Practical Concrete Mix Design has been compiled to help readers understand the concrete mix design methodology, including formulas and tables involved in the pertinent steps. This book helps engineers understand the mix design procedure, through illuminating every possible explanation for each step of mix design, limitations given by standards, and practical guides on tailor-making concrete to meet specific requirements. The construction industry needs engineers/experts who can reduce the costs of concrete, and thereby increase their profitability. This book shows effective methods for optimizing concrete and simultaneously achieving the desired properties of concrete. It covers why, how, and when with respect to concrete proportioning and optimization. It further provides the necessary skills for engineers to hone their skills in doing so, understanding the risks involved, and troubleshooting related problems.
1. Concrete Mix Proportioning General Concepts
1.1 Introduction
1.2 Concrete Mix Design
1.3 Understanding K better
1.4 Finding Water Cement Ratio for Target Strength
1.5 Checking the limits on Water Cement Ratio
1.6 Estimation of Water Content
1.7 Calculation of Cement Content
1.8 Aggregate Content
2. Concrete Proportioning- Rapid Method
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Calculation of Target Strength
2.3 Estimating Water Cement ratio for achieving the strength
2.4 Estimating the water content and aggregate interproportions
2.5 Significance of Water correction
2.6 Cement Content Calculation
2.7 Estimating Air content
2.8 Aggregate Proportion and Content
2.9 Rapid Method Graphical
3 ACI method of Proportioning concretes
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Estimating Water Cement Ratio
3.3 Estimating Water Content
3.4 Proportioning and calculating Aggregate Contents
4 DOE Method of proportioning concretes
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Target Strength Calculation
4.3 Estimating water cement ratio to achieve the strength
4.4 Finding the water content
4.5 Aggregate proportion & content
5 BRMCA Method of Proportioning
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Methodology
5.2.1 Mix corrections and Records
5.3 Curve fitting and Concrete Proportioning
5.4 Curve Fitting through Excel
6 Unconventional Proportioning Methods & special concretes
6.1 Author’s method, proportioning through void content optimization
6.2 Mix proportioning of Self Compacting Concrete
6.3 Mix Proportioning of Low Density/ Lightweight or High Density/ Heavy Weight Concrete
6.4 Mix Design of Pervious Concrete/ No Fines Concrete
6.5 Mix proportioning of Shotcrete
6.6 Roller Compacted Concrete Design
7 Optimization of concrete
7.1 Introduction
7.2 Entropy Buster Method To Optimize Concrete
8 Conducting Laboratory Tests & Validation of Mixes
8.1 Introduction
8.2 Correction for Moisture content and Absorption in Aggregates
8.3 Corrections in Batch and their effect on Mix Design
8.4 Deciding Water Reducing Admixture Dosage
Biography
Avijit Chaubey completed his civil engineering from REC Durgapur (NIT Durgapur) in 1999. He has worked in various capacities from site engineer to heading the R&D division of concrete and cement manufacturing companies. During his professional tenure, he has been instrumental in implementing new technologies and materials in construction, which led to more sustainable initiatives in the construction industry that was facing an immense shortage of raw materials due to sustainability issues.
His major experience and contributions are in (i) hydro power projects, fast track construction projects, ready mix concrete industries; (ii) implementation of India’s second rollercompacted concrete technology for construction of dam; (iii) construction ofa hotel in record time, by designing fast-strength gaining concrete to speed up construction; (iv) first implementation of crushed rock fines to replace river sand for concrete manufacture in major cities of India for structural purposes; (v) developing a concrete road that could be trafficked within 24 hours of laying; (vi) ultra-lightweight concrete with a density less than water (lighter than water); (vii) acid-resistant concrete that could withstand attack even from sulphuric acid; (viii) developed a test method for ultimate shrinkage measurement in concrete; (ix) developed a mathematical model for void prediction in a mixture of solids; (x) optimization of concrete to get maximum profits through methodologies developed, which is also discussed in this book (this also led to a reduction in cement consumption for manufacturing concrete for the same strength and properties of concrete).
Avijit has published few papers in reputed journals and magazines, one of his papers under the guidance of Dr Amlan Das (Prof NIT Durgapur), “Design of Parabolic Channels” won an award from Union Ministry of Water Resources in 2001. Avijit has served in organizations like Shapoorji Pallonji, Gammon India, and ACC Concrete and is currently working with Ultratech Cement.
