Concrete Technology
Concrete is a system of substitutions: every change to the water, the cement, the admixture or the aggregate ripplesthrough strength, workability and durability. This guide answers the technology questions that decide mix behaviour — why the water-cement ratio dominates strength (Abrams' law), what a superplasticizer does and does not do, when fly ash or GGBS helps, and what separates M20 from M50 beyond the number.
Each answer cites the governing Indian Standard — IS 456:2000 durability clauses, IS 9103:1999, IS 383:2016, IS 10262:2019 — and links to a calculator so you can test the principle on your own mix.
The 10 most-asked questions — click any question for the full code-referenced answer
- B-1 What is the difference between nominal mix and design mix?
- B-2 What is Water-Cement Ratio and why does it matter for strength?
- B-3 How do admixtures affect concrete performance?
- B-4 What is the role of supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs)?
- B-5 What is the difference between PPC, OPC and PSC cement?
- B-6 How is aggregate grading controlled and why does it matter?
- B-7 What is the significance of the slump test?
- B-8 What is bleeding in concrete and how is it controlled?
- B-9 What is the difference between M20, M25, M30, M35 grades and their typical applications?
- B-10 How does temperature affect fresh and hardened concrete properties?
Calculators for this category
All answers live in one searchable FAQ — use the search box to match your exact situation, or jump straight into a category.
Open the full FAQ