Title: Performance-Based Proportioning

Author(s): Peter Taylor, Ezgi Yurdakul, and Marcia Brink

Publication: Concrete International

Volume: 37

Issue: 8

Appears on pages(s): 41-46

Keywords: aggregate, cement, paste, strength

Date: 8/1/2015

Abstract:
Many concrete mixtures are proportioned based on standard, previously used “recipes,” and/or on prescriptive specifications that define limits on the type, amount, and proportions of mixture components. Costs and environmental impacts may therefore be suboptimal. Performance-based specifications allow the development of mixtures that have been adjusted for local materials and that meet specific owner and contractor requirements. A recently developed performance-based mixture proportioning method is described. The method includes evaluation and selection of the paste and aggregate systems as well as analysis of interactions between the two systems. An Excel® spreadsheet tool is available to help users apply the method.