Typical compressive strengths when concrete is properly cured are:Ĭoncrete countertops, sinks, fire features and furniture require vastly higher quality concrete than sidewalks or even foundations, in terms of both performance and aesthetics. A ratio of 0.8 makes a wet and fairly weak concrete.A ratio of 0.3 is very stiff (unless superplasticizers are used).
The practical range of the w/c ratio is from about 0.3 to over 0.8. Specified if a higher quality concrete is desired: 0.4.Normal for ordinary concrete (sidewalks and driveways): 0.6 to 0.7.Typical Water-Cement Ratios in Concrete Mixes A w/c ratio of 0.4 means that for every 100 lbs of cement used in the concrete, 40 lbs of water is added. The w/c ratio refers to the ratio of the weights of water and cement used in the concrete mix. The water to cement ratio largely determines the strength and durability of the concrete when it is cured properly. These two ingredients are responsible for binding everything together. In concrete mix design, the ratio of the amount of water to the amount of cement used (both by weight) is called the water to cement ratio (w/c). In concrete, the single most significant influence on most or all of the properties is the amount of water used in the mix. Three simple ingredients can be blended and proportioned numerous ways to make concrete, and the ratio of the water to the cement is particularly important.