Concrete Mix Proportions

8:30-10:00am Group B on 3/29/16

Cement 46 lbs
Fine Aggregate 125 lbs
Coarse Aggregate 87 lbs
Water 24 lbs

Expected Slump 4 inches

10:00 11:30am Group A on 3/29/16

Cement 33 lbs
Fine aggregate 78 lbs
Coarse aggregate 87 lbs
Water 18 lbs

Expected Slump 4 inches

In your lab report:

Note water cement ratio.
Include any comments you want to make on batching concrete,
mixing concrete, slump test, etc.
 Compression and Tension Testing of Concrete

We will be testing the concrete that was mixed and placed two weeks ago. Although we
are testing at 14 days instead of 28 days, the effect on the strength will not be too severe.
Use the time-strength gain equation for concrete proposed by Committee 209 of the
American Concrete Institute to estimate the impact of early testing age on the
compressive concrete strength:
t
f' c (t) f' c(28)
4 0.85t
where f c (t) is the compressive strength at time t, t is the age of the concrete in days, and
is the concrete compressive strength at 28 days.
f c(28)

We will be measuring the compressive strength and the tensile strength of the concrete.
We will perform two indirect tensile tests: modulus of rupture (flexural), and a split
cylinder test.

2P
Split Cylinder Test: The split cylinder stress is calculated using f sp , where fsp is
DL
the tensile strength from the split cylinder test, P is the applied force at fracture, D is the
diameter of the cylinder, and L is the length of the cylinder. Typical values of the split
cylinder test range from 4 f c f sp 8 f c , where the stresses are expressed in psi.

Modulus of Rupture Test: The tensile strength comes from the maximum extreme fiber
Mc
tensile stress, f r , where fr is the tensile strength from the modulus of rupture test,
I
M is the maximum moment, c is the distance from the centroid to the extreme fiber in
tension, and I is the moment of inertia about the axis of bending. Typical values of the
tensile strength from the modulus of rupture tests range from 7 f c f r 12 f c , where
the stresses are expressed in psi.

Discuss the results from the test. A few of the items you should discuss include:
1. How well do the compression strength values agree with Table II of the ACI Mix
Design Table? List several possible reasons for non-identical values.
2. Calculate and compare the tensile strength of concrete as measured by the
modulus of rupture test and the split cylinder test. Discuss. Why are the
predicted values different?
3. Compare and discuss the different failure patterns in concrete when tested in
uniaxial compression, flexure and split cylinder tests.
4. Do you consider concrete a ductile or brittle material? Why?
 Concrete Testing

CONTROL tests versus IN-SITU tests:

I. Compression Testing
A. Factors Affecting Strength of Concrete:
1. Mixture proportions
2. Maturity
3. Uniformity
4. Degree of consolidation
5. Nature of load
6. Test Conditions

B. Testing Conditions Affecting Test Strength:

1. Moisture conditions
2. Roughness of loading surface
3. Loading rate
4. Temperature
5. End restraint
6. Aspect ratio (=H/D)

Diameter
Restrained
Depth

Height

H/D=1.0 H/D=1.5 H/D=2.0

II. Tension Testing

A. Flexure Tests

Center-point loading (ASTM C293) Third-point loading (ASTM C78)

L/2 P P/2 L/3 P/2

BM BM

Mc
Modulus of rupture: fr
I

B. Indirect Tension (Split Cylinder) Test (ASTM C496)

P
2P
t =
DL
h t
t =fsp

P v h variation
 Stress-Strain Curve of Concrete in Compression

Concrete is composed of aggregate and hardened cement paste; the stress - strain
behavior in compression of these components is nearly linear. However, the stress -
strain curve of concrete is linear only for low stress, becoming non-linear at higher
stresses.

50 (psi)
aggregate 6000
40
concrete

Stress, MPa
Stress, MPa

30
4000
Cement paste
20
2000
10

0
.001 .002 .003 0 0.001 0.002 0.003 0.004 0.005
Strain Strain

Stress u

0.4 u

0.00005 @.4u Strain

Chord Modulus of Elasticity

E (0 . 4 u ')
( @ 4 u - 0 . 000050 )

ACI Code
Ec 33w1.5 f c w = unit weight of concrete (pcf)

f c = specified compressive strength of concrete (psi)

 Why is the shape of the stress - strain curve of concrete non-linear?

The shape of the stress - strain curve is a result of the nature of the failure mechanisms in
concrete. Since concrete is a brittle material, failure is a result of cracking; the nature of
this cracking is a result of the heterogeneous nature of concrete. Cracks begin to form at
a stress level of about 1/3 fc; the first cracks to form are called bond cracks and occur at
the interface between the paste and the coarse aggregate. With increasing stress, more
bond cracks develop. Then, at stress levels of about 3/4 fc cracks begin to extend into
the paste. The amount of mortar cracking increases with increasing stress until large
continuous cracks develop and the concrete reaches its ultimate capacity.

Elastic BondCracking Mortar Cracking Ultimate

f' c f' c
3 f' c fc
4 3 3

This process of progressive cracking (micro-cracking) is reflected in the shape of the

stress - strain curve.