How much does a cube of concrete weigh: determining the

Concrete is perhaps the most common building material, which is used in the performance of various construction works, ranging from major repairs, and ending with the construction of buildings. However, regardless of the type of events, any work begins with the planning and calculation of the necessary material, and not only in terms of quantity, but also characteristics. In particular, it is often a challenge for builders to calculate how much a cube weighs in concrete, which, in fact, is the subject of this article.

General information

First of all, it should be noted that such a concept as “the specific weight of concrete” is not used by builders. This is due to the fact that the material may contain in its composition a variety of components that have different weights.

For example, as a filler can be used:

• Pebble;
• Gravel or gravel;
• Керемзит и пр.

And even if the same composition is used for the preparation of solutions, the weight of 1 cube of concrete can be different in different cases. The fact is that the same filler can have different fractions. And the larger the fraction, the greater the corresponding voids and the smaller the mass.

At the same time, builders are always interested in how much one cube of concrete weighs, since the specificity of the material depends on this indicator. In particular, on the basis of weight, structures are calculated, for example, they determine the type of foundation for different types of soil. The same applies to the rest of the supporting elements.

In practice, builders operate with a parameter such as “volumetric weight,” however, it should be understood that this characteristic is not a constant. In addition, the calculation takes into account the volume of liquid used to prepare the solution.

Types of formulations

As mentioned above, concretes may have a different composition, as a result of which their mass changes.

Depending on this, there are several types of them:

• Particularly heavy and heavy;
• Particularly light and light.

Now let's take a closer look at the features of each type.

Heavy

As a filler for this material used solid rocks:

• Gravel;
• Crushed stone

Such solutions are used for the manufacture of supporting structures and concrete foundations. In their manufacture using a certain proportion of the ratio, however, it is not constant.

Therefore, it is impossible to give an exact figure of how much a cubic meter of concrete weighs. As a rule, its weight ranges from 1,800 to 2,500 kg / m3

As for particularly heavy compounds, they are used quite rarely, as a rule, in the construction of special industrial facilities. In housing construction such material is not used.

How much 1 cube of concrete weighs, in this case, determines the mass of barite or hematite, which is used as a filler. In addition, the composition of the material may include a cast-iron "shot" and iron ore. It must be said that its production technology requires the use of high grade cements.

The volumetric weight of this material is 2 500 - 3 000 kg per cubic meter. Accordingly, the price of such compositions is the highest.

Light and ultralight concretes

This material differs from the above described more porous structure. As a result, the weight of the cube of concrete of this class is 500 - 1800 kg.

In this case, as fillers use light materials, such as:

• Tuf;
• Puma;
• Керемзит и прочие.

Lightweight materials are used, as a rule, in the construction of partitions and walls of light structures.

The weight of 1 meter of cubic concrete of ultralight class is even less - up to 500 kg. Low weight is achieved through the use of such fillers as perlite and vermiculite, as well as some other substances.

Since the strength of the material is very low, in construction it is used as heat insulators, for example, when sealing seams and joints.

Separately, it should be said about such types of material as foam concrete and aerated concrete. Their small mass is not due to fillers, and cellular structure. Pores in such materials are formed as a result of gas evolution, in the process of chemical reaction in solution, or in the process of mixing the solution with foam.

Their main advantage is the low level of thermal conductivity, as well as a high coefficient of vapor permeability.

Note! Some brands of aerated concrete can be used in the construction of load-bearing structures with limited loads.

Weight determination

To find out how much 1 cubic meter of concrete weighs, you can have a look at SNiP No. II-3. This standard specifies the weight of different types of formulations, depending on the type of filler. In the table we present the data of some of them:

Of course, the weight of a cubic meter of concrete in this case is approximate, but this data can be used to determine the mass of the material in the "fill". I must say that the exact data, up to the calculation of several kilograms, does not imply any calculation.

It should also be noted that developers often determine the weight of 1 m cube of concrete, taking into account the brand of material. The table shows the data of heavy types of concrete:

Note! In practice, data on the mass of concrete may be needed not only in the construction or repair of any structures, but also in the demolition and dismantling of structures. For example, to determine the carrying capacity of cars for garbage collection.

It is important to know

Before you start calculating the weight of a structure, we recommend that you read the following information:

• Many novice builders make the mistake of trying to get a lot of concrete by calculating the proportion of all components and their summation.. The data obtained are far from real, since this indicator may even depend on the quality of the batch. For example, the solution can be made by hand or in a concrete mixer.
• Many builders believe that the specific weight of the material is an indicator of its strength and reliability.. However, this opinion is erroneous, as the strength is determined by the brand of cement. This is evidenced by the above table.
• The mass of the solution and the solidified structure is significantly different, since in the process of solidification, water evaporates.

Note! The strength and reliability of concrete is affected even by the fact that the instructions for its preparation have been observed. The solution should be poured in a certain order, and be sure to mix well, until a homogeneous mass with evenly distributed filler. Excessive amounts of water in the composition can spoil the material.

Here, perhaps, all the main points, knowing that, you can perform the calculation of the weight of the structure.

Conclusion

The weight of the concrete depends on a number of factors, therefore it is impossible to calculate the exact value. However, based on the type of filler, you can get an approximate value, which is quite enough to calculate the weight of a concrete structure.

From the video in this article, you can get more information on this topic.