INTRODUCTION

Concrete is obtained by mixing cement, fine aggregate, coarse

aggregate, water and admixtures in required proportions. The
mixture when placed in forms and allowed to cure becomes
hard like stone.

The hardening is caused by chemical action between water and

the cement due to which concrete grows stronger with age.

It is the most widely-used man-made construction material in

the world.

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 CONCRETE MAKING MATERIALS
• Cement
• Aggregates
• Water
• Admixtures

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CEMENT

Cement and water forms the ‘active’ component of concrete, while

the inactive group comprises the fine and coarse aggregates.
The cement and water form a paste that hardens and bonds the
aggregates together.

Types of Cement
Although around 18 types of cements are recognized by BIS, more
commonly used ones are:
• Ordinary Portland Cement 33, 43, & 53 grade OPC,
• Blended Cements (PPC and PSC).
• Sulphate Resisting Cement (SRC),
• Low Heat Portland Cement (LHPC),
• Hydrophobic Portland Cement,
• Colored Cement (White Cement).

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AGGREGATES
• They are cheaper than cement and impart greater volume
stability and durability to concrete.
• The main purpose is to provide bulk to the concrete.
• Some of the aggregates may be chemically active.

CLASSIFICATION
• Geological origin – natural and artificial
• Size – fine, coarse and all-in
• Shape – rounded, irregular, angular, flaky and elongated
• Unit weight – normal-weight, heavyweight and lightweight

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WATER
• The most important and least expensive ingredient of concrete.
• One part of the water is used in the hydration of cement to form
the binding matrix.
• The remaining water affords lubrication and workability to the
concrete.
• Water-cement ratio depends on the grade of concrete, its
workability, durability, nature and type of aggregates etc.
• Potable water is ideal for concreting.
• Seawater may be used in PCC.

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ADMIXTURES

Added to the concrete immediately or during mixing to modify its

properties in the fresh or hardened state.

Types:
• Accelerators - speed up the initial set of concrete. 1%
• Retarders – delay the setting time of concrete mix. 0.5%
• Plasticizers and Super-plasticizers - water reducers. 2%
• Air entraining admixtures
• Water proofers
• Pigments
• Corrosion-inhibiting chemicals
• Antifungal admixtures

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 TYPES OF CONCRETE MIXES

1. NOMINAL MIX
Mixes of fixed proportions, IS:456-2000 permits nominal
mixes for concretes of strength M20 or lower

2. DESIGN MIX
Designed on the basis of requirements of the concrete in
fresh and hardened states.

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TRIAL MIXES
Prepared to verify whether the Design Mix would perform as
per the assumptions. If appreciable variation exists, the
available alternatives are:

1. directly employ the trial mix proportions at the site

2. modify the trial mix proportions on the basis of intuition and
employ the revised proportions at the site
3. prepare further trial mixes incorporating changes in the
proportions based on the feedback generated from the
previous mix.

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 CONCRETE MIX DESIGN

DEFINITION

“ Mix Design is the science of determining the relative

proportions of the ingredients of concrete to achieve the
desired properties in the most economical way.”

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 PRINCIPLES OF MIX DESIGN

1 The environment exposure condition for the structure

2 The grade of concrete, their characteristic strength’s and standard

deviations

3 The type of cement

4 The types and sizes of aggregates and their sources of supply

5 The nominal maximum sizes of aggregates

6 Maximum and minimum cement content in kg/m 3

7 Water cement ratio

8 The degree of workability of concrete based on placing conditions

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9 Air content inclusive of entrained air

10 The maximum/minimum density of concrete

11 The maximum/minimum temperature of fresh concrete

12 Type of water available for mixing and curing

13 The source of water and the impurities present in it.

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IS 456:2000
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IS 456:2000
CONCRETE MIX DESIGN 13
IS 456:2000
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 FACTORS DEFINING THE CHOICE OF MIX
PROPORTIONS

1. Compressive Strength
2. Workability
3. Durability
4. Type, size and grading of aggregates
5. Aggregate-cement ratio

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WORKABILITY

“that property of freshly mixed concrete which determines the

ease and homogeneity with which it can be mixed, placed,
consolidated and finished.”

DURABILITY

“the resistance to weathering action due to environmental

conditions such as changes in temperature and humidity,
chemical attack, abrasion, frost and fire.”

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CONCRETE SLUMP TEST
The slump test measures the consistency of fresh
concrete before it sets. It is performed to check the
workability of freshly made concrete, and therefore the
ease with which concrete flows. It can also be used as an
indicator of an improperly mixed batch.

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PROCEDURE TO CONDUCT SLUMP TEST AT SITE
The test is carried out using a metal mould in the shape of a conical
frustum known as a slump cone or Abrams cone, that is open at both
ends and has attached handles. The tool typically has an internal
diameter of 100 millimetres at the top and of 200 millimetres at the
bottom with a height of 305 millimetres.The cone is placed on a hard
non-absorbent surface. This cone is filled with fresh concrete in three
stages. Each time, each layer is tamped 25 times with a (600 mm)-long
bullet-nosed metal rod measuring 16 mm in diameter. At the end of the
third stage, the concrete is struck off flush with the top of the mould.
The mould is carefully lifted vertically upwards, so as not to disturb the
concrete cone.
The concrete then slumps and the slump of the concrete is measured
by measuring the distance from the top of the slumped concrete to the
level of the top of the slump cone.

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Interpretation of results

The slumped concrete takes various shapes and according

to the profile of slumped concrete, the slump is termed as
true slump, shear slump or collapse slump. If a shear or
collapse slump is achieved, a fresh sample should be taken
and the test repeated. A collapse slump is an indication that
the mix is too wet.

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CONCRETE MIX DESIGN 20
 Some Important Interview Question & Answers Based On
Concrete Technology

Q1 :-What is the meaning of M and 30 in M-30(design mix) :-

Ans :- See Slide 14.

Q2 :-For ensuring quality of concrete, use

1.single sized aggregates.
2.graded aggregates. Ans 2.

Q3. According to I.S. : 456, the number of grades of standard concrete

mixes, is
Ans 7 (M-25 to M-55)

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 Some Important Interview Question & Answers Based On
Concrete Technology

Q4. After casting, an ordinary cement concrete on drying

1. Expand
2. Mix
3. Shrinks Ans 3.

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