The resemblance

I have been extensively working on concrete mix designs for past few years now. Initially, I found it difficult to understand the concepts of proportioning the mix designs but later on, with the help of ap[p]t Concrete, an Android app that I developed in 2013, I gained an in-depth understanding of the concept.

One day, while using the app, I noticed a very interesting thing that, for a given characteristic of concrete mix, water content remains constant while all other ingredients are required to be adjusted to achieve the desired properties. Eventually, I do not know how it struck me the analogical resemblance concrete mix and a sound wave has. Let us explore how it resembles.

The following figure shows a sound wave with the same frequency but different amplitude.


The frequency component of a given wave resembles with the water content of concrete mix of a given characteristic for both the components remain constant.

Now, what amplitude stands for in a wave is cement content for a concrete mix. To alter amplitude, we need to adjust amplifier. Similarly, to alter cement content, we need to adjust the water-cement ratio. Therefore, water-cement ratio plays a role similar to that of an amplifier. The way amplifier increases or decreases the amplitude, adjustment in water-cement ratio increases or decreases the cement content.

Since aggregates and admixtures help to adjust the change in cement content, the role of fine/coarse aggregates and admixture is similar to that of equalizers.

Further, for different moods, the different pitch of the sound is preferred. Similarly, for different works, the different workability (the ease with which concrete can be placed) is required.

Finally, like the quality of sound is of great importance, the strength of concrete is a top most concern.


The analogical comparison of concrete mix with a sound wave might sound like comparing apples to oranges but isn’t it interesting to see the resemblance between the components of energy (sound) and mass (concrete) both of which are poles apart in terms of nature.

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