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Founded in 1904 and headquartered in Farmington Hills, Michigan, USA, the American Concrete Institute is a leading authority and resource worldwide for the development, dissemination, and adoption of its consensus-based standards, technical resources, educational programs, and proven expertise for individuals and organizations involved in concrete design, construction, and materials, who share a commitment to pursuing the best use of concrete.
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Home > Tools > Frequently Asked Questions
Question: The effect of changes in proportions of the fine and coarse aggregate or the quantity of cementi...
Question: How do the requirements of placing affect the selection of proportions of aggregates and cementi...
Question: How is the water-cementitious material ratio (w/cm) expressed?
Question: What water-cementitious material ratio should be used for a particular job when strength require...
Question: If the cementitious material paste is not sufficient in amount to float all of the aggregate par...
Question: What is a pozzolan?
Question: Definition of concrete, hydraulic cement, mortar, and grout
Question: Materials used to produce portland cement
Question: Benefits of using slag cement
Question: Pozzolans in mass concrete
Question: How does the relative amount of each ingredient used in concrete influence the properties of con...
Question: The effect of water-cementitious ratio on permeability and shrinkage
Question: What allowance should be made for strengths where air-entrained concrete is to be used?
Question: Material Requirements for Mass Concrete
Question: Using and handling pozzolans
Question: Importance of using pozzolans in hydraulic and environmental structures
Question: The effect of pozzolans on water demand
Question: What is a natural pozzolan?
Question: What are shrinkage-compensating expansive cement and concrete?
Question: Curling, shrinkage, and w/cm
Question: What is autogenous shrinkage?
Question: The difference between setting and hardening
Question: What is slag cement or ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBFS)
Question: What does a pozzolan do in the concrete?
Question: What are blended cements?
Question: The effect of maximum size of aggregate on concrete strength
Question: What is an admixture?
Question: Could a sulfate-resisting cement and slag cement be combined and used for concrete exposed to su...
Question: Mixture design and strength submittals
Question: Hardening of hydraulic cement
Question: Factors affecting time of setting
Question: Heat of hydration and the importance of controlling it
Question: Factors governing the strength of concrete
Question: The making of portland cement
Question: The purpose of calcium sulfate (gypsum)
Question: The effect of pozzolans on shrinkage
Question: How can it be determined that an admixture will serve its intended purpose?
Question: How is workability measured and specified?
Question: What is calcium-aluminate cement?
Question: Definition of setting time
Question: Measurement of setting time
Question: Factors affecting cement properties
Question: Definition of “hot cement”
Question: Are pozzolans all alike?
Question: Why is combined aggregate grading used?
Question: The effect of aggregate shape on concrete strength
Question: The effect of aggregate grading on concrete strength
Question: Do different admixtures of a given type always perform the same?
Question: The most important single factor affecting compressive strength
Question: Curing and curling of concrete slabs over vapor retarders
Question: How to Control Mass Concrete Temperature during Construction
Question: Using cube tests in lieu of cylinder tests
Question: What is mass concrete?
Question: Definition of portland cement
Question: Standard specifications for cements
Question: The earliest use of portland cement
Question: Effects of cement fineness on cement properties
Question: Unsoundness in portland cement
Question: Notable changes in modern portland cement properties
Question: Characteristics of cement that affect compressive strength
Question: Why is Type IV cement rarely produced and Type V cement rarely used?
Question: The effect of pozzolans on freezing and thawing resistance
Question: Commonly used accelerating admixture
Question: The ultimate objective in proportioning concrete
Question: Are the proportions of ingredients inter-related to produce concrete of a given workability?
Question: What consideration should be given to water that may be lost from concrete between the time it l...
Question: Is personal protection needed when handling concrete?
Question: Why is a plastic consistency usually desirable for placing concrete?
Question: What are the essential requirements of consistency?
Question: Consolidation of concrete—required or not?
Question: What is an expansive cement and what are the different types of expansive cement?
Question: How much does a bag of cement weigh?
Question: Joint deterioration mechanism and prevention
Question: Chloride concentration in soil and exposure classes
Question: How should the aggregates and other ingredients be measured to obtain uniformity in proportions?
Search other resources on the ACI website for answers to technical questions