CONCRETE TECHNOLOGY

Workability of Concrete
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Workability of Concrete:
A Concrete is said to be workable if it is easily transported, placed, compacted and finished without any
segregation or bleeding and placed without any loss of homogeneity, and a concrete is a mixture of cement,
aggregate, water and admixture.

Workability and strength of concrete is inversely proportional. When workability of normal concrete increases,
the strength of concrete decreases which effect the durability of concrete.

Factor which effect the workability:

Cement content of concrete

Water content of concrete
Size & Shape of aggregate
Grading of aggregate
Surface texture of aggregate
Use of admixture
Use of supplementary cementitious material

Cement content of concrete :-

Cement content affects the workability of concrete is good measure. More cement content in
concrete means the more paste available to coat the surface of aggregates and fill the voids between
them. This will help the reduce of friction between aggregates and smooth movement between
aggregates during mixing, transporting, placing and compacting. Also, for given water cement ratio,
the increase in the cement content also increases the water content per unit volume of concrete. So,
the increase the cement content of concrete also increases the workability of concrete.
There is also effect the type of cement or characteristics of cement which used in concrete. The
cement with increases in fineness will require more water for same workability than the comparatively
less fine cement. The water demand increased for cement with high Al2O3 or C2S.

Water content or water cement ratio :-

Water/cement ratio is one of the most important factors affecting in the workability of concrete.
Generally, water/cement ratio of 0.45 to 0.60 is used for good workable concrete without uses of any
admixture. Higher the water/cement ratio, higher will be the water content and concrete will be more
workable.
Higher water/cement ratio is generally used for manual concrete mixing to mix the mixing process
easier. For machine mixing water/cement ration can be reduced. For designed mix concrete, strength
of the concrete is most importance. So the water/cement ratio is under mix design code, generally
designed mix concrete uses low water/cement ratio to achieve the desire strength & durability of
concrete.

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Size of aggregates :-
Surface area of aggregates depends on the size of aggregate. For a unit volume of aggregate with
large size, the surface area is less compared to same volume of aggregates with small sizes. When the
surface area increases, the requirement of cement content will also increases to cover up the entire
surface of aggregate with paste. This will make more use of water to lubricate each aggregate. Hence,
lower size of aggregates with same water content is more workable than the larger sizes of aggregates.

Shape of aggregates :-
The shape of aggregates affects the workability of concrete. Rounded aggregates are easy to mix
than elongated, angular, flaky aggregates due to less frictional resistance. Other than that the rounded
aggregates are also less surface area compared to elongated or angular aggregates. This will make less
requirement of water for same workability of concrete. This is why the river sand is commonly
preferred for concrete as they are rounded in shape.

Grading of aggregates :-
Grading of aggregates having the maximum affect on workability of concrete. Well graded
aggregates have all size in require percentage. This helps the reducing the voids in a given volume of
aggregates. The less volume of voids makes the cement paste available for aggregates surfaces to
provide better lubricating to the aggregates.

Surface Texture of aggregates :-

Surface texture of aggregates such as rough surface and smooth surface affects the workability of
concrete in the same way as the shape of aggregates. For the rough surface of aggregates, the surface
area is more than the smooth surface area of aggregates at the same volume of aggregates. So, the
smooth texture of aggregates is more workable.

Use of admixture in concrete :-

There are many types of admixture used in concrete to enhancing its properties. Some workability
enhancer admixture such as plasticizer or super plasticizers which increases the workability of concrete
even low water/cement ratio. They are water reducing admixture. They reduced the water content
require for same value of slump. Some Air entraining concrete admixture is used to reduce the voids
between the aggregates by creating small air bubbles which act as the ball bearing between the
aggregates particles.

By using the Supplementary cementitious materials :-

Supplementary cementitious materials are those which are used with cement to modify the
properties the concrete. Fly ash, slag cement, fibers, silica fume are used as supplementary materials.
The uses of Fly ash improve the workability of concrete by reducing the water content required for
same value of slump. The uses of steel or synthetic fibers in concrete reduce the workability of
concrete as it makes the movement of aggregates harder by reducing the lubricating effect of cement
paste. The workability of concrete is also reduced and increase based on the percentage of quantity
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used. Improves workability when used at low replacement rates, but reduce workability when used
high rates. Silica fume are used by pumping aid as 2% - 3% by mass of cement. Slag cement also used
for improves workability.

TEST FOR WORKABILITY OF CONCRTE:

Workability of concrete mixtures is measured by

a) Slump Test
b) Compacting factor Test
c) Vee-bee consist meter Test

Slump Test:
The slump test is most well known and widely used test method to characterize the workability of fresh
concrete all over the world. The inexpensive test, which measures consistency, is used on job site to
determine rapidly whether the concrete batch should be accepted or rejected.

Equipment required for concrete slump test: The test is carried out using a metal mould in the shape of
a conical frustum known as a slump cone. It is open at both ends and has attached handles. The tool has an
internal diameter of 100 mm at the top and 200 mm at the bottom with a height of 300 mm. The cone is
placed on a hard non-absorbent base plate. A temping rod shall be rounded hemispherical tip straight steel
rod, 16 mm diameter and 600 mm long. (Ref. IS: 7320 1974)

Procedure -

1. Clean the internal surface of the mould and applied with a light coat of oil.
2. The mould is placed on a smooth, horizontal, rigid and non absorbent base plate.
3. The mould is then filled with freshly mixed concrete in three layers.
4. Each layer is temped 25 times by the temping rod (strokes are distributed evenly over the cross section).
5. After the top layer is temped, the concrete is struck off the level with a trowel
6. Then the mould is removed immediately from the concrete by rising slowly in the vertical direction.
7. The difference in level between the height of the mould and that of the highest point of the subsided
concrete is measured.
8. The difference in height in mm is the slump of concrete.

Result
When the slump test is carried out, following are the shape of the concrete slump that can be observed

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Fig- 1: Types of Concrete Slump Test Results

True Slump True slump is that slump that can be measured in the test. The measurement is
taken between the top of the cone and the top of the concrete after the mould removed as shown
in fig 1.
Zero Slump Is zero slump the result of very low water/cement ratio mix or which results in dry
mixes. This type of concrete generally used in highway construction.
Collapsed Slump This is the result of high water/cement ratio, or wet concrete mix or high
workability mix, for which the flow test is more appropriate.
Shear Slump The shear slump indicates the result is incomplete, concrete sample should be
retest.

Factor affecting which influence the concrete slump test

1. Air content in concrete

2. Admixtures dosage, type, interaction, sequence of addition and its effectiveness
3. Concrete batching, mixing and transporting method
4. Aggregates properties, fineness, particle size distribution, moisture content, combined gradation, size,
shape, temperature of cementitious materials etc.
5. W/C ratio
6. Temperature of the concrete
7. Mixing time of concrete.

Compacting Factor Test:

The compacting factor defined as the ratio of the weight partially compacted concrete to the weight
of fully compacted concrete. It shall normally be stated to the nearest second decimal place. The test
is generally designed for laboratory purpose and where the nominal maximum size of the aggregate
does not exceed 38 mm. It is more sensitive than slump test and particularly useful for very low
workability as are normally when concrete is to be compacted by vibration or concrete may

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consistently fail to slump.

This test works on the principle of determining the degree of compaction achieved by a standard
apparatus (As per IS: 1199 1959) through a standard height.

Container Top diameter in Bottom diameter Height in mm

mm in mm
Upper hopper 254 127 279

Lower hopper 229 127 229

Cylinder 152 152 305

Distance between bottom of upper hopper and top of lower hopper is 203 mm.
Distance between bottom of lower hopper and top of cylinder is 203 mm.
The apparatus shall also include two ordinary bricklayers trowel, and hand scoop about 152mm long, a steel
rod of 16mm diameter and 610mm long rounded end.

Procedure

1. Clean the internal surface of the mould and applied with a light coat of oil.
2. Place the concrete sample gently to the upper hopper using hand scoop and level it and cover the
cylinder
3. Open the trap door at the bottom of the upper hopper so that concrete fall in to the lower hopper
4. Open the trap door of the lower hopper and allow the concrete to fall in to the cylinder below.
5. Measures the weight of the cylinder filled with the concrete (partially compacted) and then empties
this.
6. Again fill the cylinder with the same sample of the concrete, and this time, do the compaction by
mechanical vibrator to do compaction.
7. Now, measure the weight of the fully compacted concrete.

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Calculations
Weight of the empty cylinder = W1
Weight of the cylinder with partially compacted concrete = W2
Weight of the cylinder with fully compacted concrete = W3
So, compaction factor = (W2 W1) / (W3 W1)

Vee-Bee Consistometer Test:

This clause deals with the determination of consistency of concrete using a Vee-Bee consistometer,
which determines the time required for transforming, by vibration, a concrete specimen in the shape
of a conical frustum into a cylinder.

Fig: Vee-Bee apparatus

Apparatus - The Vee-Bee consistometer consist of (As per IS: 1199 1959)

i) A vibrator table (380mmx260mm) resting upon elastic supports

ii) A metal pot
iii) Slump cone without foot rests
iv) Swivel arm with hopper
v) Contact plastic disc with graduated rod

Procedure

A conventional slump test is carried out, placing the slump cone inside the cylindrical path of the
consistometer.
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Move the glass disc attached to the swivel arm and place it just on the top of the slump cone in the
cylindrical container. Adjust the glass disc so as to touch the top of the concrete cone, and note down
the initial reading on the graduated rod.
Remove the cone from the concrete immediately by raising it slowly and carefully in the vertical
direction. Lower the transparent disc on the top of concrete, note down the reading on the graduated
rod.
Determine the slump by taking the difference between the readings on the graduated rod.
Switch on the electrical vibrator and stop watch. Allow the concrete to remolds by spreading out
cylindrical container. This process will continue until the concrete is completely remolded.
Note down the time required for complete remolded which measures the workability expressed as
number of vee-bee seconds.

Calculation-
Initial reading on the graduated rod (1)
Final reading on the graduated rod (2)
Slump = (2-1) in mm
Time for complete remolding in seconds.
Table For Consistency Scale (As per IS: 1199 1959)
Consistency Number of Vee-Bee degrees

Moist earth 40 to 25-20

Very dry 20 to 15-10

Dry 10 to 7-5

Plastic 5 to 4-3

Semi fluid 3 to 2-1

Fluid More fluid than 1

Comparison of Slump Test, Compacting Factor Test, Vee-Bee Test:

Degree of Slump (mm) Compacting factor Vee-Bee Placing conditions
workability (seconds)
Very Low 0 25 0.75 0.80 10 20 Concreting of
shallow section
with vibration
such as roads

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Low 25 50 0.80 0.85 5 10 Concreting of

lightly reinforced
section with
vibration
Medium 50 75 0.85 0.92 25 Heavily reinforced
section with
vibration;
manually
compacted
normal reinforced
concrete;
manually
compacted flat
slab

High 75 175 Above 0.92 02 Concreting of

heavily reinforced
section without
vibration

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