C3 FRESH AND HARDENED CONCRETE TEST

INTRODUCTION

Concrete is tested during its fresh and hardened state mainly to ensure that concrete mix
satisfies the specification of works. In its fresh state, concrete is tested for its consistency so as
to achieve the desired workability. Workability is an important property in concrete since a
workable mix will produce concrete, which can be well compacted, transported and placed
without segregation. A well-compacted concrete will produce a good strength concrete.

Tests to be conducted on fresh concrete to measure its workability consists of:

1. Slump Test
2. Compacting Factor Test
3. Vebe Test

Hardened concrete tests to destruction consists of:

1. Compression Test
2. Indirect Tension Test Methods
3. Flexural strength of concrete

OBJECTIVE

The objectives of the tests are to determine the properties of concrete as follows:

1. Workability of fresh concrete

2. Strength of hardened concrete

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C3 FRESH AND HARDENED CONCRETE TEST

1. FRESH CONCRETE TEST (WORKABILITY)

APPARATUS

Slump Test:

1. Mould consisting of the frustum of a cone

2. Standard 16mm diameter steel rod, 600 mm long
3. Measuring scale
4. Rigid metal sheet

Compacting factor test:

1. Two conical hoppers and a cylinder.

2. Weighting machine

Vebe Time test:

1. An open-ended cylinder
2. A vibrating table
3. Glass plate rider
4. Metal cone
5. Stop watch
6. Standard iron rod

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C3 FRESH AND HARDENED CONCRETE TEST

PROCEDURE

Preparation of concrete mix:

1. The volume of concrete needed for the tests was calculated. Volume of (3 cubes
(150 x 150 x 150mm) + 1 cylinders (150mm dia. X 300mm) + 1 beam (100 x 100
x 500mm) + tests for workability) = 0.0257 + 25% contingencies = 0.032 m3

2. Standard mix of ST5 was chosen.

3. The mix proportion to produce concrete of 0.032 m3 was chosen.

4. Cement, fine and course aggregate were thoroughly mixed in a mixer for 1
minute.

5. Water was added and the mix was mixed approximately for another 1minute.

6. When the mix were ready, proceed with the workability tests.

Slump test

1. Place the cone on a smooth, flat and clean surface.

2. Fill the mould with 3 layers of concrete approximately of the same thickness each.

3. Compact each layer of concrete by tamping it 25 times with the standard steel rod.

4. Level the top surface of the concrete with a trowel.

5. Lift the cone slowly vertically to allow concrete to subside.

6. Measure the difference in level between the height of the mould and that of the
highest point of the subsided concrete. This difference in height in mm is taken as
slump of concrete.

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C3 FRESH AND HARDENED CONCRETE TEST

Compacting Factor Test

1. Assemble the apparatus vertically, placing the bigger hopper uppermost, the smaller
hopper in the middle and the cylinder at the bottom.

2. Clean thoroughly all inside surfaces of hoppers to reduce friction.

3. Each hopper has hinged door (trap-door) at the bottom. Make sure that this door is
closed before commencing the test.

4. Fill up the upper hopper with concrete to the brim.

5. Release the door to let the concrete falls into the lower hopper.

6. Release the door of the second hopper to let the concrete falls into the cylinder.

7. Cut off excess concrete from the top of the cylinder by sliding it across with two
floats.

8. Determine the net weight of the concrete. This weight is known as “weight of
partially compacted concrete”.

9. Empty the cylinder and refill it with the concrete from the same sample in three
layers. Tamp each layer 25 times with standard steel rod.

10. Level off the top surface of the cylinder and weigh it to the nearest 10gm. This weight
is known as “weight of fully compacted concrete”.

11. Calculate the compacting factor of concrete.

Vebe Test

1. Place the slump cone inside the cylindrical pot of the Vebe apparatus

2. Fill the cone with concrete as in the slump test.

3. Remove the cone and place the glass plate rider gently on top of the concrete.

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C3 FRESH AND HARDENED CONCRETE TEST

4. Switch on the vibrating table and start a stopwatch simultaneously.

5. Continue the vibration until conical shape of the concrete assumes a cylindrical shape
This can be judge by observing the glass disc from the top for disappearance of
transparency. Switch off the stopwatch.

6. The time required from the shape of concrete to change from slump cone shape to
cylindrical shape is known as vebe degree (time

2. HARDENED CONCRETE TEST

APPARATUS
Compression Test:
1. Standard steel cube mould, 150 x 150 x 150mm
2. Standard steel rod, 25mm square

Indirect Tension Test Methods (Cylinder Splitting Tension Test):

1. Standard steel mould, 150mm diameter, 300mm long
2. Standard steel rod, 16mm diameter

Flexural Strength of Concrete:

1. Standard beam measuring 100x100x500 mm long
2. Standard steel rod, 25mm square

PROCEDURES

Compression Test
1. Prepare three moulds of size 150mm x 150mm x 150mm.

2. Thinly coat the interior surfaces of the assembled mould with mould oil to prevent
adhesion of concrete.

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C3 FRESH AND HARDENED CONCRETE TEST

3. Fill each mould with three layers of concrete, tamp each layer 35 times with a 25mm
square steel rod. 4

4. Finish the top surface with a trowel and record the date of manufacturing on the
surface of the concrete.

5. Store the cube undisturbed for 24 hrs at a temperature of 18 to 22 C and a relative

humidity of not less than 90%. To ensure this condition cover the concrete with wet
gunny sacks.

6. After 24 hours strip the mould and cure the cubes further by immersing them in water
at temperature 19 to 21 C until the testing date.

7. Test the cubes at the age of 7 days.

8. Position the cube in the compressive machine with the cast faces in contact with the
platens.

9. Apply the load at the rate of 15 MN/m2/min

10. Record the maximum load to the nearest 0.5 N/mm2.

Indirect Tension Test

1. Prepare two moulds of cylinder measuring 150mm diameter by 300mm long.

2. Coat the inside surfaces of the mould with mould oil.

3. Fill each mould with three layers of concrete, tamp each layer 35 times with a 16mm
x steel rod.

4. Record the date on the surface of the concrete.

5. Cure the cylinder. Method of curing is similar as for the cubes.

6. Test the cylinder at the age of 7days.

7. Place the cylinder with its axis horizontal between the platens of the testing machine.

8. Place narrow strips of plywood at the top and bottom between the platens and the
cylinder.

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C3 FRESH AND HARDENED CONCRETE TEST

9. Apply the load at the rate of 1.6 MN/m2/min

Flexural Strength of Concrete

1. Prepare a mould of beam measuring 100 x 100 x 500mm long.

2. Coat the inside surface of the mould with mould oil.

3. Fill the mould with 3 layers of concrete, tamp each layer 35 times with a 25mm
square steel rod.

4. Cure the beam. The method of curing is similar as for the cubes.

5. Test the beam at the age of 7 days.

6. The beam is positioned for testing with a span of 400mm i.e. 50mm from each end.

7. Impose the beam with a two point loading system.

8. Apply the load at the rate of 1.6 MN/m2/min.

9. Measure the position of the crack from the support.

10. Calculate the modulus of rupture.

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C3 FRESH AND HARDENED CONCRETE TEST

DATA

Number of test Water amount Percentage of Distance Penetration

(ml) water (%) from base
(mm)
(mm)
1 100 20 39 1
2 125 25 37 3
3 150 30 30 10
4 175 35 27 13
5 200 40 5 35

Table C2-1: Data table

CALCULATION

weight of water = (Percentage of water x cement weight) / 100%

= (20 x 500) / 100%

= 100ml

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C3 FRESH AND HARDENED CONCRETE TEST

RESULT

Distance from base (mm) versus water percentage graph

Distance from base (mm)

7mm

39%

Water Percentage

Figure C2-7: Distance from base (mm) versus water percentage graph

Water content for 5 mm penetration = 40%

Water content for 7 mm penetration = 39%

Water content for standard cement consistency = 40% (5mm penetration from the base of the

mould)

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C3 FRESH AND HARDENED CONCRETE TEST

QUESTION

The cement paste becomes warm when water was added because the cement undergoes hydration,
which are exothermic reaction meaning that the reactions generates heat. Hydration involves
multiple reactions that may occurs in series, in parallel manner, or maybe in some more complex
combination (Marchon & Flatt, 2015). They then added that cement hydration also involves a
collection of coupled chemical processes in which each one occurs at a rate that is determined by
2 factors that is by the nature of the process and also by the state of the system at that instant
(Marchon & Flatt, 2015).

CONCLUSION

This experiment was conducted to find a standard consistency of a cement paste. By

standardising the consistency, the amount of water that is required to produce an effective cement
can be obtained (“Cement Consistency Test – Standard Consistency of Cement by Vicat
Apparatus,” 2019). Vicat test was used in determining the standard consistency of cement. We
know that cement paste achieves standard consistency when the plunger of the Vicat Apparatus
penetrates the paste to a point 6 ±1mm from the base of the mould. From the graph, the cement
paste achieves standard consistency when the plunger of the Vicat Apparatus penetrates the paste
to a point 5 mm from the base of the mould with the water percentage of 40%. We can also see
that as percentage of water in cement increases, the distance from base decreases as of the value
of penetration increases. There may be errors in conducting this experiment as it is not conducted
in a controlled room as it should be. There are many factors that have affected the results of the
experiment. One of the factors is human error. Parallax error could have happened while measuring
the volume of water using the measuring cylinder as well as when taking the Vicat Apparatus
reading. This error can be avoided if the experimenter paid more attention when taking readings
and avoid joking around when conducting the experiments

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REFERENCE

Cement Consistency Test – Standard Consistency of Cement by Vicat Apparatus. (2019).

Retrieved April 6, 2019, from http://www.civilology.com/consistency-test-of-cement/
Marchon, D., & Flatt, R. J. (2015). Mechanisms of cement hydration. Science and Technology of
Concrete Admixtures, 41(12), 129–145. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-100693-
1.00008-4

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