Concrete is a versatile construction

material.
It is plastic and malleable when
newly mixed, yet strong and
durable when hardened.
These qualities explain why
concrete can be used to build
skyscrapers, bridges, sidewalks,
highways, houses and dams.
 CONCRETE – Constituents

Water
7 - 15 %

Cement Coarse
14 - 21 % Aggregate
40 – 50 %
Fine
Aggregate
20 – 30 %
 CONCRETE STRUCTURES

QUALITY QUALITY
MATERIALS + PRACTICES
MATERIALS PRACTICES

BATCHING
CEMENT
MIXING
AGGREGATES TRANSPORTING

PLACING
WATER
COMPACTING
ADMIXTURES PROTECTING

CURING
 CONCRETE – Code of Practice

Bureau of Indian Standards

published the code of
practice for concrete (IS : 456)
in 1953

- Fourth Revision in 2000

- Fourth Amendment in 2013

 CONCRETE – Specifications
Standard Specifications for Roads and Bridges

Published by

Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MORTH)

- First publication in 1973

- Fifth Revision 2013

CONCRETE – Guidelines

Guidelines
Published by

Indian Roads Congress

 CEMENT
• Factory made material
• Checking Grade, Type and Brand
• Checking manufacturing week &
Year
• Checking storage place
 Types of Cement
SL.No Types / Grade Of Cement Code

1. Ordinary Portland Cement - 33 Grade

2. Ordinary Portland Cement - 43 Grade IS : 269 - 2015

3. Ordinary Portland Cement – 53 Grade

4. Portland Pozzolona Cement IS: 1489

5. Rapid hardening Portland Cement. IS: 8041

6. Portland Slag Cement IS: 455

7. Sulphate resistant Portland Cement IS: 12330

8. Low Heat Portland Cement IS : 12600

 Chemical Composition
Composition Cement (%) Fly Ash(%) GGBS(%) Silica Fume(%)

Cao 60-67% 15-40 35-40 -

Sio2 17-25% 15-45 30-35 85-97

Al2o3 3-8% 20-25 10-20 -

Fe2o3 0.5-6% 4-15 1 -

Mgo 0.5-4% - - -

So3 2-3.5% - - -

Specific Surface 370 420 400 15000-30000

Specific Gravity 3.15 2.38 -2.65 2.94 2.22

Cement Cement Property

General Use Primary Binder Replacement Replacement Enhancer
 Cement –Chemical Comp.
Compound Formula Shorthand form % by weight

Tricalcium aluminate Ca3Al2O6 C3 A 6-12

Tetracalcium Ca4Al2Fe2O10 C4AF 6-8

aluminoferrite
Ca2SiO5 C2S 15-30
Dicalcium silicate
Tricalcium silicate Ca3SiO4 C3S 45-50

Sodium oxide Na2O N

Up to 2
Potassium oxide K2O K

Gypsum CaSO4.2H2O CSH2 1-4

 Cement – Chemical Comp.
Tricalcium aluminates, C3A:-
It liberates a lot of heat during the early stages of
hydration, but has little strength contribution.
Tricalcium silicate, C3S:-
It is largely responsible for portland cement’s initial
set and early strength gain. 
Dicalcium silicate, C2S:
C2S hydrates and hardens slowly. It is largely
responsible for strength gain after one week. 
Ferrite, C4AF:
This is a fluxing agent which reduces the melting
temperature of the raw materials in the kiln (from
3,000o F to 2,600o F
 STANDARD SPECIFICATION FOR 43 GRADE
ORDINARY PORTLAND CEMENT

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

1. Fineness
2. Consistency
3. Setting Time
4. Soundness
5. Compressive Strength
6. Heat of hydration test
7. Chemical Composition Test
 Fineness of Cement IS 4031 I
• Finer cement offers greater surface area for hydration
and faster strength development.

• Fineness is a measure of particle size of Cement

• Particle size between 3 to 32 microns are optimum

for cement performance

• Fine Cement reacts quickly with water

• Faster setting & High early strength depends on

fineness
 Fineness of Cement IS 4031
Test in two ways

 By Sieving (90 mic)

 % retained shall not more than 10% for Ordinary
Cement.

Air Permeability method (represented as Specific

surface area -m2/kg)
 Fineness of Cement : IS 4031 - Part 2
Aim : Determination of Specific Surface of Cement

Apparatus : Blaine Air Permeability apparatus

Specific Surface of Cement

shall not be less than
225 m2/kg
 Consistency of Cement : IS 4031 – Part 4
Aim : Determination of Quantity of Water
required to produce standard cement
paste

Apparatus : Vicat apparatus with Plunger

(Plunger-10mm dia and 50mm length)

Percentage of water corresponds to a

consistency which will permit the
plunger to penetrate to 5 mm – 7 mm
from the bottom of mould
VICAT
APPARATUS
 Initial Setting Time : IS 4031 – Part 5

Aim : Determination of Initial Setting Time

Apparatus : Vicat apparatus with Needle

•The time elapsed between the moment

that the water is added to the cement, to
the time that the paste starts losing its
plasticity.
• Initial Setting Time shall not less than
30 minutes
 Final Setting Time : IS 4031 – Part 5

Aim : Determination of Final Setting Time

Apparatus : Vicat apparatus and needle with

Annular Attachment

Final Setting Time shall not more

than 600 minutes ( 10 hours )
FOR FINAL SETTING TIME
 Soundness of Cement : IS 4031 - Part 3
Aim : Determination of Soundness

Apparatus : Le Chatelier apparatus

(30mm dia & 30mm High)

It Is very important that the cement

after setting shall not undergo any
appreciable change of volume.
The unsoundness in cement is due
to the presence of excess of lime
combined with acidic oxide at the
kiln. Expansion not more than
10 mm
 Compressive Strength : IS 4031 – Part 6

Aim : Determination of Compressive Strength

Apparatus : Compression testing machine

• This is most important properties of hardened

cement.
• Due to excessive shrinkage and the cracking the
strength test are not made on heat cement paste.
Standard sand is used for finding the strength of the
cement.
 Compressive Strength : IS 4031 – Part 6
Aim : Determination of Compressive Strength

Apparatus : Compression testing machine

43 GRADE CEMENT
COMPRESSIVE
DAYS STRENGTH
(N/mm2)
3 23
7 33
28 43
 Compressive Strength : IS 4031 – Part 6
Aim : Determination of Compressive Strength

Apparatus : Compression testing machine

53 GRADE CEMENT
COMPRESSIVE
DAYS STRENGTH
(N/mm2)
3 27
7 37
28 53
 Heat of Hydration Test

Cement with water –an exothermic reaction.

Heat of hydration will be found out using thermos flask.

About 120 calories of heat is generated in the hydration

of 1 gm of cement.
 AGGREGATES

COARSE AGGREGATES : AGGREGATES RETAINED ON

4.75 MM SIEVE

FINE AGGREGATES : AGGREGATES PASSING THROUGH

4.75 MM SIEVE
 AGGREGATE

Properties
• Specific Gravity
• Water absorption
• Bulk Density
• Gradation
 COARSE AGGREGATE

SPECIFICATIONS (IS : 383)

• Particle size distribution
• Crushing value
• Impact value
• Abrasion value
• Soundness
• Flakiness index
• Elongation index
 FINE AGGREGATE
GRADING REQIREMENT - IS : 383 TABLE 4

SIEVE SIZE ZONE - I ZONE - II ZONE - III ZONE - IV

10 mm 100 100 100 100

4.75 mm 90 – 100 90 – 100 90 – 100 95 – 100

2.36 mm 60 – 95 75 – 100 85 – 100 95 – 100

1.18 mm 30 – 70 55 – 90 75 – 100 90 – 100

600 micron 15 – 34 35 – 59 60 – 79 80 – 100

300 micron 5 – 20 8 – 30 12 – 40 15 – 50

150 micron 0 – 10 0 – 10 0 – 10 0 – 15
 Types of Fine aggregate
Types of Coarse PCC (%) RCC (%) Lean Concrete Less
Aggregate than M15 (%)

Iron Slag Aggregate 50 25 100

Steel Slag 25 Nil 100

Aggregate
Copper Slag 40 35 50
Aggregate

Recycled Concrete 25 20 100

Aggregate
GRADED COARSE AGGREGATE
IS : 383 TABLE 2
FOR 20 mm NOMINAL SIZE
IS SIEVE PERCENTAGE
DESIGNATION PASSING
40 mm 100

20 mm 90 – 100

10 mm 25 – 55

4.75 mm 0 – 10
GRADED COARSE AGGREGATE
IS : 383 TABLE 2
FOR 12.5 mm NOMINAL SIZE
IS SIEVE PERCENTAGE
DESIGNATION PASSING
20 mm 100

12.5 mm 90 – 100

10 mm 40 – 85

4.75 mm 0 – 10
GRADED COARSE AGGREGATE
IS : 383 TABLE 2
FOR 40 mm NOMINAL SIZE
IS SIEVE DESIGNATION PERCENTAGE PASSING
80 mm 100

40 mm 95 – 100

20 mm 30 – 70

10 mm 10 – 35

4.75 mm 0–5
 AGGREGATE CRUSHING VALUE
IS : 2386 PART - IV

AGGREGATE CRUSHING VALUE SHALL

NOT EXCEED :

30 % FOR WEARING SURFACES SUCH

AS ROADS & PAVEMENTS

30 % FOR OTHER THAN WEARING

SURFACES
 AGGREGATE IMPACT VALUE
IS : 2386 PART - IV

AGGREGATE IMPACT VALUE SHALL

NOT EXCEED :

30 % FOR WEARING SURFACES SUCH

AS ROADS & PAVEMENTS

45 % FOR OTHER THAN WEARING

SURFACES
 AGGREGATE ABRASION VALUE
IS : 2386 PART - IV

AGGREGATE ABRASION VALUE SHALL

NOT EXCEED :

30 % FOR WEARING SURFACES SUCH

AS ROADS AND PAVEMENTS

50 % FOR OTHER THAN WEARING

SURFACES
 Types of Coarse aggregate
Types of Coarse PCC RCC Lean Concrete Less
Aggregate than M15

Iron Slag Aggregate 50 25 100

Steel Slag 25 Nil 100

aggregate
Recycled Concrete 25 20 100
Aggregate

Recycled Aggregate Nil Nil 100

Bottom ash from Nil Nil 25

Thermal Power
plants
 Water

• Clean and free from injurious amount of Oil,

Acid, Alkali, Sugar, Salt, and Organic materials

• Potable water is good for concrete

• Water having pH value less than 6 is not

permitted

• Sea water is not permitted

 Steel Reinforcement for Structures

Properties of Steel bars

Properties Fe 415 Fe 415 D Fe 500 Fe 500 D Fe 550

Proof Stress 415 415 500 500 550

Minimum
(Mpa)

Ultimate 485 500 545 565 585

Strength
Minimum
(Mpa)
Elongation 14.5 18 12 16 10
Percentage
Minimum
(%)
Seismic Zone Map for Tamil Nadu
 Steel Reinforcement for Structures

• As per IRC 112 for Zone III &Zone IV area it is

necessary to use HYSD bars having minimum
elongation of 14.5%
 CONCRETE – Strength development
Fresh Stage
Concrete is Plastic, workable
capable of being moulded

Transition Stage
Workability reduces,
process of setting begins

Hardened Stage
Concrete becomes stiff and
gains enough strength to
support load
 Concrete workability – Slump Test
Standard slump cone size
Top dia = l0 cm
Bottom dia = 20 cm.
Height = 30 cm

Standard tamping rod

Length = 0.6 m
Dia = 16 mm.

Test Procedure
Concrete shall be poured in four layers - each layer 25
blows. On removing the cone slowly, the slumped concrete
height has to be measured. The difference between this reading
and the original height of 30 cm is the slump of concrete.
Recommended slump Values
 Concrete Workability
• The concrete mix shall have the consistency
which will allow proper placement and
compaction in the required position.
• For pumpable concrete ranging from
75-150mm
 CONCRETE – Strength

Eg : M 30

M refers to Mix
 Grades of Concrete
As per IS : 456
M 10, M 15, M20 : ORDINARY CONCRETE

M 25, M 30, M35, : STANDARD CONCRETE

M 40, M 45, M 50,

M 40, M 45, M 50,

M 55, M60, M 65, M 7O, : HIGH STRENGTH
M 75 ,M 80, M 85, M 90, CONCRETE
M 95, M 100
 Ordinary Concrete
Cement + Fine Aggregate

+
Coarse Aggregate

+
Water

Ordinary Concrete
 Applications of Ordinary Concrete (M 10,M 15,M 20)

• Plain concrete works

• Lean concrete works

• Simple foundations

• Foundation for masonry walls

• Temporary RCC constructions

• Non load bearing structures

Standard Concrete

Ordinary Concrete

+
Chemical Admixture
(High range water reducers)

Standard Concrete
 Applications of Standard Concrete (M 25 to M 60)

• Reinforced concrete works

• Pre stressed concrete works
• Prefabricated concrete
elements
• Load bearing structures
Achieving High Strength Concrete
Conventional
Concrete
+
Chemical
Admixture
+
Mineral
Admixture

High Strength Concrete

Applications of High Strength Concrete (M 65 – M 100 )

• High Rise Buildings

• Offshore Structures

• Nuclear Power Plants

• Spill ways of Dams

• Long span Bridges

• Ultra-thin whitetopping
 MINERAL ADMIXTURES
RECOMMENDED BY IS : 456

• Fly Ash

• Silica Fume

• Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag

• Rice Husk Ash

• Metakaolin
 Chemical Admixtures (IS 9103)
• Accelerator– Increase the rate of hydration and
shortens the setting time.
• Retarder- delays the setting time of cement paste
• Water reducing admixture -increase the
workability of concrete without increasing water
content
• Air entraining admixture –air to be incorporated
in the concrete in the form of minute bubbles.
• Super plasticizing admixture – large decrease in
water content and allow high workability.
• Retarding super plasticizer - Super plasticizing
admixture that imparts prolonged workability
retention and retards setting
 Chemical Admixtures
• Compatibility of the admixtures with the cement
and any other pozzolans or hydraulic addition
shall be ensured by avoiding the following
problems.
Requirements of large dosage of super plasticizer
for achieving the desired workability.
Excessive retardation of setting
Excessive entrainment of large air bubbles
Unusually rapid stiffening of concrete
Rapid loss of slump
Excessive segregation and bleeding
 Mineral Admixtures
• Fly Ash (IS 3812) – 20-35% of the total by mass
of OPC.
• GGBS (IS 12089) – 50-70%
• Silica Fume (IS 15388) - 5 -10%
Requirement of concrete for Different
Exposure Conditions
 CONCRETE MIX DESIGN

• Mix Design can be defined as the process of

selection suitable ingredients of concrete and
determining their relative proportions with
the objective of producing concrete of
certain minimum strength and durability as
economically as possible
 CONCRETE MIX DESIGN

• First Objective – Strength and Durability

• Second Objective – Economical production
and cost
 CONCRETE MIX DESIGN

• Cement Content
• Water Cement Ratio
• Specific Gravity
1. Cement
2. Fine Aggregate
3. Coarse Aggregate
• Water Absorption
1. Fine Aggregate
2. Coarse Aggregate
• Fine Aggregate -as per Zone Classification
• Chemical Admixture -Dosage & Specific Gravity
CONCRETE MIX DESIGN
CONCRETE MIX DESIGN
 General Guidelines
• Aggregates of size over 20mm shall not be used for RCC
works
• Shuttering shall be held tight and be free from gaps. Poor
shuttering leads to loss of water and cement slurry from
the concrete which leads to reduction in strength of
concrete.
• Concrete should be placed from a reasonable height to
avoid segregation and bleeding.
• Concrete should be placed immediately in the formwork
since the hydration process starts once water is added to
cement. Loss of water could lead to reduction in
workability.
• Concrete shall be cured well to ensure that the water
required for hydration process does not leave to the
atmosphere. Incomplete hydration leads to reduction in
strength of concrete.
 Acceptance Criteria for Strength of Concrete

Strength of Concrete in
Structure

Strength of Concrete Sample 1 Sample = 3 Cubes

 Minimum Frequency of Sampling

Quantity of Concrete (m3) Number of Samples

1-5 1
6 – 15 2
16 – 30 3
31 – 50 4

4 + 1 for each additional

51 and above
50 m3 or part
 Sampling of Fresh Concrete

• Collect Samples from not less than 5 well-distributed

positions immediately after discharge

• Quantity of sample shall not be less than 0.02 m3

• Avoid edge of the concrete mass to avoid segregation

 Making and Curing Test Specimen

• Mould shall be thinly coated with oil

• Concrete shall be filled in 3 layers

Each layer 5 cm deep

• Compaction with tamping bar

Number of strokes per layer : 35
 Making and Curing Test Specimen
• Specimen shall be stored at safe place at 220 c to
320c for 24 hours

• After 24 hours, specimen shall be stored in clean

water at 270 c ± 20 c until the date of testing
 Testing of Concrete specimen
• Specimens stored in water shall be
removed from the water

• Surface water shall be wiped off

• Specimens shall be tested while they

are in the Saturated Surface Dry
condition
 Testing of Concrete specimen
• Load shall be applied perpendicular to Cast direction
Top

Top

•Rate of loading : 5.25 kN/sec

• Load shall be applied until the specimen breaks down
Load at Failure
•Compressive Strength =
Cross sectional area
 Acceptance Criteria
Fc1 = Strength of
cube 1 The values of Fc1 , Fc2 and
Fc3 should be
Fc2 = Strength of within ± 15 % of Fc mean
cube 2

Fc3 = Strength of
cube 3 Fc mean > (Fck + 3)
Fc1 + Fc2 + Fc3
Fc mean = -------------------
3
 Acceptance Criteria for M 30
15 % of 32.33 = 4.85 MPa
Fc1 = 33 MPa
32.33 – 4.85 = 27.48 MPa

32.33 + 4.85 = 37.18 MPa

Fc2 = 36 MPa
Fc1, Fc2 and Fc3 are between
27.48 Mpa and 37.18 Mpa
Test Result is valid
Fc3 = 28 MPa
Fck = 30 Mpa
Fck + 3 = 33 MPa

Fc mean = 32.33 Mpa

Fc mean is less than (Fck + 3)
Not Accepted
For 50 m3 of Concrete 4 Samples are required

Sample 1

Sample 2

Group - I

Sample 3

Sample 4
Factors affecting Strength of Concrete

•Water/Cement Ratio
•Cement Content
•Aggregate/Cement Ratio
•Type of Aggregate
•Placing & Compaction
•Curing condition
•Age of Concrete
•Environmental Condition
If cube strength fails ?
 Non Destructive Tests

• Penetration method
• Rebound hammer method
• Pull out test method
• Ultrasonic pulse velocity method
• Radioactive methods
 Penetration Method
• The probe test
produces quite variable
results and should not
be expected to give
accurate values of
concrete strength.
• It has, however, the
potential for providing
a quick means of
checking quality and
maturity of in situ
concrete.
Non Destructive Tests

Rebound Hammer Test

POSITION OF REBOUND
HAMMER - VERTICALLY
UPWARDS
Non Destructive Tests

Rebound Hammer Test

Pull out Test Method
• A pull-out test measures, with
a special ram, the force
required to pull from the
concrete a specially shaped
steel rod whose enlarged end
has been cast into the
concrete to a depth of 3 in.
(7.6 cm).
• Although pullout tests do not
measure the interior strength
of mass concrete, they do give
information on the maturity
and development of strength
of a representative part of it.

Such tests have the advantage of

measuring quantitatively the
strength of concrete in place.
Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity Test
 Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity

Concrete Quality Grading

Pulse Velocity (km/s) Quality

Above 4.5 Excellent
3.5 to 4.5 Good
3.0 to 3.5 Medium
Below 3.0 Doubtful
Radioactive method
• Radioactive methods of
testing concrete can be used
to detect the location of
reinforcement, measure
density and perhaps establish
whether honeycombing has
occurred in structural
concrete units. Gamma
radiography is increasingly
accepted in England and
Europe.
• The equipment is quite simple
and running costs are small,
although the initial price can
be high. Concrete up to 18 in.
(45 cm) thick can be examined
without difficulty.
 Fixing the core Drilling the
cutting machine concrete
Drilling in process Drilling completed
Concrete core Levelling
Curing
Fixing in machine Testing
 ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA
COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH OF CORES

I ) AVERAGE EQUIVALENT 85 % of CUBE STRENGTH

CUBE STRENGTH OF CORE = of SPECIFIED GRADE

II ) STRENGTH OF ANY 75 % of CUBE STRENGTH

INDIVIDUAL CORE = of SPECIFIED GRADE
 ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA

If the Concrete is not able to meet

any of the STANDARDS OF
ACCEPTANCE, the Structure is to be
Investigated
• Strength and durability of concrete
depends on many factors

• To achieve a strong and durable

concrete structure,
High Intention
Sincere Effort
Intelligent Direction and
Skillful Execution
are needed