Civil Engineering Department

CE405 - Construction Materials and Testing Laboratory Manual

Experiment No. VII
CONCRETE MIX DESIGN
1. Objective(s):
The activity aims to introduce the principle and significance of concrete mix; 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
2.2 Determine the procedure in mixing of fresh concrete and slump test.
2.3
2.4 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.
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
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
Materials Computed Weight per unit of Volume Proportion (kg/m3) 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. Observation

8. Conclusion:

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 Civil Engineering Department
CE405 - Construction Materials and Testing Laboratory Manual

9. Assessment:
BEGINNER ACCEPTABLE PROFICIENT
CRITERIA SCORE
1 2 3
I. Laboratory Skills
Members do not Members occasionally Members always
Manipulative
demonstrate needed demonstrate needed demonstrate needed
Skills
skills. skills skills.
Members are unable Members are able to Members are able to
Experimental
to set-up the set-up the materials set-up the material with
Set-up
materials. with supervision. minimum 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 the
Precautions precautions at all times.
precautions. time.
II. Work Habits
Time Members finish ahead
Members do not
Management / Members finish on time of time with complete
finish on time with
Conduct of with incomplete data. data and time to revise
incomplete data.
Experiment data.
Members do not
Members have defined Members are on tasks
know their tasks and
responsibilities most of and have defined
have no defined
Cooperative and the time. Group responsibilities at all
responsibilities.
Teamwork conflicts are times. Group conflicts
Group conflicts have
cooperatively managed are cooperatively
to be settled by the
most of the time. managed at all times.
teacher.
Clean and orderly
Clean and orderly
Messy workplace workplace with
Neatness and workplace at all times
during and after the occasional mess during
Orderliness during and after the
experiment. and after the
experiment.
experiment.
Ability to do Members require Members require Members do not need
independent supervision by the occasional supervision to be supervised by the
work teacher. by the teacher. teacher.
Other Comments/Observations: Total Score
(𝑇𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑆𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑒)
𝑅𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 =
24
× 100
10. Reference(s):
(ACI) Standard Practice 211.1 “Recommended practice for selecting proportions for Normal and
Heavyweight Concrete”.

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