Concrete Mix Design

CONCRETE mix design is very important stage in building a structure as in

Civil engineering. Strength of a structure prettily depends on it. This is the
method to find out the ratio between concrete contents. There are many
Formulas to calculate this cause of different environmental factors. Here we
discuss about concrete mix design according to ACI 211.1-98. By the rules
of ACI 211.1-98 there are seven steps to compute the ratio. These steps are
narrated briefly in below.

Step#1- Choice of slump : If slump is not specified, then according to ACI

211.1-98 the slump given in the following table could be use on the basis of
various types of constructions.
Types of Constructions
Beams and Reinforced
walls
Building columns

Slump(inch)
Maximum
Minimum
4
1

Slump(mm)
Maximum
Minimum
100
25

100

25

Pavement and slabs

75

25

Reinforce foundations,
Walls and footings
Plain footings,
Caissons, and substructure walls
Mass Concrete

75

25

75

25

75

25

Table : 1

Step#2-choice of maximum size of Coarse aggregate : In a

construction work coarse aggregate should be largest nominal size of wellgraded aggregate which has the less extent of voids and thats why needs
less mortar per volume. And must be it is economically stable. The size of
aggregate should be maximum nominal size exceed
dimension between side of forms,

1
3

1
5

of the narrowest

the depth of neither slabs, nor

3
4

of

minimum clear spacing between individual reinforcing bars. In general the

maximum size aggregate has kept to a minimum at half inch or 12.7 millimeter(mm) and

3
4

inch(19mm) or 1 inch(25.4mm) as a maximum has been

used.

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Step#3- Estimation of mixing water and air content : The amount of

water in a concrete mixture depends on specification of aggregate used to
make a required slump. It also affected by amount of entrained air content.
Actually water amount is not so involve with the cementitious materials. It is
greatly affected by texture, shape, nominal size and grade of aggregate. A
table has been given below which shows approximate mixing water & air
content requirements for various slumps and nominal size.

Water in lb/yd3 (kg/m3) for the following aggregate size

Slump in
inch(mm)

3/8

in

1/2 in (12.5

3/ 4

in (19.5

1 in (25.4 mm)

(9.5mm)
350(207 )

mm)
335(199 )

mm)
315(190 )

300(179 )

3 to 4 (75 to 100)

385(228 )

365(216 )

340(205 )

325(193 )

5 to 6 (125 to
150)
Approximate
amount of
entrapped air in
non-air entrained
concrete, percent

400(235 )

375(220 )

350(207 )

335(199 )

2.5

1.5

1 to 2 (25 to 50)

Table : 2

Step#4- Selection of water-cement(W-C) or water-cementitious

materials ratio : In general only the strength is the considerable factors to
determine W-C ratio, but actually there are more factors are have to
calculate the W-C ratio. Such as durability and finishing properties of
concrete, characteristics of aggregates, cement types etc. In an average
composition 25% water by mass is needed to make a chemical reaction with
cementitious materials. And in addition more a amount of water is necessary
to fill the gel pores. In a general belief W-C ratio should not be less than 0.40
for the process of the hydration. It is highly desirable to have relationship
between strength and W-C ratio. The table given below shows an
approximate relationship between W-C and compressive strength at 28 days
for Type-1 cement.
Compressive strength at 28 days, Psi (Mpa)
6000
5000
4000
3000
2000

(41)
(35)
(28)
(21)
(14)

Table : 3
*Usually

a bigger strength is consider then the required strength.

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W-C ratio by weight

(Non-air-entrained concrete)
0.41
0.48
0.57
0.68
0.82

If the structure placed in severe exposure condition, then the maximum

water-cement ration would be choose from the table below :
Structure Type

Continuously wet structure

expose to frequent freezing
and thawing.
0.45

Thin section [Railing, curbs,

sills, ledges] and sections
having cover less then
25mm thickness.
All other Structure

Structure expose to sea

water or sulphates.
0.40

0.50

0.45

Table : 4

Step#5- Calculation of cement content : The amount of the cement

content can be found from the step#3 & step#4. First its need to pick the
exact amount of water from the table in step#3 according to given slump
and aggregate size and then the amount of cement will found by this
formula,
Amount of Cement content
Amount of water

W-C ratio

Step#6- Estimation of course aggregate content : Aggregate of

essentially the same nominal maximum size and grading will produce
concrete of satisfactory workability when a given volume of course
aggregate, on a dry, loose basis, is used per unit volume of concrete. The
volume of aggregate in unit volume of concrete depends only on its nominal
maximum size and fineness modulus. This can be found from this formula,
Weight of C.A. = Bulk volume * Unit weight
=

CA2.68
(Volume of oven dry rodded Bulk specific
gravity [C . A ] )

* Unit weight

Here 2.68 is the specific gravity of a known reference oven-dry-rodded course

aggregate and its volume per m3 can be found from the following table:
Nominal aggregate
size, mm (inch)

Volume of oven-dry-rodded C.A. per m3 of concrete for different

fineness moduli of F.A.
2.40
2.60
2.80
3.00

3/8
)

0.50

0.48

0.46

0.44

0.59

0.57

0.55

0.53

14

1
( 2)

0.66

0.64

0.62

0.60

20

3
( 4 )

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25.4 (1)
40 (

1
2 )
1

0.71
0.75

0.69
0.73

0.67
0.71

0.65
0.69

0.78

0.76

0.74

0.72

0.82
0.87

0.80
0.85

0.78
0.83

0.76
0.81

56 (2 4 )
80 (3)
150 (6)

Table : 5

Step#7- Estimation of Fine aggregate Content : When Water, Cement,

Course aggregate are found particularly it is easy to get the volume of Fine
aggregate. If it is considered that the total construction work is 1 m 3 than
subtracting the amount of water, cement, C.A. in 1 m3 from 1 will gives the
volume of F.A. But before that all volumes are recommended to convert into
m3

Step#8- Adjustment for aggregate moisture : Aggregate in environment

are in different condition, such as, so dried or fully saturated. Dried
aggregates absorb water and Saturated aggregate supply water into mixture.
So the amount of water in mixture is slightly depends on it. And it is
important to adjustment the Moisture & absorption capacity of aggregates to
get the perfect consistence in concrete mixture. In general percent of
Moisture added and percent of Absorption capacity subtracted from the
obtained volume of water and C.A & F.A .
After obtaining each materials volume these are expressed in ratio, As like
below :
Water : Cement : C.A. : F.A.

** All amount in ratio are volume.

Problem : Concrete is required for an exterior column located above ground

where moderate freezing and thawing may occurred. Design a concrete mix
with ordinary Portland cement to compressive strength of 5000 psi after 28
days by the ACI method from the following data :
Maximum size of aggregate = 1 inch, Slump of the concrete : 1~2 inch.
Cement : Specific gravity 3.15.
Coarse aggregate : Dry-rodded unit weight = 105 lb/ft 3 , Bulk specific
gravity(SSD) = 2.65, Absorption Capacity = 4.3%, Surface moisture = 1%.
Fine aggregate : Bulk specific gravity = 2.60, Fineness Modulus = 2.80,
Absorption Capacity = 1.42 %, Surface moisture = 1.57%.

Solution : This problem will be solved by those steps discussed before.

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Step#1- Choice of slump : This step will find out slump of concrete. As the
slump is given on problem, so we dont need to look over on table-1. Here we
directly put this value.
Slump = 1~2 in.
Step#2-choice of maximum size of Coarse aggregate : This value also
given,
Maximum size C.A. = 1 in.
Step#3- Estimation of mixing water and air content : In this step we
have find out the amount of water and air content with the help of table-2. By
the value from step#1 & 2, we get that :
Water = 179 kg/m3
Air = 1.5%.
** taking MKS values for further convenience.
Step#4- Selection of water-cement(W/C) ratio: The value of W/C can be
found from table-3.
By table-3 for the concrete with compressive strength of 5000 required
water-cement ratio is 0.48. And here a noticeable thing is, in the its been said
that freezing and thawing may occurred in structure. Now we look over to the
table 4 for maximum W/C ratio for this condition. By the table-4 we get that
for freezing and thawing condition the maximum W/C ratio is 0.50. So ,
Water-cement ratio = 0.48 < 0.50 :: Accepted.
But a little problem here. If we target to gain 5000 psi, and calculate with all
values related to 5000 psi then we may be never able to reach target.
Because, if there is a little deviation in civil work we lose target. So to be safe
and to get intended result, work with bigger value than target. To gain 5000
psi concrete it is safe to work with value relating to 6000 psi. Hence ,
Water-cement ratio = 0.41 < 0.50 :: Accepted.
Step#5- Calculation of cement content : We Have W/C ratio, amount of
water and a formula from step#5. Hence,
Cement = 436.58 kg/m3

Step#6- Estimation of course aggregate content : With the help of

table-5, According to given data,

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Weight of C.A. =

0.672.68
)
2.65

* 105 *

0.45359
(0.3048)3

[Converted

to MKS]
= 1141.5 kg/m3
Step#7- Estimation of Fine aggregate Content : We found the amount
of all constituents of concrete except Fine aggregate. Let total work of 1 m 3
.
Here, Air content = 1 *

1.50
100

C.A.

= 0.015 m3
11141.5
2.651000

= 0.4307 m3

Cement =

1436.58
3.151000

= 0.1386 m3

Water

1179
1000

= 0.179 m3

Total = 0.7633 m3
So, Amount of F.A. = (1 0.7633) = 0.2367 m3
Weight of F.A. = 0.2367 * 2.60 * 1000 = 615.5 kg/ m 3.
Step#8- Adjustment for aggregate moisture : Moisture adjustment will
be performed according to given data,
Water = 179 + 1141.5 * 0.01 + 615.5 * .0157 1141.5 * 0.043 615.5 *
0.0142 = 142.3 kg.
[surface moisture +ve and Absorption ve ]
C.A. = 1141.5 + 11141.5 * 0.01 = 1151 kg.
F.A. = 615.5 + 615.5 * 0.0157 = 625.5 kg.
Mix ratio = Water : Cement : F.A. : C.A. = 179 : 436.58 : 615.5 : 1141.5
** This ratio could be more simplified by dividing all by the smallest value.

This note is written with help of Concrete Technology by ML gambhir .

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