SAMPLING OF CONCRETE

A random sampling procedure should be adopted to ensure that each concrete batch will
have reasonable chance of being tested. It means that sampling and cube casting should
be spread over entire period of concreting. In case of more than one mixing unit or
batching plants are used for a concrete construction, the sampling should cover all the
mixing units.
Specimen: A cube of dimension(150mm*150mm*150mm) made in the laboratory for
testing for different testing purposes of concrete is known as specimen.
Sample: Three or more specimen of same grade of concrete is called sample. But IS
standard suggest us to take three specimens for a sample.
• Samples are made to check the compressive strength of concrete.
• According to IS 456:2000 (Cl. 15.1)
“28 days compressive strength shall alone be the criteria for acceptance and rejection of
concrete.”
Additional samples are also made for following reasons:
1. Determine compressive strength at 7 days or at the time of striking (de-
shuttering).
2. To determine the time of curing.
3. To check the testing error.
(This sample are optional or required sometime but mentioned samples are compulsory to
determine the strength of concrete). The no of samples that is needed to take under
consideration are mentioned below according to IS Standard IS 456:2000.

The Clause 15.2.2 of the IS: 456-2000 stipulates minimum frequency of sampling of
concrete.
Quantity of Concrete (m3) Number of samples
1-5 1
6-15 2
16-30 3
31-50 4
51 and above 4 plus one additional sample for each
then additional 50m3 or part thereof.

Acceptance criteria of concrete

• As per Indian standard IS 456:2000 (Cl. 16)
There are basically to acceptance criteria of concrete:
1. Compressive strength
2. Flexural strength
Before checking the acceptance criteria of compressive proper validation is needed.
a. Validation
We should check whether the sample is valid for acceptance criteria or not.
Test results:
i. Test result shall be average of three specimens.
ii. Individual variation should not be more than ± 15% of the average.
After the sample is being valid for acceptance criteria,
Acceptance criteria for compressive strength is provided in IS code
IS 456:2000 (cl.16) table no.11 as follow:
Specific Grade Mean of group of 4 non- Individual test results in
overlapping consecutive N/mm²
test results in N/mm²

M15 ≥Fck+0.825*established ≥Fck-3 N/mm²

standard deviation
(rounded off to nearest 0.5
N/mm²
Or
Fck+3 N/mm²
* Whichever is greater is
considered.

M20 and above ≥ Fck+0.825*established ≥Fck-4 N/mm²

standard deviation
(rounded off to nearest
0.5N/mm²
Or
Fck+4 N/mm²
* Whichever is greater is
considered.

Flexural strength
We measure flexural strength on a beam of
dimension (150mm*150mm*700). It is often seen that the construction
Engineer neglects acceptance criteria of a concrete from flexural point of view.
As flexural strength is not much important in designing, we represent it as tensile strength
in the form of modulus of rupture and often neglected.
Acceptance Criteria of Flexural strength
• It decides the serviceability of concrete like deflection of structure.
Criteria
1. The mean strength determined from any group of four consecutive test results exceeds
the specified characteristics strength by at least 0.3 N/mm².
2. The strength determined from any test results is not less than specified characteristics
strength less 0.3 N/mm².