APPROVED QUALITY PROGRAM

Mix Design Statistical Analysis Program

Guidelines

A Publication of
READY MIXED CONCRETE ASSOCIATION OF ONTARIO
365 Brunel Road, Unit #3
Mississauga, Ontario
L4Z 1Z5
Phone #: (905) 507-1122 Fax #: (905) 890-8122 Email: rmcao@rmcao.org

2009
Property of Ready Mixed Concrete Association of Ontario
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

1.0 Introduction .................................................................................................... 1

1.1 Background ................................................................................................ 1
2.0 Definitions ...................................................................................................... 2
3.0 Statistical Analysis ......................................................................................... 3
3.1 Modification Factor for Less than 30 Samples ........................................... 4
3.2 CSA Suggested Average Design Strength ................................................. 4
3.3 Minimum Number of Mixes to be Analyzed ................................................ 5
4.0 Recommended Procedure ............................................................................. 6
4.1 The Adverse Effects of Inaccurate Test Data ............................................. 7
4.2 Sample Reports ......................................................................................... 7

LIST OF APPENDIX

APPENDIX A: Increased Assurance in Obtaining Specified Strength................... 8

APPENDIX B: Category 1 Samples ...................................................................... 9
APPENDIX C: Category 2 Samples .................................................................... 10

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1: Standard Deviation Modification Factors ................................................ 4

Table 2: Required Average Strength..................................................................... 8
Table 3: Category 1 Sample ................................................................................. 9
Table 4: Category 2 Sample ............................................................................... 10
1.0 Introduction

The RMCAO Technical Committee has developed a Mix Design Statistical

Analysis Program to be implemented as a Standard Practice requirement for all
producing Members. Included as a key component of this plan is the need for
Members to provide documented evidence that concrete mix designs used for
production have been developed in accordance with a standard, statistical based
method and meet the technical requirements of CSA A23.1.

The purpose of this document is to describe, in detail, the requirements of the

proposed RMCAO methodology to be used. Elements of CSA A23.1, “Concrete
Materials and Methods of Concrete Construction”, and ACI 214 “Standard
Practice for the Evaluation of Strength Test Results for Concrete”, have been
used to develop this guideline.

The intent of this guideline is to offer assurance to specifying Engineers that all
members of the Association are committed to producing concrete of a consistent
and dependable quality. Furthermore, it will provide the member companies with
the tools necessary to develop a Quality Assurance Plan that will enable them to
have confidence in their daily concrete production methods.

1.1 Background

Although not an absolute indicator of concrete quality, the 28 day Compressive

Strength test is a generally accepted method of specifying, controlling and
evaluating the quality of concrete placed on a project.

Portland Cement Concrete (PCC) is subject to numerous factors that influence its
plastic and hardened properties. Included among these are:
1. Raw Material Variations.
2. Concrete Production, Delivery, Placement and Consolidation
Techniques.
3. Curing Method and Duration.
4. Preparation, Handling and Testing of Cylinder Strength Specimens.

Ideally, the design of a concrete mix should consider the variability introduced by
all of the above factors.

Currently, concrete mixes are generally over-designed, for fear of producing

results that do not satisfy minimum specified strength criteria of the Engineer.
The following methodology will provide a simplified discussion on compressive
strength variance analysis, and it will also provide criteria to follow in order to
properly design concrete mixes.

RMCAO Mix Design Statistical Analysis Program Guidelines 1

2.0 Definitions

Strength Test:
The average of two cylinder specimens cast from a single
load of concrete and tested at the same age. For example,
the 28 day strength of a load is calculated as the average of
two cylinders cast from the same load of concrete, tested at
28 days.

Average Strength:
The average of all individual strength tests cast on a specific
class of concrete from a given plant using similar materials.
For example, the average of fifteen, 28 day Compressive
Strength test results for 30 MPa, MTO concrete is 36.3 MPa.

Range:
The difference between the highest and lowest values in a
data group. For example, the 28 day range for 2
Compressive Strength cylinders tested at 37.6 MPa and 39.2
MPa is 1.6 MPa.

Standard Deviation (s):

The root mean square deviation of the measured strengths
from their average. Essentially, Standard Deviation
measures the degree to which an individual strength test
may be expected to vary from the average. For example, an
average strength of 36.3 MPa with a standard deviation of
1.5 MPa will be expected to vary from 31.8 MPa (average
strength minus 3 standard deviations) to 40.8 MPa (average
strength plus 3 standard deviations) with a 99.9% confidence
level.

Coefficient of Variation (C.V.):

The standard deviation expressed as a percentage of the
average strength. For example, concrete with an average
strength of 36.3 MPa and a standard deviation of 1.5 MPa
will have a Coefficient of Variation of 4.1% (1.5 ÷36.3 x 100).

Cement Efficiency:
The average amount of cementitious material, in kg, required
to produce 1 MPa of compressive strength per m3 of
concrete. For example, a concrete of average strength 36.3
MPa designed with 335 kg of cementitious material will have
an efficiency of 9.23 kg/MPa per m3 (335 kg ÷36.3 MPa).

RMCAO Mix Design Statistical Analysis Program Guidelines 2

3.0 Statistical Analysis

Concrete compressive strengths have a natural tendency to vary around a

central value commonly described as the Average or Mean. The distribution of
results follows a symmetrical pattern represented by the Normal Distribution or
the Bell Shaped Curve.

An in-depth presentation of statistical calculations will not be presented here,

however, the calculations are easily performed by means of a statistical
calculator or in a typical computer spreadsheet program (such as Excel or Lotus
123).

To analyze concrete cylinder compressive strength data, the following values

need to be calculated:

1. Average: The sum of all individual test results divided by the number of tests.
2. Standard Deviation: The sum of the root mean squared differences between
each test result and the sample average divided by the number of samples
less 1.
3. Coefficient of Variation: The Standard Deviation divided by the Average
Strength and expressed as a percentage.
4. Cement Efficiency: The total mass of cementitious material per m3 divided
by the Average Strength.

Important Note:

All strength tests used in any evaluation of concrete performance must be

conducted in strict compliance with CSA A23.2, and be performed either by
a CSA certified laboratory, or be stamped by a PEO licensed Engineer as
being accurate.

In theory, the analysis is most accurate when a minimum of 30 consecutive,

representative test results are used. It is important that a “Rational or Random
Sampling Technique” be followed, which ensures that no bias is evident in the
results through selective sampling or choice of the sampler. What should be
avoided is a situation where the sample is taken every Monday at 8:00 am.

All tests incorporated in the analysis must be taken within the previous twelve
(12) months of operation, with at least fifteen (15) 28 Day Compressive
Strength Tests performed on each class of concrete during the twelve month
testing period.

RMCAO Mix Design Statistical Analysis Program Guidelines 3

3.1 Modification Factor for Less than 30 Samples

When a production facility has less than 30 samples, but has a record based on
15-29 tests, the calculated Standard Deviation must be modified by multiplying
by the appropriate factor from the following table (ACI –318 Clause 5.3.1.2):

Table 1: Standard Deviation Modification Factors

Number of Compressive Strength Modification Factor For The
Test* Standard Deviation
15 1.16
20 1.08
25 1.03
30 + 1.00
* = Interpolate for an intermediate number of tests. (ACI-318 Table 5.3.1.2)

3.2 CSA Suggested Average Design Strength

CSA A23.1, Clause 4.4.6.6.1 indicates that the strength level of each class of
concrete shall be considered satisfactory if the averages of all sets of three (3)
consecutive strength tests for that class at one age equal or exceed the specified
strength (f’c) and no individual strength test is more than 3.5 MPa below the
specified strength. This criterion can be met with 99% confidence when the
concrete mix is proportioned to produce the following Average Design Strength:

1. = f’c + (1.4 x Standard Deviation)

[When the Standard Deviation is not more than 3.5 MPa]

2. = f’c + ((2.4 x Standard Deviation) - 3.5))

[When the Standard Deviation is more than 3.5 MPa]

CSA states that individual strength tests from concrete meeting these
requirements can be expected to be below specified strength approximately 10%
of the time. Appendix A provides a detailed list of formulas for determining the
Average Design Strength based upon the maximum percentage of tests the
design Engineer would like to see below the specified strength.

An important qualification in CSA A23.1 is that a Standard Deviation may be

used to design mixes whose strength is within 7 MPa of the mix analyzed,
provided that they are made with similar materials and under similar conditions to
those expected. As such, a 20 MPa, non air-entrained mix analysis can be used
to design 13 to 27 MPa, non air-entrained concretes. Similarly, a 30 MPa, air-
entrained mix may be used to design 23 to 37 MPa, air-entrained concretes.

RMCAO Mix Design Statistical Analysis Program Guidelines 4

3.3 Minimum Number of Mixes to be Analyzed

For the purpose of this program, each producing Member must analyze the
following two categories of concrete:

1) Category 1: Under 30 MPa with or without Air Entrainment.

2) Category 2: 30 MPa or higher with Air Entraining Admixture (A.E.A.).

It is recommended that the analysis be conducted on as many mixes as

practical for each specific plant.

Low Production Facility Allowance: Low Production Facilities are defined as

ready mixed concrete production facilities (permanent or portable) that have
produced less than 20,000 cubic metres (m3) of concrete during the previous
calendar year. If a plant meets this criteria, they are exempted from monitoring
Category 1 concrete. All concrete plants shall at a minimum conduct testing on
Category 2 concrete.

RMCAO Mix Design Statistical Analysis Program Guidelines 5

4.0 Recommended Procedure

The recommended RMCAO Mix Design Statistical Analysis Program procedure

is as follows:

1. For each plant, select the mix design that will be used the most
for each category of concrete to be tested.
2. Obtain the 28 day Compressive Strength test results during the
12 month moving window. At a minimum, 15 tests must
conducted for each class of concrete (Note: Additional test
results will reduce the Standard Deviation Modification Factor
and limit the effects of extreme test results).
3. Members are required to keep on file the Compressive Strength
Test Reports (completed by a CSA certified laboratory or
stamped by a PEO Engineer) for each category of concrete.
4. Review the data as it is collected to confirm that no one
individual test is lower than 3.5 MPa below the specified
strength and that the running average of the last three
compressive strength tests are greater than the specified
strength.
5. Input the data in a summary table to allow for quick inspection
by the Engineer during the Plant Audit and Certification Program
(See samples in Appendix 2 & 3).
6. Calculate the Average Strength and Standard Deviation for a
given class of concrete at a given plant for the current testing
period.
7. Modify the Standard Deviation value as required based upon
the number of 28 Day Compressive Strength Tests used in
program (Table 5.3.1.2).
8. Determine CSA’s recommended Average Design Strength
based upon your specific data.
9. Adjust the design mixes in accordance with the statistical
analysis data. One possible method is to determine the cement
efficiency, as described previously, for the mix design in
question.

RMCAO Mix Design Statistical Analysis Program Guidelines 6

4.1 The Adverse Effects of Inaccurate Test Data

When determining the Standard Deviation of a given category of concrete, it is

important to remember that testing inaccuracies cause a significant portion of the
variability in a mix design. It is recommended that the Within Test Variability,
which is a measure of testing consistency and performance, be determined as
follows:

1. Determine the range in each set of cylinders comprising a single

strength test.
2. Determine the average range as the sum of the ranges divided
by the number of strength tests.
3. Calculate the within test coefficient of determination as the
average range divided by the average strength, expressed as a
percentage.

As per ACI 214 guidelines, if the within test Coefficient of Variation exceeds
6.0%, it is likely that testing error is influencing the accuracy of test results. It is
important that test results influenced by testing not be used in designing
concrete mixes.

4.2 Sample Reports

Enclosed are two sample reports for the two categories of concrete included in
the Mix Design Statistical Analysis Program.

The purpose of these samples is to indicate the information that is required to

complete the statistical analysis and provide Members with a sample layout.

Copies of these Excel spreadsheets are available from the Association.

Note: In order to highlight the main objectives of the program, both samples
contain data that fails to meet the requirement of CSA A23.1
Clause4.4.6.6.1. These failures do not indicate that the Member has
failed to meet the requirements of Mix Design Statistical Analysis
Program. The only requirement of the Program is that the Member modify
its mix designs to address these issues and continue the monitoring
program to determine the effectiveness of the modifications.

RMCAO Mix Design Statistical Analysis Program Guidelines 7

 APPENDIX A: Increased Assurance in Obtaining Specified Strength

If specifying Engineers require greater assurance that the specified strengths will
be achieved, the factor by which the standard deviation is multiplied may be
increased. ACI-214 provides the following guide:

Table 2: Required Average Strength

Required Average Strength Percentage of Low Tests (%)
f’c + 0.00 x S.D. 50.0
f’c + 0.10 x S.D. 46.0
f’c + 0.20 x S.D. 42.1
f’c + 0.30 x S.D. 38.2
f’c + 0.40 x S.D. 34.5
f’c + 0.50 x S.D. 30.9
f’c + 0.60 x S.D. 27.4
f’c + 0.70 x S.D. 24.2
f’c + 0.80 x S.D. 21.2
f’c + 0.90 x S.D. 18.2
f’c + 1.00 x S.D. 15.9
f’c + 1.10 x S.D. 13.6
f’c + 1.20 x S.D. 11.5
f’c + 1.30 x S.D. 9.7
f’c + 1.40 x S.D. 8.1
f’c + 1.50 x S.D. 6.7
f’c + 1.60 x S.D. 5.5
f’c + 1.70 x S.D. 4.5
f’c + 1.80 x S.D. 3.6
f’c + 1.90 x S.D. 2.9
f’c + 2.00 x S.D. 2.3
f’c + 2.10 x S.D. 1.8
f’c + 2.20 x S.D. 1.4
f’c + 2.30 x S.D. 1.1
f’c + 2.40 x S.D. 0.8
f’c + 2.50 x S.D. 0.6
f’c + 2.60 x S.D. 0.45
f’c + 2.70 x S.D. 0.35
f’c + 2.80 x S.D. 0.25
f’c + 2.90 x S.D. 0.19
f’c + 3.00 x S.D. 0.13

Any Engineer who, unrealistically, refuses to recognize the variability that exists
and demands that no test falls below the specified strength, must realize that the
required average strength is 3.0 standard deviations above the specified
strength, resulting in over-designed and uneconomical mixes.

RMCAO Mix Design Statistical Analysis Program Guidelines 8

 APPENDIX B: Category 1 Samples

Table 3: Category 1 Sample

RMCAO Mix Design Statistical Analysis Program Guidelines 9

 APPENDIX C: Category 2 Samples

Table 4: Category 2 Sample

RMCAO Mix Design Statistical Analysis Program Guidelines 10