ABSTRACT
Mix design is the process of selecting the proportions of cement, water, fine and coarse aggregates and, if they are to be used, additions and admixtures to produce an economic concrete mix with the required fresh and hardened properties. It is often, perhaps justifiably, referred to as ‘mix proportioning’. The cement and other binder constituents are usually the most expensive component(s), and ‘economic’ usually means keeping its/their content as low as possible, without, of course, compromising the resulting properties. There may be other advantages, such as reduced heat of hydration (Chapter 18), drying shrinkage or creep (Chapter 20).
