IRC 44-1976

TENTATIVE GUIDELINES
FOR

CEMENT CONCRETE MIX DESIGN FOR PAVEMENTS

(FOR NON-AIR ENTRAINED AND CONTINUOUSLY GRADED CONCRETE) (First Revision)

THE INDIAN ROADS CONGRESS 1996

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IRC: 44-1976

TENTATIVE GUIDELINES
FOR

CEMENT CONCRETE MIX DESIGN FOR PAVEMENTS

(FOR NON-AIR ENTRAINED AND CONTINUOUSLY GRADED CONCRETE)

(First Revision)

Published by The Indian Roads Congress, Jamnagar House, Shabjahan Road, New Dellui-11001l 1996

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Price Rs. 80/(Plus Packing & Postage)

IRC: 44-1976

First Published First Revision Reprinted Reprinted

August, 1972 December, 1976 August, 1996 October, 2000

(Rights of Publication and of Translation are reserved)

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Printed at Dee Kay Printers, New Delhi (500 copies)

IRC: 44-1976

TENTATIVE GUIDELINES FOR CEMENT CONCRETE MIX DESIGN FOR PAVEMENTS (For Non-Air-Entrained and Continuously Graded Concrete)

1. INTRODUCrION

1.1. The problem of designing a mix for a given purpose can be equated to obtaining a concrete of the required strength, durability and workability at lowest cost, by a suitable choice of materials and the proportions in which these may be combined. In doing so, the relative importance of the different factors that influence the quality of concrete should be understood. The strength of concrete depends upon many factors, e.g. quality and quantity of cement, water and aggregates; batching; mixing; placing; compaction; curing; etc. The water-cement ratio is the principal controlling factor for strength of concrete. Since the quantity of water controls the workability for given materials, different workabilities can be obtained by changing the water content but keeping the water-cement ratio and hence strength the same. The choice of proportions is governed by the satisfactory condition of concrete in two states, namely, the plastic at~d the hardened state. If the condition of the plastic concrete is not satisfactory, a fully compacted, dense and/or uniform concrete can not be obtained and its structural value will be greatly reduced. 1~heproperty of workability, therefore, becomes of vital importance. 1.2. Against this background, it is not possible to lay down any mathematical formulae that would enable us to obtain the best possible mix. The same holds true for the charts, tables or curves presented by various organisations. These provide only a means of arriving at a reasonably satisfactory choice of proportions. Since the aggregates may have widely differing characteristics, and the cement strength may also vary considerably from factory to factory, it is always desirable to get the mix designed in laboratory with the materials proposed to be utilised in the work. Moreover, depending on process and control variances in the field, one should also be prepared to make final adjustments in the mix at the site. 1.3. These Guidelines do not debar adoption of any other accepted method of mix design. 1.4. The Guidelines were prepared by the Cement Concrete Road Surfacing~Committee (personnel given below). These were then

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IRC: 44-1976

processed and approved by the Specifications and Standards Committee in their meeting held on the 18th and 19th November, 1971. Later, these were finally approved by the Executive Committee in their meeting held on the 26th and 27th Aprih 1972 and by the Council in their 78th meeting held at Nainital on the 10th July, 1972.
PERSONNEL OF THE CEMENT CONCRETE ROAD SURFACING COMMiTTEE

1. K.K, Nambiar 2. Dr. R.K. Ghosh 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. M. M. Bose B.R. Chopra Dr. M.P. Dhir C.LN. Iyengar Members 11. 12. 13. 14. 15.

Convenor

Member-Secretary

M.D. Kale 8. Dr. S.K. Khanna 9. Col OP. Narula 10. N. L. Patel

16. H.G. Verma 17. Dr. H,C. Visvesvaraya

A.R. Satyanarayana Rao N.y. Shastry S.B.P. Sinha S.N. Sinha N.S. Surya

1.5. The Guidlines were later amended by the Cement Concrete Road Surfacing Committee in their meeting held at New Delhi on the 26th November 1974 and then processed by the Specifications and Standards Committee. This publication contains the revised Guidelines as finally approved for the use of the members of the profession. 2. GUIDELINES 2.1. Basic Data for Mix Design 2.1.1. The following are required to be specified for design of a cement concrete mix: (a) Minimum compressive strength/flexural strength of concrete in the field at 28 days. (b) Maximum size of aggregate to be used and its type. (c) Degree of workability, related to the compaction equipment available. (d) Degree of quality controlexpected to be exercisedvery good, good or fair-and permissible coefficient of variation or standard deviation. (e) Accepted tolerance level. 2.1 .2. The specific stipulations in respe~t the above items of should conform to requirements laid down in IRC: l5~1970*,if the *Standard Specifications and Code of Practice for Construction of Concrete
Roads

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IRC:44-1976 work pertains to concrete pavement. For other works, stipulations

of relevant specifications may be consulted. 2.2. Tests for Materials

For design of mix, it will be necessary to carry out the following tests on materials: (a) Cement: (i) Compressive strength of cement at 7 days (IS: 269~1967*). (ii) Specific gravity of cement (IS: 269~l967*) (Assume a value of 3.15, if test is not possible).

(b) Aggregate: (i) Specific gravity (IS:2386 Part 111-1963+). (ii) Per cent water absorption (IS: 2386 Part 111-1963+). (iii) Sieve analysis (IS: 2386 Part I-19634-~). 2.3. Selection of Aggregate Grading

2.3.1. The aggregate grading should conform to IS:3831970@. Insofar as the grading of coarse aggregates is concerned, there are no specific requirements laid down in the above Indian Standard. However, to achieve good results with normal aggregates at comparative ease, it is advisable to have suitable grading zonesfor coarse aggregates for the purpose of guidance, as exist in many international standards such as British, German, American, Russian, etc. Of course, these grading should in no sense be regarded as ideal gradings, and it may sometimes be necessary to make final adjustments in the gradings at site, though such adjustments generally involve only minor alterations in the ratio of fine to coarse aggregate. The coarse aggregate gradings suggested by the Transport and Road Research Laboratary, U.K., are given in Table I. Out of the three zones in Table 1, zone B is considered more suitable than zones A and C.
*Ordinary, Rapid Hardening and Low Heat Portland Cement.
Specific Gravity, Density, Voids, Absorption and Bulking. + +Particle Size and Shape.

@Coarse and Fine Aggregates from Natural Sources for Concrete.

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IRC: 441976
TABLE 1:

SUGGESTED COARSE AGGREGATE GRADINGS

Zone

Per cent passing I.S. sieve sizes (mm)

40 20 34-40 40-45 45-53 100 100 100 10 16-18 18-20 20-25 21-32 31-40 40-52 4.75 0 0 0 0 0 0

Nominal maximum size ofaggregate (mm)

40

A B C

100 100 100 100 100 100

20

A
B C

Note: Allowance for oversize in the nominal maximum size of aggregates shall be limited to 5 per cent. 2.3.2. Sometimes it may be necessary to combine two or more coarse aggregate fractions to obtain a grading approximating to the one required. Among the several methods available for this purpose the trial method is simple and convenient to apply. The same is described in Annexure I.

2.4.

Design Strength for Concrete

2.4.1. Jn order to get the specified minimum compressive strength in the field, the concrete mix has to be designed for somewhat higher average compressive strength depending on the degree of quality control (denoted through permissible coefficient of variation or standard deviation) and the tolerance level. The average strength(S) at 28 days for which the mix might be designed is given by the equation: S 1 t.v/lOO (1) where ,~= minimum compressive strength (kg/sq. cm.) in the field at 28 days, t = factor (dimensionless) depending on specified tolerance level, and v
=

coefficient of variation (per cent) specified.

2.4.2. The values of tin equation (1) for different tolerance levels are given in Table 2.

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IRC: 44-1976
TABLE 2: VALUES OP TOLERANCE FACTOR (t)

No. of samples 1 in 10 10 20 30 1.37 1.32 1.31 1.28 1 in 15 1.65 1.58 1.54 1.50

Tolerance level
1 in 20 1.81 1.72 1.70 1.64 1 in 40 2.23 2.09 2.04 1.96 tin 100 2.76 2.53 2.4~ 2.33

c~(Infinite)

Note:

In case of a major concreting job, where large number of samples will be tested, it would be appropriate to adopt a tolerance Lctor

corresponding to infinite number of samples.

2,4.3. In Table 3 are worked out the average design strengths

for concrete for different combinations of specified minimum strength, tolerance level and coefficient of variation corresponding to an infinite number of samples. On smaller jobs where only a finite

number of samples will be tested, the corresponding average design strengths can be obtained by application of appropriate tolerance factors from Table 2 in equation (1). TABLE 3: AVERAGE DESIGN STRENGTHS FOR CONCRETE FOR
DIFFERENT DEGREES OF QUALITY CONTROL AND TOLERANCE LEVELS Degree of quaMinimum specified concrete strength at 28 days (kg/cm)

lity control

U V

I-

Very good Good Fair

tin 15 10 I in 10 15 1 in 10 20

235 linl5 250 linlS 270 linlO

7 10 15

310 1 in 20 325 1 in 15 340

7 10

400 415

Notes: I. The average design strengths given in the table are for tolerance factors corresponding to infinite number of samples as given in Table 2. 2. According to IRC: 15-1970, the tolerance level and permissible coefficient of variation for paving concrete are 1 in 15 and 10 per cent respectively.

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IRC : 44-1976 2.5. 2.5.1. Selection of Water-Cement Ratio As the cement strength may vary widely from factory

to factory, it is not possible to have a single curve of correlation between water-cement ratio and compressive strength of concrete. A set ofsuch curves with 7-days compressive strength of cement as

the third parameter is given in Fig I for purpose of guidance. These curves are the same as those under Appendix A of IS: 456~1964* but drawn in different form. From Fig.!, for a particular cement

L~~J

400

z a
I.

3 00

200

I,

I 00

0 0.4 04 0.6 1.0 WATER-CEMENT RATIO BY WT.

Fig. I.

Design curve for cement concrete mixes in relation to 7-days compressive strength of cement

the compressive strength at 7 days, of which is known, the watercement ratio for the average compressive strength (S of equation 1) of concrete for which the mix is to be designed can be selected. Where design is based on fiexural strength of concrete, the approximate relationship between compressive and fiexural strength of concrete may be obtained from Annexure II.
*

Code of Practice for Plain and Reinforced Concrete 6

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IRC : 44-1976 Selection of Water and Sand Content 2.6.1. To design the mix, water and sand contents per unit
2.6. volume of concrete are to be estimated in the first instance and this
.

depends upon the maximum size of aggregate, moisture content in the aggregate, workability, type of aggregate, etc. The values of water
and sand contents for different maximum sizes of crushed (angular)

aggregate are given in Table 4 for a particular water-cement ratio of 0.50, slump of 25 mm and fineness modulus of 2.60 for sand. TABLE 4: APPROXIMATE SAND AND WATER CONTENTS PER Cunic METRE OF CONCRETE (FOR W/C = 0.50, SLUMP = 25 MM AND SAND F.M. = 2.60)
Maximum size of aggregate (mm) Water content on saturated surface dry basis per cu.m. of concrete (kg)* 172.0
175.0 177.5

Sand in per cent of total aggr. by abs. vol. (%) 28.0

33.5

8t) mm (3)
4Omm(ll) 25 mm (1)

20 mm (i)

178.0

38.0 40.0

*Note:

By saturated surface dry condition, it is understood that the aggregates are fully saturated but there is no free moisture present at the surface. If the aggregates are not in this condition, water to be added in the mixer shall be required to be increased or decreased to make up the difference depending on whether the aggregates are dry or wet.

2.6.2. For other conditions of water-cement ratio, slump and fineness modulus of sand, and for rounded aggregate, certain adjustments in the water and sand contents are necessary, which are given in Table 5. TABLE 5 ADJUSTMENT OF VALUES IN WATER AND SAND
CONTENTS FOR OTHER CONDITIONS

Adjustment required in
Changes in conditions stipulated in Table 4 Each 0.05 increase or decrease in w/c ratio Each 0.1 increase or decrease in F.M. of sand Each 25 mm increase or decrease in slump Rounded aggregate Water content Sand content 1% 0.5% 0 6 to 8%

0 0 4% 15 litre (ad hoc)

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IRC: 44-1976

2.7. Determination of Aggregate-Cement Ratio 2.7.1. Knowing the water-cement ratio, water requirement,
cement content (from water-cement ratio and water requirement)

and proportion of sand in total aggregate by absolute volume, the sand and coarse aggregate contents per unit volume of concrete may be calculated separately from

v= (w
and

-_~-

+-4-

~)
A\ Sa 1

i~oo
1 1000

,...

(2)

Iw
+
=

1 S~+ 1P

where,

W C= S = A = P=

absolute volume of the wet mix = gross volume (1 cu. m.) minus the volume of entrapped air (see clause 2.7.2) wt. of water in kg (=litre) per cu.m. of concrete

wt. of cement in kg per cu.m. of concrete wt. of sand in kg per cu.m. of concrete wt. of coarse aggregate in kg per cum. of concrete proportion (in decimal fraction) of sand in total aggregate determined on the basis of absolute volume, and

SC,SE,S~,= specific gravities of cement, sand and coarse aggregate

respectively. The quantities of sand, coarse aggregate, cement and water required to determine the mix proportions of a concrete mix are thus known.

2.7.2. Approximate amounts of entrapped air in the wet concrete mix for different maximum sizes of aggregate are indicated in Table 6.
TABLE

6 :
10

APPROXIMATE AMOUNTS OF ENTRAPPED

AIR IN NON-AIR-ENTRAINED CONCRETE Maximum size of aggregate (mm) 12.5 2.5 20 25 1.5 40 50 0.5 80 0.3 160

Entrapped air 3 (approximate) (% by volume) Volume of entra0.030 pped air per cu.m. gross volume of concrete (cu.m.)

2 0.020

1.0 0.010

0.2

0.025

0.015

0.005

0.003 0.002

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IRC 44-1976 2.8. Trial Mix With the above mix proportions, the mix is prepared and the workability measured. If the workability is different from the stipulated value (workability is usually very low for paving concrete), the water content may be adjusted in accordance with Table 5 for increasing or decreasing the slump. The mix proportions are thereafter recalculated with adjusted water content as per equations (2) and (3) for three water-cement ratios comprising the pre-selected water-cement ratio and two other values, one higher and the other lower than the pre-selected ratio by 0.05. Since the design adopted is on absolute volume basis, the yield for the three cases will remain the same. The strength of concrete (compressive and flexural strengths in case of paving concrete and compressive strength for other structural concretes) with the three water-cement ratios is then determined in accordance with IS : 516-l969~. The values of strength obtained are then plotted against water-cement ratios and
the appropriate water-cement ratio chosen from the plot for the required strength. The final mix proportions are then recalculated

for this water-cement ratio, other parameters remaining

same.
Note:

the

In case of paving concrete the correlation between flexural and compressive strength may be established, if quality control in the field is proposed to be exercised on the basis of compressive strength only.

2.9.

Worked-out Example on Mix Design

An example illustrating the mix design procedure is worked

out in Annexure III.

+ Methods of Test for Strength of Concrete

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IRC: 44-1976
Annexure!

TRIAL METHOD FOR COMBINING AGGREGATES OF DIFFERENT GRADINGS The individual sieve analyses for the different aggregate fractions are first arranged in a tabular form and the optimum percentage of each for combination worked out on trial and error basis, This is done by visual inspection of the individual analyses and comparison between stipulated grading and combined grading on trial. A few trials may be necessary. A typical example in tabular form is given below to illustrate the procedure using two different sizes of coarse aggregate.
EXAMPLE: COMBINATION OF

Two COARSE AGGREGATE FRAcTioNs

Per cent of different fractions 1st trial 2nd trial Combined 100% I 68% 11 32% Combined 100%

Sieve
sizes

Per cent passing each sieve

(mm)

Grading of aggre.. gate fractions as available I 40 20 10

4.75

StipuI 70% lated combined grading

I! 30%

II
100 100 34 6 100 40 18 0 70 9.8 5.6 1.4 3D 30 10.2 1.8 100 39.8 15.8 3,2 68 9.5 5,4 1.4 32 32 10.9 1.9 100 41.5 16.3 3.3

100 14 8 2

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IRC: 44-1976

Annexure ii
CORRELATION BETWEEN FLEXURAL AND COMPRESSIVE

STRENGTH OF CONCRETE (For Guidance OnI~)

40

40 t~.CRUSHED STOWE

~3O

.~\

GRAVEL

I
40O~ 300 ~

S
200k 0.40 WATE.R-CEV4ENT RATIO (~(wT) (For Nvery Iowa to low workabilIty correaportding to a BI~ap 0-25 ma)

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IRC 44-1976 Annexure III WORKED-OUT EXAMPLE FOR CEMENT CONCRETE MIX DESIGN A) Design Stipulations I) Minimum compressive strength required in the held at 28 days : 280 kg/cm
2) Maximum size of aggregate: 40 mm (angular aggregate)

Degree of workability : 25 mm slump Degree of quality control : good (co-efficient of variation 10%) Accepted tolerance level 1 in 15 Type of job: Major work involving testing of a large number of samples, i.e., z=l.50 B) Test Data for Materials: 1) Compressive strength of cement with single-sized standard sand at 2 7 days : 210 kgcrn 2) Specific gravity of cement : 3.15 3) Specific gravity of both coarse aggregate and fine aggregate : 2.65 4) Water absorption:
i) Coarse aggregate : 0.4% ii) Fine aggregate 0.6% 5) Free (surface) moisture i) Coarse aggregate : nil (absorbed moisture also nil)

3) 4) 5) 6)

ii) Fine aggregate : 2%

6) Sieve analysis

Coarse aggregate fractions IS. sieve size (mm)

Per cent passing

Fine aggregate I,S.

sieve

Per cent Cumulative Finepassing

per cent

ness

Fraction I 100 14 8 2

Fraction II 100 100 34 6

size

retained

modulus

40 20 10 475

475 mm

100 98 90 50

0 2 10 50 2.48

2.36 mm 1.18mm 600~i 30O~& 1501&

11
3

89
97

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IRC : 44-1976 (C) Combination of Coarse Aggregate Fractions:

I:S, sieve size (mm)

Per. cent passing (individual) Grading of aggre gate available I II Combined grading required (Table 1)

Per cent passing (combined grading) 1st trial

___________
_______

2nd trial
_________________

_____________________

I 70%

II 30%

Combmed grading 100.0 39.8 15.8 3.2

I II Comb68% 32% med grading 68.0 9.5 5.4 1.4 32.0 100.0 32.0 10.9 1.9 41.5 16.3 3.3

40 20 10 4.75

100 14 8 2

100 100 34 6

100 40 18 0

70.0 9.8 5.6 1.4

30.G 30.0 10.2 1.8

Aggregates may, therefore, be combined in the proportion 68:32 (by weight). D) Design Strength for Concrete (5): S S
LV

280
=

1.5x 10

280 0.85

329 kg/cm (say, 330 kg/cm)

I-

100

F)

Selection of Water-Cement Ratio From Fig. I, using curve E corresponding to 7 days cement strength of 210 kg/cm, for design strength of concrete of 330 kg/cm, the water-cement ratio required0.43.

F) Selection of Water and Sand Contents: From Table 4, for water-cement ratio of 0.50, slump of 25 mm, F.M. of sand of 2.60 and angular aggregate, of 40 mm maximum size, water content per cu.m. ofconcrete=175 kg and sand content as per cent of total aggregate by absolute volume.~ per cent. 33.5 For changes in the values of water-cement ratio, fineness modulus

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IRC : 44-1976 of sand and slump, the adjustments required in the mix are: Changes in condition Adjustment required in Water content Sand content (kg) (%) 0 0 0 0 1.4 0.6 0 2.0%

(i) decrease in w/c (0.50O.43)=0,07 (ii) decrease in F.M. of sand (2.602.48)=0,12 (iii) Slump (25mm25mm)~0 Total

Therefore, required water content per cu.m. of concrete=l75 kg and sand content as per cent of total aggregate by absolute volume ~~.(33,52,0)%3I.5% (G) Determinationof Cement Content: Water-cement ratio= 0.43 C=407kg (H) Determination of Aggregate-Cement Ratio: From Table 6, for the specified maximum size of aggregate of 40 mm, the amount of entrapped air in the wet concrete is 1 per cent. Taking this factor into account and applying equation 2,
I 407 1 S \I 0.99 cu,m.=i~l75+~j~f3~+~~i3~. 2.65
~

=0.43, but W= 175 kg (from step F); or

S= 572.5 kg. Applying equation 3,

/ 407 7S-l--jB_+ 0.99 cu.m.= ~l A=1244.9 kg.

1 0.685

A \ 1 3)Ti5~

The mix proportions are therefore: Water Cement Sand Coarse aggregate 175 kg 407 kg 572.5 kg, 1244.9 kg or, 0.43 : I : 1.41 : 3.06 Aggregatecement ratio= 4.47: 1

Total aggregate 1817,4 kg 4.47

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IRC : 44-1976 (I) Actual Quantities Required for the Mix per Bag of Cement: The mitc is 0.43:1:1.41:3.06 (by wt.) 1. Cement 50 kg 2. Aggregate=(without moisture adjustment) (i) Fine aggregate=~ x 1.41 = 70.5 kg 50 (ii) Coarse aggregate = 153.0 kg (a) Fraction 1(68%) = 104.0 kg (b) Fraction 11(32%) = 49.0 kg 3. Water (i) For water-cement ratio of 0.43 water required = 21.5 litre (ii) Extra water to be added for absorption in case of coarse aggregate, at 0.4% by weight = 0.4% of 153.0=0.61 litre (iii) Water to be deducted for free moisture present in fine aggregate, at 2% by weight = 2% of 70.5=1.41 litre (iv) Actual quantity of water to be added=21.5+0.61.1.41=20.70 litre 4. Actual quantity of fine aggregate required after allowing for weight of free moisture = 70.5 + 1.41 71.91 kg. 5. Actual quantity of coarse aggregate required (i) Fraction I = (104.000.42) kg = 103,58 kg (ii) Fraction II = (49.000.19) kg = 4881 kg Therefore the actual quantities of different constituents required for the mix are Water = 20.70 litre Cement = 50.00 kg Fine aggregate 71.91 kg Coarse aggregate Fraction I = 103.58 kg Fraction II = 48.81 kg

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