# Design Mix Concrete vs Nominal Mix

> Design mix concrete is proportioned in a laboratory for a target strength, unlike nominal mix. See an M50 example and how SuperWise holds mix quantities.

Canonical: https://superwise.site/glossary/design-mix-concrete/
Last updated: 2026-11-01

Concrete whose mix proportions are worked out in a laboratory from tests on the actual cement, sand and aggregate, to reach a target strength.

## What is Design Mix Concrete?

Design Mix Concrete is concrete whose proportions are worked out in a laboratory, unlike [nominal mix concrete](https://superwise.site/glossary/nominal-mix-concrete/), which uses fixed volumetric ratios such as 1:1.5:3. Engineers test the local cement, sand and aggregate and calculate the proportions by weight needed to reach a target compressive strength, for example M40 or M50.

## Practical example

For a metro rail pillar, nominal mix is not safe enough, so the contractor hires a testing laboratory to produce a design mix for M50 concrete. The laboratory report specifies, per cubic metre, 400 kg of cement, 700 kg of river sand and 1,200 kg of 20 mm aggregate, batched with chemical plasticisers.

## In SuperWise

In SuperWise a [BOQ](https://superwise.site/glossary/bill-of-quantities/) item such as RCC M25 can carry a rate analysis that lists each resource (cement, sand, aggregate, labour) with its quantity per unit of work and a wastage percentage. The weights from an approved design mix can be entered as those quantities. The bill of materials multiplies them by the BOQ quantity.

[Budget tracking](https://superwise.site/features/estimation-vs-earned-value/)

## Related terms

- [Nominal Mix Concrete](https://superwise.site/glossary/nominal-mix-concrete/)
- [Ready Mix Concrete (RMC)](https://superwise.site/glossary/ready-mix-concrete/)
- [Concrete Slump Test](https://superwise.site/glossary/concrete-slump-test/)
- [Indian Standard (IS) Codes](https://superwise.site/glossary/indian-standard-codes/)

## Related
- [Nominal Mix Concrete](https://superwise.site/glossary/nominal-mix-concrete/)
- [Ready Mix Concrete (RMC)](https://superwise.site/glossary/ready-mix-concrete/)
- [Concrete Slump Test](https://superwise.site/glossary/concrete-slump-test/)
- [Indian Standard (IS) Codes](https://superwise.site/glossary/indian-standard-codes/)
- [Budget tracking](https://superwise.site/features/estimation-vs-earned-value/)