BAR 303 - Theory & Design of Structures III 2023/2024 10 November, 2023

BAR 303: THEORY AND

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DESIGN OF STRUCTURES 3
Department of Civil & Construction Engineering
University of Nairobi
muthomi@uonbi.ac.ke

LECTURE 1: ELEMENTS OF
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CONCRETE

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BAR 303 - Theory & Design of Structures III 2023/2024 10 November, 2023

References
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McKenzie, W. M. Arya, C (2009) The Concrete Mosley et al.

(2015) Design of Design of Society (2009) (2009) Reinforced
Structural Structural Elements Designed and Concrete Design
Elements to Detailed – to Eurocode 2
Eurocodes Eurocode 2

10 November 2023

Housekeeping
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Use your University email address

Coursework – 30% Exam – 70%
Timed quiz after every lecture – Deadline is midnight on
Friday of that week.
Make sure you press submit. Do not let time run out.
Slides will be posted on eClass
Join 10 minutes before

10 November 2023

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BAR 303 - Theory & Design of Structures III 2023/2024 10 November, 2023

5 Course Objectives

 1. Understand the elements of concrete

 2. Understand the benefits of concrete

6 Learning Outcomes

 1. State the components of concrete

 2. State the benefits of concrete

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BAR 303 - Theory & Design of Structures III 2023/2024 10 November, 2023

7 FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES
WATER, CEMENT & AGGREGATE = CONCRETE

8 TURNING TORSO

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BAR 303 - Theory & Design of Structures III 2023/2024 10 November, 2023

9 WHY CONCRETE?

ABUNDANT
CHEAP
STRENGTH
AESTHETICS
LOW MAINTENANCE
DURABLE

10 D
U
R
A
B
I
L
I
T
Y

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BAR 303 - Theory & Design of Structures III 2023/2024 10 November, 2023

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NATURE OF CONCRETE

STRONG IN COMPRESSION

WEAK IN TENSION

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BAR 303 - Theory & Design of Structures III 2023/2024 10 November, 2023

13 FACTORS THAT AFFECT STRENGTH OF

CONCRETE
 WATER CONTENT – WATER:CEMENT RATIO
ெ஺ௌௌ ைி ௐ஺்ாோ
 ൌ
ெ஺ௌௌ ைி ஼ாொே்

 Determine the water: cement ratio of the following mix Concrete C20/25
 Cement = 280kg/m3 fine aggregate = 420kg/m3 coarse aggregate =
840kg/m3 water = 140l/m3

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14 WHAT HAPPENS TO THE WATER?

The rest of it remains within
the concrete structure trapped
within the pores and gel

Some of it gets lost

by evaporation and
absorption causing
shrinkage and forming
voids
Some of it gets consumed by the
hydration reaction where it
becomes part of the solid crystal
Microstructure

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BAR 303 - Theory & Design of Structures III 2023/2024 10 November, 2023

15 WISE WORDS ON CONCRETE

“I’ve talked for a long time about the fact that we need a system of
making concrete where we give the cement away free and we charge
$10 a gallon for special water to mix it with, and it won’t set and
harden unless you mix it with the special water.

That will make people cut down on the water – 99% of everything
that’s wrong with concrete is the result of people putting in too
much water.”

Mather, 2000

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16 HARDENING OF CONCRETE

MUD HARDENS?

CEMENT HYDRATES

CONCRETE?

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BAR 303 - Theory & Design of Structures III 2023/2024 10 November, 2023

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18 HARDENING PROCESS (28 DAYS)

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BAR 303 - Theory & Design of Structures III 2023/2024 10 November, 2023

19 HARDENING PROCESS (1 YEAR)

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20 SPECIFIED CHARACTERISTIC STRENGTH

• The strength specified by an engineer is known

as the:
• specified strength or
• characteristic strength or
• specified characteristic strength (SCS)
• It is defined as the strength below which no
more than 5% of the results may fall.

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BAR 303 - Theory & Design of Structures III 2023/2024 10 November, 2023

21 TARGET MEAN STRENGTH

• The strength of the concrete that the

contractor must achieve on site is called the:
• Target Mean Strength (TMS) or
• Target Average Strength (TAS)

• It is defined as the SCS + the margin of the

concrete (dependant on the standard
deviation)

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22

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BAR 303 - Theory & Design of Structures III 2023/2024 10 November, 2023

23 PURE COMPRESSION?

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Cement

Hydration (Paste)
Water
Lubrication Water requirement

Water Retentivity
Fine aggregate
Void Filler
Bulk (Little Effect on Strength)

Coarse aggregate Dimensional Stability

Abrasion Resistance-

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BAR 303 - Theory & Design of Structures III 2023/2024 10 November, 2023

25 CHAIN

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26 STRONGER LINKS

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BAR 303 - Theory & Design of Structures III 2023/2024 10 November, 2023

27 REINFORCED CONCRETE

 Principle of reinforced concrete is that concrete is strong in compression & weak in

tension

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28 REINFORCED CONCRETE

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THE END
CONCRETE GRADES
SITE PRODUCTION STORING,
BATCHING AND MIXING,
TRANSPORT, PLACING AND
COMPACTING
CONSTRUCTION JOINTS
CONTROL OF CONCRETE
QUALITY - TESTS ON FRESH
AND HARDENED CONCRETE.
REINFORCEMENT BAR SIZES
AND DIMENSIONS.
FIXING FORMWORK - TYPES,
BASIS OF DESIGN, SURFACE
TREATMENT, STRIKING OF
FORMWORK AND CARE.

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muthomi@uonbi.ac.ke
10 November 2023

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