T 119 METHODS OF SAMPLING AND TESTING

Standard Method of Test for

Slump of Hydraulic Cement Concrete

AASHTO DESIGNATION: T 119-93

1. SCOPE strength relationship is not clearly and from dents. A mold which clamps to a
consistently shown. Care should therefore be nonabsorbent base plate is acceptable
taken in relating slump results obtained under instead of the one illustrated provided the
1.1 This test method covers field conditions to strength.
clamping arrangement is such that it can
determination of slump of concrete, both 4.2 This test method is considered be fully released without movement of
in the laboratory and in the field. applicable to plastic concrete having the mold.
1.2 The values stated in inch-pound units coarse aggregate up to 1 ½ in. (37.5 mm)
5.2 Tamping Rod-The tamping rod shall
are to be regarded as the standard. The in size. If the coarse aggregate is larger
be a round, straight steel rod 5/8 in. (16
metric equivalents of inch-pound units than 1 ½ in. (37.5 mm) in size, the test
mm) in diameter and approximately 24
may be approximate. method is applicable when it is made on
in. (600 mm) in length, having the
1.3 This standard may involve hazardous the fraction of concrete passing a 1 ½ in.
tamping end rounded to a hemispherical
(37.5 mm) sieve, with the larger
materials, operations and equipment. tip the diameter of which is 5/8; in.
This standard does not purport to aggregate being removed in accordance
address all of the safety problems with the section titled "Additional
associated with its use. It is the Procedures for Large Maximum Size 6. SAMPLE
responsibility of the user of this standard Aggregate Concrete" in T 141.
to establish appropriate safety and health 4.3 This test method is not considered 6.1 The sample of concrete from which
practices and determine the applicability applicable to non-plastic and noncohesive test specimens are made shall be
of regulatory limitations prior to use. concrete. representative of the entire batch. It shall
be obtained in accordance with T 141.
2. REFERENCED DOCUMENTS NOTE 2-Concretes having slumps less than ½
in. (13 mm) may not be adequately plastic and
concretes having slumps greater than about 9 7. PROCEDURE
2.1 AASHTO Standard: in. (230 mm) may not be adequately cohesive
for this test to have significance. Caution
T 141 Sampling Freshly Mixed 7.1 Dampen the mold and place it on a
should be exercised in interpreting such
Concrete results. flat, moist, nonabsorbent (rigid) surface.
It shall be held firmly in place during
filling by the operator standing on the
3. SUMMARY OF TEST METHOD 5. APPARATUS two foot pieces. From the sample of
concrete obtained in accordance with
3.1 A sample of freshly mixed concrete Section 6, immediately fill the mold in
5.1 Mold-The test specimen shall be
is placed and compacted by rodding in a three layers, each approximately one-
formed in a mold made of metal not
mold shaped as the frustum of a cone. third the volume of the mold.
readily attacked by the cement paste. The
The mold is raised, and the concrete metal shall not be thinner than No. 16
allowed to subside. The distance between gage (BWG) and if formed by the NOTE 3-One-third of the volume of the slump
the original and displaced position of the spinning process, there shall be no point mold fills it to a depth of 2 5/8 in. (67 tnm.);
center of the top surface of the concrete is on the mold at which the thickness is less two-thirds of the volume fills it to a depth of 6
1
measured and reported as the slump of than 0.045 in. (1.14 mm). The mold shall /8 in. (155 mm).
the concrete. be in the form of the lateral surface of the
frustum of a cone with the base 8 in. (203 7.2 Rod each layer with 25 strokes of the
4. SIGNIFICANCE AND USE mm) in diameter, the top 4 in. (102 mm) tamping rod. Uniformly distribute the
in diameter, and the height 12 in. (305 strokes over the cross section of each
mm). Individual diameters and heights layer. For the bottom layer this will
4.1 This test method is intended to shall be within ± 1/8 in. (3.2 mm) of the necessitate inclining the rod slightly and
provide the user with a procedure to prescribed dimensions. The base and the making approximately half of the strokes
determine the slump of plastic hydraulic top shall be open and parallel to each near the perimeter, and then progressing
cement concretes. other and at right angles to the axis of the with vertical strokes spirally toward the
cone. The mold shall be provided with center. Rod the bottom layer throughout
NOTE 1-This test method was originally foot pieces and handles similar to those its depth. Rod the second layer and the
developed to provide a technique to monitor shown in Figure 1. The mold may be top layer each throughout its depth, so
the consistency of unhardened concrete. Under constructed either with or without a that the strokes just penetrate into the
laboratory conditions, with strict control of all seam. When a seam is required, it should underlying layer.
concrete materials, the slump is generally be essentially as shown in Figure 1. The
found to increase proportionally with the water interior of the mold shall be relatively
content of a given concrete mixture, and thus smooth and free from projections such as
to be inversely related to concrete strength.
protruding rivets. The mold shall be free
Under field conditions, however, such a

176
T 119 METHODS OF SAMPLING AND TESTING

7.3 In filling and rodding the top layer, NOTE 4-If two consecutive tests on a sample 9.1.2 Multi-Operator Test Results-
heap the concrete above the mold before of concrete show a falling away or shearing off Extensive field data1 allow a statement
rodding is started. If the rodding of a portion of the concrete from the mass of regarding the multi-operator precision of
the specimen, the concrete probably lacks
operation results in subsidence of the this test method.
necessary plasticity and cohesiveness for the
concrete below the top edge of the mold, slump test to be applicable. Test Range 1.5 to 2.76 in. (38
add additional concrete to keep an excess to 70 mm)
of concrete above the top of the mold at Total number of samples 2,304
all times. After the top layer has been 8. REPORT Pooled repeatability 0.30 in. (8 mm)
rodded, strike off the surface of the Standard deviation (IS)
concrete by means of a screeding and 95% Repeatability Limit 0.83 in. (21 mm)
8.1 Record the slump in terms of inches (D2S)
rolling motion of the tamping rod.
(millimetres) to the nearest ¼, in. (6 mm)
Remove the mold immediately from the
of subsidence of the specimen during the
concrete by raising it carefully in a Therefore, results of two properly
test as follows:
vertical direction. Raise the mold a conducted tests by different operators in
distance of 12 in. (300 mm) in 5 ± 2 Slump = 12 – inches of height after the same laboratory on the same material
seconds by a steady upward lift with no subsidence. should not differ by more than 0.83 in.
lateral or torsional motion. Complete the (21 mm). Due to the limited slump range
entire test from the start of the filling 9. PRECISON AND BIAS in the concrete used in this test program,
through removal of the mold without caution should be exercised in applying
interruption and complete it within an these precision values.
elapsed time of 2'12 minutes. 9.1 Precision:
9.2 Bias-This test method has no bias
7.4 Immediately measure the slump by 9.1.1 Interlaboratory Test Method-No since slump is defined in terms of this
determining the vertical difference interlaboratory test program has been run test method.
between the top of the mold and the on this test method. Since it is not
displaced original center of the top possible to provide equivalent concretes
surface of the specimen. If a decided at various test sites free of errors from
falling away or shearing off of concrete sources other than the slump
from one side or portion of the mass measurement, a multilaboratory precision
occurs (Note 2), disregard the test and statement would not be meaningful.
make a new test on another portion of the
sample.
1
Baker, W. M. and McMahon, T. F., "Quality
Assurance of Portland Cement Concrete."
Public Roads. Vol. 35, Nº 8. 1969.
177