Concrete Mix Design

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Concrete Technology 2010
CONCRETE MIX DESIGN

Definitions
Selection of concrete proportions involves

a balance between economy and
requirements for placeability, strength,
durability, density, and appearance.
Placeability
Placeability is simply the traits that the wet

or plastic concrete has that allow it to be
placed and finished.
Placeability includes a mix that doesn't
segregate but that can be consolidated.
The ability to be pumped is another
consideration.
The classic way to measure placeability is
slump.
The purposes of design:
To achieve the stipulated minimum

strength and durability
To make the concrete in the most
economical manner
Methods of proportioning
 Arbitrary proportion
 Fineness modulus method
 Maximum density method
 Surface area method
 Indian Road Congress, IRC 44 method
 High strength concrete mix design
 Mix design based on flexural strength
 Road note No. 4 (grading curve method)
 ACI Committee 211 method
 DOE method
 Mix design for pumpable concrete
 Indian standard recommended method IS 10262-82
Example
Design a concrete mix (using DOE

method) for a reinforced concrete work.
The concrete is to be designed for a mean
compressive strength of 45MPa at the age
28 days with 65mm slump. Maximum size
of aggregate is 20mm uncrushed
aggregate will be used. Sieve analysis
shows that 50% passes trough 600µm
sieve. Bulk specific gravity of aggregate is
found to be 2.65.
Step 1
find all the information from the question

 Mean compressive strength
 Type of cement used
 Slump required
 Max size of aggregates
 Type of aggregates
 Sieve analysis of fine aggregates
 Bulk specific gravity of aggregates
 Exposure / special conditions needed
 Special materials used e.g.: fly ash.
Step 2
 calculate the water/cement ratio. This is done in a rather

round about method, using table 1 and figure 1
 Table 1 gives the approximate compressive strength of
concretes made with free w/c ratio of 0.50.
 Using this table find out the 28 days strength for the
approximate type of cement and types of C.A (course
aggregate)
 Mark a point on the “Y” axis in fig 1 equal to the
compressive strength read from table 1 which is at ratio
of 0.50. through this intersection point, draw parallel
dotted curve nearest to the intersection point. Using this
new curve, we read off the w/c ratio as against target
mean strength.
Step 3
Decide water content for the required

workability, expressed in terms of slump,
taking into consideration the size of
aggregate and its type from table 2.
Step 4
find the cement content knowing the w/c

ratio and water content.
Water content / (w/c ratio) = cement
content
Step 5
Find out the density of fresh concrete from

fig 2
The wet density : ________kg/m3
Next, find the weight of total aggregate
Next, find the percentage of fine
aggregate from fig 3 (b)
Lastly, find out the weight of fine and
course aggregates
Table 1: Approximate Compressive Strength Of Concrete Made with a
free water/cement ratio of 0.50. According to the 1988 British Method
Type of Type of Compressive strength at the age (cube) of days

cement coarse ( N/mm2)
aggregate 3 days 7 days 28 days 91 days
Ordinary Uncrushed 22 30 42 49
Portland
cement
(OPC) or Crushed 27 36 49 56
Sulphate
Resisting
Portland
(SRPC)
Rapid Uncrushed 29 37 48 54
Hardening
Portland Crushed 34 43 55 61
Table 2: Approximate Free Water Contents Required to Give Various
Levels of Workability According to 1988 British Method
Slump (mm) Very low Low Medium High

V-B (s) 0 – 10 10 – 30 30 – 60 60 – 180
> 12 6 - 12 3-6 0-3
1. Water content:
Maximum size of Type of aggregate
aggregate (mm)
10 Uncrushed 150 180 205 225
Crushed 180 205 230 250
20 Uncrushed 135 160 180 195
Crushed 170 190 210 225
40 Uncrushed 115 140 160 175
Crushed 155 175 190 205
2. Reduction in water content when fly ash is used:
Percentage of fly ash in cementitious Reduction in water content, kg/m3
material
10 5 5 5 10
20 10 10 10 15
30 15 15 20 20
40 20 20 25 25
50 25 25 30 30
Table 3: Requirements of BS 8110:Part I:1985 to Ensure Durability
Under Specified Exposure Conditions of Reinforced and Prestressed
Concrete Made With Normal Weight Aggregate.
Condition of Nominal cover of concrete in mm

exposure
Mild 25 20 20 20 20
Moderate - 35 30 25 20
Severe - - 40 30 25
Very severe - - 50 40 30
Extreme - - - 60 50
Maximum
water/cement
itious 0.65 0.60 0.55 0.50 0.45
material
ratio
Minimum
content of
cementitious 275 300 325 350 400
material in
kg/m3
Minimum
grade MPa 30 35 40 45 50
Figure 1: Relation between compressive strength and free
water/cement ratio for use in the British mix design method.
Figure 2: Estimated wet density for fully compacted concrete
Figure 3(a): Recommended proportions of fine aggregate according to
percentage passing a 600 m sieve (maximum aggregate size: 10mm)
Figure 3(b): Recommended proportions of fine aggregate according to
Figure 3(b): Recommended proportions of fine aggregate according to
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Concrete Technology 2010

CONCRETE MIX DESIGN

Selection of concrete proportions involves

Placeability is simply the traits that the wet

To achieve the stipulated minimum

Design a concrete mix (using DOE

find all the information from the question

 calculate the water/cement ratio. This is done in a rather

Decide water content for the required

find the cement content knowing the w/c

Find out the density of fresh concrete from

Type of Type of Compressive strength at the age (cube) of days

Slump (mm) Very low Low Medium High

Condition of Nominal cover of concrete in mm

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