Tools · Concrete

Nominal mix calculator

Cement, sand, aggregate and water for any volume of nominal mix concrete, by the dry volume method, with every step shown.

Mix

Grade

Quantity of concrete

Length (m)Breadth (m)Thickness / depth (m)Number of members

Assumptions

Dry volume factor1.52 to 1.57; 1.54 is usualWastage (%)Water per bag (litres)IS 456 Table 9 valueSand density (kg/m³)Aggregate density (kg/m³)

Materials for 1.500 m³ of M20 (1 : 1.5 : 3)

Cement

12.3bags

617 kg · 13 bags to buy

Sand

0.643m³

22.7 cft · 1.03 t

Aggregate

1.285m³

45.4 cft · 1.93 t

Water

370litres

w/c ≈ 0.60

Working	Value
Wet volume	1.500 m³
Dry volume = wet × 1.54 × (1 + 2%)	2.356 m³
Sum of ratio = 1 + 1.5 + 3	5.50
Cement = dry vol × 1 / sum	0.4284 m³
Cement mass = volume × 1440 kg/m³	616.9 kg
Bags = mass / 50 kg	12.34
Sand = dry vol × 1.5 / sum	0.6426 m³ = 22.69 cft
Aggregate = dry vol × 3 / sum	1.2852 m³ = 45.39 cft
Water = bags × 30 L	370.1 L

Per bag of cement (for site batching)

One 50 kg bag (0.0347 m³ = 1.23 cft) needs 1.84 cft of sand and 3.68 cft of aggregate. With a standard 35 litre farma box (300 × 350 × 335 mm, about 1.24 cft), that is about 1.5 boxes of sand and 3.0 boxes of aggregate per bag.

IS 456:2000 cl. 9.3 permits nominal mix only up to M20. Use design mix (IS 10262) for M25 and above, and for any important work. Sand quantity assumes dry sand; damp sand bulks by 20 to 30%, so measure more by volume or batch by weight.