Concrete Mixture

(A GAUSS JORDAN ELIMINATION APPLICATION)

Concrete - Concrete is the most commonly used man-made material on earth. It is an important construction
materials used extensively in buildings, bridges, roads, and dams. Its uses range from structural applications, to
paviours, kerbs, pipes and drains.

A concrete mixture ratio of 1 part cement, 2 parts sand, and 3 parts aggregate will produce a concrete mix of
approximately 3000 psi. Mixing water with the cement, sand, and stone will form a paste that will bind the
materials together until the mix hardens.

Sample problem:

A concrete mix was designed to have a weight proportions of [1:1.9:2.8] with a water cement ration of 7
gallons of water per sack of cement. How much of each constituent is needed to produce 50 yd^3 of
concrete?

Given:

1 sack of cement = 94 lb

Densities:

Cement = C = 195 lb/ft^3 GRAVEL = G = 165 lb/ft^3

SAND = S = 165 lb lb/ft^3 WATER = W = 62.4 lb/ft^3

Solution:

C S
= ; 1.9 C−S=0 ( Equation1)
1 1.9
C G
= ; 2.8 C−G=0( Equation 2)
1 2.8
1 sack 7 gallons
= ; 58.3879 C−94 G=0( Equation 3)
C W
 3 ft 3 ft 3 ft 3 ft 3 ft 3
50 yd 3 ( )
1 yd
=Clb (
195 lb ) (
+ Slb
165lb
+Glb ) (
195 lb ) (
+Wlb
195 lb )
C S GC W
1350= + + + ( Equation 4)
195 165 165 62.4

Matrix:
C S G W
1.9 −1 0 0

[ ][
0
2.8
58.3879
1
195
0
0
1
165
0
1
−1

165
0
−94 =
1
62.4
0
0
1350
]
Make the pivot in the 1st column by dividing the 1st row by 1.9:
1 −0.5263 0 0

[ ][
0
2.8
58.3879
1
195
0
0
1
165
0
1
−1

165
0
−94 =
1
62.4
0
0
1350
]
Eliminate the 1st column:

1 −0.5263 0 0

[ ][ ]
0
0 1.4737 −1 0
0
0 −94 =
0 30.7305 0
1 1
0 0.0088 1350
165 62.4

Make the pivot in the 2nd column by dividing the 2nd row by 1.4737:

1 −0.5263 0 0

[ ][ ]
0
0 1 −0.6786 0
0
0 −94 =
0 30.7305 0
1 1
0 0.0088 1350
165 62.4

Eliminate the 2nd column:

 1 0 −0.3571 0

[ ][
0
0 1
0 0
0 0
−0.6786 0
20.8528 −94 =
0.0120
1
62.4
0
0
1350
]
Make the pivot in the 3rd column by dividing the 3rd row by 20.8528:

1 0 −0.3571 0

[ ][
0
0 1
0 0
−0.6786 0
1
0 0 0.0120
−4.5078 =
1
62.4
0
0
1350
]
Eliminate the 3rd column:

1 0 0 −1.6099 0

[ 0
0
0
1
0
0
0 −3.0589
1 −4.5078
0 0.0701
][ ]
= 0
0
1350

Make the pivot in the 4th column by dividing the 4th row by 0.0701:

1 0 0 −1.6099 0

[ 0
0
0
1
0
0
0 −3.0589
1 −4.5078
0 1
=
][ ] 0
0
19247.2045

Eliminate the 4th column:

1 0 0 0 30986.5096

[ ][ ]
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
1
= 58874.3683
86762.2270
19247.2045

C = 30,986.5096 lb.
S = 58,874.3683 lb.
G = 86,762.2270 lb.
W = 19,247. 2045 lb.