LABORATORY WORK NO.

11: LABORATORY CONCRETE MIX

PROPORTIONING

OBJECTIVE:

To prepare a concrete mix proportion according to specification and to

determine its properties.

REFERENCES:

a. ASTM C 192-69
b. ASTM C 143-71
c. AASHTO T 126-70
d. AASHTO T 119-74

ESSENTIAL EQUIPMENT:

a. cylindrical concrete mold

b. slump cone
c. tramping rod
d. mixing board
e. containers
f. weighing scale
g. graduated cylinder
h. trowel \ shovel
i. ruler
j. 1”, #4 sieve mesh

TRIAL MIX DESIGN PROCEDURE:

This procedure is for calculating the approximate quantities of coarse

aggregate, fine aggregate, cement, and water needed to make one cubic yard of air-
entrained concrete of a specified compressive strength. This calculation should be done
before the beginning of the laboratory period. The results of the design shall be submitted
to the laboratory instructor for his approval.
1. The following information shall be provided to each group by laboratory
instructor:
a. 28-day compressive strength for the concrete.
b. Properties of the coarse and fine aggregate including maximum
aggregate size, fineness modulus, of the fine aggregate, effective
absorption of the fine and coarse aggregate, the dry rodded unit
weight of the coarse aggregate, and the shape of the coarse
aggregate.
c. Assume normal Type 1 Portland cement is to be used in the laboratory
and slump of the concrete mix will be ranged between 3 and 4 inches.
2. Based on the 28-day compressive strength, obtain the water cement ratio
required from the table for air-entrained concrete using Type 1 Portland
cement.
3. Based on the water-cement ratio, the maximum aggregate size, the
fineness modulus of the fine aggregate, using the table, compute the
quantities of the coarse aggregate, fine aggregate, cement, and water
for hydration, and additional water requirement needed to bring the
aggregates in the SSD condition. Calculate the batch quantities for one
 cubic yard of concrete using the ACI Method or the Book Method. Record
these results in the data.

4. Divide all the quantities determined in step 3 by 27 to obtain the estimated

quantities of the materials for one cubic ft. of concrete. In some instances,
concrete other than one cubic ft. may be needed. Consult the laboratory
instructor for the amount of concrete needed.

LABORATORY BATCHING METHOD:

5. Weigh the amount of coarse aggregate, determined in step 4, and store

in a container. Add the amount of water for effective absorption to the
aggregate and mixed them thoroughly. Weigh the amount of aggregate
needed. Record all the weights in the data.

6. Weigh the quantity of cement and put it in larger mixing pan. Determine
the volume of water to be used. Record all results.

7. Coarse and fine aggregates contained in step 5 are added into the mixing
pan to produce a concrete mix with the desired slump of 3 to 4 inches and
with good workability. This can be done by first using only 2/3 of the coarse
and fine aggregates and thoroughly mixing the aggregates with the
paste. Then test the slump (see step 8 for slump test). At this point, the slump
of the mixture should be greater than 4 inches. Gradually add small
quantities of fine and coarse aggregate (or both) and thoroughly remix
the concrete and test the slump. Repeat this process until the mix reaches
the desired slump. As the limiting slump is approaching, the batch should
be carefully examined in order to judge which aggregate to add. The
correct amount of sand is the minimum which will produce enough mortar
to fill the space between pieces of coarse aggregate. In general
understanding, creates harshness (lack of troweling ability) and show lack
of cohesiveness whereas over standing decreases “yield” and may result
in greater potential volume change. When the batch is judged to be
satisfactory, the remaining supplies of aggregates are weighed and
recorded in the data sheet.

8. In testing the slump, the mold should be dampened and placed in the
mixing board. The mold shall be firmly held down against the board. Fill the
slump cone with concrete in three layers, each approximately one-third of
the volume of the mold. Each layer shall be rodded with 25 strokes,
distributed uniformly over the cross-section of the cone. The rod shall lightly
penetrate the previous layer. After the top layer has been rodded, the
surface of the concrete shall be stuck off with trowel so that the cone is
exactly filled. The cone shall be immediately removed from the concrete
by raising it carefully in a vertical direction. The slump shall be measured
immediately by determining the difference between the height of the
mold and the height of the subsided concrete. After the slump
measurement is completed, the side of the concrete frustum should be
tapped gently with the tamping rod. The behavior of the concrete under
this treatment is a valuable indication of cohesiveness. A well-
proportioned mix will gradually slump to lower elevation and retain its
original form, while a poor mix will crumple, segregate and fall apart.

9. Before filling the concrete into a cylinder molds, determine the weight of
each cylinder mold and record the weight in the data sheet. The
cylindrical concrete specimen shall be formed by placing the concrete in
the cylinder mold in three layers of approximately equal volume. Each
 volume shall be rodded with 25 strokes using a tamping rod. The strokes
should be distributed uniformly over the cross section of the mold. Also, the
cylinder mold filled with concrete should be tapped gently with the
tamping rod. This treatment will help to consolidate the concrete and to
drive out the air bubbles trapped in the concrete. After the top layer has
been rodded, the surface of the concrete shall be struck off with a trowel.
Two-cylinder concrete specimen shall be made. Measure the weight of
each cylinder mold filled with concrete and record it in the data sheet.

10. After 24 hours, test specimen shall be removed from the molds and stored
in the curing room.

11. After curing the specimen for 28 days, perform the compression test and
the splitting tension test of concrete. Evaluate the results.

OBSERVATIONS:
It is evident that the amount of water and aggregates affect the workability of the
concrete. Excessive amount of water will result toa collapse slump while low amount of
water means zero slump. If the proportion of the aggregates are just right, a true concrete
will be produced.

DISCUSSION OF THEORY:

The behavior of concrete, whether fresh or hardened, depends basically on the

behavior of its components and the relationship between them, therefore, obtaining a
concrete with certain properties depends fundamentally on the concrete mix design.
Concrete mix design generally includes two main steps: 1-Selection of the main
components suitable for the concrete (cement, aggregate, water, and additives);2-
Determination of more economical mix ratios to fulfill the workability, strength and
efficiency requirements. Currently, there are many international methods locally
approved for mix designs. They are all related to each other, they give relatively the
same quantities of the mix components and they are all capable of providing a good
concrete mix. It is important to consider that these methods give approximate quantities
which should be checked by experimental mixes in order to obtain results suitable for the
requirements of the local environment and local materials. The ACI and BS methods are
the most commonly used. Both of these methods depend on graphs and standard tables
derived from previous research experience and actual concrete production as well as
studies of the properties of the materials used .Along with the aforementioned methods,
there are many other methods used for concrete mix design, such as “The Three
Equations Method (Bolomeya Method)”, which will be illustrated in detail in this paper, in
addition to the assessment of the results of concrete mixes produced by this method.
(Abdelgader, 2013)

Creating a mix design is more than just proportioning. It involves the whole process
from selecting the proper materials and putting them together in a way that satisfies the
engineering requirements of the finished product, to meeting the needs of those who are
to place, finish and manage the casting(s). (Bowen and Ramsberg, 2018

Other than desired hardened precast properties, a perfect mix design includes
four key facets: proportioning, sequencing, batch-cycle times and a place-finish-cure
plan. A PFC plan is an assemblage of best production practices designed to eliminate
the chance of production errors from when concrete plastic stability is optimal through
the curing of the structure before it enters its service life. One mix design may have two
different PFC plans – one for winter and one for summer – but this should not require
additional testing.
Proportioning Math for Proper Yielding
Throughout concrete’s history, mixes have been designed with a wide variety of
methods. It actually wasn’t that long ago that we were using the 1-2-4 method of
proportioning by volume – 1 scoop of cement, 2 scoops of sand and 4 scoops of stone.
The Panama Canal was built using this antiquated, volumetric mix design method.

For roughly 100 years, we have been using the absolute volume mix design
method. This method differs from the 1-2-4 method by using math to ensure a mix design
provides the desired yield no matter what materials are used. Prior to continuing, it is a
good idea to read American Concrete Institute 221R, “Guide for Use of Normal Weight
and Heavyweight Aggregate in Concrete.”

Terms that we must understand before we begin designing concrete:

a) Saturated surface-dry – SSD is the condition of an absorptive material where the

material is saturated, but its surface is dry. SSD aggregate neither absorbs water
from nor contributes water to the concrete mixture. This is typically only achieved
in laboratory conditions.

b) Specific gravity – The SG of any material is the unit weight of that material divided
by the unit weight of water at room temperature. An aggregate with an SG of 2.50
would thus be 2.5 times as dense as water. To understand this concept, consider
an iron anvil being dropped into a tub of water and quickly sinking to the bottom.
The anvil sinks because the SG of the iron is greater than that of water. Now, if the
tub was filled with mercury instead of water, the iron anvil would float because the
SG of the iron is less than that of mercury.

c) Absolute volume – The AV of a granular material is the volume comprised by only

the solid matter in a given space. It does not include the volume of the voids
between the particles. The AV of a material is computed as follows:

d) AV = weight of material/ (SG of material x unit weight of water)

For example, the SG of a certain oven-dry coarse aggregate is 2.75. The unit weight
of water is 62.4 lbs./ft.3. The absolute volume of a 90-pound sample of the aggregate
would be:

AV = 90 lbs. / (2.75 x 62.4 lbs./ft.3) = 0.524 ft.3

The AV of a concrete mix can be determined if the weight and SG of the

components are known. For a concrete sample mix containing 90 pounds of coarse
aggregate with an SG of 2.75, 60 pounds of fine aggregate with an SG of 2.61, 25 pounds
of cement with an SG of 3.15 and 12 pounds of water (with an SG of 1), the AV is
computed as follows:

i. Coarse aggregate = 90 lbs. / (2.75 x 62.4 lbs./ft.3) = 0.524 ft.3

ii. Fine aggregate = 60 lbs. / (2.61 x 62.4 lbs./ft.3) = 0.368 ft.3
iii. Cement = 25 lbs. / (3.15 x 62.4 lbs./ft.3) = 0.127 ft.3
iv. Water = 12 lbs. / (1 x 62.4 lbs./ft.3) = 0.192 ft.3
v. Total Volume = 1.211 ft.3

ACI 211.1, “Standard Practice for Selecting Proportions for Normal, Heavyweight,
and Mass Concrete,” has been adopted by the concrete industry as the standard
procedure for mix proportioning. If you design concrete mixtures, it is definitely required
reading. This standard provides a starting point, which is a basic design that would need
to be tested and adjusted for your specific materials.
 Most precast plants have a long history with their materials and understand how
they perform in concrete. To begin designing new mixes for your plant, it may be easier
to base your designs off the historical data you’ve already gathered. ACI 211.1 may be
a better starting point if no previous mix designs have been tested or confirmed for use
in your plant. When it comes to adjusting fine and coarse aggregate ratios, approval can
only be confirmed through in-plant testing with all of your other local raw materials.

Sequencing
1 yd.³ for a counter-current pan mixer that has already mixed a similar batch that
day (i.e. preconditioned or buttered):

i. Aggregates/air-entraining admixture
ii. Cementitious materials
iii. Dry-mix cycle:
Dry mix minimum batch time: 60 seconds
Dry mix maximum batch time: 200 seconds
Water (total weight added to be determined after
calculating aggregate-free moisture)
iv. Wet-mix cycle:
Wet mix minimum batch time: 90 seconds
Wet mix maximum batch time: 300 seconds
v. Discharge gate opening size and times at 1 yd.³ size:
20% open for first 10 seconds
100% open for remaining time

Conditions
a) Acceptable for use in steel-reinforced products
b) Fresh concrete temperature: 75 F +/- 10 F
c) Forms intended to be poured with this mix: box culverts, grease interceptors and
septic tanks

Recommended winter aggregate preheats times:

a) 20 – 30 F = 15 minutes
b) 30 – 40 F = 12 minutes
c) 40 – 50 F = 9 minutes
d) 50 – 60 F = 6 minutes

Placement
Place concrete using a 1 yd.³ clam-shell, center-discharge funnel hopper. If the
concrete is transported in a hopper by a forklift instead of a crane, extra precautions are
necessary to avoid unnecessary consolidation. Concrete should be placed within 20
minutes of discharging from the mixer. To avoid excessive air entrapment, this mix is
intended to have a maximum drop distance of 48 inches. Forms requiring a drop distance
greater than 48 inches will require proper flow-diverting plates or chutes. Vibration is
necessary. Refer to the in-plant casting guidelines by looking up the form’s serial number.

Finishing
This mix should be hand troweled immediately after consolidation, screening and
form-volume yielding have been verified.

Curing
For outdoor and indoor forms, use 6-mil-or-greater, non-transparent plastic tarps
for covering during initial cure. Jacket form removal should not take place until test
cylinders reach a compressive strength of 1,500 psi. The product should not be removed
from the form until test cylinders reach a compressive strength of 2,200 psi.
 Indoor curing of castings should take place for a minimum of four hours after
demolding when outdoor ambient temperatures average above 55 F and a minimum of
20 hours after demolding when outdoor ambient temperatures are at or below 55 F.

Proportioning
a) Cement (SG = 3.15) = 575 lbs.
b) Fly Ash (SG = 2.23) = 150 lbs.
c) 89 Stone (SG = 2.75) = 1,587 lbs.
d) Sand (SG = 2.61) = 1,208 lbs.
e) Water = 280 lbs. / 33.6 gal.
f) Polycarboxylate plasticizer = 33 oz.
g) Calcium accelerator = 150 oz.
h) Air-entraining admixture = 6 fl. oz.
i) Air target = 6%

REPORT:

1. Draw the method of slump test indicating the measured slump.

2. State the Water-Cement Ratio law or principle. Does it apply to all mixes?
What consideration besides strength affect the selection of a water-
cement ratio?
Abrams' law (also called Abrams' water-cement ratio law) is a
concept in civil engineering. The law states the strength of a concrete mix
is inversely related to the mass ratio of water to cement. As the water
content increases, the strength of concrete decreases.

Abrams’ law is a special case of a general rule formulated empirically

by Feret:

S= A/ B^W/C
S is the strength of concrete
A and B are constants w/c is the water–cement ratio, which
varies from 0.3 to 1.20
** It does not apply to all mixes.
** The consideration besides strength affects the selection of water-cement
ratio are; the structural requirements of the concrete
 Environmental conditions
The job site conditions especially methods of concrete production,
transport, placement, compaction and finishing and the characteristics of raw
materials.

3. What is the effect of age of concrete on the water-cement ratio versus

strength?

With the increase of curing age, the greater the water-cement ratio is, the
smaller the strength growth rate is; the smaller the water-cement ratio is, the
greater the strength growth rate is.

APENDICIES:
I. Detailed Computations:
II. References:

Abdelgader, H.(2013). CONCRETE MIX PROPORTIONING USING THREE EQUATIONS

METHOD (LABORATORY STUDY). Retrieved from.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/272355100_CONCRETE_MIX_PROPORTIONIN
G_USING_THREE_EQUATIONS_METHOD_LABORATORY_STUDY

Bowen, F. and Ramsburg, P. (2018). Concrete Mix Design: Proportioning. Retrieved from.
https://precast.org/2018/09/concrete-mix-design-
proportioning/?fbclid=IwAR2hpgfZeFvMBXiz7twBHOfUDXwMdog75HHEhR7n1ohaNP25fV
qrrKYruSk