minimum mean strength called characteristic strength. This depends on the quality control
measures, but there is no doubt that the quality control adds to the cost of concrete. The extent of
quality control is often an economic compromise, and depends on the size and type of job. The
cost of labour depends on the workability of mix, e.g., a concrete mix of inadequate workability
may result in a high cost of labour to obtain a degree of compaction with available equipment.

4.2 DESIGN MIX

Requirements of Concrete Mix Design

The requirements which form the basis of selection and proportioning of mix ingredients are:

a) The minimum Compressive Strength required from structural consideration

b) The adequate workability necessary for full compaction.
c) Maximum water-cement ratio and cement content to give adequate durability.

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Factors affecting the choice of mix proportions

The various factors affecting the mix design are

i). Compressive Strength

It is one of the most important properties of concrete and influences many other
properties of the hardened concrete. The mean Compressive Strength required at a specific age,
usually 28 days, determines the nominal water-cement ratio of the mix. The other factor affecting
the strength of concrete at a given age and cured at a prescribed temperature is the degree of
compaction. According to Abraham’s law the strength of fully compacted concrete is inversely
proportional to the water-cement ratio.

ii). Workability

The degree of workability required depends on three factors. These are the size of the
section, the amount of reinforcement, and the method of compaction to be used. For the narrow
and congested reinforced section or inaccessible parts, the concrete must have a high workability
so that full compaction can be achieved with a reasonable amount of effort. This also applies to
the embedded steel sections. The desired workability depends on the compacting equipment.

iii). Durability

The durability of concrete is its resistance to the aggressive environmental conditions.

High strength concrete is generally more durable than low strength concrete. In the situations
when the high strength is not necessary but the conditions of exposure are such that high
durability is vital, the durability requirement will determine the water-cement ratio to be used.

iv). Maximum Nominal Size of Aggregate

In general, larger the maximum size of aggregate, smaller is the cement requirement for a
particular water-cement ratio, because the workability of concrete increases with increase in
maximum size of the aggregate.

IS 456:2000 and IS 1343:1980 recommend that the nominal size of the aggregate should
be as large as possible

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v). Grading and Type of Aggregate

The grading of aggregate influences the mix proportions for a specified workability and
water-cement ratio. Coarser the grading leaner will be the mix which can be used. Very lean mix
is not desirable since it does not contain enough finer material to make the concrete cohesive.

The type of aggregate influences strongly the aggregate-cement ratio for the desired
workability and stipulated water cement ratio. An important feature of a satisfactory aggregate is
the uniformity of the grading which can be achieved by mixing different size fractions.

vi). Quality Control

The degree of control can be estimated statistically by the variations in test results. The
variation in strength results is due to the variations in the properties of the mix ingredients and
lack of control of accuracy in batching, mixing, placing, curing and testing. The factor
controlling this difference is termed as quality control.

4.3 INDIAN STANDARD METHOD

Bureau of Indian standards recommended a set of procedures for design of concrete mix
mainly based on the work done in national laboratories. The mix design procedures are covered
in IS:10262-2009. Their methods can be applied for both medium and high strength concrete.
The following mixes were designed based on Indian Standard Recommended Method of
concrete mix design of IS:10262-2009.

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4.3.1 Mix design for M20 grade of concrete(20mm)
Table 4.1 Properties of Materials used for Mix design

Grade designation M20

Type of cement OPC 43 Grade

Maximum nominal size of aggregate 20mm

Cement content 330 kg/m3

Water cement ratio 0.5

Specific gravity of cement 3.12

Specific gravity of coarse aggregate 2.67

Specific gravity of fine aggregate 2.60

Target Mean Strength

fck1 = fck + 1.65 S
= 20 + 1.65 × 4
= 26.6N/mm2

Calculation of cement content:

Water cement ratio = 0.5

Water content = 0.5 × 330

= 165 Liters

From table 3 (IS 10262:2009) volume of coarse aggregate corresponding to 20mm size
aggregate and fine aggregate (zone-II).

For water cement ratio of 0.5 = 0.62.

Volume of coarse aggregate = 0.62

Volume of fine aggregate = 1 – 0.62

= 0.38

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Mix Calculations:

Volume of Concrete = 1 m3

Mass of cement × 1
Volume of Cement = sp.gravity of cement × 1000

330 × 1
= 3.12 × 1000

= 0.105 m3
Mass of water × 1
Volume of Water = sp.gravity of water × 1000

165× 1
=
1 × 1000

= 0.175 m3

Consider percentage of voids = 2%

Volume of Aggregates = 0.98 - (0.105+0.1664)

= 0.7 m3

Mass of Coarse Aggregate = 0.7 × 0.62 × 2.67 × 1000

= 1158.78 kg

Mass of Fine Aggregate = 0.7 × 0.38 × 2.57 × 1000

= 691.60 kg

Mix Proportions of M20 grade concrete were shown in Table 4.2.

Table No 4.2 Mix Proportions for M20 Grade Concrete(20mm)

Cement Fine Aggregate Coarse Aggregate Water

1 2.09 3.51 0.50

The mix proportion shown in table 4.2, cement, fine aggregate and coarse aggregate were
kept constant for M20 grade concrete with graded aggregate and water-cement ratio 0.52 is used.

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4.3.2 Mix design for M20 grade of concrete(12.5mm)
Table 4.3 Properties of Materials used for Mix design

Grade designation M20

Type of cement OPC 43 Grade

nominal size of aggregate 12.5mm

Cement content 330 kg/m3

Water cement ratio 0.52

Specific gravity of cement 3.12

Specific gravity of coarse aggregate 2.70

Specific gravity of fine aggregate 2.60

Target Mean Strength

fck1 = fck + 1.65 S
= 20 + 1.65 × 4
= 26.6N/mm2

Calculation of cement content:

Water cement ratio = 0.52

Water content = 0.5 × 330

= 171.6 Liters

Volume of coarse aggregate = 0.5

Volume of fine aggregate = 0.5

Mix Calculations:

Volume of Concrete = 1 m3

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 Mass of cement × 1
Volume of Cement = sp.gravity of cement × 1000

330 × 1
=
3.12 × 1000

= 0.105 m3
Mass of water × 1
Volume of Water = sp.gravity of water × 1000

171.60× 1
= 1 × 1000

= 0.171 m3

Consider percentage of voids = 2%

Volume of Aggregates = 0.98 - (0.105+0.1664)

= 0.704 m3

Mass of Coarse Aggregate = 0.704× 0.5 × 2.70 × 1000

= 950.4 kg

Mass of Fine Aggregate = 0.704 × 0.5 × 2.60 × 1000

= 915.2 kg

Mix Proportions of M20 grade concrete were shown in Table 4.2.

Table No 4.4 Mix Proportions for M20 Grade Concrete(12.5mm)

Cement Fine Aggregate Coarse Aggregate Water

1 2.77 2.88 0.52

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4.3.3 Mix design for M25 grade of concrete(20mm)
Table 4.5 Properties of Materials used for Mix design

Grade designation M25

Type of cement OPC 43 Grade

nominal size of aggregate 20mm

Cement content 350 kg/m3

Water cement ratio 0.47

Specific gravity of cement 3.12

Specific gravity of coarse aggregate 2.67

Specific gravity of fine aggregate 2.60

Target Mean Strength

fck1 = fck + 1.65 S
= 25 + 1.65 × 4
= 31.6 N/mm2

Calculation of cement content:

Water cement ratio = 0.47

Water content = 0.47 × 350

= 164.5 Liters

From table 3 (IS 10262:2009) volume of coarse aggregate corresponding to 20mm size
aggregate and fine aggregate (zone-II).

For water cement ratio of 0.5 = 0.62.

Volume of coarse aggregate = 0.66

Volume of fine aggregate = 1 – 0.66

= 0.34

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Mix Calculations:

Volume of Concrete = 1 m3

Mass of cement × 1
Volume of Cement = sp.gravity of cement × 1000

350 × 1
= 3.12 × 1000

= 0.112 m3
Mass of water × 1
Volume of Water = sp.gravity of water × 1000

164.5× 1
=
1 × 1000

= 0.1645 m3

Consider percentage of voids = 2%

Volume of Aggregates = 0.98 - (0.112+0.1645)

= 0.704 m3

Mass of Coarse Aggregate = 0.704 × 0.66 × 2.67 × 1000

= 1240.58 kg

Mass of Fine Aggregate = 0.704 × 0.34 × 2.60 × 1000

= 622.33 kg

Mix Proportions of M20 grade concrete were shown in Table 4.2.

Table No 4.6 Mix Proportions for M25 Grade Concrete(20mm)

Cement Fine Aggregate Coarse Aggregate Water

1 1.78 3.54 0.47

The mix proportion shown in table 4.6, cement, fine aggregate and coarse aggregate were
kept constant for M20 grade concrete with graded aggregate and water-cement ratio 0.48 is used.

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4.3.4 Mix design for M25 grade of concrete(12.5mm)
Table No 4.7 Properties of Materials used for Mix design

Grade designation M25

Type of cement OPC 43 Grade

Nominal size of aggregate 12.5mm

Cement conent 350 kg/m3

Water cement ratio 0.47

Specific gravity of cement 3.12

Specific gravity of coarse aggregate 2.70

Specific gravity of fine aggregate 2.60

Target Mean Strength

fck1 = fck + 1.65 S
= 25 + 1.65 × 4
= 31.6 N/mm2

Calculation of cement content:

Water cement ratio = 0.48

Water content = 0.48 × 350

= 168 Liters

Volume of coarse aggregate = 0.55

Volume of fine aggregate = 0.45

Mix Calculations:

Volume of Concrete = 1m3

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 Mass of cement × 1
Volume of Cement = sp.gravity of cement × 1000

350× 1
= 3.12 × 1000

= 0.112 m3
Mass of water × 1
Volume of Water =
sp.gravity of water × 1000

168 × 1
= 1 × 1000

= 0.168 m3

Consider percentage of voids = 2%

Volume of Aggregates = 0.98 - (0.112 + 0.168)

= 0.7 m3

Mass of Coarse Aggregate = 0.7 × 0.55× 2.70 × 1000

= 1027.95 kg

Mass of Fine Aggregate = 0.7 × 0.45 × 2.60× 1000

= 819 kg

Table No 4.8 Mix Proportions for M25 Grade Concrete(12.5mm)

Cement Fine Aggregate Coarse Aggregate Water

1 2.34 2.94 0.48

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