EP #152: Concrete Mix Design Isn’t Complicated… Here’s the Proof

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SUMMARY


If you’ve never built your own concrete mix design… this episode fixes that.


Dr. Jon Belkowitz walks through the ACI 211 method step-by-step, showing exactly how a mix is built from scratch.


By the end, you’ll see that mix design isn’t magic.


It’s just decisions… and a little math.



WHAT YOU’LL LEARN

• What actually goes into a cubic yard of concrete — and why it matters
• Why mix design is basically a “choose your own adventure”
• How slump, aggregate size, and air content drive your entire mix
• The simple math behind water-cement ratio (and why it controls everything)
• How to calculate cement, water, rock, and sand — step by step
• Why yield matters (and how getting it wrong costs real money)
• The difference between a design mix vs batch mix
• What changes when moisture shows up in your aggregates (this comes up near the end)

 


CHAPTERS
00:00 – Intro and how to support the show
02:20 – Shoutout to this episode’s Producer
03:00 – Why PDHs should actually be useful
05:20 – What is a cubic yard of concrete?
06:30 – Absolute volume method explained
09:50 – ACI 211 and “choose your own adventure”
13:30 – Selecting slump, water, and air content
17:00 – Adjusting water for admixtures
19:00 – Water-cement ratio and strength
21:00 – Aggregate proportions and why they matter
25:30 – Start of the actual math
31:30 – Calculating coarse aggregate
34:00 – Converting weights to volumes
36:30 – Solving for sand (the missing piece)
39:30 – Final mix design breakdown
40:10 – Design mix vs batch mix (what’s next)





GUEST INFO
Dr. Jon Belkowitz
Intelligent Concrete
Website: https://www.concretelogicpodcast.com/intelligent-concrete



CONCRETE LOGIC ACADEMY
Got a concrete problem no one can explain?
Bring it to the Concrete Logic Academy.
Ask questions. Share what you’re seeing. Get real answers you can use on the next pour.
Simple as that.

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SUPPORT THE PODCAST
If this episode helped you…
If you learned something…
If it made you think differently…
Support the show here: https://www.concretelogicpodcast.com
This podcast runs on Value for Value.
Give whatever you think the episode was worth.



PARTNERS
KUIU (performance gear Seth actually uses):
https://www.concretelogicpodcast.com/kuiu


Interested in advertising or working with us?
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CREDITS
Producers: Joseph Swann, Jodi Tandett & Concrete Logic Media
Music by Mike Dunton: https://www.mdunton.com/

WHERE TO FIND CONCRETE LOGIC
Website: https://www.concretelogicpodcast.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@concretelogicpodcast
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