The problem is over time it continues to hydrate making it more and more brittle. This process can take over 100 years to become a real strength issue with proper ratios used in the original mix. Excessive cement can accelerate the process where failure is in a hand full of years compared to proper ratios.

What ratio is a strong concrete mix?

Strong Concrete Mix Ratio
In making concrete strong, these ingredients should usually be mixed in a ratio of 1:2:3:0.5 to achieve maximum strength. That is 1 part cement, 2 parts sand, 3 parts gravel, and 0.5 part water.

What is the disadvantage of too high a water to cement ratio What is the disadvantage of too low a water to cement ratio?





As the W/C ratio increases, strength of concrete would reduce and so the durability properties. low water to cement ratio leads to serious problems in hardened concrete. When water to cement ratio is low in a fresh mix, then less water is available for the hydration of cement.

What happens if cement is more in concrete?

Putting too much cement in concrete can result in several disadvantages. If too much is added to the mix, the concrete’s workability will suffer, and some of the aggregates won’t properly bond to the cement. If too much is used versus the aggregate, the final product’s structural integrity will likely decrease.

Does more cement make mix stronger?

To make the concrete stronger, add more cement or less sand. The closer you bring the ratio to an even one-to-one of sand to cement, the stronger the rating becomes.

What determines the strength of concrete?

Concrete strength is affected by many factors, such as quality of raw materials, water/cement ratio, coarse/fine aggregate ratio, age of concrete, compaction of concrete, temperature, relative humidity and curing of concrete.

How do you make high strength concrete?





Methods for Production of High-Strength Concrete

  1. Use of Admixture. …
  2. Re-Vibration. …
  3. High-speed Slurry Mixing. …
  4. Inhibition or Prevention of Cracks. …
  5. Sulfur Filling or Impregnation. …
  6. Use of Cementitious Aggregates. …
  7. Seeding.

What is the effect of water-cement ratio on strength and durability of concrete explain?

The water–cement ratio is the ratio of the weight of water to the weight of cement used in a concrete mix. A lower ratio leads to higher strength and durability, but may make the mix difficult to work with and form. Work-ability can be resolved with the use of plasticizers or super-plasticizers.

What happens if concrete mix has too much water?

When concrete is too wet it dries weaker, overly porous and prone to cracking. Excess water will evaporate and escape the hardened concrete which causes cracks and eventual breakage. You can if your concrete is too wet using the slump test.

How does the ratio of sand to cement affect the strength of concrete explain in details?



Increasing the Strength
The closer you bring the ratio to an even one-to-one ratio of sand to cement, the stronger you will make the concrete. On the other hand, if you push the ratio in the other direction you will get a product that has slightly less strength.

Can concrete be too strong?

The paper, “202 Observations On Concrete That Is Too-Quickly-Strong,” cites cases where concrete cracked because it was too strong from too much cement and 66 investigations that related durability problems to cement hydrating too rapidly because of high values of fineness, C3S, C3A, and/or alkalies.

Can you over mix concrete?

Longer periods of time can cause premature gelation of the cement, which leads to problems with consistency and workability. You should begin mixing your concrete and let it sit for at least 5 minutes before continuing with the rest of your recipe. Generally speaking, yes, you can overmix concrete.

What is stronger cement or concrete?



Is cement stronger than concrete? Cement is not stronger than concrete. On its own, in fact, cement is prone to cracking. When combined with aggregate materials and water and allowed to harden, however, cement—now concrete—is extraordinarily strong.

What are the two most important factors affecting strength of concrete?

Factors that Affect the Strength of Concrete

  • Water/Cement Ratio. The ratio of the weight of water to the weight of cement is called Water/Cement ratio. …
  • Compaction of Concrete. …
  • Ingredients of Concrete. …
  • Curing of Concrete. …
  • The Shape of Aggregate. …
  • Maximum Size of Aggregates. …
  • Grading of Aggregate. …
  • Weather Condition.

Why is strength important in concrete?

Compressive strength is one of the most important properties of concrete and mortar. The strength of the binder (cement) therefore has a significant effect on the performance characteristics of the mixture and ensures the overall quality of the finished product.

What are its limitations and effects on strength of concrete?

Limitations of concrete
Relatively low tensile strength when compared to other building materials. Low ductability. Low strength-to-weight ratio. It is susceptible to cracking.

What are the disadvantages of high strength concrete?



Abstract. Ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) has superior mechanical properties and durability to normal strength concrete. However, the high amount of cement, high environmental impact, and initial cost are regarded as disadvantages, restricting its wider application.

What are the advantages of using high early strength concrete?

For ready mixed concrete, the advantages of early and high strength concrete are:

  • Faster construction time.
  • Development of most cost-efficient mix designs.
  • Lower concrete consumption (when thinner elements can be designed)
  • Improved site capacity by increasing formwork rotation.
  • Improved service life of structure.

What are challenges or limitations to using concrete?

Limitations of Concrete or Disadvantages of Concrete | 8 Reasons

  • Concrete is Quasi-brittle Material. …
  • Low Tensile Strength. …
  • Concrete has Low Toughness. …
  • Concrete has Low specific strength. …
  • Formwork is Required. …
  • Long curing time. …
  • Working with cracks. …
  • Demands Strict Quality Control.


What are the effects of bad mixing and placing of concrete?

High mixture temperatures also affect important properties of the hardened concrete such as decreased ultimate strength, increased tendency for moisture and thermal shrinkage cracks, decreased material durability, and decreased uniformity of surface appearance (Samarai et al. 1983; Schindler and McCullough 2002).

What makes concrete bad?

Concrete causes up to 8% of global CO2 emissions; if it were a country it would be the world’s worst culprit after the US and China. It fills our rubbish dumps, overheats our cities, causes floods that kills thousands of people – and fundamentally changes our relationship to the planet.