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You may think: Is the M15 concrete ratio used in construction these days? My answer is yes, it is used these days too, but in the construction of temporary and less important structures.
Being a civil engineer, I am currently working at several sites as a supervisor. From my experience, we use M15 concrete ratio for budget control and cost reduction.
For example, we use M15 concrete ratio for the construction of parking, garden pathways, boundary wall pillars, landscaping and similar less important structures that do not take much load and do not impact the strength of the structure. This saves the budget by reducing the quantity of cement required.
1. Calculate Cement, Sand & Aggregate for M15 Concrete
I have developed this calculator to ease you in calculating the quantity of materials based on the grade of concrete.
2. M15 Concrete Ratio – Overview
M15 concrete ratio is 1:2:4. It indicates the cement:sand: aggregate ratio. It simply means that if 1 kg of cement is used for making Concrete, you should use 2 kg of sand and 4 kg of aggregate. ( i.e. 1 part cement: 2 parts sand: 4 parts aggregate )
✔ In M15 concrete,
- “M” stands for Mix ratio of cement : sand : aggregate & ” 15 ” stands for Compressive Strength @ 28 Days in N/mm².
| Code | Indian Standard 10262(2009). |
| Ratio | 1:2:4 |
| Compressive Strength | 15 MPa { Note: MPa = N/mm²} |
| Uses | Used in general-purpose work or temporary structures. Mostly used in the construction of parking, landscaping, gardening, etc. |
| Grade Category | Normal Grade ( Nominal Mix ) |
| Required Water Cement Ratio | a. For high-quality concrete works; 0.50 w/c ratio is specified. b. Minimum water-cement ratio: 0.50 c. Maximum water-cement ratio: 0.55
|
3. M15 Concrete Ratio Uses
Some common uses of the M15 Concrete Ratio are:
✔ Used in the construction of boundary wall pillars.
✔ Used in general-purpose work or temporary structures.
✔ Used in the construction of parking, landscaping, gardening, etc.
✔ Used in the construction of parking, landscaping, gardening, etc.
Do not use this concrete for structures that need to carry a heavy load because I have seen the development of cracks, seepage problems and many other problems there. I have used this concrete mostly in the construction of temporary material storage units, garden design, parking, and similar use cases.
4. Cement, Sand & Aggregate Calculation for 1 m³ M15 Concrete Ratio ( Numerical )
| Things To Know!! Density of Cement = 1440 kg/m3 Density of Sand = 1450-1500 Kg/m3 Density of Aggregate = 1450-1550 Kg/m3 Weight of Cement in 1 Bag = 50 Kg Volume of 1 Bag of Cement in Cubic meter = 0.03472 m3 |
Now, Taking
Grade of Concrete = M15 Concrete
Mix Ratio = 1:2:4
Total sum of ratio =1+2+4 =7
Wet volume of Concrete = 1 m3
To get dry volume, wet volume increased by 54%
Dry volume of concrete = 1 + 0.54 = 1.54 m³
i. Cement Quantity Calculation
Quantity of cement = (Own Ratio/ Total sum of ratio) * Dry Volume
= ( 1/7 ) * 1.54
= 0.22 m³
Cement in kg = volume of cement * density of cement
= 0.22 * 1440
= 316.8 kg
ii. Sand Quantity Calculation
Quantity of sand = (Own Ratio/ Total sum of ratio) * Dry Volume
= ( 2/7 ) * 1.54
= 0.44 m³
iii. Aggregate Quantity Calculation
Quantity of aggregate = (Own Ratio/ Total sum of ratio) * Dry Volume
= ( 4/7 ) * 1.54
= 0.88 m³
iv. Water Calculation
For inferior-quality concrete: W/C ratio = 0.55
For superior-quality concrete: W/C ratio = 0.50
Minimum amount of water required per m³ = 0.50 * 316.8 = 158.4 kg
Maximum amount of water required per m³ = 0.55 * 316.8 = 174.24 kg
| Concrete (m³) | Cement (kg) | Cement (Bags) | Sand (m³) | Aggregate (m³) | Water @ W/C 0.50 (L) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 316.8 | 6.34 | 0.44 | 0.88 | 158.4 |
| 2 | 633.6 | 12.67 | 0.88 | 1.76 | 316.8 |
| 3 | 950.4 | 19.01 | 1.32 | 2.64 | 475.2 |
| 4 | 1267.2 | 25.34 | 1.76 | 3.52 | 633.6 |
| 5 | 1584.0 | 31.68 | 2.20 | 4.40 | 792.0 |
| 6 | 1900.8 | 38.02 | 2.64 | 5.28 | 950.4 |
| 7 | 2217.6 | 44.35 | 3.08 | 6.16 | 1108.8 |
| 8 | 2534.4 | 50.69 | 3.52 | 7.04 | 1267.2 |
| 9 | 2851.2 | 57.02 | 3.96 | 7.92 | 1425.6 |
| 10 | 3168.0 | 63.36 | 4.40 | 8.80 | 1584.0 |
| 11 | 3484.8 | 69.70 | 4.84 | 9.68 | 1742.4 |
| 12 | 3801.6 | 76.03 | 5.28 | 10.56 | 1900.8 |
| 13 | 4118.4 | 82.37 | 5.72 | 11.44 | 2059.2 |
| 14 | 4435.2 | 88.70 | 6.16 | 12.32 | 2217.6 |
| 15 | 4752.0 | 95.04 | 6.60 | 13.20 | 2376.0 |
| 16 | 5068.8 | 101.38 | 7.04 | 14.08 | 2534.4 |
| 17 | 5385.6 | 107.71 | 7.48 | 14.96 | 2692.8 |
| 18 | 5702.4 | 114.05 | 7.92 | 15.84 | 2851.2 |
| 19 | 6019.2 | 120.38 | 8.36 | 16.72 | 3009.6 |
| 20 | 6336.0 | 126.72 | 8.80 | 17.60 | 3168.0 |
5. How strong is M15 Concrete compared to other grades?
Based on the strength of concrete, I have prepared this table comparing it with other concrete grades.
| Concrete Grade | 28-Day Strength (MPa) | Compared to M15 |
|---|---|---|
| M10 | 10 | 33% Weaker |
| M15 | 15 | Base Grade |
| M20 | 20 | 33% Stronger |
| M25 | 25 | 67% Stronger |
6. FAQs About M15 Concrete
a. Which standard is followed by the M15 Concrete Ratio?
Ans: M15 Concrete Ratio follows Indian Standard 10262(2009).
b. What is the water-cement ratio for M15 concrete?
Ans: For M15 Concrete, the commonly used water-cement ratio is 0.50 to 0.55.
c. What is M15 concrete?
Ans: It is a concrete having a compressive strength of 15 MPa (15 N/mm²) after 28 days of curing and prepared by using 1 part cement, 2 parts sand and 4 parts aggregate.
d. What is the mix ratio of M15 concrete?
Ans: Mix ratio of M15 Concrete is 1:2:4.
e. What is the strength of M15 concrete?
Ans: M15 concrete has a compressive strength of 15 MPa (15 N/mm²).
f. Where is M15 concrete used?
Ans: It is used in the construction of parking, garden pathways, boundary wall pillars, landscaping and similar less important structures that do not take much load.
g. Is M15 concrete suitable for RCC?
Ans: No, M15 concrete is not suitable for RCC work. The minimum grade to be used for RCC work is M20 as per my field experience.
h. How many cement bags are required for 1 m³ of M15 concrete?
Ans: 6.5 bags ( approximately 7 bags) of cement (50 kg each) are required to produce 1 cubic meter of M15 concrete.
i. What is the density of M15 concrete?
Ans: The density of M15 concrete is around 2400 kg/m³.
j. Can M15 concrete be used for house construction?
Ans: No, it cannot be used for structural elements (like beams, slabs, columns, etc) but can be used for non-structural elements.
k. How long does M15 concrete take to gain full strength?
Ans: Along with M15 concrete, all concrete grades need around 28 days to gain full strength.
l. Which is better, M20 or M15?
Ans: M20 concrete is better than M15 concrete because M20 concrete provides 33% more strength thanM15 concrete.
7. References
| Read Also: Grades of Concrete |
| Verified Article By Er. Madhu Krishna Poudel |
