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Guidelines For Reviewing

Concrete Mix Designs


Art Dell, PE
SOHA Engineers
SEAONC CONSTRUCTION
QUALITY ASSURANCE
COMMITTEE
SE University, December 10, 2014
www.LearnWithSEU.com

Find a a copy of the


Guidelines by googling:
Guidelines for Reviewing
Concrete Mix Designs

CONSTRUCTION QUALITY ASSURANCE


COMMITTEE

Design engineers

Engineers that work at inspection and


testing agencies

issues related to the quality of the


construction process with an
emphasis on testing and inspection
issues.
3

THE GUIDELINES
The submittal process
The review process
Where it goes from here
Appendix A

Annotated Samples

Appendix B

Performance and Code


Considerations

Appendix C

Specifications

Appendix D

Review of Mix Design


Strengths

Appendix E

Definitions

Appendix F

References

Appendix G

Aggregate Report

HANDOUTS

ACI HANDOUT

GUIDELINES
HANDOUT
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CONCRETE MIX DESIGN SUBMITTAL

The Review Process

Specifying Concrete

CONCRETE MIX DESIGNS

WHO PREPARES THEM?

WHO REVIEWS THEM?

THE CONCRETE
SUPPLIER
A REGISTERED ENGINEER?

THE STRUCTURAL
ENGINEER
THE TESTING AND
INSPECTION AGENCY

PROPORTIONING CONCRETE MIXES


THE CONCRETE SUPPLIER WILL USE:
Experience
Knowledge of the materials
Knowledge of the project requirements
ACI 211.1:
Standard Practice for Selecting
Proportions for Normal,
Heavyweight and Mass Concrete
Estimated Weight Method
Absolute Volume Method
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CONCRETE MIX DESIGNS


SPECIFICATION APPROACH

PRESCRIPTIVE SPECIFICATION:
Compressive Strength
Aggregate Source and Gradation
Quantity of Cement per Cubic Yard
Maximum Water/Cement Ratio
Slump
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CONCRETE MIX DESIGNS


SPECIFICATION APPROACH

PERFORMANCE SPECIFICATION:
Compressive Strength
Durability - Exposure Class
Nominal Maximum Aggregate Size
Shrinkage Limitations

10

PERFORMANCE SPECIFICATION

11

PERFORMANCE SPECIFICATION
EXPOSURE CATEGORIES
F2

MODERATE FREEZING AND THAWING

S0

SULFATE EXPOSURE NOT APPLICABLE

P1

LOW PERMEABILITY REQUIRED

C3

MODERATE CHLORIDE EXPOSURE

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CONCRETE MIX DESIGNS


SPECIFICATION APPROACH

PERFORMANCE SPECIFICATION
NATIONAL READY-MIXED
CONCRETE ASSOCIATION P2P INITIATIVE
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WATER

w/c = Ratio of the mass of water to the


mass of portland cement

CEMENT

w/cm = Ratio of the mass of water to the


mass of cement plus the supplemental
cementitious materials (SCM)

SUPPLEMENTAL CEMENTITIOUS MATERIALS


FLY ASH
GROUND GRANULATED BLAST FURNACE SLAG
SILICA FUME
METAKAOLIN

14

LOW W/CM RATIO = NO CRACKS?

HIGH CEMENT CONTENT = MORE CRACKS?

15

Submittals help us verify that the contractor is


interpreting the construction documents correctly
Construction documents include the drawings and
specifications

So
Get out the plans and specs

And
ACI 318 and your books of ASTM Standards
16

THE SPECIFICATIONS GOVERN THE


SUBMITTALS
Division 1 - Section 01 3X 00 Submittals
Administrative Requirements:
Review Time
Types of Submittals:
Product Data
Certifications
Test Results
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CONCRETE SPECIFICATIONS
Section 03 30 00 Cast-in-Place Concrete
Section 03 05 15 Portland Cement Concrete
Part 1 General

Submittals
Quality Assurance

Part 2 Products

Concrete Materials
Concrete Mixes

Part 3 Execution

Placement,
finishing, etc
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DRAWINGS MAY ALSO HAVE NEEDED INFORMATION


Concrete strength requirements
Concrete Class identification

Class 3500-3/4

What concrete mix goes where

CHECK THE GENERAL NOTES


CHECK THE STEEL DECK SCHEDULE

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The Mix Design Submittal Is it Complete and Responsive?


Is it for you?
Has the Contractor reviewed and stamped it?
Are all the items requested included?
Does it include all mixes?
Does it indicate where each mix is to be used?
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Do not hesitate to:


Return it un-reviewed if it is obviously incomplete or
unresponsive
Contact the Architect to discuss missing information
Ask for permission to contact the contractor or supplier
directly for clarifications.
Only review items that are your responsibility
MSDS?
LEED?
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THREE QUESTIONS
Does the mix meet the performance requirements of
the specifications with respect to strength and other
characteristics such as shrinkage, permeability, w/cm
ratio, etc?
Is the historical or trial batch test data adequate to
justify the strength?
Do the materials used comply with the project
requirements as evidenced by test results,
certifications, and product data?
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27.001 Cubic Feet


23

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6-sack, 4000 psi

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Saturated Surface Dry

ASTM C 150 Cement Types:


Type I least restrictive
Type II moderate sulfate resistance
Type III high early strength
Type IV low heat of hydration
Type V high sulfate resistance

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Relative percentages of coarse and fine aggregates

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Dosage rate shown in manufacturers


recommendations is generally given in ounces per
hundredweight of cementitious materials
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AIR 6.0%
FRESH UNIT WEIGHT 122.39

EQUILIBRIUM UNIT
WEIGHT CAN BE
CALCULATED USING
ASTM C 567

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ASTM C330 Lightweight Aggregates

Splitting Tensile Strength

310 psi Min


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QUALIFYING A MIX ON THE BASIS OF


STRENGTH

The Required Average Strength fcr


is the key concept here
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QUALIFYING A MIX ON THE BASIS OF


STRENGTH

The Required Average Strength


is always greater than the
specified strength
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THE REQUIRED AVERAGE STRENGTH CONCEPT


IS BASED ON:

Limiting the probability to no more than 1-in100 that:


The average of any three consecutive
strength tests taken during construction
will be below the specified strength;
AND
Any single strength test will be more than
500 psi below the specified strength.
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DETERMINING REQUIRED AVERAGE STRENGTH

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DETERMINING REQUIRED AVERAGE STRENGTH


USING TABLE 5.3.2.2

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DETERMINING REQUIRED AVERAGE STRENGTH


USING A FIELD STRENGTH RECORD
STEP 1 CALCULATE STANDARD DEVIATION
VARIABILITY OF STRENGTH TESTS
RELATED TO:
UNIFORMITY OF MIX
PLANT QUALITY CONTROL
STEP 2 CALCULATE REQUIRED AVERAGE
USING TABLE 5.3.1.2
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DETERMINING REQUIRED AVERAGE STRENGTH


USING A FIELD STRENGTH RECORD

38

DETERMINING REQUIRED AVERAGE STRENGTH


USING A FIELD STRENGTH RECORD
5.3.1.1 (continued)

The modification factor for a 15-test record is


1.16 see Table 5.3.1.2

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CALCULATING
REQUIRED AVERAGE STRENGTH
fcr = 4540 psi
versus
4000 + 1200 = 5200 psi

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5.3.3 - Documentation of Average


Compressive Strength - Summary
Data from actual proposed mix not required
Similar mix OK just like for fcr
As few as 10 tests are acceptable
Must be consecutive tests
Must be from a minimum 45-day period
Often the same test record is used

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5.3.3.2 - Documentation of Average


Compressive Strength by Trial Mixtures

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5.3.3.2 - Documentation of Average


Compressive Strength by Trial Mixtures
Commentary
(b) For concrete made with more than one type of
cementitious material, the concrete supplier must
establish not only the water-cementitious material ratio but
also the relative proportions of cementitious materials and
admixtures, if any, that will produce the required average
compressive strength and satisfy the durability requirements of
Chapter 4. This will require multiple trial batches with
different mixture proportions. The exact number of batches will
depend on the number of cementitious materials and the range
of their relative proportions.
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Compressive Strength

5200 psi line

fcr = 4000 + 1200 = 5200 psi


Yields 0.52 W/CM

W/CM Ratio

45

46

conforms toASTM specification C33


C 33 Requires:
Clay and Friables
Lt. Wt. Particles
Abrasion Loss
Soundness

Alkali-Silica
Reactivity:
ASTM C 295
ASTM C 289

No signature
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C 33 Requires:
Sieve analysis
Organic Impurities
Matl < #200 sieve

2.3 to 3.1

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meets or
exceedsASTM C
150, Type I, II,
IV, Low-alkali;
ASTM C 1157,
Type GU

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meets ASTM C 618


for Class F fly ash
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Other Submittal Items


Admixture Product Data or Certification
Slag Cement Certification
Shrinkage Test Reports
Permeability Test Report
Total Chloride Calculations or Test Results
Thermal Control Plan

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Sustainability
LEED
Local Materials (cement, aggregates, fly ash)
Recycled Materials (fly ash, slag cement, recycled
concrete aggregates)
Slag Cement or White Cements to lighten the color can
reduce interior lighting requirements and mitigate the
heat island effect

52

Sustainability
INTERNATIONAL GREEN CONSTRUCTION CODE

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QUESTIONS?

54

Guidelines For Reviewing


Concrete Mix Designs
Art Dell, PE
SOHA Engineers
SEAONC CONSTRUCTION
QUALITY ASSURANCE
COMMITTEE
SE University, December 10, 2014
www.LearnWithSEU.com

CHALLENGE QUESTION:
Which Appendix from the Guideline is the answer to
this sessions Challenge Question?
A.
B.
C.
D.

Appendix A
Appendix B
Appendix C
Appendix D

Annotated Samples
Performance and Code Considerations
Specifications
Review of Mix Design Strengths

Please circle the answer that is announced so that you can use
the information to complete your quiz (NY) or form (FL) for PDH.

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