CONCRETE MIX DESIGN USING TRIAL MIX METHOD

CHAPTER ONE

1.0 INTRODUCTION

Concrete is the basic engineering material in most of the civil engineering structures. Its popularity as basic building materials in construction is because of its economy of use, good durability and ease with which it can be manufactured at site (Shetty, 2 008).

The ability to mould it into any shape and size, because of its plasticity in green stage and its subsequent hardening to achieve strength, is particularly useful.

Concrete like other engineering materials needs to be designed for properties like strength, durability, workability and corrosion. Concrete mix design is the science of deciding relative proportion of ingredients to concrete, to achieve the desired properties in the most economical way (Sari, 1998).

With the advent of man-rise buildings and pre-stressed concrete, use of higher grades of concrete is becoming more common. Even the revised is 456-2000 advocate’s use of higher grades of concrete for more severe conditions of exposure, for durability considerations. With the advent of new generator admixtures, it is possible to achieve higher grades of concrete with high workability levels economically. Use of minerals admixtures like fly ash, sky metakaoline and silica fume have revolutionized the concrete technology by increasing strength and durability of concrete by many folds.

The above scenario shows that mix design of concrete is becoming more relevant (Udoeyo et al., 2006).

The purpose of this laboratory procedure is to proportion a concrete mix of specified water/cement ratio and slump by a trial mix method. Various test like slump test, fresh density test, and casting cylinders for testing. It also demonstrates the concept of repeatability in measured by requiring two cylinders per batch being cast. As a matter of fact, concrete is the most frequently mentioned material in the construction industry. It is very versatile in building because it can be designed for strength from 10N/mm²up to 100N/mm²which is regarded as its grade. A good number of buildings failure are traceable to concrete incompetence among several others factor. The works involved from the design to construction stages in building are largely those of selecting materials building standards and aesthetics on economy basis (Anyininuola et al., 2004).

Adherence to concrete mix design in concrete making is the cruse of quality control in construction. Dubravka and Irina proposed two approaches in quality control namely; prescriptive approach and performance approach. The prescriptive approach is at the design stage when the necessary materials are specified, their proportioning stated, and the construction method recommended. At the performance stage, the interest is on the proper way of construction in other to achieve design strength and expected life without wrong change.

Concrete mix design by trial method tries to look at the workability of fresh concrete by the use of slump test, it also looks at the compressive strength of concrete by the use of compressive strength test.

There are certain advantages on the concrete mix design by trial method both on the construction and even to the economy. Some of which includes, by selecting randomly and by trial, the strength of each ratio can be noted and its better strength, better imperviousness and durability, dense and homogeneous concrete. It is possible to safe up to 15% of cement for M20 grade of concrete with the help of concrete mix design. In fact the higher the grade of concrete mix the more the savings. Lower cement content also results in lower hydration and hence reduces shrinkage cracks. Site conditions often restrict the quality of ingredients materials. Concrete mix design offers a lot of flexibility on type of aggregate to be used mix design. Mix design can give an economical solution based on the available materials it they meet the basic IS requirement. This can lead to saving in transportation cost from longer distance (Salihu, 2011).

Mix design can help us to achieve form finishes high earl strength for early deshuffering, concrete with better flexural strength, concrete with pumpability and concrete with lower densities.

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Concrete mixes have being defined as the science of deciding relative proportions of concrete ingredients to achieve the desired properties in the most economical way (Sri Jaya, 1998).

Based on the above it can be agreed that concrete is an essential material for any construction work. It is based on this fact that this study is on the design of concrete using different ratio (by trial method). Concrete mix by trial method is as attempt of trying to know the specific and good concrete proportions for different construction purposes.

Therefore concrete mix design by trial mix method is the process of deciding relative proportions of concrete ingredients using trial method of different mix ratios.

1.2 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The main purpose of this study is to design concrete of different mix ratios by trial mix method. The study is expected to achieve the following specific objectives.

1.3 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This study is focused on concrete mix design using trial mix method, its various tests and how the method can be used to solve engineering problems. The study is restricted to specific quantity of aggregate which was being specified by the code.

1.4 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

In the course of the study, there were certain factors which limited the fast and smooth research as support. There include;

1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The result of this study would give a suitable mix ratio for design of concrete and construction work, and the various compression strength of the mix ratio adopted. It would also be a reference material for other researchers and writers.

Lack of research material: at the earlier stage and even at the peak of the research, materials to aid in the research of this work were unavailable and as such this delayed in the research work.
Unavailability of funds: due to the present economic meltdown and financial crises in the country, the work was also delayed because funds were limited to enable the fast production of this work.
Time constraint: due to limited time, and period of research, this work was delayed and such the work was limited.
To establish a procedure for testing the physical properties of a proposal mix design.
To establish criteria for evaluating the test data to arrive at acceptable batch proportions for an approved mix design by trial methods.
To secure concrete which will provide the desired plastic concrete properties (workability), finishability, controlled concrete performance rate of set and the desired hardened concrete performance (strength, water tightness, durability) at the lowest practicable cost.

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