FACULTY OF ENGINEERING

KNS 1451 Civil Engineering Laboratory 1

Laboratory Report
TABLE OF CONTENT

CONTENT PAGE

1. Topic 1

2. Introduction 1-2

3. Objective 3

4. Apparatus and Materials 3

5. Procedure 4-8

6. Results 9 - 12

7. Discussion 13

8. Conclusion 14

9. Reference 15

10. Appendix 16 - 23
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Laboratory Report
1. TOPIC

C3 – Concrete Mix Design

2.INTRODUCTION

Mix design can be defined as the process selecting suitable ingredients of concrete
with a specified properties of workability, durability and strength which are cement,
fine and coarse aggregates and water. Workability is the amount of energy to
overcome friction while compacting. Workability also defined as the relative ease
with which concrete can be mixed, transported, moulded and compacted. Meanwhile
durability of cement is defined as its ability to resist weathering action, chemical
attack, abrasion, or any other process of deterioration. Durable concrete will retain its
original form, quality, and serviceability when exposed to environment. The
proportion of the materials need to be in the correct amount to produce a high strength
concrete because the higher the strength of the concrete, the better the concrete is
( American Concrete Institute Method of Mix Design, 1970 )

Mix design can also determine their relatives proportion with the object producing
concrete of certain minimum strength and durability as economically as possible.
Concrete mix design requires complete knowledge of the various properties of the
materials. The concrete mix design involves various steps, calculations and laboratory
testing to find right mix proportions. This process is usually adopted for structures
which requires higher grades of concrete.

Concrete mix design provides the right proportions of materials, thus making the
concrete construction economical in achieving required strength of structural
members. As the quantity of concrete required for large constructions are huge,
economy in quantity of materials such as cement makes the project construction
economical ( AkinOgun, n.d. ).

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The best concrete will pass through the test that need to be done on it such as slump
test. Other tests like hardened concrete for compressive, flexural and splitting tensile
strength and modulus of elasticity using standard samples are normally performed at
the 3rd, 7th, 14th, 21st and 28th days.

Generally, there are 3 type of method to do the mix design which is IS, BS and ASI
method. Every method has its pros and cons, for IS method is applicable for Ordinary
and Standard grades of concrete only. This method does not give guidelines for design
of Light weight and heavy weight concrete. The compressive strength of hardened
concrete is to be specified on the basis of 150 mm cube test, determined at 28 days.
For BS method is applicable for design of normal concrete mixes having 28-days
compressive strength up to 75 MPa. This standard also gives guidelines for design of
light weight and heavy weight concrete. The compressive strength of hardened
concrete is to be specified on the basis of 150 mm cube test determined at 28 days, in
N/mm2 or 150 mm diameter by 300 mm cylinder tests, determined at 28 days, in
N/mm2. For ASI method is applicable for design of normal or heavy concrete, and
mass concrete mixes. This standard is not applicable for Light weight aggregate
concrete and for special admixtures for concrete products manufacture. This method
is also not applicable for using condensed Silica fume. The ACI method of mix
proportioning is applicable for normal and heavy weight concrete having 28-days
cylinder compressive strength of 45 MPa and slump ranges of 25 to 100 mm
( Jeevendra Kumar Chanrakar, S.P. Mishra, 2012 ).

But in this experiment, British standard is used which is Design of experiments

( DOE ) method. Design of experiments (DOE) is a systematic, rigorous approach to
engineering problem-solving that applies principles and techniques at the data
collection stage so as to ensure the generation of valid, defensible, and supportable
engineering conclusions. In addition, all of this is carried out under the constraint of a
minimal expenditure of engineering runs, time, and money. ( What is design of
experiments (DOE)?, n.d. )

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2. OBJECTIVE

To practice the concrete mix design method and to determine the workability , density
and required strength for normal weight concrete of moderate / severe environmental
condition.

3. APPARATUS AND MATERIALS

None

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4. PROCEDURE

Refer to Appendix 1 for the procedure of concrete mix design.

CONCRETE MIX DESIGN FORM

The DOE method is use to find the mix design

The required characteristics strength, fc is specified at a specific age which is 25

N/mm2 at 28 days.

Step 1: Selection of target water/cement ratio

The margin is calculated by using the equation M = k x s

The value of k for 5% defectives is 1.64.

The value of s is obtained from Figure 1 which is 8 N/mm2 as the sample taken is less
than 20.

The calculated value of margin is 13 N/mm2.

Target mean strength calculated by using the equation fm = fc  M

The calculated value of target mean strength is 38 N/mm2.

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Figure 2

The water / cement ratio is determined from the table Figure 2.

From Figure 2, the water / cement ratio for this mix design is 0.58.

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Step 2: Selection of free-water content

Table 1

With 100 mm slump and 40mm maximum size aggregate (Crushed), the free-water
content for this mix design is 205 kg/m³.

Step 3: Determination of cement content

By using the equation

Cement Content = Free-water content ÷ Free-water / cement ratio

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Step 4: Determination of total aggregate content

The wet density of concrete mix is determined from Figure 3 before the calculation of
total

aggregate content.

Figure 3

From Figure 3, the wet density of concrete mix with 205 kg/m3 and 2.65 (Value from
C2) of relative density of aggregate is 2380 kg/m3.

The total aggregate content is calculated by using the equation below:

Total aggregate content = Concrete density – Cement content – Free water content

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Step 5: Determination of proportion of coarse and fine aggregate

Figure 4

The proportion of fine aggregate can be determined from Figure 4.

With 96.9 % (Value from C1) of fine aggregate passing through 600m sieve, the
proportion of fine aggregate is 28 %.

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Reference of
Stage Item Values
calculation
25 N/mm2 at 28 days
1 1.1 Characteristic Strength Specified
Proportion defective 5%

5. RESULT / ANALYSIS

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1.2 Standard Deviation Figure 2.4 8 N/mm2 or no data ________ N/mm2
1.3 Margin
Laboratory
C1
Report
or ( k = 1.64 ) 1.64 x 8 = 13.12 N/mm2
specified = 13 N/mm2
1.4 Target Mean Strength C2 25 + 13 = 38 N/mm2
1.5 Cement Type Specified OPC / SRPC / RHPC
1.6 Aggregate type : coarse Crushed / uncrushed
Aggregate type : fine Crushed / uncrushed
Table 2.8, 0.58
1.7 Free – water / cement ratio
figure 2.1
1.8 Maximum free-water/cement ratio Specified
Use the lower value 0.58

2 2.1 Slump or Vebe time Specified Slump 100 mm or Vebe time s

2.2 Maximum aggregate size Specified 40 mm
2.3 Free-water content Table 2.9 205 = 205 kg/m3

3.1 Cement Content C3 205 ÷ 0.58 = 353.5 N/mm2

3 3.2 Maximum Cement Content Specified kg/m3
3.3 Minimum Cement Content Specified kg/m3
Use 3.1 if ≤ 3.2
Use 3.3 if > 3.1 kg/m3
3.4 Modified free-cement ratio = 354 kg/m3

4.1 Relative density of aggregate ( SSD ) 2.65 known / assumed

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4.2 Concrete density Figure 2.2 2540 kg/m3
4.3 Total aggregate content C4 2380 - 205 - 354 = 1821 kg/m3

5.1 Grading of fine aggregate Percentage passing 600μm sieve 96.9

5 5.2 Proportion of fine aggregate Figure 2.3 28 % .
5.3 Fine aggregate content 28% x 1821 = 510 kg/m3
C5
5.4 Coarse aggregate content 1981 - 510 = 1311 kg/m3

Cement Water Fine Coarse aggregate

QUANTITIES (kg) (kg or L) aggregate 10mm 20mm 40mm
(kg)
Per m3 (to nearest 5 kg) __355__ __205_ __510_ _1310_ __ _ ______
Per trial mix of 0.03 m3 _10.65_ ___6.15_ __15.3__ _ 39.3_ ______

CONCRETE MIX DESIGN FORM

Items in italics are optional limiting values that may be specified

1N/mm2 = 1MN/m2 = 1 MPa
OPC = ordinary Portland Cement ; SRPC = sulphate-resisting Portland Cement ; RHPC = rapid-hardening
Portland Cement
Relative density = specific gravity SSD = based on a saturated surface-dry basis

CALCULATIONS

Characteristic strength, fc = 25 N/mm2

Standard deviation, s = 8 N/mm2
Percentage of defectives, k = 1.64
Margin, M = 1.64 x 8

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= 13.12Report
Laboratory N/mm

Target mean strength, fm = characteristic strength (fc) + margin (M)

= 25 N/mm2 + 13.12 N/mm2
= 38.12 N/mm2

Slump = 100 mm
Maximum aggregate size = 40 mm

Free- water / cement ratio = 0.58

Free- water content = 205 kg/m3

Cement Content = Free – water content

Free – water / cement
ratio
205 kg/m3
=
0.58

= 354 kg/m3

Aggregate Density ( SSD ) = 2.65

Concrete Density = 2380 kg/m3

Concrete density – cement content – free water

Total aggregate content =
content
= 2380 kg/m3 - 354 kg/m3 - 205 kg/m3
= 1821 kg/m3

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Grading of fine aggregate Laboratory % passing 600 μm sieve
= 96.9Report
Proportion of fine
= 28 %
aggregate

Total aggregate content x Proportion of fine

Fine aggregate content =
aggregate content
= 1821 kg/m3 x 28 %
= 510 kg/m3

Total aggregate content – Fine aggregate

Coarse aggregate content =
content
= 1821 kg/m3 - 555 kg/m3
= 1311 kg/m3

Per trial mix of 0.03 m3

Cement ( kg ) = 0.03 x 355 kg/m3 = 10.65 kg/m3
Water ( kg or L ) = 0.03 x 205 kg/m3 = 6.15 kg/m3
Fine aggregate ( kg ) = 0.03 x 510 kg/m3 = 15.3 kg/m3
Coarse aggregate ( kg ) = 0.03 x 1310 kg/m3 = 39.3 kg/m3

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Figure 5
The volume of cube:
150mm × 150mm × 150mm = 3.375 × 10-3 m3

The volume of 3 cubes:

3.375 × 10-3 m3 × 3 = 0.010 m3

Figure 6
The volume of beam:
500mm × 100mm × 100mm = 5x10-3 m3

The volume of 1 beam:

5x10-3 m3 x 1 = 5x10-3 m3

Total volume = 0.0135 m3 + 5x10-3 m3

= 0.0151 m3

Since it is specified that per trail mix is at 0.03 m3, thus, 0.03 m3 is used instead of the
total volume calculated ( 0.0151 m3 ).

6. DISCUSSION

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From the result obtained, we used 10.65 kg of cement, 6.15 kg of water, 15.3 kg
of fine aggregates and 39.3 kg of coarse aggregates with size 10mm to make 3 cubes
with dimension 150mm × 150mm × 150mm and 1 beam with dimension 500mm ×
100mm × 100mm. The characteristic strength that we used in mix design form is 25
N/mm2 at 28 days. The margin that we obtained in mix design form is 13 N/mm2 and
the target mean strength obtain is 38 N/mm2.

To obtain concrete that achieve the strength needed, a correct propotion of

cement, water, fine aggregate and coarse aggregate in order to produce concrete that
is desirable. This is because different the amount of cement, water, fine aggregate and
coarse aggregate use will affect the strength, workability, durability, and other
important characteristics of concrete. The quality of concrete can be increase by be
properly cured for a minimum of 7 days, make sure the water cement ratio be
adequate and use rough and well graded angular aggregate with more surface area
will result an increased strength of concrete ( Team WFM, 2016 ).

For example, when the water / cement ratio is too high the strength of the
concrete will decrease because bleeding and segregation occur. Proper grading of fine
and coarse aggregates is also important to produce a good quality of concrete. The
insufficient of fine or coarse aggregates content will produce harsh mix that will
affect the workability and stability of concrete. On the other hand the excessive in fine
aggregates will produce an over sanded mix.

Therefore, to avoid problems such as segregation, bleeding or shrinkage correct

amount of cement, water and aggregates is important as this affect the consistency,
stability, workability and cohesiveness of the concrete mix.

7. CONCLUSION

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In conclusion, the mix design procedure is to indicate that the concrete will
result in a 25 N/mm2 of strength within 28 days.

8. REFERENCE

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Laboratory Report
American Concrete Institute Method of Mix Design（ 1970 ）

Retrieved from

http://www.idc-online.com/technical_references/pdfs/civil_engineering/Concrete
_Mix_Design_Concept.pdf

AkinOgun, Concrete Mix Design Calculation for M20, M25, M30 Concrete with
Procedure & Example

Retrieved from

https://theconstructor.org/concrete/concrete-mix-design-calculation-procedure-ex
ample-m20-m25-m30/13020/

Academia. (2018). BS - CONCRETE MIX DESIGN (DOE).

Retrieved from

http://www.academia.edu/25183260/BS_-CONCRETE_MIX_DESIGN_DOE

Jeevendra Kumar Chanrakar, S.P. Mishra ( 2012 ), Comparison of IS, BS and ACI
Methods of Concrete Mix Design

Retrieved from

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/271585894_Comparison_of_IS_BS_an
d_ACI_Methods_of_Concrete_Mix_Design_and_Proposing_Function_Equations
_Based_Design gn and Proposing Function Equations Based Design.

What is design of experiments (DOE)?, n.d.

Retrieved from

https://www.itl.nist.gov/div898/handbook/pmd/section3/pmd31.htm

Team WFM ( 2016 ), How to increase the strength of concrete?

Retrieved from

https://www.wfm.co.in/increase-strength-concrete/

9. APPENDIX

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Appendix 1

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