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The most important single factor affecting compressive strength

Q. For well-cured concrete of a particular age, what is the most important single factor affecting compressive strength?

 

A. The quantity of mixing water per unit of cementitious material, that is, the w/cm. A fairly definite relationship exists between the w/cm and strength for a given set of materials, as first shown by Duff Abrams in 1918. The lower the w/cm, the greater the strength.

 

References: ACI 301-20ACI 311.6-18ACI 318-19ACI 214R-11ASTM C31ASTM C39

Topics in Concrete: Concrete FundamentalsQuality AssuranceTesting of Concrete