Lecture 3:

Fresh and hardened properties of concrete

Wengui Li
Centre for Infrastructure Engineering and Safety (CIES)
School of Civil and Environmental Engineering
The University of New South Wales (UNSW Sydney), Australia
Email: wengui.li@unsw.edu.au
Outline
Fresh properties
①Workability
②Bleeding
③Setting time
Hardened properties
①Compressive strength
②Tensile strength
③Modulus of elasticity

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Workability
Be plastic or semi fluid and capable of being compacted and molded,
generally must:
① Be easily mixed and transported
② Keep uniform
③ Have good flow properties
④ Be compactable
⑤ Have segregation/bleeding resistance
Fresh concrete construction
⑥ Be finishable

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Concrete rheology

Rheology is the scientific method to measure flow

a) Rheology of concrete is measured with a concrete rheometer, which
determines the resistance of concrete to shear flow at various shear
rates
b) Concrete rheology is typically expressed by the Bingham model,
which is a function of:
Yield stress: the minimum stress to initiate or maintain flow (related to
slump)
Plastic viscosity: the resistance to flow once yield stress is exceeded
(related to stickiness)

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Concrete rheology
1) Concrete rheology provides many insights into cement
paste/concrete workability.
2) Slump and flowability are a function of rheology.
Bingham model

Shear stress τ (Pa)

τ = τ 0 + µγ
Flow curve

Slope = plastic viscosity (µ)

Intercept = yield stress (τ0)

Rhrology test Shear rate γ (1/s)

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Factors affecting workability

Constituent materials Ambient conditions

Cement, water, admixture, aggregate Temperature, humidity,
wind velocity
Coarse aggregate
Maximum size, shape, grading, coarse-fine
ratio, surface texture, absorption

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 Factors affecting workability

1) Water content of the mix: adding water increases workability but

decreases strength.
2) Maximum size of aggregate: less surface area to be wetted and
more water in medium.
3) Grading of aggregate: poor grading reduces the workability and
consistency.
4) Shape and texture of aggregates: smooth surfaces give better
workability.

Q: How to increase the workability of fresh concrete but not decrease the strength?

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Measurement of workability

There are 5 types of test, which can measure workability indirectly:

① Slump test: give good results for rich concrete mixes
② Compacting factor test: used for low workable concretes
③ Flow table test: used for high workable concretes
④ Vebe test: used for very low workable concretes (fiber reinforced
concrete)
⑤ Kelly ball test: it is practical in field test

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Slump test

a) This is a test used extensively in site

work all over the world. Very useful in
detecting variations in the uniformity
of a mix of given nominal proportions

b) Rich mixes behave satisfactorily, their

slump being sensitive to different
variations in workability

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Compacting factor test

a) The degree of compaction, called

compacting factor, is measured by the
density ratio (e.g., the ratio of the density
of concrete actually achieved in the test
to the density of the same concrete fully
compacted)
b) Test is very sensitive to the low
workability of concrete

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Flow table test (consistency)
a) Cone is placed in the center of flow table
and filled with concrete in two equal layers
b) Each layer is tamped 10 times with tamping
rod; wait 30 s before lifting cone
c) Cone is lifted and allows concrete to flow
d) Flow table is lifted up 40 mm and dropped
15 times, causing concrete to flow
e) Measure diameter of spread after vibration

Q: Which method is most suitable for workability of self-compacting concrete?

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Vebe test

a) The main advantage of this test is that

it is a dynamic test and can be used on
concretes that are too stiff for a slump
test

b) Start time after removing cone and

stop counter once the transparent rider
is covered with paste. This is Vebe time
record in seconds

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Kelly ball test

a) When we conduct the field test, it is determined

by the depth to which the apparatus sinks
under its own weight into fresh concrete
b) Then the ball is lowered into the concrete and
the penetration is measured
c) Measures the depth of penetration
d) The Kelly ball test is usually used on
construction site or in the laboratory

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Outline
Fresh properties
①Workability
②Bleeding
③Setting time
Hardened properties
①Compressive strength
②Tensile strength
③Modulus of elasticity

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Bleeding
a) Bleeding is a form of segregation, in which some of the water in mix
tends to rise to the surface of fresh concrete
b) Bleeding is very harmful for the durability in the long term

Q: What is one major concern with regard to excessive bleeding arising in

structural concrete member?

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Consequence of excessive bleeding

① Weak top layer

② Porous interface of cement paste
with aggregates
③ Reduced bonding of concrete with
reinforcement
④ Increased permeability
Plastic shrinkage cracking
⑤ Plastic shrinkage cracking
⑥ Plastic settlement cracking

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Factors affecting bleeding
① Fineness of cement (↑,↓)
② Water content (water/cement ratio) (↑, ↑)
③ Rate of water evaporation (↑,↓)
④ Accelerator (viscosity is increased) (↑,↓)
⑤ Ambient temperature (↑,↓)
⑥ Air entrainment (↑,↓)
⑦ Remixing (↑,↓)
⑧ With the same w/c ratio, concrete bleeds less than cement paste

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Methods for reducing bleeding

① Bleeding is decreased by increasing the fineness of cement or adding

of accelerators (e.g., calcium chloride) to concrete

② Rich mixes are less prone to bleeding than lean ones

③ Reduction in bleeding is obtained by the addition of pozzolans or of

aluminum powder

④ Air entrainment effectively reduces bleeding so that finishing can

follow casting without delay

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Outline
Fresh properties
①Workability
②Bleeding
③Setting time
Hardened properties
①Compressive strength
②Tensile strength
③Modulus of elasticity

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Setting time

① Setting is defined as the onset of rigidity in fresh concrete

② Setting is a transitional period between states of true fluidity and true

rigidity

③ The penetration test is usually used to measure the time of setting

④ Initial setting represents approximately the time at which fresh

concrete can no longer be properly handled and placed

⑤ While final setting approximates the time at which hardening begins

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Setting time
Initial setting time is the
time from mix until to the
end of fluid sate (starting
losing plasticity)

Final setting time is the

time from mixing until to
the end of plastic state
(completely losing plasticity)

Q: Setting time of Mix B (25% fly ash + 75% cement) > setting time of Mix A
(100% cement) > setting time of Mix C (10% silica fume + 90% cement)

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Factors affecting setting time
The setting time of concrete depends upon following factors:
① Water-cement ratio (↑, ↑)
② Temperature condition (↑, ↓) and relative humidity (↑, ↑)
③ Type of cement (fineness of cement) (↑, ↓)
④ Use of chemical admixture (e.g., superplasticizer) (↑, ↑)
⑤ Addition of (mineral materials, fly ash and slag increase both the
initial and final setting time
⑥ Addition of silica fume reduces both the initial and final setting time

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Outline
Fresh properties
①Workability
②Bleeding
③Setting time
Hardened properties
①Compressive strength
②Tensile strength
③Modulus of elasticity

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Characteristic (compressive) strength
Based on AS1379, characteristic compressive strength of concrete: the
value of strength, as assessed by standard test at 28 days, which is
exceeded by 95% of test results.

fc' = fcm − k × s
fc’ : Characteristic compressive strength (MPa)
fcm : Mean compressive strength (MPa)
S: Sample standard deviation in strength (MPa)
K: Probability factor based on 95% confidence
level, for 5% defective level, k = 1.64

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Strength calculation
AS 1012.9 Compressive Strength Tests – Concrete, Mortar and Grout
Specimens – Strength Calculation

Cubical specimen
Cylindrical specimen

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Factors affecting strength

• Water/cement ratio or water/binder ratio

• Curing age

• Curing: standard and accelerated curing

• Compaction: degree of compaction

• Specimen size and shape

• Testing machine: load rate, platens, calibration and spherical seating

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W/c ratio and curing age

↓ W/c ratio
⇒ ↓ Capillary porosity = ↑ Strength

↑ Curing age
⇒↑ Reaction (↑ Hydration of cement)
= ↑ Strength

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Curing

Maintenance of satisfactory moisture and temperature supplied to

concrete for a period of time immediately following finishing operations to
achieve four desired hardened properties
① Strength – i. e. compressive strength
② Watertightness – i. e. impermeability and durability
③ Dimensional stability – i. e. movements arising from elastic
deformation, creep, shrinkage, swelling and thermal gradients
④ Abrasion resistance – i. e. surface feature

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Effect of curing on strength
a) Effects of moisture and air curing on compressive strength
b) Effect of curing temperature on compressive strength

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Compaction
↑ Compaction = less voids = ↑ strength
5% voids ⇒ 25% loss of strength

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Effect of size and shape

① Specimen size (minimal influence) – strength slightly decreases for

larger sized concrete specimens
② Specimen shape (major influence) – measured cube strength will be
higher than measured cylinder strength (about 1.25 times higher)
③ Due to differences in height-to-width and height-to-diameter ratios
between cubical and cylindrical specimens, constraint from testing
machine platens on the surfaces of cubical and cylindrical specimens is
different.

Q: When testing concrete for compressive strength, why does a 100 mm cubical
specimen give a higher strength than a φ100 x 200 mm cylindrical specimen?

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Load rate and testing machine

Load rate applied to test specimen during test cycle (major influence) –
using a faster load rate increases the strength
Testing machine (major influence) – affected by three factors
a) Soft or hard platens – i. e. platen effect on restraining
b) Calibration – is the same result obtainable between testing machines
c) Spherical seating to take up geometric irregularities between test
specimens

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Stress-strain relationship

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Outline
Fresh properties
①Workability
②Bleeding
③Setting time
Hardened properties
①Compressive strength
②Tensile strength
③Modulus of elasticity

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Tensile and flexural strengths

Direct/Indirect Tensile and Flexural Strengths

The tensile strength of concrete may be determined in three ways
a) Direct tension – very difficult to carry out in practice with no standard
test method available
b) Indirect tensile strength (AS 1012.10) – involves the use of Brasil or
splitting test with the cylinder loaded perpendicularly along its axis and
tested by its length rather than its height
c) Flexural strength (AS 1012.11) – involves the use of the four-point
loading test to determine the modulus of rupture (MOR) of small
prismatic beams

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Indirect tensile strength

Indirect Tensile Splitting Test – Brasil Test (AS 1012)

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Modulus of rupture (MOR)
AS 1012.11 – MOR

Q: For a given concrete mix, what would be the order of these strength values?
Flexural strength > indirect tensile strength > direct tensile strength

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Tensile strength relationships (AS3600)

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Outline
Fresh properties
①Workability
②Bleeding
③Setting time
Hardened properties
①Compressive strength
②Tensile strength
③Modulus of elasticity

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Modulus of Elasticity

Elastic Behaviour of Concrete

a) Concrete does not behave as a perfectly
elastic material when loaded in
compression
b) MOE of rich and lean concrete mixes
exhibit different stress-strain behaviours
c) Moduli of concrete may be represented in
various forms
Concrete MOE test

Q: What type of modulus of elasticity calculation is used to determine the

modulus of elasticity of concrete in Australia?

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Types of modulus
Initial Tangent Modulus
By drawing a tangent on the stress-strain curve at the
origin as no part of the curve is linear
Tangent Modulus
Determined by drawing a tangent at any other point on the
stress-strain curve
Secant Modulus
By drawing a line connecting a specified point on the
stress-strain curve from the origin
Chord Modulus (AS 1012.17)
By drawing a chord between two specified points on the
stress-strain curve

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AS 3600 Modulus of Elasticity calculations
AS 3600 Concrete Structures - Methods of Calculating MOE

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Poisson’s ratio of concrete
• Ratio between lateral (transverse) strain and longitudinal (axial) strain
(μ) in region of stress up to 30-40% of the value of peak stress for
concrete loaded in compression
• Poisson’s ratio ranges from 0.15 to 0.25

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Thank you !
Email: wengui.li@unsw.edu.au