SLUMP TEST

Introduction

The slump test is perhaps the most widely used because of the simplicity

of the apparatus required and the test procedure. The slump test indicates the

behavior of a compacted concrete cone under the action of gravitational forces.

The slump test is a practical means of measuring the workability. Changes in the

value of slump obtained during a job may indicate changes in materials, in the

water content or in the proportions of the mix, so it is useful in controlling the

quality of the concrete produced.

The test carried out with a mould called the slump cone. The slump cone

is placed on a horizontal and non-absorbent surface and filled in three equal

layers of fresh concrete, each layer being tamped 25 times with a standard

tamping rod. The top layer is struck off level and the mould is lifted vertically

without disturbing the concrete cone. The subsidence of concrete in millimeters is

termed the slump. After the test, slumps evenly all around is called true slump.

In the case of very lean concrete, one half of the cone may slide down the

other which called a shear slump or it may collapse in case of very wet

concretes. The slump test is essentially a measure of consistency or the wetness

of the mix.

Objective

To find a workability of the specimen.

To find a consistence of the specimen.

Apparatus

1. Tamping rod - straight bar of circular cross section, 16 mm diameter,

600mm long with both end hemispherical.

2. Inspection Scale - Machine steel, 0-10 cm slump measurement, 1 cm

increment.

3. Base Plate - Steel sheet, carrying handle, 600 x 600 x 5 mm

4. Sampling tray - 1.2 x 1.2 x 50mm deep made from minimum 1.6mm thick

non-corrodible metal.

5. Scoop - Cast alumunium approximately 100mm wide.

6. Trowel - Pointed type

7. Brush - Steel wire

8. Specimen

9. Cone - Made of metal not readily attacked by

cement paste with the following internal

dimensions:

diameter of base 200 ± 2mm

diameter of top: 100 ± 2mm

height 300 ± 2mm

Cone Tamping rod

Procedure

1. Filled mold in three equal layers.

2. Each layer is rodded 25 times to settle the concrete, before the next layer

is added.

3. Full mold is ready to be pulled off to measure slump.

4. Remove the cone from the concrete by raising it vertically, slowly and

carefully, in 5 to 10 seconds.

5. Partial mix being revealed by removal of mold.

6. Immediately after the cone is removed, measure the slump to the nearest

5mm by using the rule to determine the height of the cone and of the

highest point of the specimen being tested

Result

Quantities Cement (kg) Water(kg or litres)

Fine aggregate

(kg)

Coarse aggregate

(kg) – 20 mm size

Per trial mix of 0.0135 m³

4.8 2.8 9.4 15.4

The result of slump test by using the above amount of cement, water, fine

aggregate and coarse aggregate was 10.5 cm collapse slump.

Discussion

We must reduce water content in the concrete for avoid shear failure.

However, the slump test has been found to be useful in ensuring the uniformity

among different batches of supposedly similar concrete under field conditions.

Conclusion

Slump result was 105mm but shear failure which mean collapse. Hence the

concrete is non-acceptable. This happened because there a lot of water content

in the concrete and look wetly during the test. It seems that it is because of one

of our member mistake, which put the water, more than 2.8 liters.

Water content in the concrete, mean higher the workability but lower the

strength. If the cement content higher, the workability also become higher. The

good mix particles, particle shape and size are cubical or rounded, the workability

also become high. We concluded that our specimen is a high workability but

shear failure which mean lateral collapse.

COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH OF CONCRETE CORES

Introduction

There are some methods to assess the quality of hardened concrete from

properties of concrete at early age. The compressive strength testing technique

is one of the available methods to evaluate the properties. It is a destructive test

on sample and a easy technique compared with some other test. The accuracy

and prediction of this technique has been satisfactory.

Objectives

The aim of this work was to establish a general and direct relationship

between the compressive strength and its property behaviour regardless of the

differences in mix proportions and age of concretes.

This method describes the procedure for making and curing compression

test specimens from fresh concrete and for determining the compressive

strength of the specimens.

Apparatus

1) Molds – 150mm X 150mm X 150mm. Molds shall be water tight and

the base plate or bottom

2) Tamping Rod - a round straight steel rod 16 mm in diameter and 600 mm

in length.

3) Sampling Equipment - scoop or shovel, trowel,

4) Curing Equipment - a moist storage cabinet or room capable of

maintaining specimens at a temperature within ± 1 degrees of 23 ◦C

5) Compression testing machine complying with BS 1881: Part 115.

Sampling Equipment Compression testing machine Molds – 150mm X 150mm X 150mm

Procedure

1) Place the mold on a firm, level surface.

2) Form the test sample by placing concrete in the mold in three layers of

approximately equal volume.

3) Move the scoop around the top edge of the mold to ensure a symmetrical

distribution of the concrete within the mold.

4) Rod each layer with 25 strokes of the tamping rod. For layers 2 and 3, the

rod shall penetrate about 25 mm into the underlying layer.

5) Distribute the strokes uniformly over the cross-section of the mold.

6) Close the voids left by the tamping rod by lightly tapping the sides of the

mold.

7) After the top layer has been rodded, the surface will be struck off with a

trowel and covered with saran wrap to prevent evaporation.

8) Store the specimen undisturbed for 24 hours in such a way as to prevent

moisture loss and to maintain the specimen within a temperature range of

15oC to 27oC.

9) Remove the test specimen from the mold between 20 and 48 hours and

transfer carefully to the place of curing and testing. If molds are being

shipped it is permissible to leave specimen in cardboard mold during

transit.

10)Place the specimen in the water bath and store for the curing period

designated in the contract.

11)After the specimen has been cured for the proper length of time in the

water bath remove and cap. The capping compound will be prepared and

applied to form a plane uniform surface at right angles to the axis of the

cylinder.

12)Allow the sulphur capping compound to harden at least two hours before

applying the load. Specimens will be kept moist until time of test.

13)Place the specimen in the machine and slowly bring the blocks to bear on

the specimen without shock until failure occurs.

14)Operate the machine at a constant rate within the range of 0.140 to 0.350

MPa per second.

Cracks due to compression failure Load being applied

Results

Date of preparation: 28 July 2007

Test specimen preparation

Cement = 17.8 kg

Water = 10.5 kg

Fine aggregate = 34.9kg

Coarse aggregate = 56.9 kg

Target Design grade of 25

Date of testing: 30 August 2007

Sample No. Core

Diameter

(mm)

Loading

Reading 1

(KN)

Reading 2

(KN)

Average

(KN)

K15/ 15 150 870 870 870

*Detail test results on consolidation test can be referred in appendices.

So the compressive strength is 870 000 N/ ( 150mm x 150mm) = 38.7 N/mm2

And it is found that the type of failure is very satisfactory.

Estimated in-situ cube strength = D x measured compressive strength of core

1.5 + (1/ n)

Discussion

It can be implied from the experiments or can be observed during mixing,

that the only (or at least the predominant) factor causing variation of workability is

variation of water content, then a simple relationship between workability and

strength might be expected.

Whether or not the required condition holds is indicated by whether or not

there is a positive correlation between the water/cement ratio. It shows from the

results that there is no positive correlation between cement and water ratio and it

is not the predominant cause of variation in workability and therefore, no

correlation between strength and any measure of workability is to be expected; in

fact none exists.

Conclusion

In general and can be concluded that there is no direct relationship

between workability of the fresh concrete and the strength of the hardened

concrete. The reason is that strength is determined primarily by the water/cement

ratio provided the concrete is properly compacted, whereas workability is

affected by many other factors as well.

It may also be concluded that the condition exist that water content

variation is the predominant cause of variation of workability, strength may be

also to be expected to correlate with the results of a single- point workability test

and the design grade of 25 is over-achieved to grade 38.

COMPACTING FACTOR FOR CONCRETE CORE

Introduction

The compacting-factor test was devised because they recognised the

importance of achieving full compaction in concrete, and therefore the

importance of being able to measure the ability of the material to be compacted.

It is always argued that the work in placing concrete is composed of that lost in

shock and the useful work which is expended in overcoming the internal friction

of the concrete itself and in overcoming the friction against the mould and the

reinforcements. Of these, it is only the loss against internal friction that is

characteristic of the concrete alone and it is this that they used as the basis for a

definition of workability and they set out to measure.

The standard quantity of work is provided simply by allowing the concrete

to fall under gravity through a standard distance. The apparatus consists simply

of two (2) conical hoppers and a cylindrical mould mounted vertically one above

the other, the capacity of the top hopper being greater that that of the lower,

which in turn is greater that that of the cylinder. The internal surfaces are smooth

to minimise surface friction.

Apparatus

1.) Compacting factor apparatus consisting of two conical hoppers

mounted above a cylinder. The hopper and cylinder shall be rigid

construction made of metal.

2.) Steel floats, two (2) plasterer’s steel floats

3.) Sampling tray of 1.2m x 1.2m x 50 mm deep made from

non-corrodible metal.

4.) Square mouthed shovel

5.) Tamping rod.

6.) Scales or balance of weighing up to 25 kg to an accuracy of 10 g or

better.

7.) Compacting bar or vibrating hammer or table.

Procedure

Sampling1.) The sample of fresh concrete are obtained. The determination of

compacting factor is commenced as soon as possible after

sampling.

Preparing the sample for test2.) The sample is emptied from the container onto the sampling tray.

3.) The sample are thoroughly mixed by shovelling it to form a cone on

the sampling tray and turning this over with the shovel to form a

new cone, the operation are carried out three (3) times.

4.) The third cone was flatten by repeatedly vertical insertion of the

shovel across the apex of the cone, lifting the shovel clear of the

concrete after each insertion.

Testing procedure

5.) The internal surfaces of the hoppers and cylinder are smooth, clean

and damp is ensured. The frame are placed in a position free from

vibration or shock in such a manner that it is stable with axes of the

hoppers and the cylinder all lying on the same vertical line.

6.) The sample of concrete are gently placed in the upper hopper using

the scoop until the hopper is filled to the level of the rim. The

excess concrete was cut off by holding a float in each hands with

the plane of the blades horizontal.

7.) The partially compacted concrete are removed from the cylinder

and re-fill it with concrete from the same sample in such a way as

to remove as much entrapped air as possible.

8.) After the top layer has been compacted, smooth it level with the top

of the cylinder, using the plasterer’s float and wipe clean the

outside of the cylinder.

Compacting bar compaction

9.) When compacting each layer with compacting bar, the strokes must

be distributed of the compacting bar in a uniform manner over the

cross-section of the cylinder and ensure that the compacting bar

does not penetrate significantly any previous layer nor forcibly

stroke the bottom of the cylinder when compacting the first layer.

10.) The number of strokes per layer required to produce full

compaction will depend upon the consistence of the concrete but in

no case shall the concrete be subjected to fewer than 30 strokes

per layer and the number of strokes are recorded.

Vibration compaction

11.) When compaction with vibrator by means of the vibrating table. The

duration of vibration depend upon the workability of the concrete

and the effectiveness of the vibrator and vibratrion ceased as soon

as the surface of the concrete becomes relatively smooth and has a

glazed appearance. The duration of vibration are recorded.

Results

Date of testing: 28 July 2005

Partially compacted concrete, mp = 13.42 kg

Fully compacted concrete, mf = 14.97kg

Compaction factor = 13.42 x 100 = 89.64 %

14.97

*Detail test results on compacting factor can be referred in appendices.

Discussion

It is shown that the amount of energy imparted to the concrete in the

compacting-factor test is much less that that used in compacting concrete by

vibration. Although it is not strictly in accord with the requirements of the

standard, the mass of fully compacted concrete may be found by compacting the

partially compacted material using an internal vibrator, or poker and adding

further concrete.

We had noticed that by doing this method, a good estimate of the

compacting factor maybe made by noting the drop in level of the partially

compacted concrete as it is vibrated and further compacted.

Conclusion

It can be concluded that the test suffered from the disadvantage that

cohesive concrete tends to stick in the hopper and must be encouraged to fall by

pushing a rod through it. This is particularly so for air-entrained concrete.

This method was found that it was impractical to measure that the work

required to produce a given degree of compaction, so it was developed in which

the inverse quantity, the degree of compaction produced by a given amount of

work is measure instead.

DENSITY

Introduction

The principal properties of hardened concrete which are of practical

importance are those concerning its strength, stress-strain characteristics,

shrinkage and creep deformation, and response to temperature variation,

permeability and durability. Of these, the strength of concrete assumes a greater

significance because the strength is related to the structure of hardened cement

paste and gives an overall picture of the quality of concrete. The strength of

concrete at a given age under given curing conditions is assumed to depend

mainly on water-cement ratio and degree of compaction.

Objective To find the density of the specimen.

Scope

To determination of compressive strength of concrete, both in the laboratory

and in the field.

Apparatus

Weighing machine

Vernier clamp

Procedure

1. Weigh the specimen cube and record the reading

2. Measure the length, width and thickness of the specimen cube and record

the reading

3. Calculate the volume of the cube by multiplying the value of length with

width and thickness.

4. Calculate the density by dividing the weight value over volume of cube

Cube

Mark

Length

(L)(mm)

Average

Length

(L)(mm)

Width

(mm)

Average

Width

(W)(mm)

Height

(mm)

Average

Height

(H)

(mm)

Volume

(V)

LxWxH

(mm³)

Weight

(W) (g)

* Density

P=W/V

(kg/m³)

AM1

152

151.55

150.4

150.875

149.5

150.25 3,435,482

8400

8.4kg2445.071

151.3 150.6 151.3

151.6 151.1 151

151.3 151.4 149.2

AM2

151.4

150.925

151

150.625

151.2

150.875 3,429,853 8420g

8.42kg2454.92

151 150.6 151.1

150.7 150.5 150.8

150.6 150.4 150.4

AM3

150

150.025

151.7

152.2

151.1

151.25 3,453,613 8460g

8.46kg

2449.61150.1 151.5 151.3

150 152 151

150 153.6 151.6

Result

Conclusion

The density for the three cubes marked AM1, AM2 and AM3 are

exceeding the value for density in the designed mix which was 2500kg/m³.

It means during preparation of these cubes, the concrete were well

compacted. As a result the cubes have less air voids and more dense.

The density for the three cubes of around 2445 to 2455 kg/m³ shows that

this type of concrete can be considered as normal concrete.

It is suitable for normal concreting work.

References www.pearcereadymix.com/ slump .html

www.logicsphere.com/products/firstmix/hlp/html/work5xd0.htm

www.tpub.com/content/engineering/ 14069/css/14069_550.htm

civil.engr.siu.edu/330lab/Slump test.htm

tecnotest.it/Products/Concrete/slump_test_equipment_description.htm

www.umeciv.maine.edu/cie111/concrete/ slump .htm

www.mbt.co.id/equipment/co-370.html

www.tpub.com/builder2n3/74.htm

www.logicsphere.com/products/firstmix/hlp/html/work0ois.htm

tecnotest.it/Products/.../compacting_factor_apparatus_description.htm

ASTM Method C873

CAN3-A23.2-M77