Concrete Mix Proportion

IS 10262 2019
 Objective
• The objective of proportioning concrete mixes is to arrive at the most

economical and practical combinations of different ingredients to

produce concrete that will satisfy the performance requirements

under specified conditions of use.

• An integral part of concrete mix proportioning is the preparation of

trial mixes and marking adjustments to such trials to strike a balance

between the requirements of placement, that is, workability and

strength, simultaneously satisfying durability requirements.

 Mix Proportion
• Proportioning of concrete mixes can be regarded as a
procedure set to proportion the most economical concrete mix,
for specified durability and grade, for required site conditions.
• It is suggested that the concrete mix proportioning in the
laboratory may be carried out at a temperature of 27± 2°C,
relative humidity of minimum 60 percent, and the temperature
of concrete may be 27 ± 3°C.
 Data for mix proportioning
• Grade designation

• Type of cement, and grade of cement (if applicable)

• Maximum nominal size of aggregate;

• Minimum cement/cementitious materials content and maximum water-cement/cementitious

materials ratio to be adopted;

• Or Exposure conditions as per Table 3 and Table 5 of IS 456

• Workability required at the time of placement;

• Transportation time;

• Method of placing;

• Degree of site control (good/fair) or value of established standard deviation, if any;

• Type of coarse aggregate (angular/sub angular/gravel with some crushed particles/rounded

gravel/manufactured coarse aggregate);

• Type of fine aggregate (natural sand/ crushed stone or gravel sand/manufactured

sand/mixed sand);

• Maximum cement content;

• Whether a chemical admixture shall or shall not be used and the type of chemical

admixture and the extent of use;

• Whether a mineral admixture shall or shall not be used and the type of mineral admixture

and the extent of use; and

• Any other specific requirement like early age strength requirements.

• NOTE — Suitable reduction in water cement or water cementitious material ratio shall

be done after the mix has been finalized based on trial mixes, to achieve the specific

requirement of high early strength, if any. The reduced ratio shall be fixed based on

trials for the required early strength. These trials shall be carried out after recalculating

all the mix proportions.

 Mix Proportioning
• In order that not more than the specified proportion of test results are likely to fall

below the characteristic strength, the concrete mix has to be proportioned for higher

target mean compressive strength f ’ck.

• f’ck = fck + 1.65 S

or

• f’ck = fck + X

• whichever is higher

• f’ck = target mean compressive strength at 28 days, in N/mm2;

• fck = characteristic compressive strength at 28 days, in N/mm2;

• S = standard deviation, in N/mm2 and

• X = factor based on the grade of concrete, as per Table.

 Standard Deviation
• Standard deviation based on test strength of samples

• Number of test results of samples — The total number of test

strength of samples required to constitute an acceptable record
for calculation of standard deviation shall be not less than 30.

• In case of significant changes in concrete —When significant

changes are made in the production of concrete batches (for
example changes in the source of materials, mix proportioning,
equipment or technical control), the standard deviation value
shall be separately calculated for such batches of concrete.
• Standard deviation to be brought up-to-date — The
calculation of the standard deviation shall be brought up-to-
date periodically and after every change of mix
proportioning. The standard deviation shall be checked
every month subject to minimum 30 test results to ensure
that it is less than the value considered in mix design. If
higher, necessary modification shall be done in the mix.
 Calculation of standard deviation
• For a single group of consecutive test results:

• n= number of test results considered;

• X = average of n test results considered; and

• Xi = individual test result.

• For two groups (mixes) of consecutive test results of same grade:

• s1, s2 = standard deviation for group 1 and 2, respectively, calculated as per single group; and

• n1, n2 = number of test results in group 1 and 2, respectively, where both n1 and n2 shall not be less

than 10, and n1+ n2 shall not be less than 30.

 Assumed Standard deviation

• The value of standard deviation given in Table 2 may be assumed

for the proportioning of mix in the first instance. As soon as the
results of samples are available, actual calculated standard
deviation shall be used and the mix may be proportioned suitably.
However, when adequate past records for a similar grade exist and
it is justified to adopt a value of standard deviation different from
that shown in Table 1, it shall be permissible to use that value.
 Selection of Water-Cement Ratio

• Where supplementary cementitious materials are used, that

is, mineral admixtures, the water cementitious materials

ratio (w/cm) shall be calculated, in accordance with Table 5

of IS 456 and this w/cm shall be in accordance with Table 3

and Table 5 of IS 456 or as specified.

• Estimation of Air Content

• Approximate amount of entrapped air to be expected in

normal (non-air-entrained) concrete is given in Table 3.

Curve 1 : for expected 28 days compressive strength of 33 and < 43 N/mm2.

Curve 2 : for expected 28 days compressive strength of 43 and < 53 N/mm2.

Curve 3 : for expected 28 days compressive strength of 53 N/mm2 and above.

While using PPC/PSC, the appropriate curve as per the actual strength may be utilized. In the absence of the actual 28 days compressive strength data, curve 2

may be utilized.
 Selection of Water Content and Admixture Content

• The quantity of mixing water per unit volume of concrete may be determined from

Table 4. The water content in Table 4 is for angular coarse aggregate and for 50 mm

slump. The water estimate in Table 4 can be reduced by approximately 10 kg for sub-

angular aggregates, 15 kg for gravel with some crushed particles and 20 kg for

rounded gravel to produce same workability. For the desired workability (other than

50 mm slump), the required water content may be increased or decreased by about 3

percent for each increase or decrease of 25 mm slump or may be established by trial.

• The water so calculated can be reduced by use of chemical admixture conforming to IS

9103. Water reducing admixture or super plasticizing admixtures usually decrease

water content by 5 to 10 percent and 20 to 30 percent and above respectively at

appropriate dosages.
 Calculation of Cement/Cementitious Materials Content

• if fly ash is 20 percent or more. The decision on increase in cementitious

materials content and its percentage may be based on experience and trials;

or the cementitious materials content so calculated may be increased by 10

percent for preliminary trial.

• Estimation of Coarse Aggregate Proportion

• Approximate values for this aggregate volume are given in Table 5 for a

water-cement/watercementitious materials ratio of 0.5, which may be

suitably adjusted for other ratios, the proportion of volume of coarse

aggregates to that of total aggregates is increased at the rate of 0.01 for

every decrease in water-cement/cementitious materials ratio by 0.05 and

decreased at the rate of 0.01 for every increase in watercement ratio by 0.05.
• For more workable concrete mixes which is
sometimes required when placement is by pump or
when the concrete is required to be worked around
congested reinforcing steel, it may be desirable to
reduce the estimated coarse aggregate content
determined using Table 5 up to 10 percent.
It is recommended that fine aggregate conforming to Grading Zone IV, as per IS 383 shall not be
used in reinforced concrete unless tests have been made to ascertain the suitability of proposed
mix proportions.
 EXAMPLE ON CONCRETE MIX PROPORTIONING

• Grade designation : M40

• Type of cement : PPC conforming to IS 1489 (Part 1)

• Maximum nominal size of aggregate : 20 mm

• Minimum cement content and maximum water-cement ratio to be adopted and/or :

Severe (for reinforced concrete) Exposure conditions as per Table 3 and Table 5 of IS 456

• Workability : 75 mm (slump)

• Method of concrete placing : (Non pumpable)

• Degree of site control : Good

• Type of aggregate : Crushed angular aggregate

• Maximum cement content not including fly ash : 450 kg/m3

• Chemical admixture type : Superplasticizer - normal

 TEST DATA FOR MATERIALS

• Cement used : PPC conforming to IS 1489 (Part 1)

• Specific gravity of cement : 2.88

• Chemical admixture : Super plasticizer conforming to IS 9103

• Specific gravity of 1) Coarse aggregate [at saturated surface dry : 2.74 (SSD) Condition]

2) Fine aggregate [at saturated surface dry : 2.65 (SSD) Condition]

3) Chemical admixture : 1.145

• Water absorption

1) Coarse aggregate : 0.5 percent

2) Fine aggregate : 1.0 percent

• Moisture content of aggregate [As per IS 2386 (Part 3)]

1) Coarse aggregate : Nil

2) Fine aggregate : Nil

• Fine aggregate : Conforming to grading Zone II
of Table 9 of IS 383
• APPROXIMATE AIR CONTENT From Table 3, the approximate
amount of entrapped air to be expected in normal (non-air-
entrained) concrete is 1.0 percent for 20 mm nominal maximum
size of aggregate.

• SELECTION OF WATER-CEMENT RATIO

• the free water-cement ratio required for the target strength of

48.25 N/mm2 is 0.36 for grade curve 2. This is lower than the
maximum value of 0.45 prescribed for ‘severe’ exposure for
reinforced concrete as per Table 5 of IS 456.

• 0.36< 0.45, hence O.K.

• SELECTION OF WATER CONTENT
• From Table 4, water content = 186 kg (for 50 mm slump) for 20
mm aggregate.
• Estimated water content for 75 mm slump

• As superplasticizer is used, the water reduced. Based on trial

data, the water content reduction of 23 percent is considered
while using superplasticizer at the rate 1.0 percent by weight of
cement.
• Hence the water content

• CALCULATION OF CEMENT CONTENT

• Water-cement ratio = 0.36

• From Table 5 of IS 456, minimum cement content

for ‘severe’ exposure condition = 320 kg/m3

412 kg/m3> 320 kg/m3, hence, O.K.

• VOLUME OF COARSE AGGREGATE AND FINE AGGREGETE CONTENT

• From Table 5, the proportionate volume of coarse aggregate corresponding to

20 mm size aggregate and fine aggregate (Zone II) for water-cement ratio of

0.50 = 0.62.

• In the present case water-cement ratio is 0.36. Therefore, volume of coarse

aggregate is required to be increased to decrease the fine aggregate content.

As the water-cement ratio is lower by 0.14, the proportion of volume of coarse,

aggregate is increased by 0.028 (at the rate of -+0.01 for every ± 0.05 change in

water cement ratio). Therefore, corrected proportion of volume of coarse

aggregate for the water-cement ratio of 0.36 = 0.62 + 0.028 = 0.648.

• Volume of fine aggregate content = 1 – 0.648 = 0.352

MIX CALCULATIONS