Revised: 10 Jan.

06

Properties of Fresh Concrete

Presentation Layout
• Definition of terms related with properties of fresh concrete
• Workability of fresh concrete
• Factors affecting
g workability
y of concrete
• Measurement of workability
- Slump test
- Compacting factor test
- Vebe test
- Flow table test
- Ball penetration test
- Comparison of tests
• Problems in fresh concrete (segregation, bleeding, slump loss)
• Mixing, placing and compaction of concrete

1
Definitions
Workability
The property of fresh concrete, which is expressed by both the degree
of consistency and the extent of resistance of segregation, indicates
the easiness of work as in transportation, casting and finishing up.

Consistency
The property of fresh concrete shown by the degree of softness
according to the water content.

Plasticity
The property which allows concrete to be easily placed in the
formwork and allows it to deform gradually without the segregation if
formwork,
the form is removed.

Finishability
The property which indicates the easiness of finishing. It is influenced
by the maximum size of coarse aggregate, sand-coarse aggregate
ratio and the grading of fine aggregates.

Workability
The strict definition of workability is the amount of useful internal work
necessary to produce full compaction. The useful internal work is a
physical property of concrete alone and is the work or energy required
to overcome the internal friction between the individual particles in the
concrete.
concrete

Significance of Workability
Workability is not a fundamental property of concrete rather it is related
to the type of construction, method of placing concrete, compaction
and finishing.

However, it iis one off th

H the key
k properties
ti that
th t mustt be
b satisfied.
ti fi d
Regardless of the sophistication of the mix design procedure used and
other considerations, such as cost, a concrete mixture that cannot be
placed easily or compacted fully is not likely to yield the expected
strength and durability characteristics.

2
Workability
Workability and Strength of Concrete
Because the strength of concrete is adversely and significantly
affected by the presence of voids in the compacted mass, it is vital to
achieve a maximum possible density. This requires a sufficient
workability for virtually full compaction to be possible using a
reasonable amount of work under the given conditions.

The presence of voids in concrete reduces the density and greatly

reduces the strength: 5% of voids can lower the strength by as much
as 30%.

V id iin h
Voids hardened
d d concrete
t are either
ith bbubbles
bbl off entrapped
t d air
i or
spaces left after excess water has been removed. For any given
method of compaction, there is an optimum water content of the mix at
which the sum of volumes of air bubbles and of water space will be
minimum, and the density will be a maximum. However, the optimum
water content may vary for different methods of compaction.

Workability Workability and Strength of Concrete

Relation between strength ratio and density ratio

3
Factors Affecting Workability
Water Content of the Mix
Generally speaking, by increasing the water content, the interparticle
lubrication is increased, which in turn, increases the workability.
However, strength is greatly reduced, so a compromise should be
made between strength and workability.
workability

Aggregate Type and Grading

Aggregate type and grading affect the workability significantly. For
example, finer particles require more water to wet their large specific
surface than coarse particles. Similarly, the irregular shape and
rougher texture of an angular aggregate demand more water than a
rounded aggregate.

Aggregate/Cement Ratio
For a constant water/cement ratio, the workability increases as the
aggregate/cement ratio is reduced because the amount of water
relative to the total surface of solids is increased.

Factors Affecting Workability

Presence of Admixtures
Workability is generally increased by the addition of water-reducing
admixtures as they remove the cohesion between cement grains and
allow concrete to flow even at low water/cement ratios.

Fineness of Cement
Fineness of cement is of minor influence on workability but the finer
the cement, the greater the water demand.

Temperature
A higher temperature reduces the workability. In practice, when the
ambient conditions are unusual, it is best to make actual site tests in
order to determine the workability of the mix.

4
Measurement of Workability
There is no acceptable test which can measure the workability directly,
due to the composite nature of the property, and its dependence on the
type of construction and methods of placing, compacting, and finishing.
g methods g
The following give a measure of workability y which is
applicable only with reference to the particular method. However, they
can detect variations in the uniformity of a mix of given nominal
proportions which is quite important in ensuring quality control at site.

• Slump test
• Compacting factor test
• Vebe test
• Flow table test
• Ball penetration test

Slump Test
Principle
The decrease in height of unsupported concrete cone under its own
weight detects the harshness/softness of the mix and hence, in turn,
y
measures its workability.

Apparatus
 A truncated cone:
- Height: 300 mm (12 in.)
- Base: 200 mm (8 in.)
- Top: 100 mm (4 in.)
in )
 Standard 16 mm (5/8 in.)
diameter tamping rod.

5
Slump Test
Procedure
 Fill the cone with concrete in three layers by tamping each layer 25
times with the standard tamping rod.
 Struck off the top surface of the cone by means of a screeding and
rolling motion of the tamping rod.
 Slowly lift the cone without disturbing
the concrete.
 The unsupported concrete will now
slump. Measure the height of the
center of the unsupported concrete
carefully.
 The decrease in the height of the
center of the slumped concrete is
called the slump of concrete and is
measured to nearest 5 mm (1/4 in.).

Slump Test
Types of Concrete Slump
(a) True Slump
If the concrete slumps evenly all round, it is called a true slump which
i di t a uniform
indicates if mix.
i

(b) Shear Slump

If one-half of the cone slides down
an inclined plane, a shear slump is
said to have taken place and test
should be repeated. This is an
indication of lack of cohesion of mix.
(c) Collapse
A complete collapse shows a too wet
mix for which the slump test is not
sensitive.

6
Slump Test
Advantages
The slump test is very useful on site as a check on the day-to-day or
hour-to-hour variation in the materials being fed into the mixer. An
increase in slump may mean, that the moisture content of the
aggregate has unexpectedly increased or there is a change in
aggregate grading. Too high or too low a slump gives immediate
warning and enables the mixer operator to remedy the situation.

Limitations
 The slump test is not suitable for measuring the consistency of very
wet or very dry concrete which will result in either collapse or zero
slump, so in this range, no variation can be detected between mixes
of different workability.
 In a lean mix with a tendency to harshness, a true slump can easily
change to shear type, or even to collapse, and widely different
values of slump can be obtained in different samples from the same
mix; thus, the slump test in unreliable for lean mixes.

Compacting Factor Test

Principle
This test measures the workability indirectly by measuring the degree
of compaction when a concrete mixture is subjected to a standard
amount of work. The degree of compaction, called the compacting
factor, is measured by the density ratio, i.e., the ratio of the density
actually achieved in the test to the density of the same concrete when
in fully compacted condition.

Apparatus
• Compacting factor apparatus consisting
off two
t hoppers
h with
ith hinged
hi dddoors, each
h
in the shape of a frustum of a cone, and
one cylinder, the three being above one
another.

7
Compacting Factor Test
Procedure
 Fill the upper hopper with concrete. This should be done gently so
that, at this stage, no work is done on the concrete to produce
compaction.
 Release the bottom door of the hopper and concrete will fall into the
lower hopper. This hopper is smaller than the upper one and is,
therefore, filled to over flowing.
 Release the bottom door of the lower hopper and the concrete will
fall in to the cylinder.
 Remove the excess concrete and measure the net mass of concrete
in the known volume of cylinder to calculate its density in cylinder.
 Again fill the cylinder with concrete in 4 layers, each layer being
tamped 25 times and determine its density which will become the
density of fully compacted concrete.
 Determine the density ratio or compacting factor as defined above.

Compacting Factor Test

Advantages
 The test is more sensitive to low workability concrete than the slump
test.

Limitations
 For concrete of very low workability, the actual amount of work
required for full compaction depends on richness of the mix while
the compacting factor test does not consider it. This means that the
implied assumption that all the mixes with the same compacting
factor require the same amount of useful work is not always justified.
 The compacting factor apparatus is not very convenient to use on
site due to its size and mostly used in precast concrete works.

8
Vebe Test
Principle
The time required to remold the concrete, from the conical to the
cylindrical shape, is a measure of the workability of the mix and is
expressed in Vebe seconds.

Apparatus
• A vibrating table
• A Cylinder 240 diameter and
200 mm high
• A standard slump cone
• A glass or plastic disk
attached to a free moving rod
which serves as a reference
end point

Vebe Test
Procedure
 Place the standard slump cone in the cylinder.
 Fill the slump cone in a standard manner, remove it and place the
disk shape rider on the top of the concrete
disk-shape concrete.
 Set the vibrating table in motion such that the vertical amplitude of
the table with the empty cylinder is approximately ±0.35 mm.
 Compaction is assumed to be complete when the transparent rider
is totally covered with concrete and all cavities in the surface of the
concrete have disappeared.
 It is assumed that the input of energy required for full compaction is
a measure of the workability of the mix, and this is expressed in
Vebe seconds, i.e. the time required for the operation.

9
Vebe Test
Advantages
 Vebe is a good laboratory test, particularly for very dry mixes. This is
in contrast to the compacting factor test where error may be
introduced by the tendency of some dry mixes to stick in the
hoppers.
 The Vebe test has also the additional advantage that the treatment
of concrete during the test is comparatively closely related to the
method of placing in practice.

Flow Table Test

Principle
This test gives an indication of the consistency of concrete and its
proneness to segregation by measuring the spread of a pile of
concrete on a table subjected to jolting. The value called Flow in turn
indicates the workability of concrete.

Apparatus
• A wooden board 700 mm (27.6 in.) square covered by a steel plate
with a total mass of 16 kg (35 lbs).
• Truncated cone 200 mm (8 in.)
high, 200 mm (8 in.) bottom
diameter and 130 mm (5 in.) top
diameter.

10
Flow Table Test
Procedure
 Moist the table top, place the truncated cone and fill the cone with
concrete in the standard manner.
 Remove the excess concrete and lift the cone after an interval of 30
seconds.
 Start jolting the table by lifting and droping it, 15 times, each cycle
taking approximately 4 sec. This results in a concrete spread.
 Measure the maximum spread parallel to the two edges of the table.
The average of these two values, to the nearest millimeter,
p
represents the flow.
 A flow value of 400 indicates a medium workability and 500 a high
workability.
 The concrete at this stage should appear uniform and cohesive, or
else the test is considered inappropriate for the given mix. Thus the
test offers an indication of the cohesiveness of the mix.

Ball Penetration Test

Principle
This test measures the workability of concrete by measuring the depth
of penetration of a standard metal ball in the fresh concrete.

Apparatus
Kelly ball penetration apparatus consisting of 152 mm diameter metal
hemisphere, weighing 14 kg (30 lbs.)

Procedure
• Fill the fresh concrete in a cylinder.
• Allow the ball to penetrate in the
concrete.
• Measure the depth of penetration of
the ball which is a measure of the
workability of concrete.

11
Ball Penetration Test
Advantages
 The ball penetration test is simpler and quicker to perform, even it
can be applied to concrete in a wheelbarrow or actually in the
form. (In order to avoid boundary effects, the depth of the
concrete should not be less than 200 mm (8 in.) and the least
lateral dimension 460 mm (18 in.)).
 The ball penetration test is very sensitive to measure variations in
the mix due to variations in the moisture content of the aggregate.

Measurement of Workability
Comparison of Tests
There is no unique relationship between the results of the various tests
as each test measures the behavior of concrete under different
conditions.

The following table gives an indication of the type of test suitable for
different levels of workability.

Workability Test
y Low
Very Vebe time
Low Vebe time, compacting factor
Medium Compacting factor, slump
High Compacting factor, slump, flow
Very high Flow

12
Problems in Fresh Concrete
Segregation
Segregation may be defined as separation of the constituents of fresh
concrete so that they are no longer uniformly distributed.

Types of Segregation
There are two types of segregation which may occur in fresh concrete.

Dry Segregation
Dry segregation occurring mostly in dry concrete mixtures, consists of
p
separation of the mortar from the bodyy of concrete due to over
vibration or careless transportation of fresh concrete.

Wet Segregation or Bleeding

Bleeding occurring particularly in wet mixes is manifested by the
separation of grout (cement plus water) from the mix.

Dry Segregation
Causes
 The extent of segregation depends on the method of handling
and placing of concrete. If the concrete does not have far to travel
and is transferred directly from the skip or the wheelbarrow to the
final position in the form work, the danger of segregation
becomes too small.
 Over-vibration can also result in segregation even in cohesive
mixes. When vibration is allowed to continue too long, separation
of coarse aggregate towards the bottom of the form and of the
cement paste towards the top may result which weakness the
concrete.
 The use of coarse aggregate whose specific gravity is appreciably
greater than that of the fine aggregate can lead to increased
segregation.

13
Dry Segregation

Control of segregation on discharge of concrete from a mixer

Dry Segregation

Control of segregation in discharge of concrete from a hopper

14
Dry Segregation

Control of segregation on filling concrete buckets

Dry Segregation
Measurement
Segregation is difficult to measure quantitatively but is easily
detected when concrete is handled on a site in any of ways listed.
The proneness tto segregation
Th ti due
d tot over-vibration
ib ti can b be
measured by vibrating a fresh concrete cube or cylinder for about 10
minutes and then strip it to observe the distribution of coarse
aggregate: any segregation can be easily seen.

Control
• Slightly increase the water content in too dry mixes.
• Improve the grading of the aggregates by lowering the maximum
size of aggregate and using the more sand or finer sand.
• Take care in transporting the concrete. Place concrete in the form of
big heaps in the form work and then vibrate/compact it gently.

15
Bleeding
Bleeding, known also as water gain, is a form of segregation in which
some of the water in the mix tends to rise to the surface of freshly
placed concrete. This is caused by the inability of the solid constituents
of the mix to hold all of the mixing water when they settle downwards.
Bleeding can be expressed quantitatively as the total settlement
(reduction in height) per unit height of concrete.

Effects on Concrete
 As a result of bleeding, the top layer of concrete may become too
wet, and, if the water is trapped by superimposed concrete, a
porous and weak layer of non-durable concrete will result.
 If the bleeding water is remixed during the finishing of the top
surface, a weak wearing surface will be formed. This can be avoided
by delaying the finishing operation until the bleeding water has
evaporated and by avoidance of over-working the surface.

Bleeding
Effects on Concrete
 If evaporation of bleeding water from the surface of concrete is
faster than the bleeding rate, plastic shrinkage cracking may result.
 Some off the
S th bleeding
bl di water t may b become ttrappedd on th
the underside
d id
of large aggregate particles or of reinforcement, thus creating zones
of poor bond. This water leaves behind voids and, since all these
voids are oriented in the same direction, the permeability of the
concrete in a horizontal plane may be increased.
 Bleeding need not necessarily be harmful. If it is undisturbed (and
the water evaporates)
evaporates), the effective water/cement ratio may be
lowered with a resulting increase in strength.
 Bleeding is often pronounced in thin concrete slabs, such as roads,
in which the bleeding voids may become susceptible to frost action
(freezing and thawing).

16
Bleeding
Measurement
The bleeding capacity as well as bleeding rate can be determined
experimentally using the test prescribed by ASTM C 232-71.
In this test,
test a sample of concrete is placed and consolidated in a
container 250 mm diameter and 280 mm height. The bleed water
accumulated on the surface is withdrawn at 10-minute intervals during
the first 40 min., and thereafter at 30 min. intervals. Bleeding is
expressed in terms of the amount of accumulated water as the
percentage of net mixing water in the sample.

Control
 Increase the cement content or the amount of fines to reduce the
amount of free water in the mix.
 Use of mineral admixtures and air entrainment also results in
reduction in bleeding.

Problems in Fresh Concrete

Laitance
Laitance is a thin, porous, soft and weak layer formed on the concrete
surface as a result of bleeding. When a floor slab or pavement suffers from
laitance, the concrete will present a soft surface that is prone to dusting.
Laitance should always be removed by brushing and washingwashing.

Causes
The bleeding water rising in the internal channels within concrete,
sometimes carry with it very fine particles of cement, sand, and clay
(present as a contaminant in aggregate) and depositing them in the form of
a scum at the concrete surface. This layer contains a very high
water/cement
t / t ratio
ti and
d is
i therefore
th f porous, weakk andd soft.
ft

Effects on Concrete
 The laitance is prone to dusting if subjected to abrasion action.
 The hydration products in the porous cement paste of laitance are easily
carbonated in air. Therefore, if laitance occurs at the top of casting, poor
bond to the next layer will result.

17
Problems in Fresh Concrete
Slump Loss
Slump loss can be defined as the loss of consistency in fresh concrete with
elapsed time. Slump loss is a normal phenomenon in all concretes
because it results from gradual stiffening and setting of hydrated cement
paste.

Causes
Slump loss occurs when the free water from a concrete mixture is removed
by hydration reactions, by adsorption on the surfaces of hydration
products, and by evaporation. The primary causes of an early slump loss
are:
• Use of an abnormal setting cement.
• Unusually long time for mixing, coveying, placement, compaction or
finishing operation.
• High temperature of concrete due to excessive heat of hydration and/or
use of concrete-making materials that are stored at a high ambient
temperature.

Slump Loss
Significance
Slump loss may create following problems at site:
• Hang-up of concrete within the drum of a truck mixer
• Difficulty in pumping and placing concrete
• Extra labor needed in placement and finishing operations
• Loss of production and quality of workmanship
• Loss of strength, durability and other properties when additional
water is added to facilitate placing and compaction.

Control
Slump loss can be controlled by following field practices:
• Start with a high initial slump than required to compensate for the
expected slump loss.
• Add extra water just before placement and again remix the concrete
thoroughly. This practice is known as retempering.

18
 Handling, Mixing, Placing and
Compaction of Concrete

Production of Concrete

Batching of Materials Removal of Formworks

Dry Mixing Curing

Wet Mixing Finishing

Placing in Formworks Compaction

19
Mixing of Concrete
The object of mixing is to coat the surface of all aggregate particles with
cement paste, and to blend all the ingredients of concrete into a uniform
mass.

Types of Concrete Mixers

The usual type of mixer is a batch mixer, which means that one batch of
concrete is mixed and discharged before any more materials are put into
the mixer. There are four types of batch mixers.

1. Tilting Drum Mixer

A titling drum mixer is one whose mixing drum is tilted for discharging
discharging. The
drum is conical or bowl-shaped with internal vanes, and the discharge is
rapid and unsegregated so that these mixers are suitable for mixes of low-
workability and for those containing large size aggregates.

Mixing of Concrete
2. Non-tilting Drum Mixer
A non-titling drum mixer is one in which the axis of the mixer is always
horizontal, and discharge takes place by inserting a shute into the drum or
by reversing the direction or rotation of the drum.

3. Pan-type Mixer
A pan-type mixer is a forced-action mixer which rely on the free fall of
concrete inside the drum. The pan mixer consists of a circular pan rotating
about its axis with one or two paddles rotating about a vertical axis to
spread the concrete. Pan mixers are particularly efficient with stiff and
cohesive mixes and mostly used for precast concrete or in laboratories
laboratories.

4. Dual Drum Mixer

This mixer is used in highway construction. It consists of two drums in
series, concrete being mixed part of the time in one and then transferred to
the other for remaining mixing and discharging while the first drum is again
fed. This is helpful to increase the yield of concrete.

20
Mixing of Concrete
Charging the Mixer
There are no general rules on the order of feeding the ingredients into the
mixer as it depends on the properties of the mixer and the mix. Some tips
are as follows:
• Feed a small amount of water in the mixer followed by all solid
materials, thoroughly mix for them few minutes and then add the
remaining water.
• For very dry mixes in drum mixers, it is necessary to feed the coarse
aggregate just after the small initial water is feed in order to ensure
that the aggregate surface is sufficiently wetted.
• With small laboratory pan mixers and very stiff mixes, the sand
should be fed first, then a part of the coarse aggregate, cement and
water, and finally the remainder of the coarse aggregate so as to
break up any nodules of mortar.

Mixing of Concrete
Mixing Time
The optimum mixing time depends on the type and size of the mixer, on
the speed of rotation, and on the quality of blending of ingredients during
charging
g g of the mixer.
Generally, a mixing time of 1-2 minutes is sufficient; as time less than 1
minute produces appreciable non-uniformity in composition and a
significantly lower strength while mixing time beyond 2 minute causes no
significant improvement in these properties.

Effects of Prolonged Mixing

• A prolonged
l d mixing
i i results
lt iin th
the evaporation
ti off water
t causing
i
earlier slump loss.
• A secondary effect is the grinding of the aggregates if they are too
soft which also results in the reduction of workability.
• In case of air entrained concrete, the prolonged mixing can reduce
the amount of entrained air by about 16% of its value per hour.

21
Placing of Concrete
The main objective of placing is to deposit the concrete as close as
possible to its final position so that segregation is avoided and the
concrete can be fully compacted.
To achieve this objective, the following rules should be borne in mind.
• Hand shovelling and moving concrete by immersion or poker
vibrators should be avoided.
• The concrete should be placed in uniform layers, not in large heaps.
• The thickness of a layer should be compatible with the method of
vibration so that entrapped air can be removed from the bottom of
each layer.
• The rates of placing and of compaction should be equal.
• Each layer should be fully compacted before placing the next one,
and each subsequent layer should be placed whilst the underlying
layer is still plastic so that monolithic construction is achieved.
• Long delays while concreting in columns should be avoided as they
can result in the formation of cold joints.

Placing of Concrete (contd.)

• Collision between concrete and formwork or reinforcement should
be avoided. For deep sections, a long down pipe or tremie ensures
accuracy of location of the concrete and minimum segregation.
• Concrete should be p placed in a vertical p
plane. When p
placing
g in
horizontal or slopping forms, the concrete should be placed vertically
against the previously placed concrete.

correct incorrect

Placing concrete from buggies

22
Placing of Concrete

Placing concrete in a deep wall

Placing of Concrete

Placing concrete on a sloping surface

23
Placing of Concrete

Underwater concreting

Compaction of Concrete
The purpose of compaction is to remove as much of the entrapped air as
possible so that the hardened concrete has a minimum of voids, and,
consequently, is strong, durable and of low permeability.
The compaction is mainly done by the use of vibrators.

Vibrating of Concrete
The vibration removes the entrapped air within concrete and forces the
particles into a closer configuration. Extremely dry and stiff mixes can be
vibrated satisfactorily to achieve a desired strength with a lower cement
content.
There are three basic methods of compacting concrete by vibration and for
each method, specific vibrators are present. They are:

• Internal vibrators
• External vibrators
• Vibrating tables

24
Compaction of Concrete
Internal Vibrators
They consists of a poker, housing an eccentric shaft driven through a
flexible drive from a mortar. The poker is immersed in concrete and thus
pp
applies approximately
pp y harmonic forces to it. They
y are also called p
poker
vibrator or immersion vibrator.
The frequency of vibration varies between 70 and 200 Hz with an
acceleration greater than 4g.
The poker is moved from place to place so that the concrete is vibrated
every 0.5 to 1 m for 5 sec. to 2 min., depending on the consistence of the
mix. The actual completion of compaction can be judged by the
appearance of the surface of concrete, which should neither be
honeycombed nor contain an excess of mortar.
Internal vibrators are comparatively efficient since all the work is done
directly on the concrete. They are made in sizes down to 20 mm (3/4 in.)
in diameter so that they are useful for heavily reinforced and relatively
inaccessible sections.

Compaction of Concrete

Placing of poker vibrators

25
Compaction of Concrete
External Vibrators
This type of vibrator is rigidly clamped to the formwork which rests on an
elastic support, so that both the form and the concrete are vibrated. As a
result, a considerable pproportion
p of the work done is used in vibrating
g the
form work, which has to be strong and tight so as to prevent distortion and
leakage of grout.
External vibrators are used for precast or thin in situ sections having a
shape or thickness which is unsuitable for internal vibrators.
The concrete should be placed in layers of suitable depth as air cannot be
expelled through too great a depth of concrete, and the position of the
vibrator may have to be changed as concreting progresses.
Portable, non-clamped external vibrators may be used at sections not
otherwise accessible, but their range of compaction is very limited. One
such vibrator is an electric hammer, sometimes used for compacting
concrete test specimens.

Compaction of Concrete
Vibrating Tables
A vibrating table provides a reliable means of compaction of precast
concrete units and has the advantage of ensuring uniform vibration.
The system consists of a horizontal table clamped to the vibrator which
makes the table vibrate in a circular motion and the table transmits simple
harmonic motion to the concrete.
Such a vibrator is commonly used in concrete testing laboratories.

26
Compaction of Concrete
Revibration
Revibration at 1 to 2 hours after placing increases the compressive
strength of concrete by up to 15%, but the actual values depend on the
o ab y o
workability of the
e mix.
The improvement in strength is more pronounced at earlier ages, and
is greatest in concretes liable to high bleeding since the trapped water
is expelled by revibration. For the same reason, the bond between
concrete and reinforcement is greatly improved.
There is also a possible relief of plastic shrinkage stresses around the
large aggregate particles due to expulsion of bleed water
water.
Despite these advantages, revibration is not widely used as it involves
an additional step in the production of concrete, and hence an
increased cost. Also, if it is applied too late, it can damage the
concrete.

Questions/Queries ???

27