Unit Weight Test

The unit weight is the weight per unit volume of a material. The unit
weight, or density, of concrete varies with the amount and density of the
aggregate, and the water and cement contents. Conventional concrete used
in structures, such as buildings and pavements, has a unit weight in the
range of 140 to 150 pounds per cubic foot.
The unit weight is determined by the formula:
D = (Mc Mm) / Vm
Where:
D

Density of the concrete, lb/ft3

Wc

Weight of the measure holding the concrete

Wm

Weight of the empty concrete measure (base of air meter)

Vm
=
Volume of the measure (usually about 0.25 ft3 for a
pressure meter base)
To determine the unit weight of freshly mixed concrete, you will need a
cylindrical metal container.
Procedure:
1. First determine the weight of the container (Wm)
2. Fill the measure with fresh concrete consolidated in three
layers, as described for the air-content test. After each layer is
rodded, tap the sides of the container 10 to 15 times with a rubber
or rawhide mallet to remove any air pockets. After filling and
consolidating, strike off the top surface, taking care to leave the
measure level full.
3. Clean all excess concrete from the exterior of the measure. Then
weigh it and determine the net weight of the concrete inside the
measure by subtracting the weight of the measure from the weight
of the measure and concrete.
4. Calculate the unit weight

Sampling
The compressive strength of concrete is measured to ensure that
concrete delivered to a project meets the requirements of the job
specification and for quality control. For testing the compressive strength of

concrete, cylindrical test specimens are cast and stored until the concrete
hardens in accordance with the requirements of ASTM C31, Standard
Practice for Making and Curing Concrete Test Specimens in the Field.
The strength results of field-cured cylinders are used for:
1. Determining the at time at which a structure is permitted to be put
in service
Materials needed:

Molds for casting concrete specimen

Tamping rod
Rubber or rawhide mallet
Shovel
Water tank or curing box
Freshly mixed concrete

Procedure for Concrete Sample Preparation:

Placing:
Concrete is placed in the molds using a trowel in three layers of
approximately equal depth and is remixed in the mixing pan with a
shovel to prevent segregation during the molding of specimens. The
trowel is moved around the top edge of the mold as the concrete is
discharged in order to ensure a symmetrical distribution of the
concrete and to minimize segregation of coarse aggregate within the
mold.
Roding (Compaction):
Compaction is the removal of air from fresh concrete. Proper
compaction results in concrete with an increased density which is
stronger and more durable. Concrete is placed in the mold, in three
layers of approximately equal volume. Each layer is compacted with 25
strokes with the rounded end of the rod (as specified by ASTM
standards). The strokes are distributed uniformly over the cross section
of the mold and for each upper layer; the rod is allowed to penetrate
through the layer being rodded and into the layer below approximately
1 in. (25 mm).

Curing:
Curing means to cover the concrete with a layer of water, so it stays
moist. By keeping concrete moist, the bond between the paste and the

aggregates gets stronger. Concrete doesn't harden properly if it is left

to dry out. Curing is done just after finishing the concrete surface, as
soon as it will not be damaged. The longer concrete is cured, the closer
it will be to its best possible strength and durability. Concrete that is
cured sufficiently is less likely to crack.The specimens are removed
from the molds 24 hours after casting. Specimens are placed
immediately in water after removal from the molds to prevent loss of
moisture from specimens.
Cylinders Capping:
Capping a concrete cylinder means placing a smooth uniform cap/layer
at the end of a concrete cylinder to provide for a uniform load
distribution when testing. Since the concrete sample will contain voids
and aggregate particles at the upper surface that is left open, it is
necessary to prepare a smooth uniform surface for the testing machine
to press against.

Temperature
Temperature of concrete: Concrete is not recommended to be placed at a
temperature above 40C and below 5C without proper precaution
Hot weather concrete: Any operation of concreting done at atmospheric
temperature above 40C may be put under hot weather concreting. The
effect of hot weather may be as follows:

Accelerated setting: A higher temperature of fresh concrete results

in a more rapid hydration and leads to reduced workability/accelerated
setting. This reduces the handling time of concrete.
Reduction in strength: Concrete mixed, placed and cured at higher
temperature normally develops higher early strength than concrete
produced and cured at normal temperature but at 28 days or later the
strength are generally lower.
Increased tendency to crack: Rapid evaporation may cause plastic
shrinkage and cracking and subsequent cooling of hardened concrete
would introduce tensile stresses.

In order to avoid harmful effect of hot weather, temperature of ingredients

should be controlled so that the temperature of produced concrete is lower.
Mixing water has the greatest effect on lowering of temperature of concrete.
The use of chilled water/ flaked ice in mixing produces adequate reduction in
concrete temperature

Cold weather concreting: Any concreting operation done at a temperature

below 5C is termed as cold weather concreting. In the absence of special
precautions, the effect of cold weather concreting may be as follows:

Delayed setting: When the temperature is falling to about 5C or

below, the development of strength of concrete is retarded compared
with development at normal temperature. Thus, the time period for
removal of form work has to be increased.
Freezing of concrete at early stage: The permanent damage may
occur when the concrete in fresh stage is exposed to freeze before
certain pre-hardening period. Concrete may suffer irreparable loss in its
properties to an extent that compressive strength may get reduced to
50% of what could be expected for normal temperature concrete.
Stresses due to temperature differentials: Large temperature
differentials within the concrete member may promote cracking and
affect its durability adversely.

In view of above, it is desirable to limit the lowest temperature of concrete as

5C