CENG223

Engineering Materials
Lecture 7

Concrete

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Definition of Concrete
Concrete, in construction, structural material consisting of a hard,
chemically inert particulate substance, known as aggregate (usually sand
and gravel), that is bonded together by cement and water. Concrete is the
second-most-used substance in the world after water, and is the most widely
used building material.

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Functions of Aggregate in Concrete
Aggregate is commonly considered inert filler, which accounts for 60 to 80
percent of the volume and 70 to 85 percent of the weight of concrete.
Although aggregate is considered inert filler, it is a necessary component
that defines the concrete’s thermal and elastic properties and dimensional
stability.
Aggregate is classified as two different types, coarse and fine. Coarse
aggregate is usually greater than 4.75 mm (retained on a No. 4 sieve), while
fine aggregate is less than 4.75 mm (passing the No. 4 sieve).

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Functions of Water in Concrete
As water is added to cement it creates a paste that glues all of the
aggregates together. The cement paste then undergoes a chemical process
known as hydration, this chemical reaction is what allows the concrete to
harden and become strong and solid.

The two principal functions of water in a concrete mix are to effect

hydration and improve workability. For example, a mix to be poured in
forms must contain more water than is required for complete hydration of
the cement. Too much water causes a loss of strength by upsetting the
water-cement ratio.

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Advantages of Concrete
 Ingredients of concrete are readily available in most places.
 Unlike natural stones, concrete is free from defects and flaws.
 Concrete can be manufactured to the desired strength with an economy.
 The durability of concrete is very high.
 It can be cast to any desired shape.
 The casting of concrete can be done on the working site which makes it
economical.
 The maintenance cost of concrete is almost negligible.
 The deterioration of concrete is not appreciable with age.
 Concrete makes a building fire-safe due to its non-combustible nature.
 Concrete can withstand high temperatures.
 Concrete is resistant to wind and water. Therefore, it is very useful in storm
shelters.
 As a soundproofing material cinder concrete could be used.

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Disadvantages of Concrete
 Compared to other binding materials, the tensile strength of concrete is
relatively low.
 Concrete is less ductile.
 The weight of concrete is high compared to its strength.
 Concrete may contain soluble salts. Soluble salts cause efflorescence.

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Segregation
Segregation of concrete is the separation of cement paste and aggregates
of concrete from each other during handling and placement. Segregation
also occurs due to over-vibration or compaction of concrete, in which
cement paste comes to the top and aggregates settles at the bottom.

Segregation of concrete affects strength and durability in structures. In a

good concrete, all concrete aggregates are evenly coated with sand and
cement paste and forms a homogeneous mass.

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Causes of Segregation of Concrete
1. Use of high water-cement ratio in concrete. This generally happens in
the case of concrete mixed at the site by unskilled workers.
2. Excessive vibration of concrete with mechanical needle vibrators
makes heavier particles settle at the bottom and lighter cement sand
paste comes on top.
3. When concreting is done from height in the case of underground
foundations and rafts, which causes concrete to segregate.

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How to Prevent the Segregation of Concrete?
1. Use precise mix proportions considering the correct ratios of cement,
aggregates, water, and additives. Ensuring a well-graded aggregate mix
and an appropriate water-cement ratio can help to prevent segregation.
2. Avoid excessive movement during transit to prevent segregation.
3. Employ proper pouring and placing methods. Avoid high drops and free
falls when depositing concrete into forms or molds.
4. Utilize vibration and right compaction techniques to consolidate the mix
and eliminate air voids to ensure uniformity.

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Bleeding
Concrete bleeding, also known as water gain, is a process where water rises to
the surface of freshly poured concrete.

It happens when the solid components of the mix (cement, sand, and aggregate)
begin to settle down after the concrete has been placed, leaving excess mixing
water to rise to the top.

This phenomenon is more prevalent in wet mixes, where the water-cement ratio
is high.

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Causes of Concrete Bleeding
1. High Water-Cement Ratio: A high water-cement ratio increases the
likelihood of bleeding as it provides more free water to segregate from
the mix.
2. Improper Aggregate Gradation: If the aggregate used in the mix is
not properly graded, it can lead to increased bleeding. The absence of
fine particles creates voids, allowing water to rise.
3. Inadequate use of Admixtures: Certain admixtures, if not used
correctly, can increase the rate of bleeding. For instance, air-entraining
agents can create tiny air pockets in the mix, promoting water
segregation.

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Effects of Concrete Bleeding

1. Weakens Surface Layer: The excess water weakens the surface layer of
the concrete, reducing its durability and resistance to abrasion.
2. Promotes Scaling: Bleeding can lead to scaling, where the surface layer
peels off, exposing the aggregate underneath.
3. Creates Voids: As the water evaporates from the surface, it leaves behind
pores and voids, reducing the strength of the concrete.
4. Promotes Cracking: The differential settlement caused by bleeding can
lead to the formation of cracks in the concrete structure.

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How to Prevent Bleeding of Concrete?
1. Proper Mix Design: Ensuring a well-graded aggregate mix and an
appropriate water-cement ratio can help minimize bleeding.
2. Use of Admixtures: Certain admixtures, like viscosity modifying agents,
can reduce the segregation of water and solid particles.
3. Proper Curing: Implementing adequate curing methods can help control
the rate of evaporation, reducing the likelihood of bleeding.
4. Use of Supplementary Cementitious Materials (SCMs): SCMs such
as fly ash or slag cement can help in reducing the bleed water by
improving the particle packing of the cement paste.

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Laitance

Laitance is the weak, milky or powdery layer of cement dust, lime and sand
fines that appear on the surface of concrete. These fines rise to the surface of
concrete that was over-watered, or allowed to dry prematurely in the absence
of curing membranes or other good curing practices.

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Properties of Concrete

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Workability of Concrete

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Factors Affecting Workability of Concrete

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Measurement of Workability

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Measurement of Workability

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Measurement of Workability

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Factors Controlling Properties of Concrete
01. Water/Cement Ratio
The ratio of the weight of water to the weight of cement is called Water/Cement ratio. It is the
most important factor for gaining the strength of concrete. The lower w/c ratio leads the higher
strength of concrete. Generally, the water/cement ratio of 0.45 to 0.60 is used. Too much water
leads to segregation and voids in concrete. Water/Cement ratio is inversely proportional to the
strength of concrete.

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Factors Controlling Properties of Concrete
02. Compaction of Concrete
Compaction of concrete increases the density of the concrete because it is the process in which
air voids are removed from freshly placed concrete which makes the concrete compact and
dense. The presence of air voids in concrete greatly reduces its strength .Approximately 5 % of
air voids can reduce the strength by 30 to 40 %.

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Factors Controlling Properties of Concrete
03. Ingredients of Concrete
The main ingredients of concrete are cement, sand, aggregate and Water. Quality of each
material affects the strength of the concrete. All materials, therefore, should fulfil the standard
criteria for use in concrete like,

Type and Quantity of Cement

Types and Quantity of Aggregate
Quality of Water 23
Factors Controlling Properties of Concrete
04. Curing of Concrete
Curing of concrete is the most essential to prevent plastic shrinkage, temperature control,
strength development and durability. Curing provides sufficient water to concrete for
completing the hydration process without interruption which is important for strength
development. Commonly 7-day curing corresponds to 70 % of compressive strength. Curing
period depends on the types of cement and the nature of work. Generally, it’s about 7 to 14
days for Ordinary Portland Cement. There are many methods of curing like Ponding and
immersion, Spraying and fogging saturated wet coverings etc.

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Factors Controlling Properties of Concrete
04. Curing of Concrete
Types of Curing

1. Water Curing
2. Wet Covering
3. Formwork Curing
4. Membrane Curing
5. Sheet Curing
6. Curing by Absorbing Heat
7. Hot mixing method
8. Electrical curing
9. Infra-Red Curing
10. Cover with Sand or Sawdust, Soil, etc
11. Natural Curing (Exposed concrete)

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Factors Controlling Properties of Concrete
04. Curing of Concrete
There are many shapes of aggregate like angular, cubical, elongated, elongated and flaky, flaky,
irregular and rounded. Angular aggregates are rough textured, and rounded aggregates are
smooth textured. Thus, the rounded aggregates, create the problem of lack of bonding between
cement paste and aggregate. Angular aggregates exhibit a better interlocking effect in concrete,
but the angular aggregate contains a larger amount of voids. For this, you needed well-graded
aggregate. The shape of aggregates becomes more important in case of high strength and high-
performance concrete where very low w/c ratio is used. In such cases, cubical shape aggregates
with uniform grading are required for better workability.

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Factors Controlling Properties of Concrete
06. Maximum Size of Aggregates
Larger size aggregates give a lower strength because they have a lower surface area for
development of gel bond which is responsible for strength. Larger size aggregate makes
concrete heterogeneous.
07. Grading of Aggregate
Grading of aggregates determines the particle size
distribution of aggregates. It’s the most important factor for
concrete mix. There are three types of graded aggregate Gap
Graded Aggregate, Poorly graded aggregate and Well-graded
aggregate. Well-graded aggregate contains all size of
particles of aggregate. So that, they have a less amount of
voids. The use of well-graded aggregates gives higher
strength to the concrete.

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Factors Controlling Properties of Concrete
08. Weather Condition
Weather condition also affects the strength of concrete due to different reasons. In cold climate,
exterior concrete is subjected to repeated freezing and thawing action due to the sudden change
in weather. It produces deterioration in concrete. With the change in moisture content, materials
expand and contract. It produced cracks in concrete.
09. Temperature
With the certain degree of temperature increase, the rate of hydration process increases in it
which, it gains strength rapidly. Sudden temperature changes create a thermal gradient, which
causes cracking and spalling of concrete. So that, the final strength of concrete is lower at the
very high temperature.
10. The Rate of Loading
The strength of concrete increase with the increase in the rate of loading because at the high
rates of loading, there is less time for creep. Creep produces permanent deformation in the
structure at constant loading. So that, the failure occurs at limiting values of strain rather than
the stress. In rapid loading, the load resistance is better than the slow loading.
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Factors Controlling Properties of Concrete
11. Age of Concrete

With increase in age of concrete, the degree of hydration would be more. Hydration process is
the chemical reaction of water and cement. Hydration produces the gel which plays a
significant role in the bonding of particles of the concrete ingredients. Therefore, the strength of
concrete increases with its age. Normally, concrete strength gets doubled after 11 years
provided there are no adverse factors.

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Bulking of Sand Significance

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Bulking of Sand

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Fineness Modulus

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Fineness Modulus

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