Selecting a mix to meet
strength specifications
By Bruce A. Suprenant
P
roject specifications require the
28-day concrete compressive
strength to be 3500 psi with a
margin of safety set by the American
Concrete Institute’s (ACI) “Building
Code Requirements for Reinforced
Concrete.” Do you need a new mix
design? Generally not, but make sure
the mix design selected meets ACI cri-
teria for strength requirements.
ACI 318 STRENGTH REQUIREMENTS
The average strength of the mix
design must always exceed the speci-
fied value of the 28-day compressive
strength, f c. ACI 318 indicates the
amount by which the average
strength of a concrete mix, f cr, should
exceed f c. The amount of excess
strength depends on the expected
variability of test results as expressed
by a standard deviation, s, for a par-
ticular concrete mix. ACI criteria are
based on probabilistic concepts and
are intended to ensure that adequate
strength will be developed in the
structure.
Required average strength. ACI
requires the average compressive
strength, f cr, used as the basis for
selection of concrete proportions, to
be the larger of one of the following:
(1) f cr f c 1.34s
(2) f cr f c 2.33s 500
Equation 1 provides a probability of
1 in 100 that averages of three consec-
utive strength tests will be below the
specified strength, f c. Equation 2 also
provides the same 1 in 100 probability
that an individual test is more than
500 psi below the specified strength
f c.
Standard deviation. The standard
deviation for each mix must be deter-
mined from strength tests. ACI pro-
vides the following criteria on test
TABLE 1. MODIFICATION FACTOR FOR STANDARD
DEVIATION WHEN LESS THAN 30 TESTS ARE AVAILABLE
NUMBER OF TESTS MODIFICATION FACTOR FOR STANDARD DEVIATION
15
20
25
30 or more
Interpolate for intermediate numbers of tests.
TABLE 2. REQUIRED AVERAGE COMPRESSIVE
STRENGTH WHEN DATA ARE NOT AVAILABLE
TO ESTABLISH A STANDARD DEVIATION
SPECIFIED COMPRESSIVE
STRENGTH, f c, PSI
Less than 3000 psi
3000 to 5000
Over 5000
records for which the standard devia-
tion is calculated:
• (a) Shall represent materials,
quality control procedures, and con-
ditions similar to those expected, and
changes in materials and proportions
within test records shall not have
been more restricted than those for
the proposed work.
• (b) Shall represent concrete pro-
duced to meet a specified strength or
strengths within 1000 psi of that spec-
ified for proposed work.
• (c) Shall consist of at least 30 con-
secutive tests or two groups of con-
secutive tests totaling at least 30 tests.
A strength test shall be the average of
the strengths of two cylinders made
from the same sample of concrete and
tested at 28 days or at test age desig-
nated for determination of f c.
• (d) Where a concrete production
1.16
1.08
1.03
1.00
REQUIRED AVERAGE
COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH, f cr, PSI
f c 1000
f c 1200
f c 1400
facility does not have test records meet-
ing the above requirements, but does
have a record based on 15 to 29 consec-
utive tests, a standard deviation shall
be established as the product of the cal-
culated standard deviation and the
modification factor shown in Table 1.
To be acceptable, test records shall meet
requirements A and B and represent
only a single record of consecutive tests
that span a period of not less than 45
calendar days.
When there are less than 15 tests,
use Table 2 to determine the required
average strength f cr.
EXAMPLE CALCULATIONS
The specifications require f c to be
3000 psi in accordance with ACI 318.
The concrete production facility has
test records on a mix that provides an
average strength of 3700 psi with a
standard deviation of 500 psi. Will
this mix meet the ACI criteria?
Use equations 1 and 2 to calculate
the required average strength.
(1) f cr 3000 1.34(500) 3670 psi
(2) f cr 3000 2.33(500) 500 3665
psi
The largest value, 3670 psi, is less
than the average mix strength of 3700
psi. Therefore, the selected mix would
satisfy ACI criteria for an f c of 3000
psi.
PRECAUTIONS
When choosing a mix and evaluat-
ing test records, carefully select a mix
similar to that for the proposed work.
Consider changes in type and brand
of cement, admixtures, aggregate
source, mix proportions, batching,
mixing, delivery, or testing to signifi-
cantly alter the mix so that test
records from the new mix can’t be
combined with the previous test
records. In general changes in materi-
als and procedures have a larger effect
on the average strength level than on
the standard deviation.
PUBLICATION #J940611
Copyright © 1994, The Aberdeen Group
All rights reserved
STRENGTH INCREASE OR DECREASE
DURING CONSTRUCTION
As more data becomes available
during construction, ACI allows f cr
to change as the quality contro l
improves. Typically, quality control
improves after the kinks are ironed
out during job start-up. This allows
the concrete supplier to save money
by reducing cement content to
achieve a lower strength. However,
there may be a minimum cement
content level that can’t be reduced
because of special exposure condi-
tions.
When concrete strength is low, ACI
requires an increase in the average
strength. This frequently is accom-
plished by adding portland cement;
however, it also may be accom-
plished by changes in mix propor-
tions, reductions in or better control
of slump, reduction in delivery time,
closer control of air content, or an
improvement in the quality of test-
ing.