M40 Grade Concrete Mix Design as per

ACI Method
M40 grade stands for it’s a mix of concrete with a characteristic compressive
strength of 40 N/mm2. The mix design procedure for M40 grade concrete as per
ACI Method is discussed.

M40 Grade Concrete Mix Design Procedure

1. Required Data

 Grade of concrete = M40

 Specific gravity of cement = 3.15
 Specific gravity of Fine aggregate = 2.65
 Specific gravity of coarse aggregate = 2.7
 Bulk density of coarse aggregate = 1600kg/m3
 Fineness modulus of fine aggregate = 3.0
 Maximum size of aggregate = 25mm
 Degree of super vision = Very good
 Non-Air entrained concrete type

2. Mean Design Strength

For very good degree of super vision standard deviation value for required
grade of concrete is as follows.
 Standard deviation for different degree of supervisions (N/mm2)
Grade of concrete
Very Good Good Fair
 M10 2.0 2.3 3.3

M15 2.5 3.5 4.5

M20 3.6 4.6 5.6

M25 4.3 5.3 6.3

M30 5.0 6.0 7.0

M35 5.3 6.3 7.3

M40 5.6 6.6 7.6

M45 6.0 7.0 8.0

M50 6.4 7.4 8.4

M55 6.7 7.7 8.7

M60 6.8 7.8 8.8

Therefore, from the above table, s =5.6

Mean design strength fm = fmin + K.S

= 40 + (1.65×5.6) = 49.24N/mm2.

3. Water-Cement Ratio

Effective water cement ration for the design strength of 49.24mpa is not in the
below table. So, consider minimum water cement ratio and that is 0.38.

Effective water cement ratio

Mean design strength after 28 days (MPa)
Air entrained concrete Non-air entrained concrete
 15 0.71 0.8

20 0.61 0.7

25 0.53 0.62

30 0.46 0.55

35 0.40 0.48

40 – 0.43

45 – 0.38

4. Water Content and Air Content

For the slump of 35mm and 25mm maximum size of aggregate, water and air
contents are selected from the following table and they are

Water content = 180 kg/m3

Air content = 1.5%

Water content, kg/m3 of concrete for max size of aggregate

Slump/air content
10mm 12.5mm 20mm 25mm 40mm 50mm 70mm 150mm

30-50mm 205 200 185 180 160 155 145 125

80-100mm 225 215 200 195 175 170 160 140

150-180mm 240 230 210 205 185 180 170 –

Air content % 3 2.5 2 1.5 1 1 0.3 0.2

5. Cement Content

Cement content is calculated from the water cement ratio.

W/C = 0.38

180/C =0.38

Cement content C = 180/0.38 = 473kg per cu.m of concrete.

6. Coarse Aggregate Content

Fineness modulus of fine aggregate = 3.0

Bulk density of coarse aggregate =1600kg/m3

Maximum size of aggregate = 25mm

Therefore bulk volume of dry rodded coarse aggregate from below table = 0.65

Bulk volume of dry rodded coarse aggregate w.r.to fineness

Maximum size of aggregate modulus
(mm)
2.4 2.6 2.8 3.0

10 0.5 0.48 0.46 0.44

12.5 0.59 0.57 0.55 0.53

20 0.66 0.64 0.62 0.6

25 0.71 0.69 0.67 0.65

40 0.75 0.73 0.71 0.69

 50 0.78 0.76 0.74 0.72

70 0.82 0.80 0.78 0.76

150 0.87 0.85 0.83 0.81

Then, coarse aggregate weight = 0.65 x 1600 = 1039kg per cu.m of concrete.

7. Fine Aggregate

Fine aggregate quantity is decided by knowing the unit weight of fresh concrete
from below table.

Fresh concrete density for 25mm size aggregate = 2375kg/m3

Density of fresh concrete (kg/m3)

Maximum size of aggregate (mm)
Air entrained Non air-entrained

10 2190 2285

12.5 2235 2315

20 2280 2355

25 2315 2375

40 2355 2420

50 2375 2445

70 2400 2465

150 2435 2505

Approx. Air content =1.5%

Therefore, fine aggregate weight= 0.985(2375) – (180+473+1039) = 646kg
per cu.m of concrete

8. Final M40 Grade Concrete Mix Proportion

Water – Cement ratio = 0.38

Water content = 180kg

Cement weight = 473kg

Sand weight (fine aggregate) = 645kg

Coarse aggregate weight = 1039kg

Final mix proportion = cement : sand : C.A = 474 : 646 : 1040 = 1 : 1.3 : 2.1