The Concrete Mixture’s Impact on the

Constructability of a Concrete Structure

Joseph A. Daczko, FACI

BASF Construction Chemicals

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 OUTLINE
• Constructability
• Demands on a concrete mixture
• Relating construction practices to concrete properties
• Example
– How durability requirements impact concrete fresh properties
– Fresh properties and constructability
• Conclusions

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 Definition
Constructability—The effective and timely integration
of concrete construction knowledge into the conceptual
planning, design, construction, and field operations of a
project to achieve the overall project objectives in the
best possible time, with the highest safety, and at the
most cost-effective level of quality.
“Defining Concrete Constructability; A proposal for consideration and action”
by Larry G. Karlson, Eamonn F. Connolly, Christopher M. Garcia, and Bruce A.
Suprenant – Concrete International, October, 2018

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 The Concrete Mixture
• The performance targets of concrete mixtures depend on who
you are talking to.
– Owner How long will it last? When can I open?
Cumulative

– Architect How does it look?

– Engineer Is it strong enough? Durable enough?
– Contractor Can I place it? Can I finish it?
– Concrete Producer Can I make it economically and efficiently?

• Critical Concept
Performance Concrete Mixture
Desires Properties Proportions
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 Construction Practices and Concrete Properties
Placing Consolidating Screeding Floating Edging Final Form Continuing
Finishability Removal Construction

Slump X X X X

Stickiness
X X X X X X
(viscosity)
Bleed X X X

Slump Loss/
X X X X X
Stiffening

Setting X X

Strength
X X
Development

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 Example Scenario
Impact on Consolidation

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Project Example – Power Plant on the Coast

Minimum 28 Day
Use Class Exposure
Strength (psi)

Cooling Tower - All -

Foundations/footings, slabs,
I-B F2, S2, P1, C2 5000
walls, risers, columns, upper
and lower shell

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Project Example – Power Plant on the Coast
Exposure Condition Mixture proportioning Impact

Concrete exposed to
freezing and thawing cycles 1) Air entrainment - spec called for 6%
F0-F3 F2
with frequent exposure to +/- 1.5%. 2) Max w/cm = 0.45
water
1) Max w/cm ratio = 0.45. 2) Air = 6% +/- 1.5%
Water soluble sulfate in soil
Limitations on cement type. 3)
S0-S3 S2 (% by mass) 0.20<SO42-
Possible use of other SCMs or blended w/cm = 0.40
<2.00
cements.
Cement Type
Dissolved sulfate in water
(ppm) 1500<SO42-<10000
1) Max w/cm ratio = 0.45
SCM’s
P0-P1 P1
Concrete required to have
1) Max w/cm = 0.50
CI Admixture
low permeability to water

Concrete exposed to 1) Max w/cm ratio = 0.40. 2) Max

moisture and an external water-soluble chloride ion content in
source of chlorides from concrete (% by wt of cement) = 0.15.
C0-C2 C2
deicing chemicals, salt, 3) Possible use of silica fume. 4)
brackish water, seawater, or Possible use of other SCM's. 5)
spray from these sources Possible use of Calcium Nitrite CI.

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 Project Example – Power Plant on the Coast
Air = 6% +/- 1.5% Minimum cementitious content 650 lb/yd3 (385 kg/m3)
w/cm = 0.40
Maximum w/cm ratio 0.45
Cement Type
SCM’s Ratio of fine to total aggregates 0.50
CI Admixture
lb/yd3 kg/m3
30 year service life Cement Factor 650 385
w/cm = 0.35
Coarse Aggregate 1600 940
Fine Aggregate 1500 890
Water 230 135
Air Content 6% 6%

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 Project Example – Power Plant on the Coast
• Concrete slump – As low as possible without sacrificing workability

• 3.10.13 Consolidate placed concrete with mechanical vibrating equipment according

to ACI 301-05.

• 3.10.14 Do not use vibrators to transport concrete inside forms. Insert and withdraw
vibrators vertically at uniformly spaced locations to rapidly penetrate placed layer
and at least 6 inches into preceding layer. Do not insert vibrators into lower layers of
concrete that have begun to lose plasticity. At each insertion, limit duration of
vibration to time necessary to consolidate concrete and complete embedment of
reinforcement and other embedded items without causing mixture constituents to
segregate.
How Long? How do you know?
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Slump Impact on Consolidation

Same Concrete Batch

1.5” 7.5”
No HRWR HRWR
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 Evaluation
1 2 3 4
Cement content 650 650 700 700
w/cm ratio 0.35 0.40 0.35 0.40
Water content 228 260 245 280
CNI admixture 6 6 6 6

Measurements
• Workability
• Workability Retention
• Stickiness/Viscosity

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 Results

Slump Loss Regionality of Materials

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Stickiness/Viscosity

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Cement – 650 (385) Cement – 650 (385) Cement – 700 (415)
w/cm - 0.35 w/cm – 0.40 w/cm - 0.40
Water – 228 (135) Water – 260 (154) Water – 280 (166)
Viscosity - 171 Viscosity - 31 Viscosity - 17

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 • Specifications tend to take us
Conclusions from hardened performance
high Water Content low desires directly to mixture
proportioning.

low
high

High consolidation
effort • Most construction practices
are impacted by more than
Moderate
consolidation
one concrete property.

Slump
effort
Yield Stress

Lower • There are levers that can be

consolidation
effort
used to adjust fresh
properties; proportioning
high
and/or admixtures
low

• Hardened properties impact

low Plastic Viscosity high proportions which limit fresh
properties thereby impacting
Consolidation Effort construction practices

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