In construction fields, concrete is one of the materials frequently used to build various structures, from houses to skyscrapers. However, knowing how to calculate the amount of concrete cubic needed for a project can be a challenge, especially for new pourers.
Errors in calculations can lead to wastage of material or shortage of concrete during casting, leading to overspending on material costs. Thus, let’s learn how to calculate cubic capacity efficiently in this article!
What Is Concrete Cubic Capacity?
It is important to note that concrete is a common construction material used in a building structure. Otherwise, concrete cubic capacity or concrete cubication is the calculation process to determine the needed concrete volume in a construction accurately.
By measuring or cubicating, contractors can determine the amount of concrete to be used in building beams, floors, and other concrete structures. The cubication process usually involves calculating the dimensions and volumes of various building elements, such as beams and floors.
Next, the result will be used to determine the number of concrete needed. That way, material procurement planning and concrete delivery schedules can be better.
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Why Is Calculating Concrete Cubic Capacity Important?
In building construction, concrete cubication is important to ensure that the project will run smoothly through efficient material usage and controlled construction cost. Generally, calculating concrete cubic capacity is crucial for various reasons, such as:
- Construction planning.
- Shipping of materials.
- Storage of materials.
- Determining the amount of materials, such as cement, sand, and reinforced concrete needed.
How to Calculate Concrete Cubic Capacity
Measuring the concrete cubic capacity accurately and based on the initial planning will make the construction run smoothly due to efficient execution. In determining the concrete cubication, the unit used is m3 or cubic meter. Below are some steps you must know to calculate concrete cubic capacity:
1. Understanding the Structure
The first thing to do is to understand the structure that must be measured. This is because concrete structures have different shapes, such as columns, beams, foundations, floor slabs, or other elements. Moreover, each shape has a different volume formula.
2. Determining the Dimension
After figuring out the structure, you can determine the dimension. This calculation needs good accuracy and is noted in meters (m) to get the result in cubic meters (m3).
3. Implementing the Volume Formula
The next step is implementing the formula based on the concrete structure. Below are each explanation for concrete cubication based on the structure:
A. Beam
B. Floor Slab
C. Footing Foundation
D. Cylinder
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4. Summing the Volume
If you have more than concrete elements with different shapes, you can calculate the volume of each shape and sum them. That way, you can get the total needs of concrete cubic capacity accurately.
5. Adding Tolerance
Lastly, it is advisable to add 5–10% of tolerance from the total volume to anticipate loss due to delivery, execution, or unexpected additional needs.
For example, if you need 20 m3 concrete, you can add 10% of tolerance by calculating as follows:
20 x 10% = 2
Concrete total: 20 + 2 = 22 m3
Example of Concrete Cubic Capacity Calculation
To make it easier to understand, let's look at the following example of concrete cubic calculation:
You will build a house with a concrete structure in the form of floor slabs and beams with the following measurements:
A. Floor Slab
Amount: 3
Dimension: Length 8 m, width 6 m, and height 0.12 m
B. Beam
Amount: 10
Dimension: Length 5 m, width 0.3 m, and height 0.4 m
First, you must calculate the total volume of each structure. Below are the formulas:
- Beam volume= 5 x 0.3 x 0.4 = 0.6 m3
- Total beam volume (10 pieces) = 0.6 x 10 = 6 m3
- Slab volume= 8 x 6 x 0.12 = 5.76 m3
- Total slab volume (3 pieces) = 5.76 x 3 = 17.28 m3
- Total concrete volume (beam + slab) = 6 + 17.28 = 23.28 m3
- Tolerance of 10% = 23.28 + 2.328 = 25.06
Thus, the total amount of concrete needed is 25.06 m3.
Those are the explanations of how to calculate concrete cubic capacity that is important to understand before starting construction. By measuring the concrete cubic capacity, you can determine the planning of building material procurement efficiently.
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