Chapter 2: Mix Design of Cement Concrete

Handling of Concrete in site

Batching; Mixing and transporting of Concrete
Batching
Batching is the process of measuring concrete mix ingredients by either mass or volume and
introducing them into the mixer. To produce concrete of uniform quality, the ingredients must
be measured accurately for each batch. Most specifications require that batching be done by
mass rather than by volume.

Mixing
The mixing operation consists of rotation or stirring, the objective being to coat the surface the
all aggregate particles with cement paste, and to blind all the ingredients of the concrete into a
uniform mass; this uniformity must not be disturbed by the process of discharging from the
mixer.
Transporting
Transporting the concrete mix is defined as the transferring of concrete from the mixing plant to
the construction site. Keep in mind that not all concrete is mixed on the actual construction site
and could require some significant travel. This is most common for ready-mixed concretes. The
main objective in transporting concrete is to ensure that the water-cement ratio, slump or
consistency, air content, and homogeneity are not modified from their intended states. There
are many elements of transporting that need to be considered in order to ensure that a mix does
not change its state as specified in the contract. The two key goals when transporting concrete
from the mixing plant to the construction site are to prevent segregation and to not reduce the
workability of the mix. This transportation process must be well thought out and organized
efficiently. As a general rule of thumb, thirty to sixty minutes of transportation are acceptable on
small jobs.

Curing of Concrete
Curing is the method of maintaining concrete at a suitable temperature and moisture condition
for a certain amount of time after placement and finishing in order for the intended qualities to
manifest. It also involves speeding up the cement's hydration process during this time.
Purpose of Curing

 To complete hydration process between cement and water.

 To achieve maximum desired strength of the concrete.
 To prevent the concrete structure from cracking.
Methods of Curing

 Shading concrete work

 Covering concrete surfaces with hessian or gunny bags
  Sprinkling of water
 Ponding method
 Membrane curing
 Steam curing
1. Shading Concrete Work
The purpose of shading concrete construction is to prevent water from evaporating from the
surface even before it sets. This approach is typically used for big concrete surfaces, such road
slabs. This is necessary in dry weather to shield the concrete from the sun's heat, wind, and rays.
The surface is also shielded from rain by it. In cold weather, shade aids in maintaining the heat of
cement hydration, preventing concrete from freezing in conditions of light frost. Canvas
stretched over frames can be used to add shading. There are only a few applications for this
technique.

Figure 1: Shading method of Curing

2. COVERING CONCRETE SURFACES WITH HESSIAN OR GUNNY BAGS

This method of curing is widely used, especially for structural concrete. As a result, concrete
surfaces that are left exposed are kept from drying out by being covered with hessian, canvas,
or empty cement bags. It is important to securely fix the covering over inclining and vertical
surfaces. These are wetted on occasion. The amount of time between wettings will depend
on how quickly water evaporates. During the curing process, care must be taken to prevent
even a brief drying of the concrete's surface. On nights and on holidays, special arrangements
must be taken to keep the surface wet.
 Figure 2: Covering Concrete surfaces with hessian or Gunny bags method of Curing

3. SPRINKLING OF WATER
An effective curing is achieved by continuously sprinkling water on the concrete surface. It
mostly serves to cure floor slabs. Before beginning to sprinkle, the concrete needs time to
sufficiently harden. A perforated plastic box contains the spray, which is accessible. Sprinklers
can be manually operated for modest projects. By sprinkling water on top surfaces and letting
it fall between the forms and the concrete, vertical and sloping surfaces can be maintained
consistently moist. The amount of water needed is greater for this method of curing.

Figure 3: Sprinkling method of Curing

 4. PONDING METHOD
It is the most effective technique of curing. It is appropriate for curing horizontal surfaces like
floors, roof slabs, and road pavements. Ponding is another option for beams' top horizontal
surfaces. The exposed surface of the concrete is first covered with wet canvas or hessian once it
has been placed. These covers are taken off after 24 hours, and tiny clay or sand ponds are
constructed across and along the pavements. Thus, the space is split up into several rectangles.
Between the ponds, water is filled. Depending on the weather, these ponds are filled twice or
three times daily. Despite the fact that this procedure is quite effective, a lot of water is needed.
Ponds easily collapse, letting water spill out. After curing it is difficult to clean the clay.

Figure 4: Ponding method of Curing

5. MEMBRANE CURING
The method of curing described above come under the category of moist curing. Another method
of curing is to cover the wetted concrete surface by a layer of water proof material, which is kept
in contact with the concrete surface of seven days. This method of curing is termed as membrane
curing. A membrane will prevent the evaporation of water from the concrete. The membrane
can be either in solid or liquid form. They are also known as sealing compounds. Bituminized
water proof papers, wax emulsions, bitumen emulsions and plastic films are the common types
of membrane used.
Whenever bitumen is applied over the surface for curing, it should be done only after 24 hours
curing with gunny bags. The surface is allowed to dry out so that loose water is not visible and
then the liquid asphalt sprayed throughout. The moisture in the concrete is thus preserved. It is
quite enough for curing.
This method of curing does not need constant supervision. It is adopted with advantage at places
where water is not available in sufficient quantity for wet curing. This method of curing is not
efficient as compared with wet curing because rate of hydration is less. Moreover the strength
of concrete cured by any membrane is less than the concrete which is moist cured. When
membrane is damaged the curing is badly affected.

Figure 5: Membrane Curing

6. STEAM CURING
Steam curing and hot water curing is sometimes adopted. With these methods of curing, the
strength development of concrete is very rapid.
These methods can best be used in pre-cast concrete work. In steam curing the temperature of
steam should be restricted to a maximum of 75°C as in the absence of proper humidity (about
90%) the concrete may dry too soon. In case of hot water curing, temperature may be raised to
any limit, ay 100°C.At this temperature, the development of strength is about 70% of 28 days
strength after 4 to 5 hours. In both cases, the temperature should be fully controlled to avoid
non-uniformity. The concrete should be prevented from rapid drying and cooling which would
form cracks.
 Figure 6: Stream Curing Method

Minimum Concrete Curing Time

According to ACI code, the minimum curing time at temperatures higher than 5°C for the majority
of concrete structures is seven days or until the concrete strength achieves 70% of the stipulated
compressive or flexural strength. If high-early strength concrete is utilized, the curing time can
be reduced to three days.
Additionally, according to IS-456, concrete should continue to cure until it reaches a strength of
70% to 80%. The Ordinary Portland Cement must also cure for a minimum of seven days,
according to the law. If mixed cement is used, the minimum curing time should be increased to
10 days.
Factors Effecting Curing of Concrete

 Type of structural member

 Chemical Composition of concrete
 Fineness of cementitious materials.
 Required Strength of the concrete
 Water cement ratio.
 Mixture proportions.
 Aggregate characteristics.
 Chemical and mineral lab mixtures added.
 Temperature of the concrete.
 Method of Curing