1. Explain briefly about the trial mix of concrete & Water, cement ratio.

 Preliminary laboratory test shall be carried out to determine the mixes to satisfy the
specification with approved materials.
trial mixes shall not less than the mean strength.
 Trial mixes shall be tested to determine the following properties of mixes
 Bleeding (Non vibrating) not exceed 0.5% Drying shrinkage Air content Workability
 Fresh and hardened concrete densities. Compressive strength
2. What is ISAT, RCP, Absorption & Permeability & their effect on concrete
3. Define tests on the durability of concrete and elaborate on their significance.
4. Describe the steps to follow for the design of a concrete mix.
5. Concrete mix design given the cement = 380, water-cement ration = 0.42. 1.2% combined
aggregate moisture. Specific gravity density 2.75 of combined aggregate.
6. What is the maximum water / cement ratio can be allowed for the manufacture of 450
Kgm/cm2, concrete?
7. Is it right to increase the cement for the strength of concrete.

Ans. No, Better to reduce the water and use the admixtures in to the concrete If slump is
increased and unavoidable then we can mix
8. What is the General Range of W.C ratio for the concrete

Ans. 0.425 kg/m3 – 0.65 kg/m3

9. Suppose you have taken three cores from a structure, their strengths are X1, X2 and X3
respectively. The cylinder strength for that structure (more than specified) is Y. what should be
the acceptable limit of the average of X1, X2 & X3 with respect to Y?
10. What is a Yield point? What do you mean by grade 40 and grade 60 steel?
11. Suppose you have two different stock piles of sand where fineness modulus differs by 0.02 Do
you make the same mix design for these two stock pile
12. What you will check before allowing for concrete placement?

Ans. Form work (line and Grade) Reinforcement (As per Drawing and Design), Clean up
Concrete vibrators / Equipment.
13. Max allowable temperature for all types of concrete is 32oC.
14. Max allowable fall of pouring is 2 meters.
15. Tempering of concrete with water forbidden.
16. Max allowable time is 1 hrs after batching normally
17. Normally types of Mix 50/20, 45/2, 40/20 b.30/20 c.25/20 d.20/20where ‘50’ is compressive
strength & ‘20’ the size of aggregate.

18. Name the different classes of concrete and their strengths, used on your most recent project?
A = 250 Kg/cm2
B = 190 Kg/cm2
C = 130 Kg/cm2
D = 310 Kg/cm2

19. What is mean by OPC and SRC Cement?

‘OPC’ used for structures & ‘SRC’ sub structure.

20. What are the main types of Portland Cement?
Ans. British description ASTM description

Ordinary Portland cement Type 1

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 Rapid hardening Portland Type - 111
Extra rapid hardening Portland
Ultra high early strength Portland
Low heat Portland Type IV
Modified cement Type ii
Sulphate resistance Type V
White Portland
21. What is the maximum water / cement ratio can be allowed for the manufacture of 450
Kgm/cm2, concrete?
22. What is the head of hydration?
23. Hydration of cement, heat will be produce and internal water will be evaporated, to protect this
water also to achieve strength and to avoid shrinkage cracks, curing to be conducted.
24. If the temp is >32oC the concrete will set quickly and it will not get proper strength. Curing
shall be done for MIN 7 days for all concrete works.

25. What is LAA and ACV = Los Angeles Abrasion

ACV= Aggregate Crushing Value & what would be acceptable results for aggregate to be used in
concrete manufacture.
26. What is the temperature that must be maintained in the concrete curing tank?

2 ± 2o

What is the purpose of doing slump test? To measure the consistency of cement concrete mix.

27. Max allowable slump 100mm to 125mm.

How many blows and how many layers are required to compact concrete specimens in a
150 + 150 mm mould 35 blows and 3 layers
28. What amount of slump would you expect to measure for 140 Kgm/cm2 and 450Kgm/cm2
concrete without the use of additive
29. Workability determines the case of placement and resistance to segregation is too loose a
description of this vital property of concrete.
30. Name as many tests on steel as you can?
Tensile strength, yield strength, Elongation and Bending tests
31. Steel Reinforcement, when tested for carbon content to BS 4449, which values you
except for Grade 250 and 460.
32. Explain the relevance of uniformity tests for admixtures.
Elaborate on the Admixtures for concrete, their use, type and performance tests. & Their effect on
concrete.
33. What effect have admixtures upon the strength of the Concrete?
34. Among the physical requirements, as given in ASTM C494, describe in broad outline
the Time of Setting tested to ASTM C403, methodology and significance.
35. Drying shrinkage test to BS 812 part 120, which value you consider maximum.
36. What are reactive aggregates?
37. Sulphates in the soil are deleterious for concrete, chlorides are deleterious for steel
reinforcement, in the presence of both, Sulphate and chlorides, which type of cement you
would specify and why?
38. Name the two chemicals used for soundness test?
1. sodium sulfate
2. magnesium sulfate
39. What are the classification of natural aggregate?

Ans.

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 1 Basalt group Andesite Basalt, Basic porphyrite, Diabase, Dolerites of
all kind, Epidiorite, Quartz dolerite
2 Granite Group Gneiss, Granite, Gramodiorite, Graulite, Pegmatite, Quart,
Diorite, Syenit
3 Lime stone group Dolomite Lime stone, Marble
4 Sehist Group Phylite, Sehist, Slate, All Sevearly Sheared Rock
5 Flint Group Chert, Flint
6 Gristone Group Arkose, Grey Wacke, Grite, Sand stone, Tuff
7 Porphyry Group Aplite, Daciote, Felsite, Granophyre, Keralophyre, Micro
Granite
8 Gabbro Group Basic Dionite, Basic Gneous, Gabbro, Horn blend Rock,
Norite
9 Hormful Group Contact Altered rock of all kind except Marble
10 Quartzite Group Granister Quarzitic sand store, Recrystalized Quartzite

40. When the aggregate is used to road construction or is to be subject to high wear what test
should be carried out?
Ans. Impact value test and Abrasion test are the test that should be carried out on aggregate
which are used in high wearing.
41. What % of the final strength would you expect to achieve at 7 days?
42. How long can you allow concrete to stay in a mixer truck, assuming additives (not super
plastics) have been used, prior to placing the concrete?
43. What is the maximum amount of material passing 75 uim that can be allowed in the fine
aggregate?
44. What is the rate of application of load that should be maintained when crushing concrete cube
specimen.
45. Dune sand which aggregate group of soil lane.
46. Give reason of crack in concrete.
47. What is the limit of speedy moisture?
48. Calculate the sp. Gravity within 984.5
Sp. gravity S.S.D. 1004.6
S.S.D., apparent bulk weight 659.0
49. What is the % absolution of sand in concrete mix 2.3%.
50. Name two source of aggregate in the U.A.E. Where are the major sources of Wadi gravel?
51. What is slit content of screened sand? What is crushed sand normally used for.
52. What % of crushed faces do we require for crushed course aggregate?
53. What is the flakiness index and what maximum value would be acceptable for concrete for
concrete aggregate.
54. What % absorption would you expect from course Wadi gravel?
55. Describe a hatching plant, for asphalt concrete, main features. What shall be the accuracy of
the scales
56. Define, as appropriate, the difference between bleeding and laitance.
57. Consolidation of fresh concrete. Elaborate on the use of vibrators.
58. Define characteristic strength and target mean strength.
59. Quality control Define standard deviation (SD) and upper control limit (UCL) & Lower
control limit
60. What value you consider appropriate, for harsh environments, of the Water/Cement ratio?
61. What are the precautionary measures to be entitled while doing concrete in hot weather?
Ans.
1. No concrete shall be placed when the ambient temperature is 40 degree Celsius during
placement.
2. When temperature of the concrete exceeds 25 degree a retarding mixture should be
added in the mix design of the concrete.

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 3. Temperature of the concrete mix before placement should not be more than 25 degree.
4. All forms, reinforcing steel and other concreting surface shall be cooled to below 33
degree until concrete is placed.
5. All production and placement equipment can be shaded painted white and covered with
burlap. Quick transportation and placement.
6. Forms and reinforcing steel are to be sprinkled by cooled water to lower the
temperature of the areas and contact surface.
7. Chilled water can be used to produce concrete mix.
62. What are the various tests for judging the stability of Concrete Aggregates?
Ans. Concrete Aggregates:

a. Coarse Aggregates.
1. Grading
2. Contents of Clay Lumps
3. Soft fragments
4. Sodium or Magnesium Sulphate Soundness.
5. Los Angels Abrasion 500 revelation
6. Aggregate Crushing value
7. Impact Value.
8. Flakiness and Elongation Index
9. Chloride and Sulphate Content.
b. Fine Aggregates
1. Grading
2. Content of Clay lumps
3. Content of Organic Impurities
4. Sodium or Magnesium Sulphate Soundness

63. What is the proportion of natural sand to dune sand to minimize the phenomena of rutting?

Ans. The proportion of natural sand should not exceeds 15% of the percentage passing at #4
sieve. The natural sand should not contain more than 50% of dune sand, for example of
per the design mix the percentage passing a #4 sieve is 50% of alls the quantity of
aggregates, the allowable percentage of dune sand will be 7.5%, it could also reach ½ of
this proportion or 4%.
64. When you are establishing gradation, What is your target?
Ans. To meet the gradation requirement of the specification and yield a mix design to
the criteria of the design method. The gradation should be made up to the most
economical proportion of aggregates, to be found.
65. What is fineness modulus and how to determine it?
Ans. It is a numerical number, which outlines the grain size of the material by fineness point of
view. It is determined through sieve analysis by adding total percentage retained material
on sieve size of ¾, 3/8, #4, #8, #16, #30, #50, #100 and dividing the sum by 100. F.M
3.58 IIS coarser than the 1.63 . limit is 2.3 - 3.1
66. In sand equivalent test why the heavy particles goes down, state the reason?
Ans. Those particles whose specific gravity is heavier that water will go down and those
particles whose specific gravity is lighter than water will be in the upper portion due to
sedimentation process.
67. What is the uniformity coefficient and effective grain size?
Ans. Uniformity coefficient is the ration of the diameter corresponding to the percent finer (P
= 60%) and the effective grain size.
Effective grain size is the diameter of particles corresponding to percent finer ( p =

on the grain size curve. U.C = Diameter at 60%

Diameter at 10%

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68. Flakiness Index:
It is the percentage by weight of aggregate particles whose least dimension - thickness is less than
3/5th (0.6) of their mean dimensions. This is applicable to size larger than 6.3MM.
69. Elongation Index:
It is the percentage by weight of particles whose greatest dimensions or length is greater than the 1
and 4/5th or 1.8 times than their mean dimensions. The elongation index applicable for sizes larger
tan 6.3MM.
70. Aggregate crushing value:
The strength of course aggregate may be assessed by aggregate crushing test. The aggregate
crushing value provides a relative measure of resistance to crushing under gradually applied
compressive load. To achieve a high quality pavement aggregate possession high resistance to
crushing or low aggregate crushing value are preferred.

71. Workability
The consistence of a concrete mix must be such that the concrete can be transported, placed
and finished sufficiently easily and with out
72. Sand Equivalent:
This test is intended to serve as rapid field test to show the relative proportion of fine dust
or clay like material in soils or graded aggregate.
73. Describe a batching plant, for asphalt concrete, main features, What shall be the accuracy of
the scales.
74. Testing procedure for cubes & Calculation of cube compressive strength
75. Calculation of split tensile & flexural strength
When load 280 KN, dia. = 150 mm, length =300 mm
76. Explain on which specimens is measured the tensile strength of concrete, where the failure
takes place and the expected value compared with the compressive strength of cubes taken
from the same mix.
77. What is the difference between cube & cylinder strength .Describe the test method.
78. Sketch out Asphalt & crusher plants.
79. What type of hammers are used at Crusher plants.
80. Write tests for cement, steel & aggregates What would be maximum depth of a structure you
can cast at a time:
81 Describe =
1. Sampling frequency of aggregates & sampling methods
2. What is the rate of loading of Compressive Strength Machine?
3. How do you calibrate Cube Mould?
4. What is:
(a) Bleeding and Laitance
(b) Setting time
(c) Setting time
81. Explain Pre tensioning and post tensioning
82. What are the tests on Fresh and hardened Concrete?
83. What is the curing time of concrete?
84. Why do you use Micro Silica in Concrete?

85. How do you sample:

(a) Concrete
(b) Kerbstone
(c) Steel
(d) Paving Tiles
(e) Cement
(f) Aggregate

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 (g) HMA
(h) Cubes
(i) Core test
86. What is the creep and Humidity effect on concrete
87. What is Yield Strength?
88. Explain water penetration test
89. Signification of sulphate & chloride content
90. What is the rate of loading of Compressive Strength Machine?

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