Q.

1 A ) Compaction of concrete

Compaction of concrete is one of the important site operations that together enable the fresh concrete to reach its
potential design strength, density and low permeability. Properly carried out it ensures that concrete fully surrounds and
protects the reinforcement, tendons and cast-in inserts. It also has a direct impact on achieving the specified surface
finish.

After concrete has been mixed, transported and placed, it contains entrapped air in the form of large voids. If this air is
not removed by proper compaction, the presence of these voids will:

- reduce the strength of the concrete

- increase the permeability and hence reduce the durability

- lead to blemishes on the surface, such as blowholes and honeycombing.

Most concrete is compacted by means of internal poker vibrators (see Plant & Equipment) that fluidise the concrete and
permit the entrapped air to rise to the surface. External vibrators bolted to the formwork are occasionally used for in
situ concrete though their main use is for precast concrete.

Slabs are best consolidated by vibrating beam compactors. These combine the action of a screed and a vibrator, but are
only effective for limited depths. Deeper slabs should be compacted with poker vibrators and finished with a vibrating
beam.

Q.1 B) Precast concrete

Precast concrete is a form of concrete that is prepared, cast and cured off-site, usually in a controlled factory
environment, using reusable moulds. Precast concrete elements can be joined to other elements to form a complete
structure. It is typically used for structural components such as; wall panels, beams, columns, floors, staircases, pipes,
tunnels, and so on.

Structural steel frames can provide an alternative for pre-fabricated structural components, but precast concrete can be
more economical and sometimes more practical. Many buildings now include a mixture of both construction techniques,
sometimes incorporating structural steelwork, in-situ concrete and precast concrete elements.

Advantages of using precast concrete include:

It is manufactured in a controlled environment where greater accuracy and better quality control are possible.

Reusable factory moulds mean it is economical to produce repetitive units.

There is generally less waste.

On-site assembly can be very fast and is generally weather independent, reducing site delays and ensuring the
construction programme can be maintained.

Precast concrete is very durable.

There are fewer local environmental impacts such as dust and noise pollution.

Q.1 C) Constituents of cement

Cement, in general, adhesive substances of all kinds, but, in a narrower sense, the binding materials used in building and
civil engineering construction.

COMPOSITION

Portland cement consists essentially of compounds of lime (calcium oxide, CaO) mixed with silica (silicon dioxide, SiO2)
and alumina (aluminum oxide, Al2O3). The lime is obtained from a calcareous (lime-containing) raw material, and the
other oxides are derived from an argillaceous (clayey) material. Additional raw materials such as silica sand, iron oxide
(Fe2O3), and bauxite—containing hydrated aluminum, Al(OH)3—may be used in smaller quantities to get the desired
composition.

Q.1 D) Workability of concrete

Workability is a property of raw or fresh concrete mixture. In simple words, workability means the ease of placement
and workable concrete means the concrete which can be placed and can be compacted easily without any segregation.

Workability is a vital property of concrete and related with compaction as well as strength. The desired workability is not
same for all types of concrete.

Types of Workability of Concrete

Workability of concrete can be classified into following three types:

Unworkable Concrete: An unworkable concrete also known as harsh concrete, is a concrete with a very little amount of
water. The hand mixing of such concrete is difficult. Such type of concrete has high segregation of aggregates. and it is
very difficult to maintain the homogeneity of concrete mix.

Medium Workable concrete: Medium workable concrete is used in most of the construction works. This concrete is
relatively easy to mix, transport, place, and compact without much segregation and loss of homogeneity.

Highly Workable Concrete: This type of concrete is very easy to mix, transport, place and compact. It is used where
effective compaction of concrete is not possible. The problem is that there are high chances of segregation and loss of
homogeneity in highly workable concrete.

Q.1 E) Curing of Concrete

Curing of Concrete is a method by which the concrete is protected against loss of moisture required for hydration and
kept within the recommended temperature range. Curing will increase the strength and decrease the permeability of
hardened concrete. Curing is also helps in mitigating thermal and plastic cracks, which can severely impact durability of
structures.

A curing practice involves keeping the concrete damp or moist until the hydration of concrete is complete and strength
is attained. Curing of concrete should begin soon after initial setting time of concrete or formwork/shuttering is
removed and must continue for a reasonable period of time as per the specified standards.
Why Curing of Concrete is Necessary?

Enhance Hydration of Concrete to achieve desired Strength

Improved durability of concrete by reducing cracks

Higher serviceability performance by increasing abrasion resistance

Improved microstructure by developing better hydrate gels and solid mass.

Methods to Cure Concrete

•water curing

-ponding

-sprinkling, fogging, mist curing

-wet covering

•membrane curing

-plastic sheeting

-formwork

•steam curing

Q.1 F) Grid floors

The floorwhich is resting on the beams running in two directions is known asgridfloor. In these types
offloor, a mesh or grid of beams running in both thedirections is the main structure, and theflooris of
nominal thickness. It is used tocover a largearea without obstruction of internal columns. They are
generallyemployed for architectural reasons for large rooms such as auditoriums, vestibules,theatre halls, show rooms
of shops where column free space is often the mainrequirement.An assembly of intersecting beams placed at regular
interval andinterconnected to a slab of nominal thickness is known as Grid floor or Waffle floor.These slabs are used to
cover a large column free area and therefore are good choicefor public assemblyhalls. The structure is monolithic in
nature and has more stiffness.It gives pleasing appearance. The maintenance cost of these floors is less.
However,construction of the grid slabs is cost prohibitive.

Q.1 G) Flat slab

Flat slab is a reinforced concrete slab supported directly by concrete columns without the use of beams. Flat
slab is defined as one sided or two-sided support system with sheer load of the slab being concentrated on the
supporting columns and a square slab called ‘drop panels’.

Drop panels play a significant role here as they augment the overall capacity and sturdiness of the flooring
system beneath the vertical loads thereby boosting cost effectiveness of the construction. Usually the height of
drop panels is about two times the height of slab.
 Flat Slabs are considered suitable for most of the construction and for asymmetrical column layouts like floors
with curved shapes and ramps etc.

Types of Flat Slab Construction

Following are the types of flab slab construction:

o Simple flat slab

o Flat slab with drop panels

o Flat slab with column heads

o Flat slab with both drop panels and column heads

Q.1 C) Types of cement

1. Rapid Hardening Portland Cement

2. Sulphate Resisting Cement

3. Low Heat Cement

4. Quick Setting Cement

5. Portland Pozzolana Cement

6. High Alumina Cement

7. Coloured Cement

8. White Ordinary Portland Cement

9. Air Entraining Cement

10. Hydrophobic Cement

 11. Ordinary Portland Cement

12. Expansive Cement

TYPES OF
COMPOSITION SITUATUIONS PURPOSES
CEMENT

13. Rapid RHPC manufactured by This type of cement is used 1. Road Pavement Works
Hardening combining lime stone where high strength is need 2. Precast concrete
Portland (finely grounded) and to be achieved in initial casting
Cement shale at high temperature stage quickly. (Beams, Colums etc)

14. Sulphate SRC is manufactured This type of cement is used 1. Pile foundation
Resisting with less than 5% where the concrete is direct 2. In Coastal area Works
Cement calcium aluminate to contact with soil (which has 3. Sewage and water
withstand Sulphate high sulphate content) treatment plants
attacks

15. Low Heat This type cement is This type of cement is used 1. Mass Construction
Cement produced by lowereing in mass constructions (like (Dams, Marine
the amount of tri- dams) and in high wear constructions)
calcium aluminate resistance required area 2. Hydraulic Engineering
(C3A) & di-calcium Concrete
silicate (C2S) 3. Retaining wall
construction

16. Quick This type of cement is As the name suggests, it is 1. In Underwater

Setting manufactured by used where the works needs Constructions
Cement reducing the amount of to be done quickly 2. In Cold and Rainy
gypsum and adding weather Conditions
small amount of
aluminium sulphate to
accelerate setting time of
cement

17. Portland PPC is manufactured by It gains high compressive 1. It is cheap and

Pozzolana adding pozzolanic strength with age unlike affordable
Cement materials such as fly ash, rapid hardening cement. It 2. Mainly used in building
shales, clays etc is cheap and affordable construction where
strength required with age
3. Water tightness

18. High HAC or CAC is This cement is used in Used in Sewage structures
Alumina produced from lime construction of refineries, and in acidic structures
Cement stone/Chalk and Bauxite factory or other workshop
type structure because HAC
is counter to high
temperature
TYPES OF
COMPOSITION SITUATUIONS PURPOSES
CEMENT

19. Coloured Coloured cement is As the name suggests, It is 1. Artificial Marble

Cement manufactured by mixing used where coloured 2. Floor finishing
colour pigments (5-10 % cements required for any
) with OPC aesthetic purpose

20. White WOPC is same as the WOPC used in white 1. Used as a base coat
Ordinary Ordinary Portland washing purpose for before painting
Portland Cement except the color aesthetic purpose 2. Used to cover the
Cement hairline cracks on concrete
surface to give smooth
finish

21. Air AEC produced by It is used to fillup the gap in Used in frost resistance
Entraining mixing small amount of concrete which are concrete (like said, frost
Cement air entraining agent produced by excessive also makes gap in concrete
amount of water during like water)
casting (later evaporated
and leave the gap)

22. Hydrophobic This type of cement is It is useful in wet climatic Useful when cement is
Cement manufactured by mixing conditions stored for longer duration
admixtures like in wet climatic conditions
petrolatum, napthalene
soap which forms layer
and act as water
repellent

23. Ordinary OPC is manufactured by Commonly used for all type Widely used in residential
Portland mixing limestone/chalk of construction works construction where special
Cement with shale/clay to form type of cement properties
clinker which is then is not required
finely crushed to form
grey color cement

24. Expansive Expansive Cement is As the name suggests, it 1. Used in repair works
Cement formed from the reaction expands and increases in (to create a bond with old
of tri calcium aluminate volume while settled. Used concrete surface)
(C3A) with Calcium to avoid the shrinkage of 2. Used in Hydraulic
Sulphate (C2SO4) concrete Structures