Research 2 – Properties of Concrete

What are the Properties of Concrete?

Many elements influence the properties of concrete, the most important of which is the percentage of
cement, sand, aggregates, and water in the mix. The proportions of these elements determine the various
concrete qualities listed below:

 Workability
 Strength of concrete
 Durability
 Shrinkage
 Unit weight

Workability

Workability is one of the properties of concrete or mortar which determines the ease and homogeneity
with which it can be mixed, placed, compacted, and finished. It is the portion of energy to overcome
friction. It may also be defined as the amount of useful internal work required to be done by the concrete
to achieve full compaction (cannot be determined in absolute terms).

Workability can be measured by slump test, compaction factor test, flow table test, and Vee-bee
consistometer test.

Strength of Concrete

Strength of concrete is one of the most crucial properties of concrete. The strength of concrete differs
significantly for the same concrete mix. As a consequence, a single typical value called characteristic
strength is used. The characteristic strength is defined as the strength threshold below which no more than
5% of the test results should be expected to fall.

Strength comes under properties of concrete at its hardened stage Concrete strength is measured in
N/mm2 and is defined as the characteristic compressive strength of a 150mm cube at 28 days when tested
using universal testing equipment.

Concrete has a very low tension. The size and extent of cracks in the structure are affected by another
important property of concrete called tensile strength. The tensile strength of good concrete should be
1/10 of the compressive strength. Tensile strength of concrete can be measured by splitting cylinder test
or Brazilian test.
Durability

The property of concrete by virtue of which it is able to withstand disintegration and degradation is called
durability. Hence, the durability of concrete is its resistance to deteriorating influences that may reside
inside the concrete itself, or which are inherent in the environment to which concrete is exposed. The
external agents of deterioration are weathering, bacterial growth, attack by natural or industrial liquids or
gases, etc. and the internal agents of deterioration are the presence of sulphates and chlorides, volume
changes due to non-compatibility of thermal and mechanical properties of aggregate and cement paste,
alkali-aggregate reactions, etc.
The permeability of concrete to the rise of water and other potentially harmful materials is one of the
most important features impacting its durability. The desired low permeability in concrete is achieved by
using sufficient cement, a low water/cement ratio, complete concrete compaction, and proper curing.

Shrinkage

Shrinkage is the property of concrete where a decrease in either length or volume of a material takes place
resulting from changes in moisture content or chemical changes. There are two types of shrinkage: plastic
shrinkage and dry shrinkage.

 Plastic shrinkage is the shrinkage of concrete due to absorption of water by aggregates,

Unit Weight

Density is a measure of mass per volume. The average unit weight of an object equals its total weight
divided by its total volume. The weight of concrete is determined by the density of the materials used,
such as cement, sand, and aggregate, as well as the water proportion, the availability of void % in the mix,
the type of mix proportion, and shrinkage. Concrete can be classified into four types based on the
property of concrete called unit weight.

Concrete Mix Strength

REINFORCED CONCRETE

Reinforced concrete is a combination of traditional cement concrete with reinforcements (steel bar). This
combination is made to use the compressive strength of concrete and tensile strength of steel at the same
time, hence, work together to resist many types of loading. The term reinforced is used because the steel
reinforces the concrete and makes it an even stronger construction material.

Highly durable, wind and water-resistant, non-combustible, soundproof.

Reinforced concrete has very good strength in tension as well as compression. This makes concrete a
desired construction material.

2. Economical

Reinforced concrete durability, resilience, low maintenance requirements and energy efficiency, concrete
structures reduce operating costs related to operational energy consumption, maintenance, and rebuilding
following disasters.

3. Versatility

Concrete can be placed into various shapes of shuttering or formwork configurations to form desired
shapes, form, surface, texture, and sizes at construction site. This is because fresh concrete is flowable
and is in liquid state. Therefore, it is more suitable for architectural requirements.

4. Durability

Reinforced Concrete structures are durable if designed and laid properly. The material is not affected by
weather such as rainfall and snow, and they can last up to 100 years. Due to low permeability, concrete
can resist chemicals dissolved in water such as sulfates, chloride and carbon dioxide, which may cause
corrosion in concrete, without serious deterioration. That is why reinforced concrete is ideal to
underwater and submerged applications like for building structures, pipelines, dams, canals, linings and
waterfront structures.
5. Fire Resistance
The nature of concrete does not allow it to catch fire or burn. It can withstand heat for 2–6 hours enabling
sufficient time for rescue operations in case of fire. Reinforced concrete buildings are more fire resistant
than other commonly used construction materials like steel and wood. It is suitable to fireproof steel and
used in high temperature and blast applications.

6. Ductility
The steel reinforcement imparts ductility to the reinforced concrete structures. Ductility enables concrete
to show sign of distress such as cracking and deflection if reinforced concrete member experience
overloading. This enables engineers to consider suitable measures to prevent further concrete damages.

7. Seismic Resistance
Properly designed reinforced concrete structures are extremely resistant to earthquakes.
8. Ease of Construction
Compared to the use of steel in structure, reinforced concrete requires less skilled labor for the erection of
the structure.
Disadvantages of Reinforced Concrete

 Reinforced concrete structures are heavier than others like steel, wood, and glass structures.
 Concrete Buildings need massive formwork, centering, shuttering to be fixed. As a result, it
requires lots of site space and labor work.
 Concrete takes time to attain its full strength. So, it cannot be used immediately after construction
in contrary with steel structures.
 The main steps of using reinforced concrete are mixing, casting, and curing. All of this affects the
final strength.
 The cost of the forms used for casting RC is relatively higher.
 Shrinkage causes crack development and strength loss.

References

BYJU’S Exam Prep. (2022). @Gradeupapp. https://byjusexamprep.com/properties-of-concrete-i

‌What is Reinforced Concrete? Uses, Benefits, and advantages - The Constructor. (2019, October

21). The Constructor. https://theconstructor.org/concrete/reinforced-concrete-uses-

benefits-advantages/35976/