Quantities of materials for the production of the required quantity of concrete of given mix proportions can be calculated by absolute volume method. This method is based on the principle that the volume of fully compacted concrete is equal to the absolute volume of all the materials of concrete, i.e. cement, sand, coarse aggregates and water.
A Concrete structure may consist of beams, slabs, columns and foundations etc. based on the type of structure. The volume of concrete required for concrete structure can be calculated by summing up the volumes of each structural member or each part of members. The volume of a rectangular cross-sectional member can be calculated as length x width x height (or depth or thickness). The suitable formula shall be used for different cross-sectional shapes of members.
