LESSONS LEARNED DAY
Concrete – Sampling and Testing
Prepared by: OMAR KHALAF
Introduction
During this session, we will present some of the discrepancies noticed
on construction sites regarding sampling and testing of concrete.
We will discuss the causes of such discrepancies, the proper standard
sampling and testing procedures and the influence of those
discrepancies on the quality of concrete
Concrete Temperature
Discrepancies:
No thermometer available on site for
testing the temperature
Improper testing procedure for concrete
temperature
Expired calibration certificates of
thermometers or use of non-calibrated
thermometers
ASTM C 1064
Concrete Temperature
Requirements and Standard Procedures:
Concrete temperature shall be tested for each
load on site (CED Green Code)
Thermometer shall be placed in the freshly mixed
concrete so that its sensor has at least 75mm of
concrete cover in all directions
Concrete shall be pressed around the
thermometer at the concrete surface
The thermometer shall be left in the mixed
concrete for a minimum 2 min or until the
temperature reading stabilizes. Result shall be
recorded to the nearest 0.5 C
The temperature measuring device shall be
calibrated annually or whenever there is a
question of accuracy
Slump Test
Discrepancies:
Test done on uneven or unleveled ground
Use of reinforcement bar for tamping concrete
Use of deformed, unclean slump cone
Use of improper base plate (Absorbent surface,
non-flat…)
Over or under tamping of each layer of
concrete
Removing the slump cone very quickly or too
slowly
Raising the cone with lateral or torsional motion
Improper measurement of the slump
ASTM C 143, BS EN 12350-2
Slump Test
Slump Test
Slump Test
Slump Test
Requirements and Standard Procedures:
Testing location shall be level and even
Slump cone shall be clean and free of any
deformations, dents or adhered mortar
A standard tamping rod shall be used
The base plate shall be of flat, moist and non-
absorbent surface
The cone shall be filled in three layers, each layer
shall be tamped 25 times
The slump cone shall be raised within the specified
duration without lateral or torsional motion
Shear slump shall be repeated. If it persists, this is an
indication of lack of cohesion of the mix. It shall not
be measured and it shall be reported as shear slump
Slump Test
Standard Instruments:
Making and Curing Concrete Specimens:
Discrepancies:
Improper sampling of concrete for strength tests
Use of non-standard cube moulds
Use of reinforcement steel bar for rodding of concrete
Making of cubes is not done on leveled / vibration-
free surface
Cubes are not completely filled and surface is not
leveled
Cubes are not marked/tagged
Initial and final curing standard conditions are not
maintained
Improper transportation of cubes
BS EN 12390-2
Making and Curing Concrete Specimens:
Making and Curing Concrete Specimens:
Reinforcing steel Cured under the
bar sun
Rough surface
No tagging, not
filled/leveled properly
Making and Curing Concrete Specimens:
Making and Curing Concrete Specimens:
Making and Curing Concrete Specimens:
Requirements and Standard Procedures:
Sampling shall be done in accordance to BS EN 12350-1
Cube moulds shall conform to BS EN 12390-1
Standard Compacting rod or bar shall be used
Cubes shall be tagged/marked and records shall be kept
to ensure traceability of the specimen from sampling to
testing
Initial curing conditions shall be maintained (temperature
25 5 C)
Final curing conditions shall be maintained (temperature
20 2 C)
Transportation of specimens shall be done in a way to
avoid loss of moisture and deviations from the required
temperature (wet sand, wet cloths, sealed plastic bag
containing water…)
Making and Curing Concrete Specimens:
Composite Sample:
Making and Curing Concrete Specimens:
Standard Cubes and Rods/Bars:
Making and Curing Concrete Specimens:
Proper Curing Tanks:
Making and Curing Concrete Specimens:
Proper Curing
Tanks
Controlled
Temperature
Standard
Cubes
Tagging
Fresh Density & Yield
Density of fresh concrete shall be tested on site with each
set of cubes sampled for compressive strength.
Relative yield shall be calculated to ensure that the
delivered quantity of concrete is the same as the designed
quantity.
The test may be done on site, but it requires a bucket
(measure), balance, tamping rod, strike off plate and mallet.
The bucket will be filled in three equal layers in volume.
Each layer will be rodded 25 times and tapped 10 to 15
times.
Density is calculated by dividing the weight of the concrete
in the bucket by the bucket volume and recorded in kg/m3.
Yield is calculated by dividing the total weights batched in
the mix by the calculated density and recorded in m3.
Relative yield is the ratio of the actual volume of concrete
obtained to the volume as designed for the batch.
BS EN 12350-6, ASTM C138
Such discrepancies would lead to high percentages of
losses in the strength of concrete specimens:
Loss of 61% for insufficient consolidation of strength specimens
Loss of 5% for each 1% excessive void in strength specimens
Loss of 2% for the use of reinforcement bar rather than standard
bar/rod
Loss of 6% for excessive tapping of strength specimens
Loss of 8% for insufficient storage humidity
Such discrepancies would lead to high percentages of
losses in the strength of concrete specimens:
Loss of 5% for early vibration in initial storage
Loss of 7% for rolling and bumping of specimens during transportation
Loss of 5% for dropping of specimens to floor
Loss up to 7% if initially cured at low temperature
Higher initial curing temperatures may increase early strength, but
later strengths will suffer
THANK YOU
OMAR M KHALAF
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT – TRAKHEES
