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CHAPTER 09
CONCRETING
9.1 Introduction
Concrete is an artificial stone that is made by casting in place in plastic condition a mixture of
cement, fine aggregates, coarse aggregates and water. The hardening occurs due to a chemical
reaction between the cement and the water. Concrete is used for the construction of
foundation, slab, beams, columns etcat site. It has very good compressive strength but very
weak in tension. Concrete this design to provide following requirements
1. Strength
2. Durability
3. Protection against fire
4. Thermal and sound insulation
Type of aggregate
The grading of aggregate
Mixing method and mixing time of concrete
Method of transportation
Curing
These quantities are depended on the material selected the proportion in which they are
mixed, the method of mixing, placing, transportation and compaction.
9.2 MATERIALS OF CONCRETE
9.2.1 Cement
9.2.2 Aggregates
Aggregate is commonly considered inert filler, which accounts for 60 to 80 percent of the volume
and 70 to 85 percent of the weight of concrete. Although aggregates are most commonly known to
be inert filler in concrete, the different properties of aggregates have a great impact on the strength,
durability, workability, and economy of concrete.
Aggregates are classified in to two types, coarse and fine aggregates. Aggregates smaller than
5mm are known as fine aggregates while lager than 5mm are know as coarse aggregates. Sand is used
as fine aggregates and crushed metal is used as coarse aggregates widely in Sri Lanka. Usually river
sand is used as fine aggregates. Generally " metal is used as coarse aggregate for normal concrete
mix.1 " metal used for mass concrete. Metal used for concrete is to be free from clay or any other
foreign matters. Because other wise it can be affect to the bonding.
9.2.3 Water
All water using for mixing concrete mortar grout shall be perfectly fresh, clean and free
from acid, salt and all impurities, which may adversely effected the setting, hardening and
durability of the concrete. This requirement is usually satisfied by using water which is
suitable for drinking.Water is used to effect the chemical action in cement,
NATIONAL DIPLOMA IN ENGINEERING SCIENCES
INSTITUTE OF ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY, KATUNAYAKE
Accelerating Admixtures
Their function is primarily to accelerate the early strength development of concrete
that is hardening although they may also coincidentally accelerate the setting of concrete.
Retarding admixtures
A delay in the setting of the cement paste can be achieved by the addition of a
retarding admixture.
Instead of mixing in site, concrete is delivered from a central plant (called batching
plant), it is referred to as ready mixed or pre mixed concrete. This type of concrete is extensively
used as it offers numerous advantages in comparison with other methods.
Close quality control of batching which reduces the variability of the desired
properties of hardened concrete
Use on congested sites where there is little space for a mixing plant and aggregate
stockpiles.
The method of placing concrete is very important and needs proper planning and
careful study if the structure to be concreted is to be durable, strong and having a good
appearance. All formwork should be check clean and oiled before concrete is placed on it.
Place the concrete as soon as possible in uniform layers placing height should be less than
4ft.
9.4 .2 Compaction of concrete
VIBRATION OF CONCRETE
The progress of compacting concrete by vibration consists essentially of
the elimination of entrapped air and forcing the particles in to a closer
configuration.
MANUALLY VIBRATING
USING HAMMER
This was done in places where vibrator cant insert such as floor concrete. This
concrete was compacted by ramping. Pushing up and down a rammer on the
concrete did ramping. Wide wood piece was used to make the rammer.
USING A STEEL ROD
Steel rode uses when compacting at the thinner areas where vibrators or
rammers cant be inserting. This method is very effective and efficient in small
concreting like manhole construction.
Compaction by vibrator
Best and quickest method was vibration. Of several types of vibrators, this is
perhaps the most common one. It is consists of porker, housing eccentric shaft
driven through a flexible drive from a motor. The poker is immersed in concrete
and thus applies approximately harmonic forces to it; hence, the alternative
names of Poker vibrator or immersion vibrator.
NATIONAL DIPLOMA IN ENGINEERING SCIENCES
INSTITUTE OF ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY, KATUNAYAKE
Compaction process consolidates fresh concrete with in the formwork and around
reinforcement. Compaction is necessary to remove entrapped air which is present in concrete
after it is mixed.
Start compacting
at bottom of the
slope.
Concrete tends to
pull apart when
compaction
started at the top
of slope
Correct
Incorrect
2. Mobility
3. compatibility -
WHEEL BARROWS
BUCKET
The uses of buckets are incorporated with tower cranes. It was
common method for transported the concrete vertically as well as horizontally.
The discharge of concrete from bucket was usually controlled manually. In our
site we used bucket some times.
Ready mixed concrete trucks now supply more then 50% of the
concrete used in the construction industry. This is specially designed truck
mixer. Which is basically a mobile mixing drum mounted on a lorry chassis.
Fully mixed concrete is agitated by drum revolving at 1 to 2 r.p.m on arrival
increasing the drums revolution to between 10 &15 r.p.m finally mixes the mix
for a few minutes before being discharged. Truck mixer capacities vary in the
range of 3m3 6m3
PUMPING
9.9 Curing
Cement and the water are the chemically reactive material in the concrete. The water content of fresh
concrete is more than enough for hydration of the cement. However, an appreciable amount of water
is lost by evaporation or other. The objective of curing is to prevent or replace the loss of necessary
NATIONAL DIPLOMA IN ENGINEERING SCIENCES
INSTITUTE OF ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY, KATUNAYAKE
moisture during the early relatively rapid stage of hydration. The usual procedure for accomplishing
this is to keep the exposed surface continuously moist by different methods.
After 24 hours of concreting, the surface will be cured by flooding with water of minimum
25mm depth or by covering with wet absorbent materials. When the concrete is hardened, a lot of
chemical reaction occurs. Otherwise there may be temperature differences between edges. This causes
crack on the concrete surfaces. To overcome this problem curing is done.
There are several methods of curing,
Covering the surface with wet gunny bags.
Sprinkling water
Ponding
Curing improves the following qualities of concrete
1. Weather resisting qualities of the concrete.
2. Durability and permeability of the concrete.
3. Reduce the shrinkage.
This is the best method of curing horizontal surface such as floors, roof slabs etc. In this method the
area is divided into small rectangular portions with the help of sand or clay bunds. Lastly water is
filled into these portions for the period of curing.
Though this method is very good it is difficult to clean the cured surface from clay. Because the
clay is a very cohesive material and hard to remove when it is dried