Objective:

To determine the slump of freshly mixed Portland cement concrete in the laboratory

Equipment Used:

1. Mold in the form of lateral surface of frustum with a top diameter of 102 mm (4 in.), bottom
diameter of 203 mm (8 in.), and height of 305 mm (12 in.)
2. Tamping rod with a length of 0.6 m (24 in.), diameter of 16 mm (5/8 in.), and rounded ends

Theory:

This method measures the consistency of freshly mixed Portland concrete cement (PCC). To
some extent, this test indicates how easily concrete can be placed and compacted, or the
workability of concrete. This test is used both in the laboratory and in the field for quality control.

Procedure:

1. Obtain a sample of cement, sand, and gravel.

2. Wash the sand and gravel thoroughly with water so that it will be free from silt and clay.
3. Weigh equal amount of sand and gravel for a total of 15 Kg. and place them in a container.
Take 2 Kg. of cement. Determine the amount of water content using a water-cement ratio
of 0.45, 0.55, 0r 0.65 (1 liter = 1 Kg). You may use a mixture of 1:2:4.
4. Mix all the ingredients of concrete either manually or with a mechanical mixer. If a large
quantity of mixed concrete exits, obtain a representative sample.
5. Dampen the mold and place it, with its larger base at the bottom, on a flat, moist,
nonabsorbent rigid surface.
6. Hold the mold firmly in place by standing on the two-foot pieces.
7. Immediately fill the mold in three layers, each approximately one-third of the volume of the
mold. Note that one-third of the volume is equivalent to a depth of 67 mm (2-5/8 in.),
whereas two-thirds of the volume is equivalent to 155 mm (6-1/8 in.).
8. Rod each layer 25 strokes, using the tamping rod. Uniformly distribute the strokes over
the cross section of each layer. Rod the second and top layers each throughout its depth
so that the strokes penetrate the underlying layer. In filling and rodding the top layer, heap
the concrete above the mold before rodding is started. If the rodding operation results in
subsidence of concrete below the top edge of the mold, add additional concrete to keep
an excess of concrete above the top of the mold at all times.
9. After the top layer has been rodded, strike off the surface of concrete by means of a
screening and rolling motion of the tamping rod.
10. Remove the mold immediately from the concrete by raising it up carefully without lateral
or torsional motion. The slump test must be completed within 2.5 minutes after taking the
sample.
11. Measure the slump by determining the vertical difference between the top of the mold and
the displaced original center of the top of the specimen. If two consecutive tests on a
sample of concrete show a falling away or a shearing off of a portion of concrete from the
mass of the specimen, the concrete probably lacks the necessary plasticity and
cohesiveness for the slump test to be applicable and the test results will not be valid.
12. Report the slump value to the nearest 5 mm (1/4 in.)
Analysis/Remarks

The slump test indicates the behavior of a compacted concrete cone under the
action of gravitational forces. It is also used to determine the workability of the concrete.
Changes in the value of slump obtained during a job may indicate changes in materials,
in the water content or in the proportions of the mix, so it is useful in controlling the quality
of the concrete produced.

In our experiment, we obtained 55 mm of slump and it belongs to medium degree

of workability and 0.92 of compacting factor. Through it shapes our sample is considered
as true slump. True slump refers to general drop of the concrete mass evenly all around
without disintegration. The true slump is the only reliable condition to get an idea about
the workability of concrete. If shear and collapsed slump occur, the test should be
repeated. Too much water is the cause of collapsed slump while lack of cohesion is the
cause of shear slump.

Conclusion

I conclude that this experiment obtained slump of freshly mixed Portland cement
concrete. It is important to determine the slump of the concrete to determine its
consistency and workability. It also an indicator of an improperly mixed batch .Slump test
is also used to ensure uniformity for different loads of concrete under field conditions. It
is a must to know the shape of the slump, true slump is the most desirable slump for is
the only reliable condition to get an idea about the workability of concrete. The simplicity
of this test makes it more popular and used in our field. It is a must to know and
understand this experiment for it definitely be used in our profession and work.
Documentation: