Common Concrete Terms
What is Concrete:
Concrete, artificial building construction material made from a mixture of Portland Cement, water, fine and coarse particles, and a small amount of air. Concrete is the most widely used construction material in the world.
Common Concrete Terms:
 | Sack selection- the number of sacks of portland cement used to mix the concrete. |
| Strength of mix- the pounds per square inch measure in test lab, compressive strength. |
| Slump- this is the measure of stiffness of the mix, the sag in inches when in a pile. |
| Air content- the percent of air entrapped in the plastic concrete, to aid in freeze/thaw resistance. |
| Flyash content- the full sack mixes use no ash whereas the normal mixes will use a certain percentage for replacement of the cement. |
COMMON MIX DESIGNS
| Grout- a mix of cement, sand, and water to level an area or fill a small space. |
| 5 sack- a mixture used primarily under ground for footings with design strength of at least 3,000 PSI. |
| Footing mix- a five sack mix that has a 30% fly ash content for footings. |
| 5½ sack mix- a mix that is commonly used indoors or areas not subjected to deicers or freezing and thawing, testing to at least 3,500 PSI. |
| 6 sack- a mix used for outdoor flatwork: having 5-7% air, at least 4,000 PSI, and a delivered slump of between 3"-5". |
| Slump- refers to how dry or wet the concrete is at time of delivery. 4" slump is the most common, but sometimes it must be higher due to conditions, the higher the number the wetter the concrete is. |
This concrete will be durable when meeting these specifications and cured properly.
Many other mix designs are available to meet special applications.Chemicals to alter the mix, and accelerators as required.
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