CONCRETE MIX DESIGN TUTORIAL EXAMPLE

Question: Design a concrete mix for the following conditions and constraints using the absolute
volume method:
Design Environment
Bridge pier exposed to freezing and subjected to deicing chemicals
Required design strength = 24.1 MPa
Minimum dimensions = 0.3 m
Minimum space between rebars = 64 mm
Minimum cover over rebars = 64 mm
Standard deviation of compressive strength of 2.4 MPa is expected
(more than 30 samples)
Only air entrainer is allowed

Available Materials
Cement: Select CEM V due to exposure
Air Entrainer: Manufacture specification 6.3 ml/1% air/100kg cement
Coarse aggregate:
25mm nominal maximum size, river gravel (round)
Bulk oven dry specific gravity = 2.621
Absorption = 0.4%
Oven dry-rodded density = 1681 kg/m3
Moisture content = 1.5%
Fine aggregate:
Natural sand
Bulk oven-dry specific gravity = 2.572
Absorption = 0.8%
Moisture content = 4%
Fineness modulus = 2.60

Solution:

1. Strength Requirements
2. Water-Cement Ratio Requirements
3. Coarse Aggregate Requirements
4. Air Content
5. Workability
6. Water Content
7. Cementing Materials Content
8. Admixture
9. Fine Aggregate Requirements
10. Moisture Correction

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 1. Strength Requirements

𝑆 = 2.4 𝑀𝑃𝑎 (30 samples used which is enough so no correction required)

𝑓𝑐𝑟′ = 𝑓𝑐′ + 1.34𝑠 = 24.1 + 1.34(2.4) = 27.3𝑀𝑃𝑎

𝑓𝑐𝑟′ = 𝑓𝑐′ + 2.33𝑠 − 3.45 = 24.1 + 2.33(2.4) − 3.45 = 26.2𝑀𝑃𝑎

𝒇′𝒄𝒓 = 𝟐𝟕. 𝟑 𝑴𝑷𝒂

2. Water-Cement Ratio Requirements

Strength requirement (Table 7.1), water-cement ratio = 0.48 by interpolation

Exposure requirement (Tables 7.3 and 7.4), maximum water-cement ratio = 0.45

Water-cementitious materials ratio = 0.45

3. Coarse Aggregate Requirements

The 25mm nominal maximum size corresponds to 37.5 mm maximum size.

37.5 𝑚𝑚 < 1⁄5 (300 𝑚𝑚)𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑚𝑢𝑚 𝑑𝑖𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠

37.5 𝑚𝑚 < 3⁄4 (64 𝑚𝑚)𝑟𝑒𝑏𝑎𝑟 𝑠𝑝𝑎𝑐𝑖𝑛𝑔

37.5 𝑚𝑚 < 3⁄4 (64 𝑚𝑚)𝑟𝑒𝑏𝑎𝑟 𝑐𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑟

Aggregate size okay for dimensions

From Table 7.5: 25 mm nominal maximum size coarse aggregate and 2.60 FM fine aggregate,
Coarse aggregate factor = 0.69

Dry weight of coarse aggregate = (1681)(0.69)=1160 kg/m3

Coarse aggregate = 1160 kg/m3

4. Air Content

From Table 7.6, severe exposure classification targets air content of 6.0% with a job range of 5.0%
to 8.0% limits Design using 7%

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 5. Workability

From Table 7.7, the bridge pier best fits the column requirement in the table. The slump range is
therefore 25 to 100 mm. Consider 75 mm slump

6. Water Content

From Table 7.8, for a 25 mm aggregate with air entrainment and 75 mm slump, water content
requirement is 175 kg/m3 for angular aggregates. Considering that we have round course
aggregates, a reduction of the water content by 27 kg/m3 is applied.

Required water = 148 kg/m3

7. Cementing Materials Content

Water-cement ratio = 0.45, Water content = 148 kg/m3,

Therefore, 𝐶𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 = 148⁄0.45 = 329 𝑘𝑔/𝑚3

Considering the PCA minimum cement content for severe exposure conditions, increase
cementing material content to 334 kg/m3

Note that increasing the cement content without increasing water will slightly reduce water-
cement ratio, producing a less permeable mix that is good for severe exposure.

Cementing Materials Content = 334 kg/m3

8. Admixture

7% air, cement = 334 kg/m3

334
𝐴𝑑𝑚𝑖𝑥𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑒 = (6.3)(7) ( ) = 147𝑚𝑙/𝑚3
100

Admixture = 147 ml/m3

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 9. Fine Aggregate Requirements

Using the absolute method;

148
𝑊𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 = = 0.148 𝑚3 /𝑚3
1 × 1000

334
𝐶𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 = = 0.106 𝑚3 /𝑚3
3.15 × 1000

𝐴𝑖𝑟 𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 = 0.07 𝑚3 /𝑚3

1160
𝐶𝑜𝑎𝑟𝑠𝑒 𝑎𝑔𝑔𝑟𝑒𝑔𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 = = 0.443 𝑚3 /𝑚3
2.621 × 1000

𝑆𝑢𝑏𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 = 0.767 𝑚3 /𝑚3

𝐹𝑖𝑛𝑒 𝑎𝑔𝑔𝑟𝑒𝑔𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 = 1 − 0.767 = 0.233 𝑚3 /𝑚3

𝐹𝑖𝑛𝑒 𝑎𝑔𝑔𝑟𝑒𝑔𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑑𝑟𝑦 𝑤𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 = (0.233)(2.572)(1000) = 599 𝑘𝑔/𝑚3

Fine aggregate = 599 kg/m3

10. Moisture Correction

Course aggregate: Need 1160 kg/m3 in dry condition, so increase by 1.5% for moisture.

Therefore, moist coarse aggregate = 1160 x 1.015 = 1177 kg/m3

Fine aggregate: Need 599 kg/m3 in dry condition, so increase by 4T% for moisture correction.
Therefore, fine aggregate in moist condition = 599 x 1.04 = 623 kg/m3

Water: Considering that moisture content represents both absorbed and free water, free water
on the aggregates = 148 – 1160(0.015 – 0.004) – 599(0.04 – 0.008) = 116 kg/m3

Summary:

Batching ingredients required for 1 m3 of Portland cement concrete include: Water (116 kg),
Cement (334 kg), Fine aggregate (623 kg), Coarse aggregate (1177 kg), Admixture (147 ml).