📋 IS 456 TABLE 9 · IS 10262:2019 · M10–M60 · 2026
Complete Concrete Mix Ratio Chart
Every concrete grade from M10 to M60 — nominal mix ratios from IS 456 Table 9, IS 10262 design mix ratios, volume and weight batching quantities, ingredients per bag of cement, and a live batch calculator
📋 M10 to M60 All Grades
📈 Nominal vs Design Mix
🏗️ Volume & Weight Batching
💰 Bags of Cement
📊 Live Batch Calculator
📋Master Concrete Mix Ratio Reference Chart
IS 456:2000 Table 9 nominal ratios · IS 10262:2019 design mix ratios by mass (cement : fine agg : coarse agg) · OPC 53, 20mm MSA, 75mm slump
| Grade | IS 456 Exposure |
NOMINAL MIX — IS 456 Table 9 | DESIGN MIX — IS 10262:2019 (OPC 53, 20mm, 75mm slump) | Site Data | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ratio C:FA:CA (volume) |
Max w/c | Water / 50kg bag | Adopted w/c | Cement kg/m³ |
Design Ratio C:FA:CA (mass) |
Water L/m³ | Bags/m³ | SP Required? | ||
| M10 | — | 1 : 3 : 6 | 0.60 | 30 L | — | ~167 | Nominal only | 278 | 5.6 | No |
| M15 | — | 1 : 2 : 4 | 0.60 | 30 L | — | ~200 | Nominal only | 278 | 5.6 | No |
| M20 | Mild | 1 : 1.5 : 3 | 0.55 | 27.5 L | 0.55 | 338 | 1 : 2.70 : 2.75 | 186 | 6.8 | No |
| M25 | Moderate | 1 : 1 : 2 | 0.50 | 25 L | 0.50 | 372 | 1 : 2.36 : 2.50 | 186 | 7.4 | No |
| M30 | Severe | Design only | — | — | 0.45 | 331 (SP) | 1 : 2.99 : 2.80 | 149 | 6.6 | Recommended |
| M35 | V.Severe | Design only | — | — | 0.45 | 331 (SP) | 1 : 2.94 : 2.80 | 149 | 6.6 | Strongly rec. |
| M40 | Extreme | Design only | — | — | 0.40 | 373 (SP) | 1 : 2.53 : 2.49 | 149 | 7.5 | ✅ Mandatory |
| M45 | Extreme | Design only | — | — | 0.40 | 375 (SP+SF) | 1 : 2.22 : 2.47 | 150 | 7.5 | ✅ Mandatory |
| M50 | Extreme | Design only | — | — | 0.363 | 413 (SP+SF) | 1 : 1.92 : 2.25 | 150 | 8.3 | ✅ Mandatory |
| M55 | Extreme | Design only | — | — | 0.328 | ~445 (SP+SF) | 1 : 1.66 : 2.09 | 146 | ~8.9 | ✅ Mandatory |
| M60 | Extreme+ | IS 10262 Annex C | — | — | ~0.30 | ~460 (SP+SF+FA) | 1 : 1.45 : 2.0 | ~138 | ~9.2 | ✅ Mandatory |
Design mix ratios by mass: OPC 53, 20mm MSA, 75mm slump, Zone II FA, crushed CA, SSD basis, 1.5% air, jc=0.64, DRBD=1450 kg/m³. SP mixes use PCE 20% WR (W=149 L/m³). Verify all mixes by IS 10262 Cl. 9 trial mixes before production. Above M25: nominal ratios are not permitted — IS 10262 design mix mandatory.
📈Ingredient Proportions — Visual Ratio Chart
How the cement : water : sand : stone split changes from M10 to M55 — design mix, proportional to batch mass per m³
Cement
Water
Fine Aggregate (Sand)
Coarse Aggregate (Stone)
Bars proportional to total batch mass per m³. Higher grades: more cement, less sand per m³ — as the sand reduces to accommodate larger paste volume at lower w/c.
📋IS 456 Table 9 — Nominal Mix Ratios Explained
What the ratios mean, how to batch them on site, and why they should be replaced by IS 10262 design mixes for M25+
IS 456:2000 Table 9 provides nominal mix proportions — fixed ratios of cement : fine aggregate : coarse aggregate by volume — for grades M5 through M25. These are conservative recipes for small non-critical work where mix design is impractical. They consistently use more cement than a properly designed mix.
IS 456:2000 TABLE 9 — COMPLETE NOMINAL MIX REFERENCE:
Grade Ratio (vol) Max w/c Water / 50kg bag Typical use
M5 1 : 5 : 10 0.60 30 L Lean concrete, mass fill
M7.5 1 : 4 : 8 0.60 30 L Blinding, non-structural
M10 1 : 3 : 6 0.60 30 L PCC floors, hardstanding
M15 1 : 2 : 4 0.60 30 L Footpaths, non-structural
M20 1 : 1.5 : 3 0.55 27.5 L Minimum RCC — Mild exposure
M25 1 : 1 : 2 0.50 25 L Upper limit for nominal mix
ABOVE M25: IS 456 Note — Design mix only (IS 10262).
Nominal mix ratios are by VOLUME (loose volumes in gauge box).
Water is measured and must NOT exceed the stated maximum.
M20 NOMINAL vs DESIGN — CEMENT CONTENT COMPARISON:
Nominal 1:1.5:3 → ~383 kg cement/m³ (geometric estimate)
IS 10262 design → 338 kg cement/m³ (Mild, OPC 53, w/c=0.55)
Excess cement → 45 kg/m³ = Rs 248/m³ saved by design mix
(For a 100 m³ residential slab: design mix saves ~Rs 24,800 in cement alone)
⚠️ Volume Batching — Sand Bulking Error: When sand is partially wet (4–8% surface moisture), surface tension causes grains to push apart — the same mass of sand can occupy 15–40% more volume than dry or saturated sand. If you fill a gauge box with partially dry sand, you may be under-filling by 20–30%. The result: less sand than designed, a richer mix, more cement used per batch. For IS 10262 design mixes (required M25 and above for structural work), weight batching is mandatory — bulking errors are unacceptable in design mix concrete.
🏗️Site Batch Quantities — Per 50 kg Bag of Cement
Practical batching reference for small-volume site mixing
M101:3:6 nominal
Cement50 kg (1 bag)
Sand (FA)150 kg
Stone (CA)300 kg
Water30 L (max)
Yield≈ 0.30 m³
M151:2:4 nominal
Cement50 kg (1 bag)
Sand (FA)100 kg
Stone (CA)200 kg
Water30 L (max)
Yield≈ 0.22 m³
M20 ⭐1:1.5:3 nominal
Cement50 kg (1 bag)
Sand (FA)75 kg
Stone (CA)150 kg
Water27.5 L (max)
Yield≈ 0.13 m³
M251:1:2 nominal
Cement50 kg (1 bag)
Sand (FA)50 kg
Stone (CA)100 kg
Water25 L (max)
Yield≈ 0.10 m³
M20 DesignIS 10262 · Mild · OPC 53
Cement50 kg (1 bag)
Sand (FA)135 kg
Stone (CA)137 kg
Water27.5 L
Yield≈ 0.148 m³
M25 DesignIS 10262 · Moderate · OPC 53
Cement50 kg (1 bag)
Sand (FA)118 kg
Stone (CA)125 kg
Water25 L
Yield≈ 0.135 m³
M30 DesignIS 10262 · Severe · SP 20%
Cement50 kg (1 bag)
Sand (FA)150 kg
Stone (CA)140 kg
Water22.5 L
Yield≈ 0.151 m³
M40 DesignIS 10262 · Extreme · SP 20%
Cement50 kg (1 bag)
Sand (FA)128 kg
Stone (CA)124 kg
Water20 L
Yield≈ 0.134 m³
Yield per Bag: One 50 kg bag produces ≈0.10 m³ (M25 nominal, rich mix) to ≈0.30 m³ (M10 nominal, lean mix). M20 design mix yields ≈0.148 m³ per bag vs M20 nominal ≈0.13 m³ — the design mix produces more concrete per bag because the aggregate proportions are optimised, not because it uses less cement.
📊Ratio-to-Batch Calculator
Enter any ratio and volume — get all batch quantities, bags of cement and total cost
✅ Batch Quantities
Cement Total—kg
Cement Bags—bags
Sand Total—kg
Stone Total—kg
Water Total—litres
Cement/m³—kg/m³
Est. Unit Wt—kg/m³
Cement Cost—₹ total
🏗️Volume Batching vs Weight Batching
IS 456 Cl. 10 — when each method is permissible
| Feature | Volume Batching | Weight Batching |
|---|---|---|
| IS 456 permissibility | M20 and below only (IS 456 Cl. 10.2) | Required for M25 and above |
| Sand bulking error | ±15–40% (dry sand bulks significantly) | None — mass is mass |
| Accuracy | ±5–15% at best | ±1–3% (calibrated equipment) |
| Moisture correction | Practically impossible on site | Standard — IS 10262 Annex A |
| IS 10262 compatibility | Not suitable for design mixes | Required for all IS 10262 design mixes |
| Equipment cost | Minimal (gauge boxes only) | ₹50,000–5,00,000 (weigh batcher) |
📌 Nominal vs Design — When to Use Each
- Nominal mix (IS 456 Table 9): M10–M25 only. Suitable for small quantities, non-structural repairs, site-mixed work where IS 10262 design is impractical, or where the volume is less than the cost of a trial mix programme (typically <5 m³).
- IS 10262 design mix (mandatory): All structural concrete M25 and above on significant projects. All IS 456 Table 5 Moderate, Severe, Very Severe and Extreme exposure classes. Any element where structural failure could endanger life. Any RMC plant production (IS 4926).
- The crossover point: A complete IS 10262 mix design (laboratory fees + trial mixes) costs approximately ₹15,000–30,000. At M20, this is recovered over 60–120 m³ of concrete (cement savings vs nominal). For any project above 100 m³, IS 10262 design mix is always more economical than nominal mix, even before accounting for improved durability.