1. BASIC CONCRETE PRINCIPLES
ESTIMATING THE MATERIALS NEEDED FOR CONCRETE
#8604A

2. FOUR RULES FOR A QUALITY PRODUCT
Use proper ingredients
Correctly proportion & measure ingredients
Thoroughly mix the ingredients
Properly finish and cure the poured concrete

3. ADVANTAGES OF USING CONCRETE
Fire proof
Durable and permanent
Watertight
Economical
Sanitary
Low maintenance
Attractive
Termite & rodent proof
Storm resistant
Can be “homemade”

4. AGRICULTURAL USES Fence posts Driveways Walls & foundations
Septic tanks
Walks
Water troughs
Feeding floors
Steps
Cattle guards
etc

5. COMPOSITION OF CONCRETE
Portland cement
Water
Aggregates (sand and gravel)

6. WHAT IS PORTLAND CEMENT
Manufactured from lime, iron oxide, silica, and alumna.
It is mixed in proper proportion and heated in a kiln to approximately 3000 degrees F.
Resulting material is called clinker
Clinker is than pulverized and mixed with gypsum into a fine powder.

7. ORIGIN OF PORTLAND CEMENT
Joseph Aspdin, in the early 19th century and the founder of the process that is still used today used the term because the cement he produced was the color of stone taken from the quarries on the island of Portland off the coast of England.
Portland cement is packaged in sacks containing 1 cubic foot which weighs 94 lbs.

8. AGGREGATES Basic filler of sand, crushed stone, & gravel
Sand is a fine aggregate less than ¼ inch.
Gravel is a coarse aggregate more than ¼ inch.
Coarse aggregate add strength.
Aggregates are cheaper than cement and considered a cost reducing material.

9. WATER Should be clean and free from impurities.
Impurities affects strength, coloration, corrosion of reinforcement steel and wire.
It also affect setting time
When all ingredients are properly mixed, the combined weight of a one cubic foot of concrete is lbs.

10. QUALITY OF CONCRETE
Consistency or slump refers to the “wetness” or “dryness of the mix.
Excessive slump can be corrected by the addition of aggregate.
Plastic consistency is the best.
Never exceed 6 inches of slump

11. CONCRETE SLUMP RANGES Reinforced foundation walls –Min 2” Max 4”
Reinforced slabs, beams Min 5” Max 2”
Building columns Min 5” Max 3”
Pavements -Min 2” Max 1”
Sidewalks, driveways -Min 4” Max 2”

12. UNIFORMITY & WORKABILITY
Uniformity refers to the thorough mixing of all ingredients
Workability refers to the ease which concrete can be placed and shaped.

13. QUALITIES OF HARDENED CONCRETE
Durability refers to resistance to chemical actions, freezing, and thawing. Good workmanship and proper mixing improves durability.
Strength is measured as compressive and tensile. Compressive strength is usually 10 times the tensile strength of unreinforced concrete. Additional reinforcement will equalize the strength.

14. Other Conditions
Water-cement ratio, curing time, & curing methods are just as important as reinforcement.
Rule of thumb: Use a 5-7 gallons of water per sack of cement. Exceeding this will weaken the mix.
Concrete cured for 7 days is only 2/3 as strong as concrete cured for 28 days.
Damp curing can increase as much as 50% for the first 7 days.

15. WATERTIGHTNESS
The ability to prevent water passage through the mass. The water-cement ratio and curing time affect watertightness.
Less water in the mix increases watertightness.

16. WEAR RESISTANCE
The ability to resist abrasive action of vehicles, feet, flowing water, etc.
Aggregates should be hard and tough to resist wear.

17. READY MIXED CONCRETE Sold by cubic yard
Two methods of mixing—transit mixer & shrink-mixed
Transit mixer is when mixing is done on the truck
Shrink-mixed begins in a stationary mixer and ends up in a truck mixer.

18. ADVANTAGES OF READY-MIX
Thoroughly mixed
Ingredients are not handled on the job site.
Less labor is required.
Exact quantity needed can be ordered.
Actual price can be calculated easily.

19. ADMIXTURES
Air-entraining –hundreds of microscopic air cell are dispersed in the mix to protect during freezing and thawing actions.
Water-reducing –increases strength.
Retarding –slows down the setting time during high temperature.
Accelerating –calcium chloride is added to mix to shortened the set up time.
Pozzolans –controls expansion during heat.

20. ESTIMATING READY-MIX CONCRETE
Allows a 10% waste.
When ordering mixtures by numbers: a stands for 6 sacks of cement per cubic yard, 6 gallons of water per sack of cement, and 6 % entrained air.
To determine surface area (length x width)

21. CALCULATING READY-MIX CONRETE
Determine surface area.
Determine the concrete thickness
Refer to chart to determine the number of cubic yards of concrete needed.
Concrete thickness Divide Area by:
1 inch 300
3 inches 100
4 inches 75
6 inches 50
12 inches 25

22. RECOMMENDED MIXES
5-Gallon mix –for acid or alkaline resistant walks, fence posts, flower boxes, & etc.
6-Gallon mix –for watertight floors, tanks, walls and all reinforced concrete.
7-Gallon mix –for foundation walls, retaining walls, underground concrete and concrete not under water pressure.

23. MOISTURE IN SAND
Damp sand – ¼ gal/cu.ft (falls apart when hand is opened.)
Wet sand – ½ gal/cu.ft (ball of sand holds shape when hand is opened.)
Very wet sand – (3/4 gal/cu.ft (ball is formed and leaves hand wet when opened.

24. “FULLER’S” RULE
Rule states – mixing of a total of 42 volumes of cement, sand, and gravel will produce 27 volumes of concrete.

25. FULLER’S RULE
Use a 1 – 2-1/4 – 3 mix to build 4”thick, 6’ wide, and 100’ long sidewalk.
Determine the amount of concrete required.
6’ x 100’ x 4” or 6’ x 100’ x 1/3’
=200 cubic feet of concrete

26. FULLER’S RULE Determine the amount of raw materials needed. 200 X 42 =27
311 cu ft of raw materials

27. FULLER’S RULE Determine the volume of mix needed.
/ = 6-1/4 (6.25) volumes of mix

28. FULLER’S RULE Determine the sacks of cement needed.
311 cuft. raw materials = sacks
6.25 volume of mix

29. FULLER’S RULE Determine the cu. yds. of sand needed.
50 sacks x = cu yds of sand
27 cu.ft/yd

30. FULLER’S RULE Determine the cu yds. Of gravel needed.
50 sacks x 3 = cu yds of gravel
27 cu ft/yd

31. FULLER’S RULE SUMMARY 1. 200 cu feet of concrete required
cu ft of raw materials
/4 or 6.25 volumes of mix
or 50 sacks of cement
cu yds of sand
cu yds of gravel

32. MIXING CONCRETE
Two common methods of mixing – machine and hand mixing.
Steps in machine mixing
-add 10% water before adding in solids.
-add portion of gravel.
-add measured amount of cement
-add sand and remaining amts of gravel
-mix from 1 – 3 minutes

33. MIXING CONCRETE Steps in hand mixing -place sand in mixing container
-then add cement and mix thoroughly
-add gravel and continue to mix
-add measured amounts of water
-mix thoroughly