Concrete mix design and testing, aggregates, and asphalt mixtures.
NCEES lists these Materials topics for the FE Civil: mix design of concrete and asphalt; test methods and specifications for steel, concrete, aggregates, asphalt and wood; physical and mechanical properties of steel, concrete, aggregates, asphalt and wood. On Newton’s Notes this area spans 2 chapters: this one and Material Properties and Processing. Steel properties are in Material Properties and Processing.
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The absolute-volume method fills 1 m³ of concrete with the volumes of its parts: cement + water + air + coarse aggregate + fine aggregate = 1 m³.
A concrete mix uses 180 kg/m³ of water, w/c = 0.45 and 5% entrained air. Cement has a specific gravity of 3.15. The coarse aggregate content is 1,050 kg/m³ (bulk SG 2.68), and the fine aggregate has a bulk SG of 2.64. By the absolute-volume method, what mass of fine aggregate is needed per m³?
Cement = 180/0.45 = 400 kg → 400/3,150 = 0.1270 m³. Water = 0.1800 m³. Air = 0.0500 m³. Coarse = 1,050/2,680 = 0.3918 m³. Fine aggregate volume = 1 − 0.1270 − 0.1800 − 0.0500 − 0.3918 = 0.2512 m³. Mass = 0.2512(2,640) = 663 kg.
Common trap: (B) Ignores the 5% entrained air.
Concrete Mix DesignWater-Cement RatioAbsolute VolumeMoisture CorrectionThat was 1 of 4 problems in this section. The full course has the lesson, a worked example and every problem. Start your 3-day free trial →
Compressive strength f′c = P/A from a standard cylinder tested at 28 days.
A 150 mm diameter cylinder fails at 400 kN. What is the compressive strength?
A = π(150)²/4 = 17,671 mm². f′c = P/A = 400,000/17,671 = 22.6 MPa.
Common trap: (B) Treats the cross-section as a 150 mm square.
Concrete StrengthModulus of ElasticitySlump TestThat was 1 of 4 problems in this section. The full course has the lesson, a worked example and every problem. Start your 3-day free trial →
In a sieve analysis, the percent retained on each sieve is mass retained/total mass, the cumulative percent retained adds them, and percent passing = 100 − cumulative retained.
A 1,000 g sample is sieved. Cumulative percent retained is 5, 20, 40, 60, 80 and 98 on the six standard sieves. What is the fineness modulus?
FM = (5 + 20 + 40 + 60 + 80 + 98)/100 = 303/100 = 3.03.
Common trap: (B) Leaves out the division by 100.
Sieve AnalysisFineness ModulusSpecific GravityMoisture ContentThat was 1 of 4 problems in this section. The full course has the lesson, a worked example and every problem. Start your 3-day free trial →
Binder content Pb = binder mass/total mix mass × 100, and aggregate content Ps = 100 − Pb.
A compacted asphalt specimen weighs 1,200.0 g dry in air, 1,206.5 g saturated-surface-dry and 694.0 g in water. The mix's theoretical maximum specific gravity is 2.452. What are the specimen's air voids?
Gmb = 1,200.0/(1,206.5 − 694.0) = 1,200.0/512.5 = 2.3415. Va = (1 − 2.3415/2.452) × 100 = 4.51%.
Common trap: (B) Computes Gmb as A/(A − C), which ignores the water in the surface pores.
Asphalt Mix DesignAir VoidsVMAVFAThat was 1 of 4 problems in this section. The full course has the lesson, a worked example and every problem. Start your 3-day free trial →
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