Calculations for Water Usage in Construction Industry

 

Water is used for the production of many elements in the construction industry as water is the key ingredient being mixed with cement to form a paste that binds fine and coarse aggregates to produce concretes and mortars. Hydration of cement cannot be completed without the use of water in concrete mortar, Hydration is a chemical reaction that starts after mixing all ingredients of concrete including water, and then due to setting and hardening of concrete an increase in temperature occurs and a considerable quantity of heat is evolved.

The term the water-cement ratio is very famous among people who work in construction industries, WCR (Water cement ratio ) is the ratio between the weight of water used in concretes and mortars and the weight of cement used in concretes and mortars.

WCR = Weight of water /Weight of cement

This formula is used to calculate the required quantity of water for concretes and mortars, Approximately the Water quantity required for 50 kgs (One Bag) of cement is 35 Liters for Hand compacted concretes.

 In case of vibrated concretes following quantities of water are required in concretes, and also submitting water quantities for different mortars in civil works.

 

These quantities may be used to calculate water quantity required to complete different engineering projects.

I am submitting some natural loose materials which are used in different pavements and also mentioning their required optimum moisture content so that the Quantity of water may be calculated within the ranges of OMC.

1-Clayey Sand , OMC=   =   10-11%

2-Sand Silt, OMC=   11-15%

3-Inorganic Silt ,OMC=12-24%

 4-Organic Silt, OMC= 21-33%

 5-Highly plastic clay, OMC= 19-36% 

 6-Organic Clay, OMC=21-45% 

7-Sand, OMC=   4-7% 

8-River bed stone or Shingles, OMC=   5-8% 

9-Water Bound Macadam Layers, OMC=   4-9%

We can use the following formula to calculated water in compaction of above-listed materials from       S no.1-9.

Quantity of water in Liters  = Volume of Compacted Layer x (% of OMC) x 28.32 =

Answer will be in Liters of Water.

                             Compaction Process Using OMC

Using this information on water usage may be organized with regular checks on construction teams which will result to save water.

Drinkable water is used in construction works so this should be the duty of every member working on construction sites to save water for the survival of this world.

 Use of water should be done according to designed Water cement ratios because extra water in concrete mortars will result in loss of strength and durability of concretes. 

Water should be added in concrete with measurable volumes so that water use may be ensured according to the estimated amount of water.