Types of Concrete Grades and their Applications

What are Concrete Grades?

Concrete Grades are set depending on the composition and strength of the concrete. After preliminary construction and a period of around 28 days, the concrete attains its least strength.

The measuring unit for calculating concrete grade is MPa, where M signifies for mix and the MPa for the complete strength.

The mixes of concrete are provided in ascending numbers of 5, which starts with 10 and illustrate the compressive strength of the concrete after the completion of 28 days.

For example, C10 contains the strength of 10N, C15 contains the strength of 15N, C20 contains the strength of 20N, and so on.

The availability of various mixes (M) is in different mix proportions of the several cement elements, sand, and coarse aggregates.

For example, the corresponding proportion, M20 is found in is of 1:1:5:3.

Other instances are given in the table below:

Concrete Grade Mix Ratio	(cement:sand:aggregates)	Compressive Strength
Grades of Concrete		Mpa(N/mm2)	psi
M5	1:5:10	5	725
M7.5	1:4:8	7.5	1087
M10	1:3:6	10	1450
M15	1:2:4	15	2175
M20	1:1.5:3	20	2900

Standard Grade of Concrete

Grades of Concrete	(cement:sand:aggregates)	Mpa(N/mm2)	psi
M25	1:1:2	25	3625
M30	Design Mix	30	4350
M35	Design Mix	35	5075
M40	Design Mix	40	5800
M45	Design Mix	45	6525

High Strength Concrete Grades

Grades of Concrete	(cement:sand:aggregates)	Mpa(N/mm2)	psi
M50	Design Mix	50	7250
M55	Design Mix	55	7975
M60	Design Mix	60	8700
M65	Design Mix	65	9425
M70	Design Mix	70	10150

Proper selection of the concrete grade is done according to the construction criteria.

Application of Concrete Grades:

Details of the preliminary concrete grades and their applications are provided below-

Concrete Grade	Type	Applications/Uses
C10	Domestic & commercial application	Used in patio slabs, pathways and non-structural work
C15	Domestic & commercial application	Used effectively in pavement kerbs and floor blinding
C20	Domestic application	Ideal for domestic floors and foundations (light weight bearing structure). Also perfect for workshop bases, garages, driveways and internal floor slabs.
C25	Domestic & commercial application	Ideal for construction in all areas. For foundations, multi-purpose concrete mix is generally applied.
C30	Commercial application	Used in pathways and roadways (belonging to the lowest grade concrete mix utilized for this purpose).  Good longevity and strong resistance capacity against weather, ability to bear heavy road traffic.
C35	Commercial application	Suitable for commercial structures. This heavy concrete mix is normally applied for development of exterior walls and slabs,as an addition to structural piling.
C40	Commercial application	Effective for commercial construction sites as well as constructing foundations and beams for structural support and roads. It is the most long-lasting and can resist chemical corrosion. Its utility is on farms where slurry could rust structures, or in septic tanks.