Civil Engineering Department

CE452L1/CE405 - Construction Materials and Testing Laboratory Manual

Experiment No. VII
CONCRETE MIX DESIGN USING ACI METHOD
1. Objective(s):
The activity aims to introduce the principle and significance of concrete mix; the ACI method of
Concrete Mix Design; and also the procedures of Concrete making from the computation of Mix Design
to mixing of fresh concrete and curing of early-strength concrete.
2. Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs):
The students shall be able to:
2.1 Compute concrete mix design using ACI method.
2.2 Determine the procedure in mixing of fresh concrete and slump test.
2.3 Determine the proper batching and curing of concrete.
3. Discussion:
Concrete is the basic engineering material used in most of the civil engineering structures.
Concrete like other engineering materials needs to be designed for properties like strength, durability,
workability and cohesion. Concrete mix design is the science of deciding relative proportions of
ingredients of concrete, to achieve the desired properties in the most economical way. The most widely
used Mix Design method is that established by American Concrete Institute (ACI) Standard Practice
211.1 or “Recommended practice for selecting proportions for Normal and Heavyweight Concrete”.
4. Resources:
3 pieces Beam Mold (150x150x500 mm) 1 Trowel
6 pieces Cylindrical Mold (150x300 mm) 1 Bag of Type I (or Type IP) Cement
1 Set Slump Apparatus 2 Bags Fine Aggregates (F.A.) Sand
1 Weighing Scale 3 Bags Coarse Aggregates (C.A.) Gravel
2 Shovels Potable Water
5. Procedure:
Preparation of material
Prior to the actual making of concrete all the raw materials (i.e. cement, F.A. and C.A.) shall
undergo physical tests for the properties (i.e. sieve analysis, unit weight, bulk specific gravity and
absorption capacity) needed for mix design process. ACI Method of Concrete Mix Design shall be
discussion by the Instructor.
Mixing and Curing
1. Sieve the fine and coarse aggregates and prepare all dry materials for weighing.
2. Based on computed weight proportion, weigh the individual dry materials.
3. The aggregate is spread in a uniform layer on a hand, clean and non-porous base.
4. Cement is then spread over the aggregates and the dry materials are mixed by turning over
from one end to another until the mix appears uniform, turning three times is usually required.
5. Water is then gradually added so that water neither by itself nor with cement can escape. The
mix is turned over again usually by three times, until it happens in color and consistence.
6. Slump test is now performed by filling a slump apparatus mold of fresh concrete in three layers
of each equal volume. Each layer is compacted with 25 strokes of a tamping rod.
7. Slump mold is lifted vertically upward and the change in height of the concrete is measured.
8. Final fill the specimen mold in three layers of each equal volume and each layer is compacted
with 25 strokes of tamping rod. Repeat and fill all other the specimen molds.
9. Place the concrete specimens in a room with constant temperature. After 24 hours of setting
remove all the early hardened concrete from the mold and submerged in bath tub full of water
for 7-28 days curing period.

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 Civil Engineering Department
CE452L1/CE405 - Construction Materials and Testing Laboratory Manual
Course: Experiment No.:
Group No.: Section:
Group Members: Date Performed:
Date Submitted:
Instructor:

6. Data and Results:

6.1 Computed Weight per unit of Volume Proportion from ACI Concrete Mix Design
Materials Computed Weight per unit of Volume Proportion (kg/m 3) Ratio
Water
Cement
Coarse Aggregate, (C.A.)
Fine Aggregates, (F.A.)

6.2 Tabulation of Total Weight of Materials

Number of Computed Weight Weight Total
Mold Volume of
Materials Specimen per unit of Volume Allowance Weights
Type mold (m3)
Molds Proportion (kg/m3 (%) (kg)
Cylinders Water
Cement
C.A.
F.A.
Beam Water
Cement
C.A.
F.A.
6.3 Computation

7. Conclusion:

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 Civil Engineering Department
CE452L1/CE405 - Construction Materials and Testing Laboratory Manual
8. Assessment:
BEGINNER ACCEPTABLE PROFICIENT
CRITERIA SCORE
1 2 3
I. Laboratory Skills
Members do not Members occasionally
Manipulative Members always
demonstrate needed demonstrate needed
Skills demonstrate needed skills.
skills. skills
Members are unable Members are able to Members are able to set-up
Experimental
to set-up the set-up the materials the material with minimum
Set-up
materials. with supervision. supervision.
Members do not Members occasionally Members always
Process Skills demonstrate targeted demonstrate targeted demonstrate targeted
process skills. process skills. process skills.
Members do not Members follow safety
Safety Members follow safety
follow safety precautions most of
Precautions precautions at all times.
precautions. the time.
II. Work Habits
Time
Members do not finish Members finish on Members finish ahead of
Management /
on time with time with incomplete time with complete data
Conduct of
incomplete data. data. and time to revise data.
Experiment
Members have
Members do not know
defined Members are on tasks and
their tasks and have
responsibilities most have defined
no defined
Cooperative and of the time. Group responsibilities at all times.
responsibilities.
Teamwork conflicts are Group conflicts are
Group conflicts have
cooperatively cooperatively managed at
to be settled by the
managed most of the all times.
teacher.
time.
Clean and orderly
Clean and orderly
Messy workplace workplace with
Neatness and workplace at all times
during and after the occasional mess
Orderliness during and after the
experiment. during and after the
experiment.
experiment.
Members require
Ability to do Members require
occasional Members do not need to be
independent supervision by the
supervision by the supervised by the teacher.
work teacher.
teacher.
Other Comments/Observations: Total Score
(Total Score)
Rating= ×100
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9. Reference(s):
(ACI) Standard Practice 211.1 “Recommended practice for selecting proportions for Normal and
Heavyweight Concrete”.

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 Civil Engineering Department
CE452L1/CE405 - Construction Materials and Testing Laboratory Manual

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