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Workability of Concrete

Workability refers to the ability of fresh concrete to fill forms without compromising quality, influenced by factors such as water content, aggregate characteristics, and the use of admixtures. Measurement methods for workability include the slump test, compacting factor test, flow test, and Vee Bee consistometer test. Issues like segregation and bleeding can affect workability, and proper mix design and conditions can mitigate these problems.

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2 views

Workability of Concrete

Workability refers to the ability of fresh concrete to fill forms without compromising quality, influenced by factors such as water content, aggregate characteristics, and the use of admixtures. Measurement methods for workability include the slump test, compacting factor test, flow test, and Vee Bee consistometer test. Issues like segregation and bleeding can affect workability, and proper mix design and conditions can mitigate these problems.

Uploaded by

ebraheem95020
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Fresh Concrete: Workability

Workability
Workability is the ability of a fresh (plastic)
concrete mix to fill the form/mould properly
with the desired work (vibration) and without
reducing the concrete's quality.

Concrete is said to be workable


when it is easily placed and
compacted homogeneously i.e.
without bleeding or Segregation.
Workability
Workability depends on water
content, aggregate(shape and size
distribution), cementitious
content
and age (level of hydration)
and can
be modified by adding
chemical
admixtures, like
superplasticizer
Factors Affecting Workability
1. Water
Content
2. Mix Proportions

3. Size of Aggregates
4. Shape of Aggregates
5. Surface Texture of Aggregate

6. Grading of Aggregate
7. Use of Admixtures.
Water content or Water Cement Ratio
More the water cement ratio more will be workability
of
concrete. Since by simply adding water the inter
particle lubrication is increased.
gh water content results in a higher fluidity and greater
orkability. Increased water content also results in bleeding.
nother effect of increased water content can also be that
ement slurry will escape through joints of formwork.
More water can be added, provided a
correspondingly higher
quantity of cement is also added to keep the
water/cement ratio constant, so that the strength
remains the same.
Mix Proportions
The higher the aggregate/cement ratio, less quantity
of paste is
available for providing lubrication, per unit surface
area of aggregate and hence the mobility of
On the other
aggregate hand, in case of rich concrete with
is restrained.
lower
aggregate/cement ratio, more paste is available to
make the
mix cohesive and fatty to give better workability.
Size of Aggregate & Surface Texture
The bigger the size of the aggregate, the less is the
surface area
and hence less amount of water is required for
wetting the surface and less matrix or paste is
required for lubricating the surface to reduce internal
reater size of Aggregate- less water is required to lubricate it
friction.
e extra water is available for workability.
rous aggregates require more water compared to non
sorbent aggregates for achieving same degree of workability
Shape of Aggregates
Angular, elongated or flaky aggregate makes the
concrete very
harsh when compared to rounded aggregates or
cubical shaped aggregates.
Contribution to better workability of rounded
aggregate will
come from the fact that for the given volume or
weight it will
have less surface area and less voids than angular or
Not
flakyonly that, being round in shape, the frictional
resistance
aggregate.is
also greatly reduced. This explains the reason why
river sand and gravel provide greater workability
to concrete than crushed sand and aggregate.
Grading of Aggregates
well graded aggregate is the one which has least amount of
ids in a given volume and higher the workability.
Other factors being constant, when the total voids
are less,
excess paste is available to give better lubricating
ith excess
effect. amount of paste, the mixture becomes cohesive
nd fatty which prevents segregation of particles.
Use of Admixtures
Chemical admixtures can be used to increase
workability.
e of air entraining agent produces air bubbles which acts as
sort of ball bearing between particles and increases mobility,
orkability and decreases bleeding, segregation.
he use of fine pozzolanic materials also have better
bricating effect and more workability.
Weather Conditions
temperature is high, evaporation increases, thus workability
creases.
wind is moving with greater velocity, the rate of evaporation
so increase reduces the amount of water and ultimately
ducing workability.
Measurement of Workability
It is discussed earlier that workability of concrete is a comp
property.
a) Slump Test
b) Compacting Factor Test
c) Flow Test
d) Vee Bee Consistometer Test.
Slump Test
Slump test is the most commonly used method of measur
consistency of concrete which can be employed either in
laboratory or at site of work.
 It is not a suitable method for very wet or very dry concre
 Additional information on workability and quality of concre
can be obtained by observing the manner in which concrete
slumps.
 Quality of concrete can also be further assessed by giving
few tappings or blows by tamping rod to the base plate.
 The deformation shows the characteristics of concrete wi
respect to tendency for segregation.
Slump Test
Slump Test
Slump Test
Compacting Factor Test
It is more precise and sensitive than the slump test and
particularly useful for concrete mixes of very low workability as a
normally used when concrete is to be compacted by vibration.

The compacting factor test has been developed at the Ro


Research Laboratory U.K.
 This test works on the principle of determining the degree of
compaction achieved by a standard amount of work done b
allowing the concrete to fall through a standard height.

 The degree of compaction, called the compacting factor is measu


by the density ratio i.e., the ratio of the density actually achieved
the test to density of same concrete fully compacted.
Compacting Factor Test
Compacting Factor Test
Flow Test
This is a laboratory test, which gives an indication of the
quality of concrete with respect to consistency, cohesivene
and the proneness to segregation.
The table top is cleaned of all gritty material and is wetted.
mould is kept on the centre of the table, firmly held and is
filled in two layers.
 Each layer is rodded 25 times with a tamping rod 1.6 cm
diameter and 61 cm long rounded at the lower tamping en
The mould is lifted vertically upward and the concrete stan
on its own without support.
Flow Test
The table is then raised and dropped 12.5 mm 15 times i
about 15 seconds. The diameter of the spread concrete is
measured in about 6 directions to the nearest 5 mm andt
average spread is noted.
Flow Test
Vee Bee Consistometer Test
This is a good laboratory test to measure indirectly the
workability of concrete.
This test consists of a vibrating table, a metal pot, a shee
metal cone, a standard iron rod.
 The time required for the shape of concrete to change fro
slump cone shape to cylindrical shape in seconds is known
Vee Bee Degree.
 This method is very suitable for very dry concrete whose
slump value cannot be measured by Slump Test, but the
vibration is too vigorous for concrete with a slump greate
than about 50 mm.
Vee Bee Consistometer Test
Segregation
Segregation can be defined as the separation of the constit
materials of concrete.
A good concrete is one in which all the ingredients are
properly distributed to make a homogeneous mixture.
There are considerable differences in the sizes and specifi
gravities of the constituent ingredients of concrete.
 Therefore, it is natural that the materials show a tendency
fall apart.
Segregation
 Badly proportioned mix where sufficient matrix is not there
bind and contain the aggregates
 Insufficiently mixed concrete with excess water content
Dropping of concrete from heights as in the case of placin
concrete in column concreting

 When concrete is discharged from a badly designed mixer


from a mixer with worn out blades
 Conveyance of concrete by conveyor belts, wheel barrow, l
distance haul by dumper, long lift by skip and hoist are the
other situations promoting segregation of concrete
Bleeding
 Bleeding is sometimes referred as water gain. It is a particu
form of segregation, in which some of the water from the
concrete comes out to the surface of the concrete, being
the lowest specific gravity among all the ingredients
concrete.

Bleeding is predominantly observed in a highly wet mix, ba


proportioned and insufficiently mixed concrete.
In thin members like roof slab or road slabs and whe
concrete is placed in sunny weather show excessive bleedin
Bleeding
Bleeding can be reduced by proper proportioning and unifo
and complete mixing.
 Use of finely divided pozzolanic materials reduces bleeding
creating a longer path for the water to traverse.
 Air-entraining agent is very effective in reducing the bleedi
 Bleeding can be reduced by the use of finer cement or cem
with low alkali content. Rich mixes are less susceptible to
bleeding than lean mixes.
Slump Loss
 If mix for too long, hydration products start to from -->
requires more water --> slump goes down when transpor
time and temperature increases
 Use of an abnormal setting cement

 unusual long time for mixing, transporting or finishing


 High T due to excessive heat of hydration.
Slump Loss

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