Concrete tests to be carried out in construction

CONCRETE TESTING – AN OVERVIEW

Concrete tests are performed to determine the quality of concrete work. There are different types of tests carried out on fresh concrete and hardened concrete.

Slump tests, flow tests and temperature tests are generally carried out on fresh concrete, while concrete cube tests or concrete cylinder tests are mainly carried out on hardened concrete.

It is extremely important to ensure, at the beginning of the project, that the concrete to be poured complies with the approved mix composition. Therefore, concrete is tested before placement as per project requirements.

The quantity of concrete in the reservoir is determined according to the composition of the mixture, which is done in accordance with the project specification, which meets the relevant standards. When testing the quantity of concrete reservoir, the following procedure is followed.

Concrete Drop Test

1. Clean the inner surface of the mold and apply oil
2. Place the mold on a smooth, horizontal surface (a steel plate is usually used).
3. Fill the concrete in three layers
4. Each layer must be compacted with 25 blows
5. Remove excess concrete and level the surface
6. Clean the outside of the mold of any excess concrete
7. Slowly remove mold from concrete
8. Measure the height between the form and the top level of concrete.
9. This measure is called concrete slump.

There are different types of rebates based on the deformation of the concrete after lifting the mold. True fall, zero fall, collapse fall and shear fall are mainly identified as the main types of fall.

True slump is the only slump where measurements are taken to monitor the workability of the concrete. A zero slump is typically undeformed concrete, where there is no movement in the concrete when the form is lifted.

This may be mainly due to the low water-cement ratio or the hardening of the concrete at the time of the test. The risk of concrete collapse is mainly due to the high water-cement ratio.

This type of concrete can be retested for slump. If the reservoir values ​​are not reached, the concrete cannot be cast. The concrete is tested again when shear slump is observed. Different types of rebate can be specified as shown in the following figure.

The following table lists some guidelines that can be used to test concrete and related materials.