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Concrete Mix Design PDF
Concrete Mix Design PDF
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2. Designed Mix
2.1 Variability of Strength
Figure 1
expect half of the test results will be higher than 40 N/mm2 and half will be
lower.
fm
fk
= characteristic strength
ks
= margin
= constant
= standard deviation
Constant
1%
2.33
2.5 %
1.96
5%
1.64
Example 1
To design a concrete mix with characteristic strength of 30 MPa, what should the
target mean strength be?
Given that : defective level 5%, standard deviation 5 MPa.
Solution
fk = 30 MPa
k = 1.64
s = 5 MPa
fm = fk + k s
= 30 + 1.64 x 5 MPa
= 38.2 MPa
The target mean strength should be 38.2 MPa
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M=kxs
where M = the margin
k = a value appropriate to the percentage defectives permitted below the
characteristic strength
s = the standard deviation
C2
f m = fc + M
where fm = the target mean strength
fc = the specified characteristic strength
M = the margin
C3
C4
Cement content =
C5
C6
(100 p) W
C7
pfa content =
pC
100 - p
where C = the cement content (kg/m3)
p = proportion of pfa specified as percentage of the combined weight of cement and
pfa
C8
C9
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Figure 3
Relationship between standard deviation
and characteristic strength
Figure 4
Relationship between
compressive strength and
free-water/cement ratio
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Figure 6
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Coarse aggregate:
Coarse aggregate:
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Solution of Example 2
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Solution of Example 3
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Defective rate 1 %
Coarse aggregate:
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Solution of Example 4
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Solution of Example 5
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Trial Mixes
Oven dry:- prolonged drying in an oven would eventually remove the moisture
completely.
Air dry:- when the aggregate is allowed to stand in dry air, some water will
evaporate so that the aggregate is air-dry.
Saturated surface dry (SSD):- all pores in the aggregate are full of water, i.e.,
saturated, but the surface of the aggregate is dry.
The batch quantities determined in the mix design are based on saturated
surface-dry (SSD) aggregates.
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MT = MD (
1 M.C.
)
1 A
where
MT
MD
3.3.2
A simplified formula:
MT = MD (1 + M.C. A)
This formula gives an approximate result only but is accurate enough for most
practical purpose.
MD = MT
or
MTw + MTf + MT10 + MT20 + MT40 = MDw + MDf + MD10 + MD20 + MD40
MTw = MDw + MDf + MD10 + MD20 + MD40 - (MTf + MT10 + MT20 + MT40)
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Example 6
Absorption (%)
Cement
17.0
69.2
Sand (SSD)
25.7
Water
8.0
If oven-dried aggregates are use, determine the mass of each constituent for trial mix.
Solution
MT = MD (
1 M.C.
)
1 A
1 0
1 0.01
Using
Using
MT = MD (1 + M.C. A)
= 68.5 kg
Sand:
MTs = 25.7
1 0
1 0.02
= 68.5 kg
MTs = 25.7 (1 + 0 0.02)
= 25.2 kg
= 25.2 kg
MD = MT
Water: Using
unchanged
Example 7
1.4 %
Sand
2.8%
During the mixing of the trial mix, an experienced technician is able to adjust
the water content by eye inspection if the workability of the mix is much outside
the target range.
It is thus useful, initially, to withhold a small proportion, say 10% of the mixing
water until assessment of workability has been made to determine whether
deduction or addition of water is necessary.
The design tables and charts in the BRE method are based on the statistical data
in England.
The re-design procedure is same as the original design procedure excepted that
data obtained from tables and charts shall be replaced with actual measured data
in the first trial.
In Item 2.3 of the design table, use actual free-water content in the first trial
instead of obtaining from table 3.
Actual free water content (per m3) = (MDw MAw) volume of first trial mix
Please note that any addition or deduction of water to bring the aggregate back
to SSD condition shall not be involved in the above calculation.
In Item 4.2, use actual measured fresh concrete density in the first trial.
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b. When the actual cube strength of the first trial is available, plot this result
together with the result in (a) on figure 4 to obtain a re-design water/cement ratio.
(Two examples are given as below.)
Example 8
Re-design
Example 9
Some water is added such that the actual free-water/cement ratio became 0.69
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Re-design
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