Ballast needed to mix concrete
                     How Much Ballast 
Do I Need To Mix C
oncrete?
Concrete is a building material known for its marvellous strength and wide 
range of applications. Its usage worldwide (weight for weight) is twice that of 
wood, steel, plastic and aluminium combined. When mixed concrete 
hardens, it gives a stone-like finish that is extremely useful in construction. 
Here we will enlighten you about the correct concrete mix ratio using ballast.
What Is Concrete Made Of ?
Mixed concrete is made up of basically two materials:
• Cement, the binder which holds other materials.
cement is made of finely ground powder which hardens when it reacts with water.  Additives 
are added to give concrete other desired properties. Accelerators hasten the hydration process, 
and plasticisers improve the workability of concrete. Also, corrosion inhibitors minimise 
corrosion.
• Concrete ballast or aggregates, which provide the bulk, increases the 
strength of the concrete
Ballast for concrete comprises of coarse materials like sharp sand, gravel, and limestone. 
Concrete ballast or aggregates make up the bulk of the cement mix.  The amount and particle 
sizes and distribution of concrete ballast added to a cement mix significantly affect the 
strength and the amount of cement used in the cement mix.
More Ado About Concrete
• One of the most important factors in making concrete with your required strength is the 
cement to water ratio. Using less water makes the concrete stronger, and using excess 
water will make the concrete less workable
• Using too much water leads to segregation of the sand and aggregate particles and cause 
microscopic pores  which is known as bleeding, and it makes the concrete weaker than it 
should be. 
• Generally, your water to cement ratio should be between 0.35 and 0.6. 
• he aggregates and additives should be added after the water and cement have been 
mixed to achieve maximum strength.
Mixing The Right Amount of Ballast
• For making a cubic metre of cement with 20 MPa strength, mix 320 kg of cement, 600 kg 
of sand with 1200 kg of aggregate. This can be easily scaled down to whatever amount 
you require. 
•  Your cement: sand: aggregate ratio should be 1:2:4 or ballast to cement ratio of 
6 to 1.
• For a low-grade concrete with 10MPa strength, the perfect ratio should be 1:3:6. For 
30MPa concrete use 1:0.75:1.5.
• At TJC Transport, we offer a wide range of aggregates which can be delivered to you. You 
can also choose to come to collect them.
Contact Us
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT US
Unit 13, Rawreth Lane, Rayleigh, SS6 9RL
w w w. t j c t r a n s p o r t . c o . u k
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