Components of Water-to-Cement Ratio

[TomNally]

Say that the cement-like components of a mix design consist of portland cement, fly ash, and ground granulated blast furnace slag (ggbfs).

Would the water-to-cement ratio be determined by dividing the water weight by the sum of (portland cement + fly ash + ggbfs)?

Thanks.

---Tom Nally

 

[cvg]

my understanding is generally it is "cementitious" materials not just "portland cement". Usually a portion of the portland cement is "replaced" by the fly ash leaving the same amount of cementitious materials in the mix.

 

[dik]

Your understanding of the situation is pretty good... Dik

 

[Ron]

Yes.

 

[conceng]

To help remove some of this confusion, sometimes the w/c ratio is expressed as w/c+p for water-cement plus pozzolans or w/cm for water-cementitious materials ratio.

Greg

 

[dik]

Now you've confused it <G>... w/c + p or w/(c+p)?... I generally consider the c to mean cementitious materials and the w/c seems to work OK... (no insult intended... just don't have the self control I used to have...

Dik

 

[Zambo]

For high strength concrete, 80MPa and higher, you will have to add the admixture water content to the added water to get the w/c ratio.

 

[conceng]

Thanks for the cover Dik, I forgot the parentheses, twas a very long day. Sorry, didn't mean to confuse the issue.

Greg

 

[dik]

just jokin'... I fully understood what you meant!

Dik