Unit: Concrete Design

Task: types and constituents of concrete (Task 01)

Student ID: 50664 ENR No. :

Candidate name: D.K.K Hewage

Date of submission: 2017.11.05

Concrete Design
Types & Constituents of concrete

Table of contents

Introduction

 Different types of concrete

 Mass concrete
 Reinforced concrete
 Pre-Cast concrete
 Pre- Stressed concrete
 Fiber Reinforced Concrete
 Constituents of concrete
 Cement
 Aggregates
 Fiber
 Water
 Admixtures
 Properties of both fresh and hardened concrete affect by their constituents
 Concrete test
 Cube test
 Slump test
 Constituents test of concrete
 Sieve analysis for fine and coarse aggregates
 Reference

01
Concrete Design
Types & Constituents of concrete

Introduction

Concrete is the most important and most popular construction material in worldwide construction industry.
It’s consists of cement, fine aggregates (sand), coarse aggregates (gravel or crushed rock) mixed with water and or
admixtures. When the cement chemically reacted with water, it’s hardened and binds the whole mix together. It’s
takes some of weeks to reach full strength and hardness. Concrete can continue to harden and gain strength over many
years.

02
Concrete Design
Types & Constituents of concrete

 Different types of concrete.

 Mass concrete

Mass concrete hasn’t reinforcement. It’s making by using raw materials like as cement (OPC), fine
aggregates (sand), coarse aggregate (metal) and water. It’s called plain concrete or unreinforced concrete. By the
way mass concrete is defined by the American concrete institute as follows,

“ Any volume of concrete in which a combination of dimensions of the member being cast, the boundary
conditions, the characteristics of the concrete mixture, and the ambient can lead to undesirable thermal stresses,
cracking, deleterious chemical reactions, or reduction in the long term strength as a result of elevated concrete
temperature due to heat from hydration. ”

Mass concrete is use by various constructions in construction industry such as dams, bridge piers, massive
footings, raft slabs and etc.

 Reinforced concrete

Reinforced concrete is the most important and most usable thing in present construction industry.
Reinforced concrete has reinforcement and it has cement, fine aggregates (sand), coarse aggregates (metal) and water
like as raw materials. By the way reinforced concrete defined by generally as follows,

“Concrete in which metal (such as steel) is embedded so that the two materials act together in resisting forces (such as
increased tensile strength).”

Reinforced concrete is used in slabs, beams, footings.

03
Concrete Design
Types & Constituents of concrete

 Pre-cast concrete

Pre-cast concrete is most popular thing in modern construction industry. It’s used in massive
building basements, bridges. Pre-cast concrete defined by generally as follows,

“Pre-cast is a construction product produced by casting concrete in a reusable mold or “form” which is cured in a
controlled environment, transported to the construction site and lifted into place ( “tilt up”).”

 Pre-stressed concrete

Pre-stressed concrete is produced by to use special constructions and presently used in huge slabs
and huge structures like as bridges, residential buildings and commercial buildings. By the way pre-stressed concrete
defined by generally as follows,

“Pre-stressed concrete is made by incorporating steel into the concrete structure during the manufacturing process.
This may include steel cables, bars or other steel materials. While the steel is under tension, the concrete is cast around
it. During the concrete curing process, the concrete will bond to the steel. The tension on the steel is then released, and
the concrete is compressed to create additional strength in the material.”

04
Concrete Design
Types & Constituents of concrete

 Fiber reinforced concrete

Fiber reinforced concrete is the most popular concrete in modern construction industry.
This concrete is control plastic shrinkage cracking and drying shrinkage cracking. By the way fiber reinforced
concrete defined by generally as follows,

“Fiber reinforced concrete (FRC) can be defined as a composite material consisting of mixture of cement mortar or
concrete and discontinuous, discrete, uniformly dispersed suitable fibers.”

 Constituents of concrete
 Cement

Cement is the main component of concrete. It’s made by grinding together a mixture of limestone and clay
and its heat temperature is 1450°C. In a Portland cement is made primarily from a combination of calcareous materials
like as limestone and silica and alumina. Portland cement has main components as follows,

 Tri Calcium Silicate (3CaO.SiO2)

 Di Calcium Silicate (2CaO.SiO2)
 Tri Calcium Aluminate (3CaO.Al2 O3)
 Tetra Calcium Alumino Ferrite (4CaO.Al2O3.Fe2O3)

05
Concrete Design
Types & Constituents of concrete

 Types of cements
 Ordinary Portland cement(OPC)

OPC is the most commonly and mainly cement in worldwide. This is use for all types of
construction when there is no exposure to sulphates in soil or groundwater in construction industry. OPC has basic
composition as follows,

%
Contents
CaO 60-67

SiO2 17-25

Al2O3 3-8

Fe2O3 0.5-6.0

MgO 0.5-4.0

Alkalis 0.3-1.2

SO3 2.0-3.5

 Rapid hardening Portland cement(RHPC)

RHPC is similar to OPC but it various is higher tri calcium silicate (C3A or C3S)
content and finer grinding. This cement is gains strength more easily than OPC. This type of cement called “High-
Early Strength Portland Cement.” This cement is mainly used in a cold weather condition but in hot weather condition
must be careful in damages.

 Low heat Portland cement

This type of cement is hydraulic binding material and it’s also called “High Belite
Cement”. It has sulphate corrosion resisting, good lasting properties, good resistance to rupture and high final strength.
It has main compositions as follows,

Item Standard Value

MgO 5.0% Max
LOI 3.0% Max
SO3 3.5% Max
Alkali Content 0.60% Max

06
Concrete Design
Types & Constituents of concrete

 Sulphate resisting cement

This type of cement is used for resisting sulphate actions. It’s more resistance than
OPC to action mineralized containing sulphates. The use of cement recommended for foundations, sewerage and
water treatment plants, chemical and fertilizers and sugar factories. It’s chemical composition as given below.

Type
Chemical Composition
P·HSR P·MSR
Tricalcium Silicate (C3S) 50.0%Max 55.0%Max
Tricalcium Aluminate (C3A) 3.0%Max 5.0%Max

Alkali Content (Na2O) 0.6%Max 0.6%Max

Magnesium Oxide (MgO) 5.0%Max 5.0%Max
Loss On Ignition (LOI) 3.0%Max 3.0%Max
Sulfur Trioxide (SO3) 2.5%Max 2.5%Max
Insoluble Content 1.5%Max 1.5%Max

 Aggregates

Aggregates

Fine Aggregates Coarse Aggregates

 Fine aggregates

Fine aggregates generally consist sand or crushed stone with most partials passing below 4.75mm I.S sieve.

 Coarse aggregates

Coarse aggregates are defined as lager than 4.75mm I.S sieve (5mm in BS code). But generally range
between 9.5mm to 37.5mm in diameter.

07
Concrete Design
Types & Constituents of concrete

Typical particle size analyses of coarse and fine aggregates

 Water

Water is the most important for quality of concrete and strength of concrete. When concrete mixing,
must be control the water at including condition. By the way the PH value of water or hall be not less than 6. Water is
most helpful to chemical reaction in concrete.

 Admixtures

Admixtures are commonly used for increase setting time of concrete in short time period and increase
setting time of concrete in some of long time period.

Admixtures

Chemical Admixtures Mineral Admixtures

Accelerators, Retarders, Water-reducing agents, Super plasticizers, Air entraining agents etc.

Fly-ash Blast-furnace slag, Silica fume and Rice husk Ash etc.

08
Concrete Design
Types & Constituents of concrete

 Chemical Admixtures
I. Accelerators

These are used for increase self strength in short time duration. It’s is useful at irrigation construction
(commonly in water surface). Accelerators are divided into 2 types based on their performance and applications.

 Set acceleration admixtures

 Hardening accelerators
II. Retarders

These are used for delay or extend the setting time of cement paste in concrete. It’s helpful to transport long distance
and placing the concrete at high temperatures. Commonly used retarders given below.

 Calcium Ligno-sulphonates
 Carbohydrates derivatives
 Mineral Admixtures
I. Cementitious

Also these have cementing properties. For an example as Ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS).

II. Pozzolanic

It’s material in combined with calcium hydroxide (lime), exhibits cementitious properties. This is used an
addition Portland cement concrete mixtures to increase long term strength other material properties of Portland cement
concrete and in some cases reduce the material cost of concrete. There are few examples given below.

 Fly ash
 Silica fume
 Rice husk ash
 Properties of both fresh and hardened concrete affect by their constituents

 Fresh concrete

Fresh concrete is common concrete in world. It can be easily molded into any designed shape in
construction. There are some properties given below.

 Workability
 Setting
 Segregation
 Water cement ratio
 Plastic Shrinkage
 Thermal Shrinkage
 Thermal Expansion

09
Concrete Design
Types & Constituents of concrete

 Workability

Fresh concrete is can be transported and placed for the job and compacted to a dense mass. Its gives best
results the property of workability. Fresh concrete should be capable of spreading and uniformly without inducing any
segregation of the aggregates. Who makes fresh concrete, fine and coarse aggregate must be considered. It reason is
aggregates is important materials in this session and it’s depend on quality of fresh concrete. There are some important
things to make quality fresh concrete as follows,

 Water content of the concrete mix - Water content higher concrete has higher workability and low content has
lower workability.
 Size of aggregates - Small size will gives lower workability and bigger size will gives higher workability
 Shape of aggregates - rounded or sub rounded aggregates increase workability and river sand and gravel provide
greater workability to concrete than crushed sand.
 Surface texture of aggregates – Smooth rounded or glassy aggregates will give better workability than rough
texture aggregates.
 Segregation

Segregation is defined as separation of the constituent materials of concrete. Good concrete their
constituents distributed to make a homogeneous mixture. There are considerable differences in the sizes and specific
gravities of the constituent ingredients of concrete. There are 3 types of segregation given below.

 Coarse aggregate separating out or settling down from the rest of the matrix.
 Paste separating away from coarse aggregate.
 Water separating out from the rest of the material being a material of lowest specific gravity.

Above types are favorable for some of conditions and it’s given below.

 Badly proportioned mix where sufficient matrix is not there to bind and contain the aggregates.
 Insufficiently mixed concrete with excess water content.
 Dropping of concrete from heights as in the case of placing concrete in column concreting.
 When concrete is discharged from a badly designed mixer, or from a mixer with worn out blades.
 Conveyance of concrete by conveyor belts, wheel barrow, long distance haul by dumper, long lift by skip and
hoist are the other situations promoting segregation of concrete.

 Hardened concrete

Hardened concrete makes hydration chemical process and also it called hydration concrete. There are
some properties given below.

 Strength of concrete
 Concrete creep
 Shrinkage
 Modulus of elasticity
 Water tightness
 Rate of strength of concrete

10
Concrete Design
Types & Constituents of concrete

 Strength of concrete

Strength of concrete is most important property for hardened concrete. There are 3 types of strength of
concrete.

 Paste strength - It’s based on binding properties of cement and If the paste has higher binding strength, higher
will be strength of concrete.
 Interfacial strength – It’s very necessary regarding the strength. Clay hampers the bonding between paste and
aggregate. The aggregate should be washed for a better bonding between paste and aggregate.
 Aggregate strength – It’s mainly based on coarse aggregates and Rough and angular aggregate provides better
bonding and high strength.

Above types of strength favorable for some of factors and it’s given below.

 Water-Cement ratio - Lesser the water cement ratio, greater will be strength.
 Type of cementing material - Type of cement affect the hydration process and therefore strength of concrete.
 Amount of cementing material - Greater amount of cementing material greater will be strength.
 Type of aggregate - Rough and an angular aggregate is preferable as they provide greater bonding.
 Admixtures - Chemical admixtures like plasticizers reduce the water cement ratio and increase the strength of
concrete at same water cement ratio. Mineral admixtures affect the strength at later stage and increase the
strength by increasing the amount of cementing material.

 Shrinkage

Shrinkage of concrete is caused by change of volume. There are many types of shrinkage and it’s shown
below by diaphragm.

Shrinkage

Plastic Shrinkage Autogenous Shrinkage Drying Shrinkage

By the drying
By the settlement of solids and the loss of free water

By the Chemical combination of cement with water

11
Concrete Design
Types & Constituents of concrete

 Plastic shrinkage

Plastic shrinkage is caused by the settlement of solids and the loss of free water from the plastic
concrete. It’s most common in slab construction and its look like surface crack but its can extend quite deeply into the
concrete.

Plastic Concrete

Plastic Concrete Cracks

12
Concrete Design
Types & Constituents of concrete

 Autogenous Shrinkage

Autogenous shrinkage is caused by chemical combination of cement with water and as

hydration continues in an environment where the water content is constant, such as inside a large mass of concrete,
this decrease in volume of the cement paste results in shrinkage of the concrete and it’s self produced by the hydration
of cement. There are many important factors for rate and magnitude of autogenous shrinkage and these are given
below.

I. Chemical composition of cement

II. Initial water content
III. Temperature and time

 Drying Shrinkage

Drying shrinkage is caused by drying of concrete and the hardened concrete cured in
water is allowed to dry it first loses water from its voids and capillary pores and only starts to shrink during further
drying when water is drawn, out of its cement gel. It’s called drying shrinkage. After it’s out initial high rate
drying shrinkage concrete continues to shrink for a long period of time, but at a continuously decreasing rate. There
are many factors affecting drying shrinkage and it’s given below.
I. Type, content and proportion of the constituent materials of concrete (cement, water, aggregates).
II. Size and shape of the concrete structure.
III. Amount and distribution of reinforcement.
IV. Relative humidity of the environment.

Drying Shrinkage Cracks

13
Concrete Design
Types & Constituents of concrete

 Concrete test

Concrete Test

Collapse Slump

Cube Test Slump Test Shear Slump

True Slump
Purpose of cube test - measures the compressible cube strength
of the concrete and relates directly to the required design strength
specified by the designer and it’s usually a minimum requirement
of from client to provide evidence of cube test result to ensure
compliance with designer requirements.

Purpose of slump test - measures the consistency of fresh

concrete before it sets and it’s another minimum requirement
of from client to provide evidence of cube test result to ensure
compliance with designer requirements. Also this test is
deduced change of water of concrete.

 Procedure of cube test of concrete

 Apparatus and raw materials
 150 x 150 x 150 mm standard cube molds 6 Nos.
 Slide wrench 1 No.
 600 mm long 16mm diameter temping rod 1 No.
 Nail 1 No.
 Water Tank 1 No.
 Steel Rule 1 No.
 Compression testing Machine
 Soft cloth 1 No.
 Mallet 1 No.
 Lubricating agent
 Freshly prepared concrete
 Procedure
 Firstly check dimensions of mould and check nuts of mould.
 If it’s ok, next Lubricate inside of the mould thoroughly with lubricating agent or may be engine oil or
grease.
 Then include the concrete into mould with trowel in 3 same layers and compact layers one by one stroking
concrete into the 35 stroke by using temping rod.
 Next top of mould finished smoothly.
 After that when some of drying concrete, write in concrete surface, date, cube no, location, concrete
grade.
 At above steps, done the other 5 moulds.
 After the 24 hours open the mould don’t damage cube edges and drop the cubes into water tank.( room
tem :- 28C or +/- 2C)

14
Concrete Design
Types & Constituents of concrete

 After the 7 days test 3 cubes what’s it’ strength and 28 days 3 cubes done same thing.

Compression Testing Machine

 Procedure of slump test

 Apparatus and raw materials
 Standard mould for slump test
 Non porous base plate
 Measuring scale
 Temping rod
 Freshly prepared concrete
 Procedure
 Firstly clean internal surface of mould and apply oil.
 Next place the mould on a smooth horizontal base plate.
 After than include the concrete into mould 3 same layers and temped 25 times per layer by using temping
rod and top of mould surface must be smoothly finished.
 Next raise the mould from the concrete immediately and slowly in vertical direction and place the mould
opposite to base plate. (Step 6)
 Then measure the slump as the difference between the height of the mould in mm and that of height point
of the specimen being tested.

15
Concrete Design
Types & Constituents of concrete

 After that choose shape of concrete and good or not good for concrete to necessary requirements.

 Constituents test of concrete

 Sieve analysis for fine and coarse aggregates

Its helps to determine particle size distribution of the fine and coarse aggregates. This test is done
by sieving aggregates per IS: 2386 (part 1) - 1963.

 Apparatus and raw materials

 A set of IS sieve of sizes – 80 mm, 63 mm, 50 mm, 40 mm, 31.5 mm, 25 mm, 20 mm, 16 mm, 6.3 mm,
4.75 mm, 3.35 mm, 2.36 mm, 1.18 mm, 600 ɥm, 300 ɥm, 150 m and 75 ɥm.
 Balance or scale with an accuracy to measure 0.1 percent of the weight of the test sample.
 Dry fine and coarse aggregates.
 Procedure
 Aggregates dried to a constant weight at a temperature of 110 + 5 C and weighed.
 Then samples are sieved by using IS sieves.
 After that cumulative weight passing through each sieves are calculated as a percentage of the total
samples weight.
 Then fineness modulus is obtained by adding cumulative percentage of aggregates retained each sieves
and dividing the sum by 100.

Result: - Sieve analysis may be recorded graphically on a semi-log graph with particle size as abscissa( log scale) and
the percentage smaller than the specified diameter as ordinate.

Weight of sample available should not be less than weight

16
Concrete Design
Types & Constituents of concrete

Grading limit of fine aggregates

Grading limit of coarse aggregates

17
Concrete Design
Types & Constituents of concrete

 Reference
 http://www.concrete.org.uk/fingertips-nuggets.asp?cmd=display&id=1050 - Mass Concrete
 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Precast_concrete - Pre Cast Concrete
 http://www.stonecastproducts.com/the-use-of-prestressed-concrete-in-architecture/ - Pre Stressed Concrete
 https://theconstructor.org/concrete/fiber-reinforced-concrete/150/ - Fiber Reinforced Concrete
 http://www.aboutcivil.org/ordinary-portland-cement.html - OPC Chart
 http://www.chngn.com/product_show.asp?id=1642&class_id=298 - Low Heat Cement Chart
 http://www.chngn.com/product_show.asp?id=1644&class_id=298 - Sulphate Resistant Cement Chart
 http://theconcreteportal.com/agg_prop.html - Aggregates Chart
 http://www.aboutcivil.org/concrete-technology-admixtures.html - Admixtures
 http://engineeringfeed.com/8-factors-affect-workability-fresh-concrete - Fresh concrete
 http://www.aboutcivil.org/properties-of-hardened-concrete.html - Hardened concrete
 https://www.qemsolutions.com/news/a-simple-guide-to-concrete-cube-testing - Cube Test
 http://civilblog.org/2015/07/06/5-common-field-tests-on-aggregate-to-check-its-quality/# - Sieve Analysis
Test

18